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This $300,000 1961 Bentley Continental is the ‘Rarest Vehicle’ Ever Electrified
By Mark Jessen - News Published:
Let’s start out with the obvious – the 1961 Bentley S2 Continental is already a rare find. Only four are known to survive to this day. So how do you make the classic car even rarer? Why not try turning it into an electric vehicle? That’s what the urban restomod legends at Lunaz Design opted to do.
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1961 Bentley Continental electric conversion | Image: Lunaz Design
“In its new guise, (the electrified S2 Continental is) the rarest vehicle ever to be converted to fully electric propulsion,” says Lunaz founder David Lorenz, “and the most exclusive project we’ve ever undertaken at Lunaz Design. It’s literally one of a kind. This car is also a further demonstration of our proven up cycling process and technologies, developed entirely in-house at our Silverstone facility, which are fast becoming the de facto gold standard for electrification projects involving the world’s most prestigious marques.”
The S2 Continental is no stranger to customisation. In fact, this very model was originally intended to be a four-door saloon, but the original owner changed his mind and requested a coupe instead. To make this electric customisation happen, Lunaz had to remove the factory 6.2-liter L Series V8 and replace it with one of Lunaz’s modular electric powertrains.
1961 Bentley Continental electric conversion | Image: Lunaz Design
In this case, the power train includes a Tier 1 OEM battery cell to power the motor, which has an output of 395 horsepower, 530 lb-ft of torque, and can go from 0-62 mph in 6.2 seconds. Lunaz also added a driver-adjustable coil-spring suspension with a lever arm damper. New brakes – discs with six-piston callipers – were added in the front with four-pot stoppers in the back.
The car was completely repainted and reupholstered as well. Regenerated nylon fibre and leather tanned with olive leaves were used for the interior and the wood veneers are certified by the Forestry Stewardship Council. So this build is saving the environment in more ways than one.
Lunaz is unsurprisingly quiet about who the electrified 1961 Bentley S2 Continental is for, which means the price tag hasn’t been shared either. But you can check out the firm’s most often requested build—a classic Range Rover—and extrapolate from that base price of about $297,000 just how much a rare, electrified Bentley would cost.
1961 Bentley Continental electric conversion | Image: Lunaz Design
1961 Bentley Continental electric conversion | Image: Lunaz Design
1961 Bentley Continental electric conversion | Image: Lunaz Design
1961 Bentley Continental electric conversion | Image: Lunaz Design
1961 Bentley Continental electric conversion | Image: Lunaz Design
