TOP 5: Cars we’d like to see reimagined

HWA’s resto-mod 190E got us thinking which Aussie classic we’d love to see revived for modern times

Last week we found ourselves salivating excessively at the HWA Evo – the body of a Mercedes-Benz 190 with a contemporary twin-turbo V6 powertrain.

It’s what happens when an engineering firm takes an old vehicle and imagines it for modern times. Called ‘restomodding’, this approach gives you classic vehicle style with contemporary technology – no need for a retro new vehicle here.

But it made us think – what five vehicles are overdue for a proper restomod treatment, and are there any good candidates in the Aussie back catalogue? You can bet there are. Here are five somewhat homegrown restomod ideas somebody needs to do now.

Ford XA Falcon

Just four Phase IV GTHOs were built in the early 1970s, but with the ‘supercar scare’ long finished, we’d love to see someone procure a few XA sedan body-shells and build a contemporary tribute to this epic, somewhat stillborn vehicle.

As the original GTHO was built for the track, the restomod XA could come with the engine and running gear from the new Mustang GTD. That means a supercharged, dry-sumped 5.2-litre V8 producing a lazy 588kW, a race-bred eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, ‘semi-active’ suspension and carbon-ceramic brakes. And maybe a bit of retubbing to fit the widest rear tyres possible.

Holden VT Commodore

The late ’90s were a golden age for the Holden Racing Team in V8 Supercars – but also Holden Special Vehicles with its C4B-powered 300kW GTS. The VT-generation Commodore remains a pretty car (when it’s not single-pegging in a Bunnings car-park somewhere) and we’d love to see a version for the modern day – one with a ferocious naturally aspirated character.

The 5.5-litre twin-cam LT6 V8 (as seen in the Corvette Z06) should do the trick – one revving to 8600rpm and producing a very healthy 500kW in the process. An eight-speed dual-clutch transmission would suit this super-sedan’s character to a tee, as would plenty of Alcantara and a Porsche GT3-inspired club-spec roll cage. You could pretend you were Craig Lowndes circa 1999.

Holden WB Statesman Caprice

This could be a blasphemous idea, but a WB Caprice in all its long-wheelbase glory could be fantastic with a single rear electric motor and battery large enough to deliver 400-or-so kilometres of range. That would require junking the 5.0-litre pushrod V8 that gasped out just 126kW and 361Nm – which wouldn’t be the saddest of things, to be totally honest.

The electric motor would gift this beautiful, big Aussie cruiser perfectly smooth and quiet motoring – refinement its original engineers could have only dreamed of – as well as meaning fewer oil drips on the driveway and less stressing about something like the three-speed auto packing it in. A modern Cadillac interior could also be cool – not to get ahead of ourselves.

Ford Sierra RS500

To paraphrase the great Dick Johnson, the original turbocharged Sierra was a rocket-powered roller-skate – but it did win Bathurst twice in 1988 and 1989. The road car packed a 2.0-litre, turbocharged Cosworth inline-four producing around 167kW and 277Nm, great for a vehicle weighing in the vicinity of 1200kg to 1300kg.

We’d love to see one with the 2.3-litre turbocharged inline-four and tricky all-wheel-drive system from the late Ford Focus RS Limited Edition. Think 257kW and 440Nm and a Drift mode, which would surely put a big fat grin on even the most cantankerous of faces under the 1980s-vibing body of an old Sierra.

Chrysler Valiant Charger

Nothing would get punters shouting ‘hey, Charger!’ like seeing a restomod VH packing Chrysler’s high-tech new Hurricane inline-six – the twin-turbo unit producing around 372kW. And it would have to be a coupe, of course.

We’d imagine bigger, wide wheels and bigger brakes, as well as a modern, eight-speed torque converter automatic from Chrysler’s existing US catalogue. As for the interior, a total reupholstering would be in order but we’d want to preserve the classic 1970s look – naturally.

What car with an Aussie connection would you like to see restomodded? Let us know in the comments below or join the discussion on social media.