Officially, we've now seen it all...
...welcome, people, to the new Flying Huntsman 90 Spyder
We’re not often moved to write about Kahn on PH. We haven’t done so at length since Dan T paid the firm a visit back in 2017. Why? Well, because we’re inclined to agree with a preference oft-cited in the forums that less is usually more when it comes to automotive design. And Kahn is famously (perhaps even fervently) dedicated to the application of ‘more’ as a styling concept when it seeks to modify cars in its own image. Which is fine, of course, and more power to it. But we’ve typically let its products speak for themselves in the classifieds.
Now, though, there is this: the Flying Huntsman 90 Spyder. ‘Flying Huntsman’, if you’re unaware, is specifically the bit of Kahn that deals with coachbuilding, and ’90’ refers, clearly, to the current Land Rover Defender, and ‘Spyder’, evidently, is a playful description for what Kahn has done to it. Now, we’ve seen convertible Defenders before - you might recall that Niels van Roij revealed the first of five cars it plans to convert back in the spring - but Kahn is plainly dead keen to corner the bizarro open-top SUV niche for itself.
Based on the initial sketches, the Spyder seeks to do that by jettisoning the Defender’s existing roof (and much else besides, including the rear seats) and replacing it with an ‘elegantly-designed cowl’ made from lightweight NS3-grade aluminium. Kahn suggests that the Spyder’s distinctive silhouette will be the result of a meticulous six-month build process, and will feature ‘handcrafted hammer formed panels’ that hark back to the ‘golden age of British coachbuilding’.
It certainly strikes a pose. And according to its maker, the Spyder does not needlessly sacrifice the 90’s practicality - in fact, thanks to its ‘removable, hard-wearing canvas’ roof, which can be stowed in the rear, Kahn reckons the storage capacity is comparable to the factory Defender. There’s no word on cost or spec, but on the basis that just eight units a year will be converted at a factory in Coventry, we can safely assume that each conversion will be on the pricey side. If it looks like your sort of jam, then Kahn is registering interest for build slots now ahead of the first delivery in Q2 next year. Alternatively, you can register your interest in the usual place below…
I think I'll be staying well away.
I think I'll be staying well away.
k all
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