Land Rover design director Gerry McGovern is optimistic that the manufacturer’s Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) will put tuners out of business.
Speaking to Autocar magazine, McGovern said: “It’s easy to take a product that’s already been created and put a little spoiler on it or whatever, but I’d like to see them design their own car. We see them taking our property and making a bit more profit.
“We’re going to put them out of business through SVO. The opportunities we’re creating there, and the quality of our work, are much better.”
Although he didn’t specify which tuners have irked the original manufacturer, tuners such as Hamman and the Brabus owned Startec are among the ‘culprits’ that McGovern is likely referring to.
Examples of models that Land Rover have already produced to custom spec at SVO include the 2015 Range Rover Sentinel an amoured vehicle based on the Autobiography.
This specialised Rangie comes with VR8 certification, which means it can withstand 7.62mm high velocity armour piercing rounds. It can also withstand grenade explosions beneath the car and up to 15kg of TNT.
Range Rover Sentinal