The Top 10 Tuner Builds of 2024

2024 will go down in history as a significant milestone on many fronts. We got an all-new Land Cruiser and Tacoma, and the Camry went entirely hybrid. We also got to see two-thirds of the new Holy Trinity (where’s your contribution, Porsche?). It also gave us some spectacular tuner builds. From a mad rotary-powered McLaren P1 to a V8-powered BMW Isetta to a spectacular classic supercar upgrade… and then some.

The year was bags of fun, and filled with good, wholesome horsepower, especially on the tuning side.

So your neighbor, Billy-Bob, built a 1,000-hp Corvette. That’s cool. But at the other end of the scale, there are some tuner cars that can cost an arm and a leg to create, but also move the goal posts forwards by a long way. The 10 cars listed here fall into the latter category.

10 Gas Monkey BMW 600 V8

The original BMW 600 made its debut in 1957, and was a longer, four-wheeled development of the original BMW Isetta micro (or bubble) car. It was powered by a 582 cc engine straight from the BMW R67 motorcycle, which delivered 19.5 hp. A four-speed manual gearbox sends the power to the rear wheels. The 114-inch car could reach a top speed of 60 mph. It also had a ground-breaking independent semi-trailing arm rear suspension.

Gas Monkey’s Richard Rawlings picked up the classic BMW, of which around 35,000 were made, for $7,000. Then his team set about installing a ‘barstool’ Chevrolet Corvette V8 into the back of the little 600. The complete rear suspension and engine were removed, and the complete barstool with engine installed. The steering system was connected to the BMW’s original steering system – this is an intricate business as the actual steering wheel opens with the front door.

The exhausts were also rerouted along the back of the bodywork, and Rawlings added a custom wing on the roof. The result is a super-cool BMW 600, but certainly not one that will pass any roadworthy, safety or emission test any time soon.

9 McLaren P1 Rotary

What to do? You have to build a new drift car that will not only wow folks, it will blow the socks off them? Oh, and your main sponsor happens to be Red Bull? Easy! You take a McLaren P1 hypercar and swap the twin-turbocharged hybrid V8 with a rotary engine.

The idea was apparently born after a few drinks, and drift king Mad Mike Whiddett and automotive engineering firm Lanzante teamed up and built the ultimate drift ‘hypercar’ inside 100 days. The car is a serious piece of kit: from the P1’s carbon fiber chassis, the FIA specification roll cage, to the custom and bespoke P1 LM bodywork. Bigger in every way, including the front wheel arches, which had to allow for an increased turning angle for Mike’s drifting antics.

The Mazda 20B motor is the heart of the beast. The 2.0-liter triple-rotor engine is turbocharged, and delivers 1,000 hp at the wheels.

8 Volto 850

Is your Volvo 850 R Estate’s 2.5-liter five-pot turbo engine getting a bit same-old, same-old? Want something a bit faster? Something that will also stand out on the school run?

The German tuning car shop JP Performance has the perfect solution: the spectacular Volto 850. Okay, so it’s not very practical at all, but this Estate takes the mundane station wagon to a new level. The spectacular custom body is from Mean Machines, it has a bespoke KW Suspension setup, and the interior is kitted out with the latest Recaro seats and Polestar dashboard.

But the Volto’s main party trick is the two Tesla electric motors that power it. Although specific power outputs remain unknown, performance should be at the super car level. As one commentator said about the Volto: “This is so stupid! I love it!”

7 Subaru Impreza WRX Project Midnight

This car was created with one mission: to be the fastest thing on four wheels at a hillclimb event. The fact that it looks amazing is just a great bonus too.

This is former Formula One driver and rally cross champion Scott Speed’s Project Midnight, a 670-hp WRX created by Subaru Motorsports USA. It is powered by a Subaru EJ20 that revs to 9,500 r/min. The spectacular body is a custom-designed carbon-fiber unit with more aerodynamic tricks than a SpaceX rocket.

The EJ20 has a Garrett Motorsport turbocharger with a VSC anti-lag system, dry sump oil system, sodium-cooled valves, a SADEV six-speed sequential gearbox, custom motorsport differentials, a 3-way adjustable suspension, Alcon brakes, OZ Superturismo wheels and Yokohama racing slicks,

6 Liberty Walk Lamborghini Miura

The Japanese tuner company has created a new stunner: the LB-Silhouette Works GT Lamborghini Miura. The Miura was on sale between 1966 and 1977, and is considered to be one of the most beautiful cars ever made.

