Dynamic as it is the automotive industry always has room for newcomers. That's why we see a flood of startups entering this business and trying to make a name for themselves. Some are more successful at it than others.
Exactly a year ago the world learned of a new car company entering the game. This one is not planning to revolutionize the industry by launching a new, never-before-seen car, but it will make a living by modernizing older icons everybody loves.
The company is called Kindred Motorworks, and it's based in California's Mare Island. It makes, as per its own admission, "modernized vintage vehicles." That would be reinterpreted 1966 – 1975 Ford Broncos, Chevrolet 3100s from 1947 to 1953, Volkswagen Buses, and Camaros.
Until this week we knew of Kindred planning to start production of these vehicles in 2024, but the lines at the company's Cali facility seem to have already started rolling, ahead of schedule.
The announcement was made by the company during the Monterey Car Week, and it's centered on the Ford Bronco line of vehicles. We're told the first one is already on the assembly lines, getting ready for a reveal possibly as soon as this fall.
We don't know the exact specifications of this particular Bronco, but Kindred plans to make these things into series production, so generally speaking, aside from customers' personal touch in styling, some of the mechanical bits will always be the same.
In the case of Ford's iconic SUV we're talking about a Ford Gen 3 Coyote engine under the hood, 5.0 liters in displacement and capable of developing 460 horsepower.
The price of one of these babies starts at $169,000, but it's very likely we'll end up with much more expensive builds on our hands. There are ten exterior colors to choose from, two interior ones, both in leather, and a Trail Edition Package (front and rear impact bumpers, Warn winch, and tire carrier) that's priced at $10,000.
I must admit I can't wait to see what these guys can turn the Broncos into, but to be fair there are a lot of them already out there (a crew called Classic Ford Broncos effectively has hundreds of them under its belt). That's why the custom vehicle from Kindred I'm really looking forward to is the electric Chevrolet 3100, planned for introduction next year.
Styled the same way as it was when it rolled the assembly lines decades ago, this breed of pickups will ditch internal combustion engines for an electric drivetrain capable of delivering 294 horsepower. Upgrades to the trucks' suspension, brakes and lighting are also to be expected. And it's a tad cheaper than the Bronco too, selling for "just” $159,000.
The company is called Kindred Motorworks, and it's based in California's Mare Island. It makes, as per its own admission, "modernized vintage vehicles." That would be reinterpreted 1966 – 1975 Ford Broncos, Chevrolet 3100s from 1947 to 1953, Volkswagen Buses, and Camaros.
Until this week we knew of Kindred planning to start production of these vehicles in 2024, but the lines at the company's Cali facility seem to have already started rolling, ahead of schedule.
The announcement was made by the company during the Monterey Car Week, and it's centered on the Ford Bronco line of vehicles. We're told the first one is already on the assembly lines, getting ready for a reveal possibly as soon as this fall.
We don't know the exact specifications of this particular Bronco, but Kindred plans to make these things into series production, so generally speaking, aside from customers' personal touch in styling, some of the mechanical bits will always be the same.
In the case of Ford's iconic SUV we're talking about a Ford Gen 3 Coyote engine under the hood, 5.0 liters in displacement and capable of developing 460 horsepower.
The price of one of these babies starts at $169,000, but it's very likely we'll end up with much more expensive builds on our hands. There are ten exterior colors to choose from, two interior ones, both in leather, and a Trail Edition Package (front and rear impact bumpers, Warn winch, and tire carrier) that's priced at $10,000.
I must admit I can't wait to see what these guys can turn the Broncos into, but to be fair there are a lot of them already out there (a crew called Classic Ford Broncos effectively has hundreds of them under its belt). That's why the custom vehicle from Kindred I'm really looking forward to is the electric Chevrolet 3100, planned for introduction next year.
Styled the same way as it was when it rolled the assembly lines decades ago, this breed of pickups will ditch internal combustion engines for an electric drivetrain capable of delivering 294 horsepower. Upgrades to the trucks' suspension, brakes and lighting are also to be expected. And it's a tad cheaper than the Bronco too, selling for "just” $159,000.
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