ECD Unleashes Its Most Powerful Defender Yet
ECD Auto Design (NASDAQ: ECDA) has introduced its most powerful engine option yet: a 700+ horsepower BLUEPRINT V8 for its custom Land Rover Defenders and Range Rover Classic builds. The new powertrain, developed in response to client demand, builds upon ECD's extensive experience with LS-based platforms.
Key upgrades include a new front-end rotating assembly with integrated supercharger, enhanced cooling systems, upgraded transmission components, and refined ECU tuning. The powerful engine option is now available for Defender 90, 110, and 130 models, as well as Range Rover Classic builds, with the first client vehicle already in production.
ECD Auto Design (NASDAQ: ECDA) ha presentato la sua motorizzazione più potente di sempre: un motore V8 BLUEPRINT da oltre 700 cavalli per i suoi Land Rover Defender e Range Rover Classic personalizzati. Questa nuova motorizzazione, sviluppata in risposta alle richieste dei clienti, si basa sull'ampia esperienza di ECD con piattaforme LS.
Gli aggiornamenti principali includono un nuovo gruppo rotante anteriore con compressore integrato, sistemi di raffreddamento potenziati, componenti di trasmissione migliorati e una messa a punto raffinata della centralina ECU. Questa potente opzione motore è ora disponibile per i modelli Defender 90, 110 e 130, oltre che per le versioni Range Rover Classic, con il primo veicolo cliente già in produzione.
ECD Auto Design (NASDAQ: ECDA) ha presentado su opción de motor más potente hasta la fecha: un V8 BLUEPRINT de más de 700 caballos de fuerza para sus construcciones personalizadas de Land Rover Defender y Range Rover Classic. El nuevo tren motriz, desarrollado en respuesta a la demanda de los clientes, se basa en la amplia experiencia de ECD con plataformas basadas en LS.
Las mejoras clave incluyen un nuevo conjunto giratorio delantero con supercargador integrado, sistemas de refrigeración mejorados, componentes de transmisión actualizados y una afinación refinada de la ECU. Esta potente opción de motor ya está disponible para los modelos Defender 90, 110 y 130, así como para las construcciones Range Rover Classic, con el primer vehículo de cliente ya en producción.
ECD Auto Design (NASDAQ: ECDA)가 지금까지 가장 강력한 엔진 옵션을 선보였습니다: 맞춤형 랜드로버 디펜더와 레인지로버 클래식 빌드를 위한 700마력 이상의 BLUEPRINT V8입니다. 이 새로운 파워트레인은 고객의 요구에 부응하여 ECD가 LS 기반 플랫폼에서 쌓은 풍부한 경험을 바탕으로 개발되었습니다.
주요 업그레이드에는 통합 슈퍼차저가 포함된 새로운 전면 회전 조립체, 향상된 냉각 시스템, 업그레이드된 변속기 부품, 그리고 정교한 ECU 튜닝이 포함됩니다. 이 강력한 엔진 옵션은 Defender 90, 110, 130 모델과 레인지로버 클래식 빌드에 제공되며, 첫 번째 고객 차량이 이미 생산 중입니다.
ECD Auto Design (NASDAQ : ECDA) a lancé sa motorisation la plus puissante à ce jour : un V8 BLUEPRINT de plus de 700 chevaux pour ses Land Rover Defender et Range Rover Classic personnalisés. Cette nouvelle motorisation, développée en réponse à la demande des clients, s’appuie sur l’expérience approfondie d’ECD avec les plateformes basées sur LS.
Les améliorations clés comprennent un nouvel ensemble rotatif avant avec compresseur intégré, des systèmes de refroidissement améliorés, des composants de transmission renforcés et une optimisation fine de l’ECU. Cette motorisation puissante est désormais disponible pour les modèles Defender 90, 110 et 130, ainsi que pour les versions Range Rover Classic, avec le premier véhicule client déjà en production.
ECD Auto Design (NASDAQ: ECDA) hat seine bisher leistungsstärkste Motoroption vorgestellt: einen BLUEPRINT V8 mit über 700 PS für seine maßgeschneiderten Land Rover Defender und Range Rover Classic Umbauten. Der neue Antriebsstrang wurde als Reaktion auf Kundenwünsche entwickelt und baut auf ECDs umfangreicher Erfahrung mit LS-basierten Plattformen auf.
Zu den wichtigsten Verbesserungen gehören eine neue vordere rotierende Baugruppe mit integriertem Kompressor, verbesserte Kühlsysteme, aufgerüstete Getriebekomponenten und eine verfeinerte ECU-Abstimmung. Die leistungsstarke Motoroption ist jetzt für Defender 90, 110 und 130 Modelle sowie für Range Rover Classic Umbauten verfügbar, wobei das erste Kundenfahrzeug bereits in Produktion ist.
- Introduction of powerful 700+ HP engine option expands product offering
- Extension of engine availability to Range Rover Classic builds opens new market segment
- First client vehicle already in production, indicating market demand
- Leverages existing LS-based expertise, suggesting efficient development process
- Higher power output may require more frequent maintenance and higher operating costs
- Potential increased production complexity with new drivetrain integration
Insights
ECD's new 700+ HP engine option expands their high-performance offerings, targeting luxury collectors seeking power in classic designs.
ECD Auto Design has made a strategic product expansion with their new 700+ horsepower BLUEPRINT V8 engine option, now available across their Defender lineup and, notably, extending to their Range Rover Classic builds for the first time. This represents a significant upmarket move that directly responds to client demand in the ultra-luxury performance SUV segment.
