Classic Benzes Electrified, Thanks to Formula E
Staffed by Formula E engineers, Belgium’s Monceau Automobiles restores classic Benzes, caps them off with electric power.
Mercedes-Benz is moving headlong into electrification. The EQC is already in production, though fans in the United States eager to try this electric luxury machine will be waiting until at least 2021, according to Motor1. Meanwhile, the S-Class will soon have a relative in the EQ-Class, dubbed the EQS, thus bringing the flagship of all flagships into the electric circus.
Some classic Benz fans, though, wouldn’t mind electrifying their own rides while retaining all the things that made them fans in the first place. According to CarBuzz, there’s a shop ready to help: Monceau Automobiles in Liège, Belgium.
Founded by a team of engineers with tons of Formula 1 and Formula E experience, Monceau Automobiles focuses on Benzes from the Sixties through the Eighties. Specifically, their current offerings include the W107-era SL, and the W111-era SE. Once one of their models are ordered, the shop begins its restoration and conversion work.
The process begins with paint, where the customer can choose any color from the Mercedes vintage paint catalog. The interior will then be matched, and the donor car restored to full glory.
Except for the powerplant. Whatever a given model had before, Monceau casts it aside for a permanent magnet axial flux electric motor good for 443 lb-ft of torque. The motor is fueled by a custom modular liquid-cooled battery pack, each made with all-new batteries for ultimate longevity. The result is a zero to 62 mph time of less than seven seconds for the SL, a top speed of 96 mph, and a range of 186 miles on a single charge.
The conversion process is up there in price with a Mercedes-AMG S 63. The price for Monceau’s eSLC – 1981 Classic Edition is around $183,000 to start, while the top-tier eSL – 1988 Classic Edition is just over $200,000. Meanwhile, the W111 cars, set to be available in 2021, currently have an unlisted price; we imagine it’s above the SL conversions, though.
The process also takes up to six months to complete. If you have the time and money, though, you’ll end up with a classic Mercedes you can park next to the EQC and EQS, as well as all of the Nissans and Teslas getting a charge.
Photos: Monceau Automobiles
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