Afzal Kahn is one busy man. He spent 2015 announcing and launching new projects through various automotive ventures. Those included the Speed 7, Land Rover Defender 6x6 and Ant-Kahn barchetta. He hasn't slowed down in 2016, with his designs adding flash to auto shows throughout the year. He's now preparing to liven up next week's London Motor Show with a trio of reworked British legends, including an angry Aston Martin and a six-wheeled Land Rover pickup.
Kahn Design showed both the Aston Martin Vengeance and Flying Huntsman 110 Double Cab 6x6 Pick Up at the Geneva Motor Show last month and brought the Vengeance to the Top Marques Monaco two weeks ago. Both vehicles will be on display at the London Motor Show next week and will be joined by the all-new "Ultimate Defender," a tribute to the classic 4x4 that went out of production this year.
Flying Huntsman 110 Double Cab 6X6 Pick Up
The coach-built Defender 6x6 Pick Up made showed up last year before making a more official international auto show debut in Geneva. It was easily our favorite vehicle from Kahn's Geneva 2016 booth, providing a more cargo-friendly alternative to last year's 6x6 and a proper answer to the Mercedes G63 AMG 6x6, also a pickup.
Kahn has stretched the base Defender 110 out by 34.6 in (880 mm) and widened it by 6 in (150 mm) with the help of wide-body wings. Kahn's X-Lander grille and headlamp surrounds framing the "shadow chrome" lamps create a distinct face.
Other exterior modifications include an extended hood, added vents, cosmetic roll bars, and front and rear mud flaps. Plus, the truck has "Kahn" and "Flying Huntsman" badging and a sextet of 18-in 1945 retro alloy wheels.
Below that hulking, Volcanic Rock-painted body, Kahn has added a custom twin exhaust, put its signature on the six-speed automatic gearbox, and dropped in a custom electronic differential for activating the six drive wheels. There's no LS3 V8 in this one; power comes from the standard 120-hp 2.2-liter diesel engine. If that sounds underpowered to you, note that Canada's Urban Warrior this week announced an upgrade of the Kahn model powered by a 670-hp Ford Coyote V8.
Kahn has performed plenty of work on the interior, too. Beyond the bright red leather on the heated front seats and pretty much everywhere else, Kahn has added a custom dashboard, Flying Huntsman rev counter and clock, custom piano black center console, quilted black leather headliner, vented machined aluminum foot pedals and more.
That's a lotta Land Rover and it comes with a lotta price tag, though the £150,000 (approx. US$219K) base price looks pretty affordable compared to what Mercedes was asking for the (much more powerful and rugged) G63 6x6. Kahn will offer the 6x6 Pick Up in limited numbers.
Aston Martin Vengeance
Kahn's Aston Martin Vengeance may be one of the most appropriately named cars we've seen. Staring into that angry face makes you feel almost unwelcome. Based on the 510-hp V12-powered DB9, and inspired by Aston Martins of the 80s and 90s, the coach-built Vengeance represents the realization of Afzal Kahn's dream to design the car he wants to drive.
One man's dream is another's nightmare - not because the Vengeance is a terrible reinterpretation, but because those scary gnashed teeth are liable to cause actual nightmares. The new bumper framing that grille adds to the aggressive posturing, and widened front and rear fenders give the car the muscle mass it needs to make those threats feel credible.
Perhaps the most striking feature of the Vengeance is its roulette-inspired wheel design. The lightweight wheels feature a two-tone finish and have an extra pair of spokes at the rear (18 vs 16), complementing the bulging rear fenders.
Also a very limited edition, the Vengeance doesn't have a listed price outside of "POA".
Ultimate Defender
Organizers of the London Motor Show have called upon Afzal Kahn to create a tribute to the legendary Land Rover Defender, the last model of which rolled out of Solihull in January, after 68 years of production. Kahn is focusing on updating the Defender with a "variety of visual elements that give the classic design a modern touch while recalling the long and storied history of the SUV." The model should include signature Kahn touches like the Chelsea Truck Company Wide Track body kit and overhauled interior.
Beyond that, we'll have to wait until the London show, which opens on May 5, to see what the Ultimate Defender is all about. We'll bring you the details about the build and other London debuts next week.
