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There are few words in the classic car world more likely to start a fight than 'restomod'. To some, it's the perfect marriage of classic style and modern performance, the best of both worlds. To others, it's sacrilege, an act of automotive vandalism that rips the heart and soul out of a piece of history. It's a debate that's raging in online forums, at car shows, and down the pub, and it's one that gets right to the very heart of what it means to be a classic car enthusiast.
Let's be clear what we're talking about. A restomod, a portmanteau of 'restoration' and 'modification', isn't just a classic with a new set of alloys and a fancy stereo. We're talking about a complete reimagining. Think of a 1960s Jaguar E-Type, but with a modern fuel injected engine, a six speed gearbox, climate control, and brakes that actually work. On the surface, what's not to love? You get the timeless beauty of a classic design, but with the reliability and usability of a modern car. You can drive it every day, sit in traffic without it overheating, and stop on a sixpence. It's the dream, right?
The moderniser's argument
The companies at the top of this game are creating automotive works of art. Singer, the California based firm that reimagines classic Porsche 911s, produces cars that regularly sell for over £750,000, with some fetching well north of £2 million. Closer to home, Eagle in Sussex takes tired old Jaguar E-Types and transforms them into breathtaking machines like the Low Drag GT and the Speedster, each one a masterpiece of engineering and craftsmanship. Then there's Alfaholics in Bristol, whose GTA-R builds start at around £240,000 and are widely regarded as some of the finest driving machines on the planet.
They argue that they are simply making these cars what they always should have been, freeing them from the technological constraints of their time. They're not just making them faster, they're making them safer, more reliable, and ultimately, more usable. And isn't that the point? Cars are meant to be driven, not kept as static museum pieces. If a modern engine and uprated brakes mean a classic gets to see the road instead of languishing in a garage, that has to be a good thing.
But the market is changing too
And there's no denying the market is booming. The classic car world saw auction and online sales hit a massive $4.8 billion in 2025, a 10 percent jump from the year before. A new, younger generation of buyers is entering the market, and they want the classic look without the classic headaches. They've grown up with cars that start every time, have air conditioning, and don't try to kill you in the wet. For them, a restomod is the perfect entry point into classic ownership. It's a way to enjoy the style and the community without having to spend every weekend with your head under a bonnet.
The UK has become a global hub for this kind of work. Alongside Singer, Eagle, and Alfaholics, companies like Theon Design are producing stunning air cooled 911 restomods, while Boreham Motorworks has recently launched a gorgeous reimagined Ford Escort. The craftsmanship and attention to detail in these builds is extraordinary. These aren't bodge jobs done in a shed. These are precision engineered, beautifully finished cars that happen to wear a classic body.
The purist's fury
But for every person who dreams of a Singer 911, there's a purist who thinks they should all be melted down and turned into something useful, like a bus. For them, a car is a product of its time, and its flaws and quirks are an essential part of its character. The way a classic car smells, the way the carburettors cough on a cold morning, the way the steering feels vague and disconnected, that's the soul of the machine. To erase that with modern technology is to create a soulless pastiche, a classic car in fancy dress.
There's also a more serious charge levelled against the restomod scene: that it's ruining the hobby for the rest of us. The demand for donor cars for these high end builds has sent prices of certain models through the roof. A 1990 Range Rover's value has shot up by 373 percent since 2011, and a Chevy K5 Blazer is up by over 400 percent. The very cars that were once the affordable, accessible entry point for new enthusiasts are now being snapped up by speculators and turned into six figure playthings for the super rich. As Jonathan Ward, the founder of restomod company Icon 4x4, admits, "A certain vehicle becomes trendy, and then everyone wants it."
The electric elephant in the room
And then there's the latest, and perhaps most controversial, twist in the restomod tale: the electric conversion. Companies like Lunaz, based in Silverstone, were taking classic Rolls-Royces and Bentleys and replacing their glorious, rumbling engines with silent electric motors. On the one hand, it's a way to future proof these cars, to ensure they can still be driven in our increasingly emissions focused world. On the other, if you take the engine out of a classic car, what's left? Is a silent Rolls-Royce still a Rolls-Royce? It's a question that divides the community like no other.
The purists will tell you that the sound of a classic engine is half the experience. The burble of a straight six Jaguar, the bark of a flat six Porsche, the angry snarl of an Alfa Romeo twin cam, these are the sounds that make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. Replace that with the whirr of an electric motor and you've lost something that can never be replaced. It's like putting a microwave in a Michelin starred kitchen. It might be more efficient, but you've completely missed the point.
So where do we stand?
Ultimately, there's no right or wrong answer, and that's exactly what makes this debate so brilliant. One person's dream car is another's automotive nightmare. The restomod debate is so fierce because it touches on something we all feel passionate about: our connection to these wonderful old machines. Whether you believe a classic should be preserved exactly as it left the factory, or that it should be modified to be the best it can be, one thing is for sure. The debate isn't going to be settled any time soon.
And perhaps that's the beauty of it. The classic car world is big enough for both camps. There's room for the concours queen that's never been modified, and there's room for the restomod that's been reimagined from the ground up. What matters is that people are still passionate about these cars, still talking about them, still arguing about them. The day we stop caring is the day the hobby dies. So, what do you think? Are you a purist or a moderniser? Let us know in the comments. Just try to be nice.