Halcyon’s Electric Corniche Restomod: A Luxury Icon Reimagined

Charles Rolls was an early advocate of electric propulsion. In a 1900 interview, he stated,

"The electric car is perfectly noiseless and clean. There is no smell or vibration, and they should become very useful when fixed charging stations can be arranged."

Over a century later, Rolls-Royce’s legacy of refinement is being reimagined for the electric era. While the marque’s legendary "six-and-three-quarter" V-8 was designed for near-silence—"Cruising at 60 mph, the loudest noise inside the Rolls-Royce comes from the electric clock," as one of its famous slogans proclaimed—Halcyon, a British startup, is taking luxury a step further.

Halcyon is converting select 1970s Rolls-Royce Corniche models into electric restomods, aiming to preserve the car’s iconic elegance while enhancing performance and sustainability. The company’s approach prioritizes the car’s timeless appeal over mechanical nostalgia, avoiding the controversies that often surround such conversions.

From Classic to Electric: The Corniche’s Legacy

The Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow, introduced in 1965, spawned two iconic derivatives through the brand’s coachbuilding arm, Mulliner Park Ward: a two-door sedan and a drophead coupé. These models were unified under the Corniche name in 1971. The convertible’s popularity endured for decades, remaining in production until 1995—15 years after the Shadow itself was discontinued—and yielding nearly 7,000 units over its lifespan.

Halcyon: A Team of Young Visionaries with Proven Expertise

Founded by three British automotive engineers, Halcyon boasts a team that blends youthful innovation with decades of industry experience. The youngest co-founder was born in 1995, the same year the original Corniche was discontinued. Despite their relative youth, the team has already contributed to groundbreaking projects, including:

• The Dyson electric car
• The Lunaz series of electric restomods
• The design of the Miami Formula 1 circuit

To complement their fresh perspective, Halcyon has recruited seasoned professionals from high-end British marques, Formula 1, and aerospace industries. Among their advisors is Mike Flewitt, former CEO of McLaren Automotive.

The company’s in-house capabilities extend to battery pack assembly, and their proprietary electric-drive technology has already been licensed to Twisted for its electric Land Rover Defender conversions. This technology is expected to become a cornerstone of Halcyon’s business as demand for electric restomods grows.

The Electric Corniche: A 5,000-Hour Transformation

Halcyon’s electric Corniche was unveiled in September 2023. The process behind each conversion is meticulous:

• 2,000 hours: Bare-metal restoration of the donor car
• 3,000 hours: Assembly and integration of the electric powertrain

Only Corniches manufactured between 1976 and 1979 are selected for conversion. This narrow window ensures consistency in build quality and steering feel, as these later models featured quicker, more responsive steering racks. Halcyon’s CEO, Matthew Pearson, highlights the surprising torsional rigidity of these classic cars, which provides a solid foundation for the electric conversion.

With plans to convert just 60 cars—30 convertibles, 20 coupes, and 10 Shadow sedans—Halcyon is positioning itself as a niche purveyor of luxury electric restomods, catering to collectors who value heritage as much as innovation.