Kingsley Range Rover Classic KSR Restomod First Drive: Cooler than a Lambo?

Motor Trend

2 days ago

Everyone loves a restomod Land Rover Defender SUV. So much so that reinventing Land Rover's world-famous 4x4 workhorse has become a profitable niche industry with a global reach. Even Land Rover itself has jumped on the bandwagon as its Classic Works Bespoke operation rebuilds classic Defender 90 and 110 models with new luxury interiors, reworked suspension and brakes, and punchy V-8 engines. The entire scene has reached a point where a restomod Defender often walks a fine line between caricature and cliché—which is precisely what makes the Kingsley Range Rover Classic KSR an interesting alternative.
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The Background
While the Jeep Wagoneer of the 1960s invented the idea of a luxury 4x4, Land Rover's original Range Rover perfected it, although the early 1970s versions were relatively spartan with vinyl seats and rubber mats on the floor. However, the Range Rover's magic carpet ride is what made it special from the outset. It was a fearsomely capable off-roader that was as comfy as a Cadillac, on and off the road. When wood, leather, carpet and air conditioning arrived later, they seemed logical, perfectly in character with the rest of the vehicle rather than looking like lipstick on a rough-riding pig.
British-based Kingsley Re-Engineered has been in the business of restoring and restomodding Range Rovers and Land Rovers since 2001, though the company has been under new management for the past 14 months. The KSR is a new addition to the Kingsley Range Rover Classic lineup, which includes the KC, a full nuts-and-bolts restoration, and the KR, which is a restomod with leather wrapped over much of the original Range Rover interior.
The Details
Available in either two- or four-door configuration, the Kingsley Range Rover Classic KSR is based on pre-1993 Range Rover Classic donor cars, what enthusiasts call the 'hard-dash' models. The later 'soft-dash' cars have a rounded, more integrated instrument binnacle that was a major improvement at the time but is now much more difficult to restore or retrim. Beyond that, says Kingsley managing director James Sawbridge, the soft-dash models are much more prone to severe body-rust problems, to the point where cars that look good from 30 feet away have bodies that are so catastrophically rusted out under their carpet and other trim pieces that they must be junked. Fortunately, the chassis is much more durable. 'It's very rare we have to throw a chassis away,' Sawbridge said.
The KSR shares much of its mechanical hardware with the KR. Under the hood is Kingsley's 'High Torque' 4.6-liter V-8, an upgrade of the original Rover 3.9-liter unit that now develops 270 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. Driving all four wheels through the standard four-speed automatic transmission, that's enough grunt to propel the KSR from 0 to 60 mph in 9.8 seconds and to a top speed of more than 120 mph.
That's not earth shattering in the context of rocketship-modern SUVs such as the Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT or Ferrari Purosangue, or even today's Range Rover P530, which packs a 523-hp, 553-lb-ft punch and is a full 5.2 seconds quicker to 60 mph. But it's worth remembering the original Rangie took about 11 seconds to get to 60 from a standstill and topped out at 110 mph. This is why the Kingsley Ranger Rover Classic KSR, though retaining the standard Range Rover Classic spring and roll bar rates, uses TracTive adjustable adaptive shocks to better control the body motions and has bigger disc brakes front and rear.
Spot the Differences
The interiors are the big difference between the Kingsley KR and KSR models, with the latter featuring a redesigned dash, a digital instrument panel, and a new center console with upgraded switchgear and an inbuilt digital display. The redesigned interior makes the KSR easier to build to a higher quality. Wrapping the original Range Rover dash and doors and other hardware sounds simple enough in concept but is difficult to execute as it involves retrimming substrate structures that are not always in good condition or robust enough.
The interior redesign also improves its functionality: The Range Rover' Classic's notoriously poor windshield demisting is notably better courtesy of larger vents at the top of the dash, and the upgraded air conditioning system is activated more easily via improved switchgear on the center console, which now has cupholders and USB and USB-C connection points. The software powering the digital screen supports Apple CarPlay, thus delivering up-to-date navigation and audio functionality.
Make It Yours
Customers can choose almost any color and trim combination they desire. Our test SUV, the first KSR out of the shop, features Brewster Green paint over a Chestnut leather interior and Boxweave carpets, with Black Watch Weathered tartan accents in the seats. It rolls on 18-inch multispoke wheels finished in gloss black and fitted with 255/55 Avon Zx7 tires. Wheels apart, color and trim combinations don't come much more classically British. And they suit the crisp, clean lines of the Range Rover Classic, a car so highly regarded as a paragon of industrial design that one was exhibited at the Louvre back in 1971.
How It Drives
Sliding behind the wheel of the Kingsley KSR is to be reminded that ever-tougher crash-safety regulations have turned modern SUVs into pillboxes on wheels, with heavy rooflines and slits for windows. With its low cowl and beltline—the side windows come down to elbow height—and ultra-thin pillars, the Range Rover Classic cabin is a light and airy place to be, offering superb visibility for all occupants.
The tuned V-8 is a rumbly, grumbly thing, amplified by a sport exhaust system that's in truth a little too sporty, even at idle, for an SUV that by modern standards is a relatively relaxed performer. Worse, the exhaust note gets boomy under load, with an annoying resonance at 2,500 rpm. Kingsley's Sawbridge agrees the exhaust tuning needs finessing to give the car a more dignified soundtrack that's more in keeping with the Range Rover's refined character.
The suspension presents a similar story. We began our drive with the TracTive shocks in their middle setting, and the low-speed ride was just a touch too firm, too sporty. The softest setting—the different ones can be activated via the rotary controller on the center console—was the most comfortable, not quite the magic carpet of the original Range Rover but still plusher than many modern SUVs. It's a decent compromise: The original Range Rover required care and anticipation when driven fast on the road to allow for its prodigious roll rates during rapid changes of direction; the TracTive shocks keep a much tighter rein on the Kingsley KSR through the twisties.
Sawbridge says Kingsley is looking at offering 16- or 17-inch aluminum wheels that will allow a taller-sidewall tire to add a little more syrup to the low-speed ride. That's an option we'd definitely explore. A different wheel/tire setup would also help the steering, which is too heavy, especially at low speeds—a characteristic amplified by the Nardo steering wheel that's much smaller in diameter than that of the original Range Rover Classic. If it sounds like we're harping on the low-speed refinement, you're correct. That's because the reality is the Kingsley KSR is a vehicle that will spend most of its life woofling around town or along country roads at modest velocities rather than being hammered along on a fast cross-country drive.
It's not even meant for heavy-duty off-road action: The redesigned center console eliminates the stubby lever that enables drivers to shift between high and low range and to lock the center differential. 'KSR customers don't want extreme off-road capability,' Sawbridge said of the decision to remove the transfer-case shifter. (The transfer case is still present; you just can't use it). 'They want the old-school style of the original Range Rover. The only off-roading they do is driving across a grassy field to watch polo or go shooting.'
How Much?
With a starting price of about $300,000 (based on today's exchange rates) plus tax and shipping, the Kingsley Range Rover Classic KSR restomod isn't cheap, costing more than an Aston Martin DBX 707 or a Lamborghini Urus. But it offers character and charisma few modern SUVs can match, and it can be built exactly the way you want it, not just in terms of color and trim but also in terms of a quieter exhaust, softer shocks, and a more comfortable wheel/tire combination. And if you want both performance and refinement, Kingsley will soon offer the KSR with a punchy 6.2-liter GM LS3 V-8 under the hood that drives through a six-speed automatic transmission.