Electric specialist Lunaz has announced its latest creation - a 1983 short-wheelbase Range Rover Safari based on the same variant driven in Octopussy, the 1983 James Bond film.

Finished in a one-off Maya Blue - instead of the brown paint seen on Bond’s car - the open-top model has been substantially reinforced to maintain its strength and stability without a roof and to provide a solid platform for the fully electric powertrain, all while keeping exactly to the original exterior coachwork design.

The 280kw powertrain produces 375bhp, a significant improvement on the original V8 engine. The Range Rover Safari has been upgraded with adjustable dampers and bespoke springs, six and four-piston brakes fitted to the front and rear, respectively and regenerative braking in order to manage the additional torque generated.

Looking inside, the original spartan dashboard and interior have been replaced with a new and extended 3D printed console which was developed by Lunaz over a two-year period. The centre console has an Apple CarPlay and Android Auto-enabled infotainment screen, a reversing camera display, controls for air-con and heating as well as USB-C charging ports - all finished in rich Mocca Walnut wood.

The painstaking process - all undertaken in-house at Lunaz’s Silverstone facility - amounted to more than 5,000 hours of test and development, 1,000 of these hours being spent on the cabin alone. The result is a sustainable, unique restomod and Lunaz says that applications for these types of commissions have been steadily rising over the last three years.

Technological improvements have been made throughout the process and will benefit clients who choose to use Lunaz with a further 50 build slots of electric Range Rover Classics now available.

”We’re showing that our incredibly detailed and exacting approach can be applied to more playful icons, so they can be enjoyed for their own sake. I believe that this stunning electrified restomod captures this perfectly, elevating the Range Rover Classic to a place that perfectly marries its utility with a contemporary and precisely executed new interior and exterior design treatment,” said David Lorenz, Founder of Lunaz.

words: Mike Booth
pictures: Lunaz