You probably know of iconic American automobile brands like Duesenberg and Cadillac, which represented luxury and innovation in the early 20th century. Now, a new startup called Dacora Motors is taking inspiration from this glorious past, aiming to become the Duesenberg of the modern era. You'll see, the company wants to make a name for itself in the US ultra-luxury car market. Their new electric vehicle (EV) isn't just a car, it's a symbol of the revival of American automotive luxury.
The new car was just unveiled this week, although it doesn't have an official name yet. When you see it on the road, there'll be no confusion about its identity. It's a roomy sedan with retro styling, developed in collaboration with Pininfarina and clearly inspired by pre-war sedans. It has a long bonnet with a wooden finish, and a gradually vanishing design towards the rear, which is in line with its 'land-yacht' status. This design will remind you of classic American grandeur.
This EV focuses exclusively on the luxury experience, with prices starting at $500,000. You will immediately understand by looking at it that it wants to beat existing luxury electric vehicles like the Cadillac Celestiq in terms of prices, which start at around $340,000. Dacora aims to establish itself as America's most prominent ultra-luxury car brand. It is not just a car, but it is a special statement for a select few who want unparalleled luxury and personalization.
The same grandeur continues in the interior of the car as well. You will find that wood has been used extensively in the cabin as well. Most importantly, you get the option to supply the wood or other material of your choice to be used for the interior trim. Additionally, 'capsule collections' will be available to change the seat trim (two options will be offered each year).
This will allow you to keep up with fashion trends and changing seasons, such as using wool in winter and linen in summer. This is a level of personalisation you rarely find anywhere else, not even in the early coachbuilding days.
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In terms of technology, this retro-looking car is completely modern. It promises to have an all-electric powertrain that will deliver a peak power of 800 horsepower. Its battery capacity will be enough for a range of 400 miles. Decora has also revealed that they will also offer a hybrid option, although details of this have not been shared yet.
The interior is also packed with technology; You'll find a screen that's hidden behind a semi-transparent wood panel. This means that information like navigation or media settings will only show through the woodgrain when you need it. There will also be physical dials and switches made of high-quality materials that will give you a better experience.
Dakora Motors is founded by husband-wife team Kristie and Eric D'Ambrosio-Correll, both engineers from MIT. Kristie serves as CEO and Eric is the CTO; they have decades of experience in product design and systems engineering. Eric's family is also involved in the field of classic car restoration, which has undoubtedly influenced the direction of the company.
Production will take place at a 100-acre campus to be built in Hudson Valley, New York next year. While it's not yet known when deliveries will begin, their reservation book has already exceeded 150% of the first year's planned production capacity. This shows that the demand for this unique and gorgeous electric vehicle is quite high.
