North Yorkshire-based Twisted Automotive has announced an agreement that will see the company’s bespoke Land Rover Defender restomods sold in Japan, under the new ‘Twisted Japan’ brand.
The exclusive deal, agreed with Yone Motors of Tokyo, means Twisted’s classic Defenders will be imported for three years.
Twisted’s first vehicles built for the Japanese market, in petrol TVS and TV8 specifications, will depart on their 6,000-mile journey to the port of Yokohama next month.
From Thirsk to Tokyo
Yone Motors has experience in selling and maintaining imported luxury vehicles, meaning Twisted’s classic Defenders will line up alongside high-end cars from McLaren, Rolls-Royce and Bentley.
Valuence Holdings, the owner of Yone Motors, has a particular focus on repurposing and reusing luxury goods, antiques and art to extend their lifespans. This fits with the Twisted approach to restoring and modifying the original Defender.
Twisted Automotive founder Charles Fawcett said: “To take the British icon that is classic Defender, re-engineer and upgrade it in Yorkshire, then send it to Japan is monumental for the Twisted team. The vehicles leaving the workshop have had over 1,200 hours each spent on them by the finest British technicians.”
Big in Japan
Importing Twisted models to Japan is intended as the starting point for the project. Charles Fawcett added: “There is a significant volume of standard Defenders in the Japanese market, and longer-term these will be used as base models and assembled under license in Japan by Twisted-trained technicians. This is the beginning of an exciting journey for Twisted on the other side of the world.”
Kazuya Tanai of Valuence, responsible for the Twisted Japan project, said: “There’s a growing demand in Japan to buy and repurpose classic, quality products. It’s this circular economy ethos that’s at the core of what we do, so the partnership with Twisted makes sense.”
Twisted has already expanded significantly from its base in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, with showrooms in Kensington, London and Salcombe, Devon. The company also has operations in North America and Dubai.
This year, Twisted also moved beyond modified Land Rover Defenders, launching the pint-sized and turbocharged Suzuki Jimny by Twisted.
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