A. Kahn Design is the brainchild of one Afzal Kahn of Bradford in England. He calls it “the world's leading automotive fashion house” and who are we to cavil at that?
Suffice it to say that Mr Kahn does not focus on making cars go faster or better, but rather on the more difficult, more expensive and ultimately more satisfying calling of making them look and feel more special.
“We redesign the ordered monotony of mass-produced vehicles,” he says, “and rebuild them into individually tailored creations.”
BULLET-PROOFING OPTIONAL
This, then is his 2012 Concept 17 Defender, set for release in the coming months. Mechanically, it's a bog-standard short-wheelbase Land Rover Defender 90, with a four-piece military-style body kit, a custom exhaust system, spare wheel cover, mud flaps, optional bullet-proofing and a special paint finish in just about any colour or camouflage combination you can think of.
It runs on special Kahn 8x18 1983 RS Defender alloy rims, described as “soft organic surfaces on the edge of the spoke and a purposeful mechanical centre”.
TAILOR MADE
The interior, promises Kahn, is entirely up you; each Concept 17 Defender will be finished to the customer's requirements in terms of both materials and colours.
If you want the outside the same colour as your favourite jeans and the interior trim to match your green T-shirt, they can do it. Even the colour of the clock face can be changed to order.
Price, of course, depends on how far over the top you are prepared to go. Good taste and refinement, if required, are to provided by the customer.