‘Maybe I am crazy’: How Kourosh Mansory steered the most ambitious cars on the planet
Transforming a Rolls-Royce or a Bugatti requires a unique kind of engineering bravery. This automotive visionary has built a reputation on modifying the very cars the rest of the industry deems “untouchable”.
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Kourosh Mansory, founder of the luxury tuning empire Mansory, has built his world-class car manufacturing facility in the small Bavarian village of Brand, home to a population of 2000.
It is a long way from where Mansory was born in pre-revolutionary Tehran, Iran, in 1964 and a far cry from Munich, a city of 1.6 million, where he lived for over 20 years. As a teenager, Mansory was raised in ’70s London, which is where he first spotted an Aston Martin. It was a blink-and-you-miss-it moment that Mansory will never forget. This was the Roger Moore era of James Bond, and you can’t help but think the otherworldly elements of Moonraker left a mark.
But back to Brand, a remarkably quiet setting for a company whose one-of-one production line rolls off the world’s loudest mechanical statements. It is where souped-up engines can speed straight onto the autobahn. Mansory takes the most sought-after vehicles on earth and, against all odds, makes them even more exclusive. Think Bugattis, Ferraris, Porsches, Bentleys.
These conversions go far beyond cosmetic tweaks, extending to complete vehicle transformations and huge power upgrades. A prime example is the Mansory Azura, a Mercedes-Benz G-Class completely rebuilt into a two-door convertible. It features rear-hinged doors and a heavily upgraded engine.
Similarly ambitious is the Mansory Emperor Signature, a Rolls-Royce Cullinan widened and reconstructed with lightweight carbon fibre for a far more imposing presence.
“The car industry can never do what we can do, because they have one focus, one line,” says Mansory. “They can have certain bespoke items that they can give you. But, you know, the clients are different. They want more. They want their reality to happen.”
At the absolute pinnacle of this engineering scale are projects like the Bugatti-based Mansory Vincerò and Vivere, which debuted at the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance as exclusive “One of One” masterpieces. Vehicles of this calibre cost in excess of US$500,000 and are not for the faint of heart or stubborn motoring traditionalists.
“At one point, nobody worldwide would touch these cars,” says Mansory. “They were seen as untouchable. So we started with the untouchable cars.”
Until 2004, the company Mansory was known as MP Design & Technic and made parts solely for other tuning companies. Realising he was supplying competitors he could outperform, Mansory hit the accelerator.
Relaunching the brand in his own name, he debuted a radically modified Bentley GT. It was a massive leap of faith, and his staff were initially hesitant to embrace the change.
“In the beginning, our staff was thinking maybe I am crazy. Something happened to my head. Why am I starting something different, which is not our job?” says Mansory. “But soon after, they saw the first car done, and we succeeded. Then it was different. This is our challenge: we make ultra things.”
Today, supported by a global workforce of more than 270 employees, Mansory is humming, producing 90 per cent of its add-on components in-house, with only the wheels made externally. Even then, Mansory designs its own forged alloy rims, and outside wheel manufacturers handle only the physical forging and casting processes. The company calls this “extreme vertical integration”.
“We have increased every year, every year, every year. Even during COVID-19, our business was three times more than before,” says Mansory. “If you are at a certain level, the people want more and ask you for more. They want you not to bring ordinary things.”
As Mansory’s clientele has stretched across continents, the business expanded into the Middle East by opening an 800-square-metre showroom in Dubai in 2021. This was followed by a 2000-square-metre workshop in 2022 to handle local vehicle maintenance and conversions. So, how does Mansory keep track of the expansion?
“I do not really know myself, to be honest. My energy is crazy,” says Mansory, who says he feels fresh due to immense passion for what he does. “If you put pressure on yourself, you burn your brain.”
Mansory wants to go further abroad and is especially interested in the Australian market. However, he says that so far, they have “not been able to find the right partner”, believing Mansory’s size and scope may intimidate domestic businesses.
“They do not trust themselves to catch us, to join us,” says Mansory. “But we are as human as anyone, so we would welcome anyone.”
This grounded approach to business stems directly from his broader philosophy on achievement.
“Success is mostly about being satisfied,” says Mansory. “You must be thankful for what you have and then keep working on it, keep thinking. Of course, you have to enjoy the moment, but you should not lose your line. If you let your line loose, you are not in the circle. You have to always stay in the circle.”
Still, he does occasionally branch out. Mansory is steering his brand into the fashion sector through a collaboration with Under Armour. Following a highly publicised launch in Los Angeles alongside Real Madrid star Antonio Rüdiger and two-time Champions League winner Achraf Hakimi, a new collection is set to drop this month.
“As Under Armour supports us more and people get to know us better, why not?” says Mansory. “We are taking that path, which is why I am now focusing on fashion more.”
His primary focus is the shifting landscape of the motoring industry. Mansory predicts China will completely dominate the sector in fewer than 10 years. He is spending significant time in the region and collaborating with the Chery group on the new X9 vehicle.
“China is the future, as you know. If you compare European and American production to China, China is now doubling constantly,” says Mansory, noting the skyrocketing quality of China’s engineering and leatherwork. “Look at how fast they produce a car. In nine months, they develop what the European car industry needs five to six years to do. We must take them seriously and work with them.”
Yet despite this relentless global expansion and an eye fixed firmly on the East, Mansory remains grounded in Bavaria. He credits Brand’s isolation with giving him time to think without interruption.
“We are in the mountains in the forest, and for over 20 years we have been here. That was a big success to go from the city out,” says Mansory. “Here you do not get disturbed. You work relaxed. Your mind is working better, thinking better.”
That is, until someone starts the engine.
Visit www.mansory.com for more information.
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