As far as restomod firms go, Halcyon is relatively young. Founded just three years ago by Matthew Pearson and Charlie Metcalfe out of Surrey, England, the British atelier has built a reputation for taking iconic Rolls-Royce and Bentley classics, stripping them bare, and rebuilding them from the ground up as bespoke commissions for a clientele that demands something beyond a standard restoration. Their first work on RR’s Corniche and Silver Shadow caught the attention of enthusiasts for swapping out the legendary 6.75-litre V8 in favor of custom electric powertrains.
Now, Halcyon is going back to combustion for the first time with its new Great Eight Series, but it won’t come cheap.
The Engine Was Never the Problem
Here’s the thing about the Rolls-Royce L-Series V8: it didn’t really need replacing. First introduced in 1959, the Crewe-built six-and-three-quarter ran in production for more than six decades across Rolls-Royce and Bentley models, quietly becoming one of the longest-lived engines in the history of the automobile.
Rather than swapping it out this time around, Halcyon has remastered it, extracting increased torque and improved power delivery while preserving what the company calls its “effortless composure.” When the Corniche first launched, the factory thought the engine’s output was simply adequate. But Halcyon is building on that characteristically British understatement with something better than that.
Rose and Scroll
Inspired by the auto industry’s heyday in the ’60s and ’70s, the Great Eight Series will feature 60 one-off commissions to the buyer’s specifications. However, for our sake, the company is debuting the line with this Rose and Scroll concept design you see here, a Rolls-Royce Corniche Fixed Head Coupe finished in deep Arboretum Green over tan leather.
The centerpiece of the interior is the Halcyon Gallery, a 1.4-meter-wide (~4.6ft) hand-engraved fascia featuring traditional rose and scroll motifs found on old shotguns, with damascene kingfisher inlays, a nod to the mythical bird at the heart of the brand’s identity. The rest of the cabin blends classy and modern with open-pore wood, green accents, and a concealed infotainment unit with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
On the mechanical side, Halcyon adds continuously controlled adaptive dampers with three drive modes (Touring, Drive, Spirited) and an upgraded braking system. Each commission involves over 5,000 hours of work beginning with a bare-metal restoration, and every car is bespoke to its owner from the ground up.
Spec Sheet
Model: 2026 Halcyon Great Eight Series (Rose and Scroll design study)
Engine: Remastered 6.75-litre L-Series V8
Power/Torque: Increased output over original (figures undisclosed)
Drive Modes: Touring, Drive, Spirited
Suspension: Adaptive with continuously controlled electronic dampers
Infotainment: Concealed unit, wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto
Build Time: 12 months / 5,000+ hours
Production Run: 60 one-of-one commissions
Bodystyle Availability: Corniche Drop Head Coupe (30), Corniche Fixed Head Coupe (20), Silver Shadow / Bentley T-Series (10)
Price: From ~$575,048 (plus donor vehicle and local taxes)
Pricing & Availability
Reservations are open now, with each commission entering a roughly 12-month build process. Pricing starts at £425,000 (~$575,048), not including the donor car or applicable taxes. For those without a suitable Rolls or Bentley on hand, Halcyon offers a vehicle sourcing service. With only 60 builds total, availability is going to move quickly.
Recap
Halcyon Great Eight Series Rolls-Royce Corniche Rose and Scroll
Halcyon just dropped the Great Eight Series, their first combustion-powered offering, debuted through the Rose and Scroll, a bespoke Rolls-Royce Corniche Fixed Head Coupe built around a remastered 6.75-litre V8.
