Photo: Lunaz Design | Edited
The British EV conversion startup Lunaz Design has completed its most challenging work so far on an extremely rare 1961 Bentley S2 Continental. One of four examples ever made, the British classic was originally powered by a 6.2-liter V8 but is now rocking a 400-horsepower electric powertrain.
If you’re not familiar with Lunar Design work, it’s one of the several companies that convert iconic classic cars to use an electric drive system. Before jumping the gun and saying this is a sacrilege, consider that companies like Lunaz are doing the classics a huge service. It’s hard to find the right parts to restore a classic car to its original glory, and dropping the engine and the transmission out of the equation brings many benefits. Not to mention that you can drive your beloved classic car in the zero-emission zones, which explains why EV conversions are so popular in the UK.
Lunaz Design has plenty of experience converting the rarest classic cars into electric-driven masterpieces. Their work started in 2018 and included EV conversion of British icons like Roll Royce Phantom V and Silver Cloud, Jaguar XK120, Bentley Continental, and Aston Martin DB6. None of them was as challenging as this 1961 Bentley S2 Continental, though, one of the rarest classic cars, considering that only four examples were ever made.
The car converted by Lunaz has an interesting history, being commissioned by its first owner in 1961 from the leading London coachbuilder James Young. Those were the times when cars weren’t entirely built by carmakers, which instead supplied a “rolling chassis” to a coachbuilder to finish the cabin based on customers’ specifications. This explains the rarity of this example, which could’ve been even rarer if the owner hadn’t had a change of heart.
They initially wanted a four-door body but changed their mind at the last minute. Interestingly, all four examples of the S2 Continental were two-door, so we’d say a great opportunity to make this car even rarer was missed. The car changed hands several times during the years that followed and traveled as far as Germany and Japan before returning to the UK.
All Bentley S2 variants were powered by the then-new ‘L’ Series 6.2-liter V8 engine, made from aluminum alloy for an improved power-to-weight ratio. This Continental would not need it, though, because Lunaz Design has fitted a more powerful electric drivetrain instead, delivering 400 horsepower for brisk performance. This presents challenges in itself because you wouldn’t want such a rare classic to be ruined by the sheer force of the electric drivetrain.
To ensure the car’s reliability, Lunaz inspected the chassis, powertrain, and suspension. Everything was scanned into a 3D model in case it needed renovation and reconstruction. The car body was stripped down to a bare metal shell and returned to as-new condition using traditional coachbuilding and restoration techniques. Everything inside and out was repaired and recoated. The powertrain and its associated systems are carefully removed and replaced with Lunaz’s proprietary electric powertrain.
The new 400-horsepower powertrain is capable of achieving 0-62 mph (0-100 kph) in 6.9 seconds. This is one reason why the suspension and the brakes were uprated, a necessary measure to ensure handling capabilities in line with contemporary standards. The suspension, for instance, is electronically adjustable, while the brakes feature six-piston calipers front and four-piston calipers rear, complete with a battery regeneration system.
Lunaz Design has plenty of experience converting the rarest classic cars into electric-driven masterpieces. Their work started in 2018 and included EV conversion of British icons like Roll Royce Phantom V and Silver Cloud, Jaguar XK120, Bentley Continental, and Aston Martin DB6. None of them was as challenging as this 1961 Bentley S2 Continental, though, one of the rarest classic cars, considering that only four examples were ever made.
The car converted by Lunaz has an interesting history, being commissioned by its first owner in 1961 from the leading London coachbuilder James Young. Those were the times when cars weren’t entirely built by carmakers, which instead supplied a “rolling chassis” to a coachbuilder to finish the cabin based on customers’ specifications. This explains the rarity of this example, which could’ve been even rarer if the owner hadn’t had a change of heart.
They initially wanted a four-door body but changed their mind at the last minute. Interestingly, all four examples of the S2 Continental were two-door, so we’d say a great opportunity to make this car even rarer was missed. The car changed hands several times during the years that followed and traveled as far as Germany and Japan before returning to the UK.
All Bentley S2 variants were powered by the then-new ‘L’ Series 6.2-liter V8 engine, made from aluminum alloy for an improved power-to-weight ratio. This Continental would not need it, though, because Lunaz Design has fitted a more powerful electric drivetrain instead, delivering 400 horsepower for brisk performance. This presents challenges in itself because you wouldn’t want such a rare classic to be ruined by the sheer force of the electric drivetrain.
To ensure the car’s reliability, Lunaz inspected the chassis, powertrain, and suspension. Everything was scanned into a 3D model in case it needed renovation and reconstruction. The car body was stripped down to a bare metal shell and returned to as-new condition using traditional coachbuilding and restoration techniques. Everything inside and out was repaired and recoated. The powertrain and its associated systems are carefully removed and replaced with Lunaz’s proprietary electric powertrain.
The new 400-horsepower powertrain is capable of achieving 0-62 mph (0-100 kph) in 6.9 seconds. This is one reason why the suspension and the brakes were uprated, a necessary measure to ensure handling capabilities in line with contemporary standards. The suspension, for instance, is electronically adjustable, while the brakes feature six-piston calipers front and four-piston calipers rear, complete with a battery regeneration system.
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