Classic Bentley Continental gets electrified

When classic meets the future, it will cost you around half a million Euros, says Lunaz, a restoration and electrification company based in the UK.

Who is ‘Lunaz’?

Lunaz is a Silverstone-based (UK) company founded by David Lorenz, and its scope of activity is the electrification of the old iconic cars. The philosophy of the company is to preserve the timeless design of the classic legacies by converting them to electric vehicles in order to meet the latest trend, and the legal requirements on emissions, as well. This way, they can ensure that the cars can and should be driven by the current and the future generations of people.

Bentley S2 1962 front facing lights on grey greenish metallic color in dusk background, electric Lunaz — *Bentley S2 electrified (image by Lunaz).*

How do they do it?

As previously mentioned, Lunaz attempts to restore and preserve the original design, while adding a contemporary powertrain. There are a few choices the customer can make regarding the total power output and range, of course. All the modifications are designed and engineered in-house, in order to ensure the use of high-quality materials to yield a final product that meets or exceeds the clients’ expectations.

First, the car is completely stripped down to its bare metal chassis, along with everything else stripped apart. Then the rebuilding process can begin. Each individual piece is measured by laser and weighted to the smallest decimal to ensure that the size, shape, and weight are controlled at all times. Cutting and welding are part of the process, so no need to worry if you’re unable to recognize the car during that phase.

Bentley S2 1962 front facing white color in dark background electric Lunaz — *Bentley S2 Flying Spur stripped to the bone (image by Lunaz)*

What else do they offer?

Apart from the powertrain, Lunaz also offers the latest modern vehicle equipment, such as: power steering, upgraded brakes, new suspension, air conditioning system, and infotainment devices that include Apple CarPlay. Other options are also available upon the client’s request.

Certain car models, such as the Range Rover Classic, are offered as “Town”, “Country”, or “Safari” variants. “Safari” is, essentially, a convertible 4×4 suited for safari expeditions.

Which Bentley models can be modified?

Both coupe and four-door Flying Spur variants can be submitted for modification. The most famous and rarest ones are Bentleys S1, S2, and S3 body types produced between 1955 and 1965. It’s worth noting that those models were fitted with Rolls-Royce engines since Bentley Motors became part of the company in 1931. It might feel like a disgrace to bin those superb engines that were built with limited technology, however, you have to wonder whether you want to lock up your Bentley or invigorate it, so it’ll keep running next to modern vehicles.

Bentley coupe and four-door Flying Spur front view on the road, cloudy skies, lights on, black and grey color, electrified Lunaz — *Two-door and four-door electrified Bentley car (image by Lunaz).*

What’s the cost of conversion?

It’s natural to expect that all this work will not be cheap. You have to consider all the time, effort resources, and qualified personnel that are involved in the process before judging the price. Depending on the model, specifications, and powertrain variants, the cost can range from £250,000 – 500,000.