JB Classic & Bespoke, a car customizer from the Netherlands, has introduced a unique custom sedan inspired by the historical brand Facel Vega and its Excellence sedan.
Back in the year 1959, Studebacker-Packard and Facel Vega were negotiating a deal to sell the latter company’s Excellence sedan in the United States under Packard branding. Daimler-Benz protested the deal arguing that it already had an ongoing partnership with Studebacker-Packard, and the latter went bankrupt shortly afterwards. The proposed “Packard Excellence” sedan never saw the light of day – until now, that is.
In designing the car, JB Classic & Bespoke made sure it referenced the original with its air intake inserts, vertical headlights and large radiator grille. It didn’t aim for complete accuracy, though, and used a modern Bentley Flying Spur chassis for the build.
Compared to its ideological predecessor from the late ‘50s (see video), the retromod has noticeably edgier body outlines and back-hinged rear doors, although the hinges, the locks and the handles are all new and created specifically for the project. The company claims it took around 17,000 work-hours to produce, which sounds extreme, especially since the announcement fails to mention any powertrain modifications. In all likelihood, this Flying Spur retains its 4.0-liter turbo V8 or 6.0-liter W12.