The engineering integration here is impressive from a technical standpoint. Rather than simply dropping in a high-output engine, ECD has developed a comprehensive package with a new front-end rotating assembly, enhanced cooling systems, upgraded transmission components, and refined ECU tuning. These modifications address the cascading engineering challenges that come with massive power increases in heritage platforms.
This product expansion follows the proven luxury market strategy of continuous upward extension. By offering ever-more-powerful and exclusive options, ECD creates new price tiers within their already premium product range. The company is effectively creating a halo product that combines two highly desirable attributes in the collector vehicle market: classic British styling with modern American muscle car performance.
What's most notable is how this strategy aligns with the current collector vehicle market dynamics. While mainstream automakers are focusing on electrification, there remains a lucrative niche for high-performance combustion engines in the luxury collector segment. This move positions ECD to capture demand from buyers seeking increasingly rare and exclusive high-performance vehicles with heritage styling.
The timing of this announcement ahead of summer 2025 also suggests ECD is looking to capitalize on the peak buying season for luxury vehicles, particularly those destined for vacation properties and leisure driving where these vehicles are typically enjoyed.
700+ Horsepower. American Muscle. Built by Demand.
KISSIMMEE, Fla., May 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ECD Auto Design (NASDAQ: ECDA), the global leader in custom Land Rover Defenders, has added its most powerful drivetrain to date: a 700+ horsepower BLUEPRINT V8, now available as an upgrade option across the Defender lineup—and for the first time, also as a performance option for Range Rover Classic builds.
This engine isn’t a gimmick. It’s a direct result of client demand—bringing together decades of LS-based experience, clever integration, and the visceral performance that discerning buyers crave. With the first client Defender build already in production, the 700HP option sets a new benchmark for what’s possible in a luxury SUV rooted in heritage but built for today.
“We’ve worked with LS-based platforms for years, so this evolution felt natural,” said Elliot Humble, Co-Founder and Head of Engineering at ECD. “The real work was in smart packaging—integrating the supercharger, updating the front-end assembly, adding cooling, and upgrading the drivetrain to handle the torque. The fun part is, it looks like a classic Defender—but it drives like nothing else.”
A Power-First, Client-Driven Evolution
Rather than reinventing the wheel, ECD built on a trusted foundation—leveraging their extensive experience with LS-based drivetrains to offer an even more thrilling option for clients who want the feel of a classic with the power of a modern supercar.
Key upgrades for the 700+ HP configuration include:
- New front-end rotating assembly to house the integrated supercharger
- Enhanced cooling systems to manage added thermal load
- Upgraded transmission, transfer case, and differentials to handle the increased torque
- Refined ECU tuning and throttle mapping to maintain smooth drivability
Every ECD build is handcrafted, and now clients who want a Defender—or a Range Rover Classic—with untamed acceleration and unmistakable sound have a new option that fits seamlessly into the company’s bespoke process.
Designed for Drivers Who Want More
This offering is tailor-made for the client who wants to turn up the volume on an already bold design. Whether it's cruising coastal highways or stealing the spotlight at a private collection, the 700HP Defender or Range Rover Classic adds American muscle to British heritage in a way that feels both timeless and thrillingly modern.
“It’s not about chasing numbers,” added Humble. “It’s about giving clients the freedom to dream—and then making those dreams driveable. This engine is just another example of how we listen, evolve, and deliver.”
Now Available for New Builds
The 700HP BLUEPRINT engine is now available for Defender 90, 110, and 130 commissions—as well as Range Rover Classic builds. With the first vehicle already on the production line, this new option is expected to become a favorite among performance-focused collectors and luxury clients alike.
View images of the Blueprint engine being installed
About ECD Auto Design
ECD, a public company trading under ECDA on the Nasdaq, is a creator of restored luxury vehicles that combines classic beauty with modern performance. Currently, ECD restores Land Rovers Series, Land Rover Series IIA, the Range Rover Classic, Jaguar E-Type, Ford Mustang, Toyota FJ, and highly specialized vehicles from its Boutique Studio. Each vehicle produced by ECD is fully bespoke, a one-off that is designed by the client through an immersive luxury design experience and hand-built from the ground up in 2,200 hours by master-certified Automotive Service Excellence (“ASE”) craftsmen. The company was founded in 2013 by three British “gear heads’ whose passion for classic vehicles is the driving force behind exceptionally high standards for quality, custom luxury vehicles. ECD’s global headquarters, is a 100,000-square-foot facility located in Kissimmee, Florida that is home to 105 talented and dedicated employees that hold combined 80 ASE and five master level certifications. ECD has an affiliated logistics center in the U.K. where its seven employees work to source and transport 25-year-old work vehicles back to the U.S. for restoration. For more information, visit www.ecdautodesign.com.
Media Contact:
Kevin Kastner
Chief Revenue Officer
kastnerk@ecdautodesign.com
407-738-1056
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a4fbef25-f03f-4c8e-9dbc-389ca08e11ed
FAQ
What is the horsepower of ECD Auto Design's new BLUEPRINT V8 engine for Defenders?
Which ECD Auto Design (ECDA) vehicle models will be available with the new 700HP engine?
What modifications did ECD make to accommodate the new 700HP engine?
When will ECD Auto Design's 700HP Defender be available?
