Pimp my Rover

The tuner market in the U.K. is fundamentally different from that in the United States.

Here, customers are more likely to turn the wrenches themselves, if possible. In Britain, Jeeves rings up the garage and someone comes ‘round to pick up the vehicle, returning it complete with hi-po ministrations.

For Range Rover owners across the Pond, the people to call are Overfinch. This fall, the 30-year-old firm will offer a boosted, 5.0-liter, 500-horsepower version of the 2006 Range Rover (pictured here) and Range Rover Sport S/C, complete with street-sweeping aero cladding and optional 22-inch Tiger wheels and tires.

Overfinch’s authorized agent in California is British expat Mark Braham, whose tuning shop in Westwood has been scaling up the lux in Range Rover products for two years with a variety of upholstery, exterior treatments and audio/video upgrades. Contact Overfinch USA at (310) 394-4232 or [email protected].

Braham’s firm will offer two stages of performance upgrade on the new supercharged Range Rovers (with Ford-Jaguar engines replacing the previous BMW 4.4-liter mills).

* The Stage 1 upgrade involves reprogramming the engine management computer and changing the pulley to the supercharger.

* For those with a few tens of thousands more to spare, Stage 2 involves pulling the stock motor and replacing it with the hand-built, 5.0-liter crate motor shipped from Overfinch UK.

The process could take several weeks, but, says Braham, “We’ll be more than happy to pick up and deliver the car.”