Lunaz creates James Bond-inspired Range Rover Safari

Classic car EV conversion specialist Lunaz has revealed its latest project – an open-top Range Rover inspired by a James Bond film.

The 1983 short-wheelbase Safari model is the same variant featured in the film Octopussy but has undergone a complete transformation at the hands of the Lunaz team.

Lunaz has previously upgraded a number of classic Range Rovers to electric power but this is the first open-top model it has worked on. The firm’s founder said the different style of the car and the brief from the client required a new level of structural and design development but allowed it to explore a more fun aspect of EV conversions.

In particular, the body and chassis have been substantially reinforced to improve the car’s strength and stability without a roof, and to provide a more robust platform for the electric powertrain. Despite the significant changes under the skin, on the surface the exterior three-door body is identical to the original, and finished in a one-off ‘Maya Blue’ with a dark blue mohair convertible hood.

The Safari also represents the biggest investment in developing a new interior of any car Lunaz has worked out. The original’s simple interior has been torn out and replaced with a more comfortable, high-tech and user-friendly arrangement, which will form the basis of all future Range Rover conversions.

The original spartan dashboard and centre console have been replaced with a new and extended 3D printed console, which was designed, developed and manufactured in-house over a two-year period.

The composite centre console integrates an Apple CarPlay and Android Auto-enabled infotainment screen, which is also the display for the reversing camera, as well as digital controls for the air conditioning system, and USB-C charging ports. The expansive panel is finished in Mocca Walnut wood, which has been treated with a weatherproof satin lacquer.

The seats have also been completely redesigned to improve the look and comfort of the interior. The heated front seats use the same in-house padding found in Lunaz’s Rolls-Royce conversions and have been retrimmed in soft but hard-wearing leather. They also feature a central panel of a knitted composite material that is waterproof and chlorine-resistant, and inspired by the wax jackets favoured on hunting estates.

Replacing the car’s original 3.5-litre V8 engine is a 375bhp power unit. This not only brings a major uplift in power but also cuts its emissions from 360g/km to zero. To manage the additional power and torque, the Range Rover Safari has been upgraded with adjustable dampers and bespoke springs, six- and four-piston disc brakes fitted to the front and rear respectively, as well as regenerative braking. Despite that, it retains the original vehicle’s off-road abilities, with no change to its wading depth or approach, breakover and departure angles.

David Lorenz, founder of Lunaz said: “Lunaz has become known for elevating the most beautiful and elegant classic cars in history. With this Range Rover, we’re doing something different. 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.”