The fully electric Elation Freedom with 1,903 hp
Elation Hypercars
You may not know, but you’ve come across Vaughton’s products countless times. If you’re a fan of the English Premier League and have ever caught a glimpse of Sean Connery and a particular Aston Martin DB5 or new Aston Martin, you’ve seen Vaughton’s handy job. The customer portfolio also includes Rolls-Royce, the British royal family and the Titanic (yes, the Titanic). In its 202 year history, Vaughtons has established itself as one of the most successful jewelers and precious metal manipulators to ever come from the UK. And when you have $ 2 million to spare, get up close and personal with Vaughton’s newest client, Elation Hypercars.
The British Parliament and the Royal Family have called on the Vaughtons to create ornate regalia. White Star Lines commissioned them to produce the plaques for the first-class suites on the Titanic. For 130 years, the winners of the English Football League wore medals they had made. When Rolls-Royce needed its first badges and bonnet ornaments, Vaughtons answered the call. And when he video-called Vaughton’s CEO Nick Hobbis, he added, “When Rolls-Royce got the first batch, they realized they had to improve the quality of their car to match the badge.”
Each Aston Martin badge is handcrafted by Vaughtons using vitreous enamel and gemstone … [+]
Vaughtons
While Vaughtons almost always had a connection to the automotive world, more and more customers have been knocking over the past few years. “What anchored us more firmly in the automotive world was about nine years ago when Aston Martin headquarters looked for a new ID supplier for their modern cars. They knew about us because we had been serving the historical side of the business for almost 50 years. They contacted us and before we knew it we made each badge for every new car that rolled off the factory line, ”explained Hobbis.
The relationship developed quickly from the delivery of the production models to the special models. Before they knew it, Vaughtons was busy with the special editions like the hypercars Valkyrie and Valhalla. But as Hobbis put it, “It was a stepping stone. Things escalated after Aston Martin became a regular commission. Now we supply Bentley Motors and McLaren. ”
At McLaren, Vaughtons got access to the world-class Ultimate Series Speedtail and the $ 1.7 million Elva. If you’re working with hypercars like this in the upper reaches of the automotive stratosphere, simple CNC-machined metal badges won’t be enough. “What we offer is a jewel for a car. We will be making these items in a standard chrome-plated design, but also in materials like 18k gold or platinum, as we have done for Mclaren for the past 18 months. ”
A handmade McLaren badge from the Vaughtons.
Vaughtons
As a company, it has had every opportunity to completely modernize and tread the CNC route, but according to Hobbis, it is traditional methods that make Vaughtons Vaughtons. “We have refined our process of punching sheet metal, be it gold, silver or copper. We have perfected this over two centuries. We haven’t changed in that regard and that gives us the quality product we are looking for, the badge we make today. “
The method Hobbis is referring to is applying glass enamel or a glass powder to the embossed metal forms. After the glass powder has been inserted by hand, it is fired in an oven to melt it at around 800 degrees Celsius. After cooling down, the glass is ground off. The process is repeated several times, creating an incredibly smooth finish and creating a stained glass effect.
Before the car decorations are shipped, they are subjected to a 1000-hour salt spray test. For six weeks, the badges withstand a high pressure salt mist without interruption, a process that is supposed to mimic weathering of 40 to 50 years. Why? Because for a brand like Aston Martin, “the badge is so important that it is preferable that the car could be a bucket of rust if someone ever comes across an Aston Martin“ barn find ”in 50 years, but the badge should be in pristine condition, ”says Hobbis.
Each Aston Martin badge is handcrafted by the Vaughtons
Vaughtons
In 2019, Vaughton’s Aston Martin was supplying 86,000 components (which is a lot for a small UK car company) and had a reject rate of 0%. “Quality is obviously the most important part to us and for so many years we have relied on word of mouth rather than traditional marketing. People come to us because they know what we are doing or because they have seen what we are doing and because they want the same thing. “For this very reason, Elation Hypercars is now the latest addition to the Vaughtons portfolio.
Elation Hypercars founder and CEO Carlos Satulovsky, who also took part in the video call, isn’t disaffected. He knows that the number of EV options available from mass production manufacturers is increasing day by day, as are the choices in the multi-million dollar boutique segment. His California-based electric hypercar company needs to stand out in an increasingly crowded arena. And as numbers like top speed and 0-60 mph become more and more ridiculous and irrelevant, Satulovsky wants to focus on the customer’s personal experience with the car.
The Vaughtons’ Elation Badge
Elation Hypercars
“We contacted Vaughtons because we wanted our customers to experience craftsmanship everywhere in the car – from the car itself and its performance to the materials and textures in the cabin. We wanted more than just outside badges and lettering, we wanted Vaughtons to have a hand inside, which I think is a first for them. “
If you have the space in your garage and the digits in your bank account, Elation offers an optional interior upgrade. While every five-part Elation badge on the outside of the car bears the Vaughtons signature, you can choose to have them make all of the switchgear, dials and buttons too. How much does the upgrade cost? Well, as the saying goes, “If you have to ask …”
The rendered interior of the Elation Freedom adorned with the finishing touches of Vaiughtons.
Elation Hyper ars
There’s no denying that Vaughton’s client list is great. It’s a mix of top-notch sports leagues, automotive royalties, and actual royalties. Elation is sure to join an illustrious crowd, and by partnering with Vaughtons, the electric hypercar is in the same space as Aston Martin, Rolls-Royce and McLaren. However, the list of EV hypercars changes from day to day. Some make it, like Rimac, and some disappear before they really get a chance to make an impact. One thing is certain, however, even if Elation fails the test of time, it will be certain.
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