Our Story - Twisted Automotive UK

To many, a classic car is a static thing. An investment to be protected, polished, and preserved. At Twisted, we have always thought the opposite.

For 26 years, our home in Yorkshire, England, has been the epicentre of an obsessive mission: to take iconic British vehicles and re-engineer them from the chassis up.

We don’t build them to be kept static, safe, and shiny. We build them to bring nostalgic joy to every journey.

You will never get younger, but you can absolutely feel young – with your hand out of the window, the air messing up your hair, and the music just loud enough to become the soundtrack for adventure.

The result is a machine that retains the soul of its heritage while delivering modern precision, daily reliability, and a level of luxury and refinement that the original production lines never achieved.

Today, our work spans the UK, the US, and Japan. Our flagship Defender and hand-formed aluminium Range Rover Classic (TRRC) sit alongside a marine division building high-performance powerboats, and our own carbon fibre facility. This in-house capability means the precision underneath always matches the aesthetic on top.

A Twisted is not a static investment to be hidden in a garage. It is built to live.

It is unapologetically #NotForEveryone.

2000 - Twisted is born

Charles Fawcett becomes an agent for a small range of performance and power upgrades for Land Rover vehicles.

2003 - First TD5 90 demonstrator is built

The team builds the first TD5 Defender 90 demonstrator. It catches the eye of Land Rover Owner magazine. They head to Rockingham Raceway and become the first publication to test-drive a Defender reimagined by Twisted.

2005 - international distribution begins

Worldwide product distribution officially begins alongside the build of the first Defender 110 double-cab pickup demonstrator.

2007 - a shift in gear

Charles leaves the family automotive business to focus entirely on Twisted.

2008 - first workshop

Twisted opens its first 2,500 sq. ft. workshop in Thirsk, Yorkshire. The team builds three matching, high-specification Defender 110s for Coca-Cola’s Relentless Energy campaign.

2010 - the "S" is turned

The company officially rebrands from Twisted Performance to simply Twisted, introducing its defining slogan: “Think the Unthinkable.”

2012 - first V8 and launch of the Retro

Twisted engineers its first LS-powered V8, producing a brutal 480 hp for the Gumball 3000. Building on the TD5 90, the company also launches the exclusive Red Edition and Retro Editions of the Defender.

2013 - Gumball 3000

The team successfully completes the Gumball 3000, driving a V8-powered Twisted 110 all the way from Yorkshire to Monaco via Russia.

2015 - a final 239 off the line

Following the official end of Land Rover Defender production, a final batch of 239 delivery-mileage utility vehicles begin to arrive at Twisted HQ to be preserved for future commissions.

2016 - a David and Goliath fight

Charles fights Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) in court over the use of “LR”, and JLR’s attempt to cancel the order of 239 Defenders. Charles eventually wins.

2017 - Classic Twisted and a Norwegian road trip

The workshop produces 20 Twisted builds of the Land Rover Defender to identical, highly refined specifications, and develops its custom Classic Twisted wheels. A customer road trip to Norway follows.

2018 - development continues

Twisted celebrates its heritage by unveiling modern, re-engineered interpretations of the Series IIA, Lightweight, Series III, and Stage One V8.

2019 - The Old Cinema

After outgrowing the original factory, Twisted officially opens its flagship headquarters at The Old Cinema in Thirsk, Yorkshire, England – a renovated cinema from the 1920s.

2021 - Twisted Marine is born

Twisted takes its uncompromising engineering philosophy to the open water. Applying the same detail-obsessed, “chassis-up” ethos to custom maritime craft, the division begins re-engineering high-performance powerboats.

2022 - new powertrains

Following 18 months of intensive development, Twisted launches two proprietary high-performance powertrains to critical acclaim at a London launch event: the TV8 (a 6.2-litre LT1 V8 conversion) and the TV5 (a 2.3-litre four-cylinder turbo).

2023 - Konnichiwa, Japan

Twisted officially expands its global footprint into the Japanese market, selling its version of the Land Rover Defender.

2024 - Scorpion RIBs

Twisted Marine acquires Scorpion RIBs, an iconic British manufacturer founded in 1996 and known for holding numerous offshore racing records.

2025 - KS Composites

Twisted Group acquires KS Composites, bringing world-class, carbon fibre, and advanced composite manufacturing in-house.

2025 - US Launch

Twisted launches its first-ever direct-from-factory, corporate-owned operation in the United States, bringing the brand to the North American market.

2026 - Range Rover Classic

Twisted adds its version of the 2-door Range Rover Classic to its stable. The reviews are overwhelmingly positive. One of the first orders is destined for a US customer.

2026 - SAC

Twisted Group acquires SAC, bringing advanced body-panel tooling, manufacturing, and coachbuilding in-house.