Intriguing to hear that for 2013, the amazing bespoke modified Twisted model Land Rover Defenders will be available with thumping great General Motors V8 power, or a five-cylinder Ford turbo diesel unit, in place of the model’s usual 2.2-litre unit. While fitting the larger V8 unit seems a logical option, you wonder why Twisted didn’t consider the Range Rover option. As Twisted’s Charles Fawcett explains: “We’re continually asked whether petrol and diesel Range Rover V8s can be dropped into a Defender; while it is possible, it’s a matter of re-engineering the software to work standalone without all the modules and controls that the Range Rover has, but we don’t consider that to be the best solution. We’ve researched and experimented, and established that the GM V8 is a more suitable standalone fitment – and its character suits the Twisted Defender perfectly.”
Twisted was originally a Land Rover tuning specialist, but the business has evolved to produce highly distinctive and bespoke vehicles. Each model is unique and so the ability to offer a variety of engine options is an intrinsic part of why customers go to Twisted. The company plans to have the first new Ford turbodiesel demonstrator available later this month, with the 430bhp GM V8 ready to go in April – one customer V8 is already in the planning stage.
