Being the home of Walt Disney World and other theme parks, central Florida can tell the world a thing or three about wildly tricked-out thrill rides. In that spirit, a private firm in Kissimmeee is transforming august British vehicles of the past into something new and considerably improved. ECD Automotive Design was founded in 2013 and specialized in very high-end builds of vintage Land Rovers and Jaguars from the British classic era, and recently opened a new, 100,000-square-foot production facility. It’s operated by two transplanted Brits who told the Orlando Sentinel that both come from outside the automotive world but have guessed that a market exists for reimagined British classic with modern power, either ICE or electric.
The photo provides a good summary of the type of vehicle that ECD produces. It has teams across the U.K. and Europe that seek out rebuildable examples of various Land Rover models, especially the Defender 90 and Defender 110, plus E-type Jaguars in need of a new purpose. One such Land Rover is the Custom D110, which starts out at $224,000 and offers a plethora of custom and convenience accessorization, plus power from your choice of a Cummins turbocharged diesel engine or the 6.2-liter Chevrolet LS3 small-block gasoline V-8, with ECD promoting a claimed 0-60 time of six seconds flat for the custom Landy. Electric power is also available, depending on model.
Jim Donnelly On Wheels 