Jaunt and Weidergerboren – best of old, best of new?

Preserving yet improving, right here in Australia

Many people love older, non-electronic cars, decrying the antiseptic, disconnected feel of modern vehicles where you make requests which the car interprets, considers, then responds but only within programmed parameters. There are safety nets of ABS, ESC and myriad other technologies which improve the driving experience, if ‘improve’ is defined as safer and easier.

There’s a reason that cars of the 1980s to early 2000s are popular and it’s because they offer a more direct input-reward loop which for many people is what driving is all about, not a the modern-car dilution of feedback through flattery-electronics.

You need to change gears, manage traction, consider revs and you generally have to actively drive so you feel more alive, more connected and when you get it right – that downshift, acceleration out of a corner or whatever – you feel great because you’ve applied skill. I’d argue you’re less distracted too, and you know you’re at greater risk so you take fewer risks.

Yet let’s not kid ourselves that older cars, even if perfectly restored, are in every way better than newer ones. The tyres were more prone to punctures. Suspension tuning has come a long way. Headlights were dim. Safety was poor. Heating, cooling and audio has come a long way. We can now make components lighter and stronger. Reliability in every way is massively improved.

So what about taking an old car and rebuilding with updated components so all the old niggles are fixed, yet the essential character is preserved? Best of both worlds?

I think there is a lot to be said for that approach. Now we can discuss – and I’d like to – which updates would erode or destroy the character of a car, such as changing from carbies to EFI, but nevertheless I think the basic principle is sound – how much of character is discomfort or inconvenience? Everyone has a view, for some fiddling with chokes to start is part of the car experience and I fully respect that.

Now there are two Australian companies who have adopted the ethos for remanufacturing old vehicles into characterful new.

One is Jaunt, who I’ve mentioned on this page before, and they were also kind enough to host my Patreons for a special visit. Jaunt electrifies old cars, often Land Rovers, but also other classics like 911s, Kombis, Minis and Mokes. You might think that replacing an ICE with an electric motor destroys the original character of the car, and of course it won’t be the same…but ‘not the same’ doesn’t mean worse. It means a new interpretation, the same character but in a different form, more usable for today’s world, better performance, safety and convenience.

I absolutely agree there’s a place for preserving some cars as-is, aged patina and all, but equally, I argue re-interpretation is just as valid and perhaps a better way to go for cars that aren’t living in museums. And I respect those people who buy old cars with the full knowledge they will break en-route, because for them that’s part of the adventure.

The other Australian company is Weidergerboren, who offer modern versions of 1980s-era 911s. You take your 45 year old 911, rework and rebore the engine, tune it for torque delivery on road, add modern suspension, brakes, wheels and tyres, an LSD, refinish and respray every panel, change the heating and cooling for modern systems…you get the idea, and it looked – and sounded – stunning when I saw the car at YTG Bespoke.

The result is an old, new car and it’s now top of my lotto-list, along with a Jaunt BEV Land Rover – because I’m completely sold on the old-new concept. How about you?