Move over, Rolls-Royce – America's first homegrown ultra-luxury vehicle in almost a century is here to steal its crown
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Dacora is the first female-founded and led automotive brand
The debut model has been designed with Pininfarina Group
Swappable upholstery is just one of many unique traits
Rolls-Royce, Bentley and Mercedes-Maybach… soon you'll be able to add another, albeit far less recognizable, name to that list of the world's most luxurious car makers. US start-up Dacora is here and wants a piece of the ultra-high-net-worth pie.
Founded in New York's Hudson Valley by MIT-trained engineers Kristie and Eric D'Ambrosio-Correll, the fledgling brand is the first of its kind to be founded and led by a female CEO, as well as the first to have the confidence to command $500,000 (around £370,000 / AU$770,000) for a highly-personalized electric vehicle without hundreds of years worth of history to back it up.
The price point is set as such because Dacora claims each vehicle is 'meticulously handmade' using American-sourced components and materials.
The 1930s-inspired design, produced in collaboration with Italy's renowned Pininfarina Group, pays homage to the glamorous streamliners of Hollywood's Golden Age.
Long hoods, shapely fenders and the option to specify real metal and hardwood inlays on the exterior are just a few of the stylistic talking points.
Inside, you won't find any nasty plastics or cheap scratchy surfaces, as Dacora is only turning to natural wood, leather and woven wool for its interiors.
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In fact, the company says there will be twice-yearly 'drops' that will allow customers to completely swap out the interior fabrics with the changing seasons – wool for winter, linen for summer, for example.
The currently unnamed debut model will be available with anything from three- to seven-seat configurations, with each seat including its own independent lighting and climate controls.
Money No Object
We're all about offering practical buying advice at TechRadar, giving our readers expert tips and insights on how to choose the right gadgets. But every so often, we also like to celebrate some of the more ridiculous tech on the market – the luxurious, high-end products that are simply fun to dream about buying. That's the kind of kit we cover in our regular Money No Object column, which you can read more of here.
Dacora wants to take us back to a time when driving was a sensory experience, so has ditched today's screen-dominated cockpit, relying on just one, non-touchscreen display to take care of infotainment duties.
When not in use, this screen apparently disappears behind a semi-transparent wooden panel, while all controls are mechanical. Quite the analog move for two MIT-trained engineers.
As for performance, Dacora is yet to announce exact EV powertrain details, but says it is aiming for over 800hp and a projected 400-mile all-electric range. There will also be the option of a hybrid powertrain on request.
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Co-founder and CEO Kristie D'Ambrosio-Correll was the former CTO of Mirror, a smart fitness product that proved a popular lifestyle product with the very wealthy.
Building on this blueprint, Dacora will open its 100-acre Hudson Valley Garage next year, complete with on-site production, design atelier and rooms for guests to stay. Every car will be a bespoke, personal commission, with the brand's designer on-hand to guide them through the process.
Customers will also get to enjoy curated events, 'immersive experiences' and all of the other lovely things rich people like to fill their spare time with.
Dacora will have to nail this side of things, because early images of the vehicle reveal divisive styling and half a million US dollars buys a lot of Rolls-Royce, which remains the final word in automotive opulence and the ultimate show of wealth.
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