Then they bought an old Shadow and started spending evenings in the workshop getting to know every nut and bolt, and daytimes hatching a business plan. They now have a plan: to restore and electrify 60 Shadows and Corniches (both coupés and convertibles) – plus another 60 V8-powered examples – at an initial rate of six a year, ramping up to 15. The 800V EV powertrain is their own and uses the best proprietary technology. Bodies (Halcyon will accept owners’ cars or find donors) will get bare-metal restorations and be rebuilt with a high degree of owner customisation.
After a donor car is found, Halcyon will charge you £450,000 for its restoration and electrical conversion. For a Great Eight (V8) resto, you’ll pay £420,000. Clearly, bespoke paint, trim and options cost extra, but against the eye-watering prices seen elsewhere, these ones seem realistic.
The car we encountered was the first finished EV, an elegant metallic blue Corniche convertible with a 400bhp electric motor driving its rear wheels, a battery bank of 77kWh giving 250 miles of range and a charging speed capability of up to 230kW. If you insist, you can have a 500bhp motor, plus a 94kWh battery that increases your range to 300 miles.
The test car’s interior was a special picture, combining familiar-looking features – such as twin-dial instrumentation, organ-stop ventilation controls and an original 1970s switch-block – with a beautiful bespoke steering wheel and a lovely hand-crafted metal fascia plate.