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Lunaz electrifying classic cars with coachbuilt, millimeter precision

One day last year, as David Lorenz waited by the side of the road for repair help with his classic car, he had an idea: Why not update all of that ancient mechanical "character" with a modern electric drivetrain? That would give an owner the beauty of the past, the mechanicals of the present, and the powertrain of the future. Jaguar does it with the E-Type Zero, and Aston Martin's in the game with the reversible EV powertrain swap for the DB6 Volante. And so Lorenz founded the British engineering firm Lunaz Design, named after his daughter Luna and headquartered at the Silverstone Technology Park. The company's first products are almost ready for order, starting with a 1953 Jaguar XK120 and a 1961 Rolls-Royce Phantom V. Lunaz conversions aren't a matter of pulling an engine and installing a battery pack; Lunaz reengineers classics. Managing Director Jon Hilton oversees a team bringing experience from carmakers such as Aston Martin, Ferrari, Jaguar, McLaren, and Rolls-Royce, with Hilton's resume including six years with Cosworth Engineering followed by eight years in Formula One. To develop the Lunaz offerings, a chosen car is stripped to the metal and weighed so that engineers understand the weight distribution at each corner, then the car is stripped to the chassis and 3D-scanned. This yields information allowing designers to create a powertrain that fits to the millimeter and stays true to the handling dynamics of the original vehicle. During the rebuild, the company says, any imperfections are remedied "using traditional coachbuilding techniques." The Jaguar and the Rolls-Royce get battery packs in two locations, one under the hood and one under the trunk floor. Lunaz says it can fit more battery for its in-house design into each car that way. The Jaguar's 80-kWh battery feeds two electric motors sending 375 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels. The Phantom V uses a 120-kWh battery pack, but its output hasn't been released. While remaining true to the exterior and interior design of each car, Lunaz fits LED lights and modern tires, a modern suspension, better brakes with regenerative braking, power steering, an upgraded propshaft, and a fly-by-wire throttle. Safety and comfort additions include cruise control, traction control, and anti-lock brakes. Inside, the instrument cluster gets battery gauges, there's modern climate control, an infotainment screen with satellite navigation, and a Wi-Fi hotspot.

Jaguar C-X17 Concept teased before Frankfurt

Just ahead of the Frankfurt Motor Show, which begins September 10, Jaguar is teasing the reveal of a design study to introduce its new advanced vehicle architecture. Dubbed the C-X17, the mysterious concept "illustrates the diversity of vehicles that could be produced using this architecture, which underpins the innovative future of the Jaguar brand."
While it's not entirely clear what this architecture involves or what type of vehicle the C-X17 may be, this reveal is reminiscent of Jaguar's decision to unveil the C-X16 concept, a hybrid electric sports car, in Frankfurt in 2011. From the looks of the teaser image Jaguar released (click above to enlarge), we're guessing the C-X17 will be something between a low-slung crossover and a sporty wagon. But we won't have to wait too long to find out - Jaguar is streaming the live pre-show reveal to invited guests on its Facebook page on Monday, Sept. 9.
In addition to the C-X17, Jaguar be showing off the performance-oriented XJR and XFR-S, and, of course, the F-Type convertible. Scroll down for the official press release.

Prince Harry drove Meghan Markle to their Royal Wedding reception in this electric Jaguar

Well over a billion people all over the world tuned in to watch the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle this morning, but now that it's all said and done, it's time to direct our attention to the car that the newly crowned Duke and Duchess of Sussex drove to their reception. The Jaguar E-Type Zero first debuted in September of 2017, but it's getting a whole heck of a lot more press today than it did then. Welcome to the Royal Family, Jag. Jaguar left as much of the original 1968 Series 1.5 E-Type in tact as possible while replacing the original inline-six engine with an electric motor and battery pack. Enough power is sent to the rear wheels to push this feline from 0-62 in just 5.5 seconds. That means it's quicker now than it was when new and chugging on gasoline. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. The E-Type Zero's range of 170 miles is way more than enough to whisk the happy couple away from Windsor Castle to Frogmore House on the Windsor Estate, where Harry's father, the Prince of Wales, is hosting their wedding reception. But if it were to run out of juice, its 40kWh battery can be recharged in under 7 hours. Want one of your own? The Daily Mail says it'll cost GBP350,000 (that's over $470,000 here in the States). Just don't expect a customized license plate to match the date of your wedding. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.