Unique Funeral Transport from around the world

From the classy to the downright flamboyant, six headturning modes of unique funeral transport all designed to create a memorable final journey.

Funerals are often a sad, reflective occasion where mourners come together to remember a lost loved one, but they don’t all have to be that way as more and more people are breaking away from tradition and opting to make their final ride a memorable one for family and friends.

Six vehicles designed to make a statement

The six wonderful hearses from around the world that we feature in our blog today, all provide the perfect way to go out in style. Whether it’s a converted monster truck or a Shinto shrine,  alternative forms of funeral transport such as these are designed to make a statement.

The British Triumph Thunderbird Hearse

What would a keen motorcyclist want as their last transportation other than a motorcycle?

The Triumph Thunderbird is a traditional British twin, and a 1600cc twin at that! This bike is so powerful it might even appeal to classic train enthusiasts! Built in Great Britain, the Thunderbird is often chosen as a funeral hearse by enthusiasts and people who simply want something a little unusual. Additionally, this particular vehicle also has a flower rail, secure hearse fittings, internal temperature control, along with a glass roof to light up the coffin and flowers.

The Norwegian Modified Tesla Hearse

Electric vehicles have become a majority on Norwegian roads, a phenomenon which has less to do with Norwegians being ecologically-minded, and more to do perhaps, with the eye watering taxes recently imposed on combustion-engined cars.

However, even in Norway, a Tesla-based hearse is not something you come across very often. Norwegian funeral consultant Jan Erik Naley has currently modified four of these Californian built electric hearses. Sporting state of the art technology, the 2018 Tesla Model S was converted into a hearse by cutting it in half and extending it by more than 31 inches in length to ensure room for a casket. It has to be said, this could be the vehicle of choice for those looking for a peaceful journey into the afterlife.

American Cadillac Monster Truck

Built by American mechanic Jimmy Driver, this 10ft high, 20,000lbs beast is supported by six massive 60-inch tyres. Having been assembled entirely from scrap parts, it also includes the chassis of a 1967 Cadillac superior, as well as parts from school buses and tractors.

Fitted with a V6 53 Detroit Diesel engine, the hulking hearse which would have been working back in the 1960’s, was actually modified to compete in local mud bogging competitions. Because of its incredible mass, unfortunately this beast of a vehicle can only reach speeds of up to 12mph.

Buddhist Shinto Hearse

Did you know tha spotting a hearse on Japanese roads is associated with superstition, and in order to ward off death, the passerby should bend their thumb inside a fist?  And, let’s face it, you’d be hard pushed not to notice this particular hearse. Richly decorated, carrying massive ornate wooden structures on their backs, these vehicles  are designed to look like a Shinto shrine.

This 1996 Toyota Century example of the vehicle is a right-hand-drive, V8-powered Hearse, finished in Black Onyx with a grey interior, and featuring an exquisitely detailed gold exterior which is heavily adorned with dragons and other celestial creatures.

French Bicycle Hearse

In the burgeoning bicycle city of Paris, France, those looking for a more gentle, environmentally friendly funeral service now have the option of a hearse powered by a cargo bike.

The Corbicyclette, a name combining the French words for bicycle and hearse, was manufactured by Carapate-Design in Nantes. Bringing to the French capital a new way of organising funerals, the hearse is anchored to the platform of an electrically assisted steel three-wheeled bicycle. The airtight compartment intended to accommodate the coffin is made of solid, light, natural and environmentally friendly marine plywood. Combining strength, lightness, and stability, with a comforting design it’s said to be ideally suited for the city center of Paris.

British Land Rover Hearse

Rugged, with a simple elegance, this post-war agricultural vehicle which over the years has become a British icon, can now be found in all walks of life.  Land Rovers have been used for many important jobs, but there can be none more important than our final journey. The Land Rover Defender is a very special vehicle and provides a stunning and alternative hearse

This fleet belonging to Land Rover Funerals, comprises of hearse, 130 SW TD D/C – Light 4×4 Utility – 2198CC and 7 seater follow on vehicle 110 SW TD D/C – Light 4×4 Utility – 2198CC, perfect for any family who are 4×4 or Land Rover Defender enthusiasts, whether city or country-based.  And, with a modified deck, the Land Rover Defender Hearse can accept coffin dimensions of up to 7ft long (2135mm) and 33” wide (765mm), with a depth of 25.5″(650mm). Finished in Land Rover’s autobiography colour scheme they truly are one of a kind.

Land Rover Funerals Unique Funeral Transport Services

If you would like to know more about our Land Rover Defender Unique Funeral Transport Services contact Land Rover Funerals. We provide a five star rated service, are available 7 days a week, and work throughout Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Surrey, London, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Lincolnshire, Wales and the North, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall.

Please don’t hesitate, speak to a member of our friendly team, we are happy to answer any questions you may have.