The David-Beckham backed company that specialises in electric conversions of classic British cars has unveiled its latest masterpiece – a car made famous by its silver screen driver, James Bond – the Aston Martin DB6.
Lunaz Design revealed pictures and video of the fully electrified stunner this week, along with a price tag starting at around the $US1 million mark, making it perfect for ultra-rich 007 tragics, ex-footballer investors, and the “entirely new” breed of classic car buyers the company says it is targeting.
Lunaz said it had opened orders for a limited run of battery-powered DB6s, with first deliveries expected in the third quarter of 2023. The company also noted that electrified Aston Martin DB4s and DB5s would also be built to order in highly limited numbers.
Like the other iconic Britich autos Lunaz has “restored, re-engineered and electrified” at its English base in Silverstone – Bentley, Rolls-Royce, Range Rover and Jaguar – the Aston Martin DB6 will be powered by Lunaz’ in-house built powertrain and modular 80-120kWh battery pack with a range of up to 255 miles (410km).
The tier-one, Europe-sourced battery system is also equipped with a CCS fast-charging capability, allowing for relatively short charging times – which is, of course, crucial for international spy work.
“In the case of the Aston Martin DB6, there is no purer or striking evocation of the British Gran Turismo,” said the company in a statement explaining the choice for it’s latest conversion.
“The introduction of electric Aston Martin DB6 cars has been driven by sustained demand from our existing clients,” added the company’s founder, David Lorenz.
“It also reflects the desires of an entirely new classic car buyer. These women and men have been drawn to Lunaz because for the first time they are presented with the powertrain and modern conveniences of today, clothed in a design that speaks of an era when aesthetic purity was the only requirement.”
Only around since 2019, Lunaz has been going from strength to strength, backed by a recent fund-raising round that attracted a significant amounts of “growth capital” from leading institutional investors including the Barclay, Reuben and Dallal families and the aforementioned Beckham.
At the same time, the company launched an expanded Lunaz Group, which it said would target a wider application of its modular electric powertrain for the remanufacturing and conversion of industrial vehicles.
But it is in the electrification of well-loved classics that Lunaz has really made its name.
In 2020 alone, Lunaz completed the re-engineering process for a 1961 Rolls-Royce Phantom V and a Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud – which Lunaz started selling for £500,000 and £350,000, respectively. Lunaz also announced in December of 2020 plans to convert 50 classic Range Rovers using their electric powertrain.
As The Driven has reported, Lunaz sees its electrification process as an important avenue through which to extend the lifespan of vehicles that otherwise face being phased out or replaced.
“By 2030, when the UK ban on internal combustion engine car sales will come into effect there will be 2 billion ICE vehicles on the planet,” said Lorenz.
“Without conversion to electric, this will represent mass redundancy of finite resources that could otherwise be re-used. Our approach answers the urgent need to extend the life of these vehicles for future generations.”
Sophie is editor of One Step Off The Grid and deputy editor of its sister site, Renew Economy. Sophie has been writing about clean energy for more than a decade.