If you spend enough time surfing the used car market, you’re bound to find a poorly made kit car. However, not all kit cars are slapped together fiberglass basketcases. Some stand tall on the top shelf regarding craftsmanship, performance, and cost. For example, the RML Ferrari 250 SWB. Underneath the sensual bodywork of a 1960s Ferrari is the DNA, drivetrain, and major chassis components of a 1990s Ferrari Maranello.
RML, Ray Malloch Limited, is a UK-based engineering group with big dreams and the skills to make them a reality. However, instead of putting their efforts into another limited production supercar that blends into the high-dollar crowd, RML decided to build something that would stand out in a different light as a ground-up restomod combining the style and romance of the 60s with the reliability of the late 90s.
The process starts by stripping down a Ferrari 550 Maranello to its bare chassis, then sandblasted clean, and restored if necessary. The car’s floor pan, front subframe, and firewall are left intact, while a new carbon-fiber upper structure is added to improve the chassis’ strength without the weight. Its V12 engine is also refurbished back to its factory spec of 485 horsepower and 415 lb.-ft of torque.
Then comes the process of adding the 1960s Ferrari 250 inspired short wheelbase bodywork. Inside, the car offers a blend of the Maranello’s modern amenities encased in a classic allure of thin-rim wood grain steering wheels and gated shifters. RML plans to build 30 examples of the Ferrari 250 SWB, each with a seven-figure price tag.
In other automotive news, see the Bugatti Chiron Profilée.
