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Cool & Vintage: Freedom On Wheels
COOL & VINTAGE
FREEDOM ON WHEELS
Edited by Alessandro Marrone
To many a car is a simple tool for crunching otherwise too long trips. For a narrow circle, on the other hand, they are the maximum expression of freedom, irrespective of whether it is a streamlined sports car or a more common car that maybe could also be suitable for taking ideal traveling companions with you. Exactly, the journey seems to be one of the focal points of every argument that revolves around the car world the precise moment in which you let loose details like fuel consumption, load capacity or carbon dioxide emissions. Drive for the sheer pleasure of doing so, aim for a destination in order to enjoy every single kilometer that divides us from point B. These are points of view that every true car fanatic jealously keeps with him, with the hope of being able to share these moments with other people who have the same and apparently simple objective: to drive.
But if it is easy to imagine a noisy supercar unleashing its horses on some epic mountain road, it is equally exciting to leave and go at the wheel of a vehicle that reminds our childhood, maybe that very moment when that spark suddenly ignited inside us and has set in motion a whole series of consequences that have brought us here, today. Iconic, indestructible and above all unstoppable, 70 years ago Land Rover gave life to one of the most exciting off-road vehicles ever existed and today, thanks to Cool & Vintage it is not only possible to restore or recondition your “best 4x4xfar”, but to personalize it make it an authentic style object that exudes vintage scent from every pore and that even with a simple glance seems telling you to grab a couple of things, get on board and head who knows where. But this time having a destination is not so important, what matters is writing a wonderful adventure and by the end of this interview I’m sure you too will feel a desperate need to follow the footsteps of Ricardo Pessoa, founder and CEO of the Portuguese brand which aims to provide experience and passion and allow you to realize your on the road’s dreams.
We met the guys at Cool & Vintage and we managed to get an interesting interview, trying not to steal them too much time, since they have a full work schedule until the first quarter of 2019 included.
What is “Cool & Vintage”? Which was the spark that gave the way?
Cooolnvintage is grew naturally and organically. We started as users, exploring the world in these utility vehicles. We needed to repair them, we sold a few, bought another few and ended up here. A hobby turned company where offroad meets architecture and design on steroids.
Why LR Defenders?
Ricardo, our founder, learned to drive in a Series 3 LWB when he was only 7.
Since then Land Rover has been the shape of freedom for him. It’s the Iconic lifestyle vehicle. An enabler. It’s a lifetime romantic relationship.
What’s the philosophy behind your reality?
We are building them as clean and minimal as possible with a twist of comfort. It’s keeping their identity but making them enjoyable.
Who’s your “typical” customer?
Someone in their 40’s to 50’s, well travelled that has seen a lot. People looking for low key understated premium products that intend to use it in the moments where they will have the most fun.
Restomods and vintage cars are increasingly growing, what do you think about it?
As cars turn into plastic computers with no soul it seems normal that that market will grow. People used to have relationships with cars, now they are just appliances.
What are the steps of your restorations? And how much handcraft work do you provide?
1,000 labour hours per vehicle. We disassemble them completely until the very last bolt, then we restore and coat every usable piece. We create new body panels, give them a high quality paint and start assembling everything. The whole process takes about 6 months.
How much the future owner interacts with you during the process?
A lot in the initial fase while we image what the build will look like, after that they usually just sit back and relax and enjoy the photos we send of all the steps.
How much time does a restoration usually take? And how many cars you work on during an entire year?
We build 12 per year. The basic build takes 6 months to complete and the more specific ones about a year.
What has been the most demanding job you’ve accomplished?
We have had many. The most demanding are usually Saudi Arabia customers that want a lot of technology and upgrades in their builds, but we still want to keep our clean aesthetics. Most times it’s difficult to hide all that stuff.
Have you ever been (of course you had) on a road trip with one of your Defender?
We’ve done most of Africa, Europe and some of North America.
What’s your recipe for the ultimate drive?
No plans and pack light. Don’t worry too much, mostly things turn out alright.
If you ever work on another model, what would it be?
Some Alfas and Minis of the past.
What do we have to expect from Cool&Vintage in the next coming years?
We’ve been growing and evolving and usually not in the most obvious path. We will keep doing just that. No way you can predict where we’re going. Probably not even we can.
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