05:34 13-10-2025

JB Classic & Bespoke revives the Packard Excellence on a Bentley Flying Spur

The legendary American marque Packard, gone since 1958, has made an unexpected return—not as a corporation, but as an idea. The Dutch atelier JB Classic & Bespoke has created a one-off Packard Excellence based on the Bentley Flying Spur. The project took 17,000 hours of handcrafting and reads as a thoughtful bridge between eras.

The team drew on Packard’s unrealized plans from the 1950s, when the brand considered a revival through a partnership with France’s Facel Vega. This new Excellence channels that vision, blending American grandeur with European poise.

Under the hood sits what is likely Bentley’s 6.0-liter W12, while the body has been reshaped entirely by hand. A tall grille, vertical headlamps, and rear-hinged doors give it the presence of a state limousine. Inside, bespoke trim, chrome, and leather set the tone, with details that nod to a time when luxury was defined less by price and more by craftsmanship. The proportions land with authority, and the execution feels considered rather than nostalgic for its own sake.

The Packard Excellence is more than a machine; it’s a statement about how genuine craft and respect for heritage can breathe life into a lost name. JB Classic shows that revival doesn’t always require factories—just conviction and reverence for the past.

In an age of digital design and faceless EVs, the Packard Excellence comes across as a challenge. It is a car built not for margin, but for art—and perhaps that is why it feels complete.