The Ghost in the Machine Just Got an Exorcism
Image Credit: Lunaz.
You know, I've been doing this journalism thing for a while now. I've driven, flown, and sailed in just about everything that moves, from two-wheeled terrors to things that really shouldn't leave the ground but somehow do. And for more years than I can remember, the recipe for a truly magnificent machine involved a lot of noise, a bit of smoke, and the sort of mechanical symphony that makes the hairs on your arms stand to attention. It was all about explosions, pistons, and gasoline.
But lately, the world's gone a bit quiet. The explosions are being replaced by electrons, and the symphonies are being swapped for silence. And nowhere is this more profoundly demonstrated than with what the boys and girls at Lunaz have just done to a Rolls-Royce Phantom V. They've taken a car that was already as quiet as a monk in a library and made it even quieter. They literally told a cloud to be fluffier.
Image Credit: Lunaz.
Before you purists start grabbing your pitchforks and lighting your torches, let's get something straight. The idea of an electric Rolls-Royce isn't some new-age, tree-hugging fantasy. Way back in 1900, Mr. Charles Rolls himself - one-half of the dynamic duo - had a good look at an electric car and said, and I quote, "The electric car is perfectly noiseless and clean. There is no smell or vibration." He was a fan! He just lamented the lack of charging stations. A man ahead of his time, clearly. It only took 125 years for the infrastructure to catch up to his vision.
In a way, Lunaz isn't committing heresy. They're simply fulfilling a prophecy. They take a 1960s Phantom V, a car designed to transport monarchs and rock stars with the subtlety of a royal procession, and they perform a heart transplant. Out goes the venerable 6.2-liter V8, and in its place goes silence. And a very large, very expensive battery pack - an 80 kWh hefty piece of kit.
Image Credit: Lunaz.
The result is a limousine that wafts along with 400 horsepower and a silky 530 lb-ft of torque available the very instant your driver flexes his big toe. If you're in an ungentlemanly hurry, it can surge from a standstill to 62 miles per hour in about seven seconds. Why you would ever ask your chauffeur to perform such a hooligan maneuver in a car of this stature is beyond me, but it's nice to know the option is there, I suppose.
The process of creating one of these electric behemoths is, as you'd expect, painstaking. Lunaz says it takes over 5,500 man-hours to complete a single car. They strip it down to the bare metal, restore every curve and swage line to perfection, and then seamlessly integrate their proprietary electric powertrain. More than 11,000 components are either reconditioned or replaced. It's less of a restomod and more of a complete reincarnation.
Image Credit: Lunaz.
Inside, it's the sort of indulgence that would make a Roman emperor blush. The finest leathers, of course, but now the seats are heated and ventilated. There are USB ports discreetly hidden away, a modern infotainment system, and even a proper privacy screen between you and the driver. The center console can be optioned with a cocktail bar or, for the more discerning Bond villain, a custom-lined, lockable storage unit. A cigar humidor is also on the list. It's old-world charm meets new-world convenience in the most opulent way imaginable.
Now, we must address the price tag. By now, you probably expect this creation to be quite expensive. And you would be wrong. It's not "quite" expensive - it's rare-artwork-level expensive. VanGogh would probably consider chopping his other ear off, if he saw the price. Ready? A Lunaz Phantom V starts at around $1.35 million. That's just the starting price, and there's no ceiling. For that money, you could buy a very nice house, a decent yacht, or approximately 10 brand-new Tesla Model S Plaid sedans. It is a staggering amount of money for a car that doesn't smell of gasoline and rich Corinthian leather.
But then, you're not just buying a car, are you? You're buying a statement. You're buying a piece of history that's been future-proofed. A modernized Mona Lisa. This Phantom V is for the person who has everything and wants to glide past gas stations with a smug sense of satisfaction, all while sitting in a hand-stitched cocoon of utter serenity. It's the ultimate expression of automotive excess, now with a green halo.
Is it a little bit bonkers? Absolutely. Is it necessary? Not in the slightest. But am I glad it exists? You bet I am. The Lunaz Phantom V is a glorious, two-fingered salute to the mundane and a magnificent, rolling paradox. A classic car made new, a silent screamer, a monument to a century-old vision finally brought to life. It's smoother, quieter, and probably more reliable than the original ever was. Mr. Rolls would be proud. Mr. Royce would probably be checking the panel gaps. And I'm just trying to figure out how to get behind the wheel of one. Or, more appropriately, into the back seat with the cocktail bar fully stocked.
