Get Hotcars Premium. Start your free trial today
Land Rover restomod specialists, E.C.D. Automotive Design, share details on the 450 horsepower Project Naw LT1-powered Defender.
Project Naw, E.C.D. Automotive Design’s latest hi-end homage to the classic Land Rover Defender is as mean as it is green. At its heart lies a Corvette LT1 V8, pumping out a claimed 450 horsepower and 465 foot-pounds of torque capable of catapulting this 25-year-old Defender 110 from 0-60 in six-seconds flat. Designed and built to the exacting specifications of its new owner, the bespoke Project Naw spent eight months in design and six months in production and testing before leaving the E.C.D. Rover Dome in Kissimmee, Florida.
To join Project Naw’s owners and build your own dream Defender, classic Range Rover or Series II, you’ll need to part with at least $150,000 before you start making some of the myriad of decisions that must follow; drivetrain, suspension, seat layout, fabrics, rims. E.C.D.'s online design broschure can help narrow down the options, although color schemes are often the hardest element to pin down. We can only wonder at the motivation behind the vivid Lamborghini Verde Mantis green, chosen for the Naw; perhaps to match a beloved Huracan? Ours is not to judge. E.C.D.’s in-house paint-shop has countless options or will match any sample you care to bring in.
E.C.D. is proud of its Concierge Team, which handles all customer interactions, pre- and post-sale. Once a new client has chosen a base model, the team regularly sends packages containing paint samples, fabric swaths, and stitch patterns. With the build's various elements agreed upon, they create a 3D rendering, ensuring each new owner can preview the finished article and make any changes. Once signed off, the manufacturing phase begins. A donor car gets stripped down to the frame–the only original part E.C.D. will use. Each frame must pass inspection before cleaning and re-galvanizing, where it will form the base of a new bespoke Land Rover. Clients, and the public alike, can watch E.C.D.’s builds take shape online via the workshop’s camera system.
RELATED: Check Out The Chieftain Range Rover 430bhp V8 Restomod – FIRST DRIVE REVIEW
Behind Project Naw’s classic Land Rover grille lies a next-gen LT1 engine, Chevy’s small-block replacement for the aging LS, and a new addition to the many engine options available. The 6.2-liter V8 LT1 benefits from direct injection, GM’s Active Fuel Management system, and continuously variable valve timing, which works in conjunction with an advanced combustion system, helping it produce a magnificent 460 horses at the crank.
A full stainless steel Borla dual exhaust system ensures that the sound-track accompanying the V8 is suitably growly. The re-imagined 110 uses an 8-speed automatic transmission and, suspending its heavy-duty drivetrain, E.C.D.'s proprietary Adjustable Air Ride promises comfort and off-road capability. Brembo brakes, with calipers finished in matching Verde Mantis green, add serious stopping potential and eye-catching contrast.
RELATED: Here's The One Thing The Old Land Rover Defender Still Has Over The 2020 Model
Staying true to its Land Rover Defender origins, Project Naw has the classic Defender convertible soft top roof, bumpers, and grille design finished in black to match the Kahn Mondial Retro wheels, multi-point roll cage, swing-away wheel carrier, and brush bar. And if the Borla exhaust doesn't catch your attention, the striking Verde Mantis green adorning Project Naw’s flared body panels surely will.
The interior is equally remarkable. Two forward and two rear RECARO Cross Sportster CS seats, upholstered in Hydes Pelle Fresco Frost white leather with matching door cards and Puma dash, contrast with a black Nardi Challenge leather steering wheel and controls. A set of five Hot White analog gauges and central E.C.D custom console, add to the overall luxury and style. An Infinity Kappa infotainment system promises crisp sound.
Complementing Project Naw’s luxury features are various practical ancillaries, expected from a modern production SUV, including third-row seating, provided by two additional jump seats also finished in Pelle Fresco Frost leather, front and back maneuvering cameras, blind-spot assistance, a back-up sensor, a wireless charger, WiFi connectivity, and multiple USB ports. “Project Naw is a brilliant example of what we do at E.C.D., where everything is possible,” said E.C.D. Co-Founder, Scott Wallace. “Unbound by convention and driven by our clients’ creativity, our talented craftsmen and engineers bring dream cars like Project Naw to life, and they remain unmatched to anything else on the road.”
RELATED: Watch This 430bhp 6.2L Land Rover Defender Built By 20-Year-Old Handle A Test Driv E.C.D. is one of the biggest and fastest-growing restomod specialists, and we asked Scott Wallace how they manage aftercare, often perceived as a weakness with bespoke cars. “Our quality control is one of the most robust in the industry," he told us. "We have it down to a fine art.” No matter how solid their quality control, all car companies must expect and prepare for breakdowns. Wallace explained that E.C.D. relies on a network of trusted partners to provide first-level assistance. At the second level, the car either returns to Kissimmee, Florida or an E.C.D. mechanic, and any required parts, go to the vehicle’s location.
Project Naw's final price of $251,000 reflects the 2,200-hours that went into building it. E.C.D.'s build prices vary greatly depending on their prospective owner's design choices. The team will do everything possible to incorporate whatever off-the-wall ideas their clients can imagine. Past builds have included luxury air-conditioned kennels, automated ramps, and, in one case, a request to color every single part (from panel to rivet) black. They had to draw the line at the under-seat aquarium request, but if a design request is safe, legal, and within the realms of reality, E.C.D. reckons they will fit whatever your heart desires.
Guy started riding motorcycles aged 21 and bought a Kawasaki ZX-6R the day after passing his road test. He was a sportbike enthusiast for many years until, in 2010, the Long Way Round television series inspired him to organize an adventure moto-tour. Since then, he has traveled thousands of miles across the US, Chile, Argentina, Canada, and the UK on various adventure bikes. He attended adventure bike school with the BMW Performance Academy, completed enduro training with Off-Road Skills in the UK, and recently brushed up his sportbike skills at the renowned California Superbike School. He spent a year in amateur endurance car racing and has attended Skip Barber and Dirtfish driving schools. Guy has previously been the Road Test Editor at Rider Magazine, and his stories were also published in Adventure Bike Rider, ADVMoto, and DRIVETRIBE. In 2020, Guy was one of three winners of Moto Guzzi's "Spirit of the Eagle Rideaway" competition.