The LB-Silhouette kit is longer than a stock car with the impressive new splitter, wider thanks to custom flared fenders, and new rear bumper with diffusers, and a gigantic rear wing.

The Miura is powered by a mid-mounted 4-liter V12 that produces 345 hp, and a five-speed manual gearbox sends the power to the rear wheels.

The Liberty Walk LB-Silhouette kit will officially go on sale in January 2025, at the Japan Motor Show. Best start saving for that Miura with some engine upgrades soon.

5 TWR Supercat

Now this is what a new Jaguar could (should) look like! The spectacular TWR Supercat is based on a Jaguar XJS V12 platform, but has been comprehensively updated, and turned into a 660 hp performance machine.

The bespoke carbon fiber body was designed by Khyzyl Saleem and the Porsche 911 whisperer Magnus Walker, and certainly looks the speedy part. The Jaguar V12 is supercharged, and the power is sent to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox. The interior is a study of high-end leather and top-quality fittings – as befits a Jag.

The good news is that the Supercat will actually be made, so this is not just a once-off special for some lucky millionaire. A total of 88 cars will be made, and it will also be available in the USA.

4 1967 Plymouth GTX Electromod

This is an official Mopar project, and it seems to have hit the Electromod nail on the head. Instead of building a million-and ten-horsepower car, Mopar went for a more realistic 335-hp electric motor, along with a range of 250 miles.

Mopar has also given the 1967 GTX body a modern update, with a spectacular paint job and finishes, including discreet rear spoiler and front splitter, modern wheels and high-performance tires, and a cool hood with air intakes. The interior features some neat touches, like the “old-new” flat-bottom steering wheel, cupholders and a modern transmission selector. The instrument panel has been updated to include range and charging levels.

Other neat touches include the location of the plug point located in the position of the original flip-top fuel cap. This is one EV that we won’t mind too much.

3 Ford F-100 Clyde

Ford Performance Parts went a bit wild at the 2024 SEMA show and, in collaboration with Solomon Lunger, created “Clyde” – a 1969 F-100 on steroids. No costs were spared. Clyde’s complete body is a custom carbon fiber unit from Brothers Composites, a Porterbuilt Stage 2 coilover chassis from Fat Fender Garage, and more than 900 of Ford’s finest horses.

The engine is a V8 Raptor R crate engine, which would normally be enough for most folks. Ford wanted more, so a 3.8-liter Whipple supercharger was added. This pushed the power in excess of 900 hp, and torque to about 700 lb-ft. An American Powertrain six-speed transmission sends the power to the fat Mickey Thompson tires at the back.

This F-100 is not only beautiful, it is also a rocket ship. Perfect.

2 Porsche 911 GT3R

A company in the United Kingdom decided to right a supposed wrong with the Porsche 911 by finally giving it the American engine it deserves. GT3 Road & Race has created a bespoke 997 GT3, with a fully built Chevrolet Corvette LS7 V8 engine, producing nearly 700 hp.

The company also offers in-house designed carbon fiber aero parts, bespoke exhaust systems, custom suspension systems in partnership with Bilstein, an upgraded brake system, as well as bespoke 3-piece magnesium wheels. The 911 is really a work of art, with great attention to detail. The company’s show car has a custom factory body kit from a later-generation 911 race car, and with the neat custom vents, 4-inch exhaust tailpieces and custom grille, it looks the right deal.

Purists may not be impressed, but this 911 looks (and sounds) the real deal.

1 Kindig 1953 Corvette Corvair TwelveAir

Dave Kindig, from Salt Lake City in Utah, needs no introduction. The spectacular TwelveAir, with its hand-formed aluminum body based on a 1953 Corvette Corvair, was revealed at the 2024 SEMA show. Kindig has secretly been working on the project for four years. The coupe is inspired by Kundig’s own CF1 production cars.

The TwelveAir is powered by a specially-commissioned engine based on the LSV8 but Australian engineering firm Race Cast turned it into a V12, which can reportedly easily turn out 1,000 hp and redline at 7,500 rpm. Kindig opted for a more realistic 625 hp, linked to a four-speed automatic gearbox.

The suspension was inspired by IndyCar designs, and is essentially a race car with a push rod set-up for the road. The TwelveAir runs on custom Evod chromed wheels. The interior is mostly 3D printed and covered in Sienna-colored leather.

The TwelveAir is brand new, and no performance numbers are available yet. But it is certain to be very, very brisk, both in a straight line and in the corners. It looks mighty fine too.