It’s Land Rover (and Range Rover, of course) Month here on autoevolution, and ever since February kicked off, we’ve been treating you to some of the most exciting bits of info starring the British brand, including incredible custom builds. Chances are though, you’ve seen nothing like the thing we have here.
The story is about the Range Rover Classic, the mid-size machine the guys from British Leyland’s Rover gave birth to at the end of the 1960s, at a time when the word SUV was not even used to describe such a type of vehicle.
On the market for close to 30 years and just a trio of generations, the Range Rover Classic proved just as successful among the truly passionate as any other large vehicle with the word Rover in its name. It only exited the scene after the Land Rover Discovery came under the spotlight, but in some circles, it survives to this day.
It was so popular, in fact, that it was used not only as a civilian daily driver vehicle, but was also employed by police, fire and ambulance service. It even got converted to be used as popemobile by Pope John Paul II during his visit to the UK in 1982.
What’s perhaps even more important is the fact the nameplate also gave birth to a number of racing variants, some of which are still doing the rounds today in extremely challenging competitions like the Dakar Classic.
It was one of these Dakar-going beasts that served as inspiration for Hot Wheels to come up with a diecast replica of the iconic British off-roader. The toymaker introduced its variant to the world in 2021, and already we have a number of such toys modified by Hot Wheels customizers across the world.
The latest example of modified Range Rover comes in the form of something that if looked at just right, can be mistaken for the real thing. Or a four-wheeled Hulk. It has no other name than Range Rover Classic, but it certainly looks like nothing we’ve seen before.
The modified Range Rover is the work of a customizer we’ve talked about before here on autoevolution, one named Jakarta Diecast Project (JDP). Around for a number of years now, the shop cuts no corners when it comes to both remaking Hot Wheels cars, and advertising them through insane photography.
For the Range Rover build, JDP went all in, and changed everything, from the color to the wheels, roll cage, and body height. The toy even received a wealth of hand-made parts, including the engine, mechanical steering, shock absorbers, four-link suspension, and a variety of body parts that weren’t there originally.
You can see the result of all JDP’s work in the over 17-minute clip below, or in the attached gallery.
Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies. Full profile
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