The Hemera from Eterniti London was the debut SUV for this bespoke car customization house. Launched in late 2011, the Hemera is sold as a complete vehicle with pricing from about $300,000.

The upgrades shown here are extremely comprehensive – with only the roof panels carrying over from the factory machine.

Custom 23-inch wheels slide under the surreal widebody that is flawlessly executed in a new flowing aesthetic.

Out back, vented fenders form giant scoops in either side of the body, while a gorgeous pointed rear spoiler houses a new CHMSL in glorious fashion.

We have emails out to Eterniti to see about US sales and current pricing for the Hemera — and stay tuned for a follow-up article featuring the Eterniti Artemis, a revised model from Eterniti on this same motif.

 

 

ETERNITI Hemera

 

PRODUCT

Eterniti products will all offer hand-built and – where customers require it – bespoke specifications, whether in a high-performance sports car or an SUV.

In-house engineering and sourced-in parts will be of benchmark standard, and materials, whether leather and wood or futuristic composites, will be of the highest quality, and created by craftsmen and engineers with both traditional skills and state-of-the-art technologies.

 

Hemera

The World’s First Super-SUV

Luxury is not only about the quality of the product, service and exclusivity. It is also about anticipating and providing what customers want but cannot get elsewhere.

Eterniti’s first car, the Hemera, will be an expression of that, meeting an unmet need – for new levels of luxury, space and performance in an SUV – to create a new niche. Its limousine-like rear cabin will give customers the option of being chauffeured as well as driving themselves: an SUV’s relatively compact dimensions, 4×4 ruggedness and dynamic performance mean that it can offer driver appeal and practicality which a limousine cannot. The Hemera is the world’s first Super-SUV, and will come to market ahead of luxury SUVs from Bentley, Maserati and, if it is confirmed for production, Aston Martin’s Lagonda brand.

The Hemera is being shown in Frankfurt as a fully engineered prototype ahead of the production start-up next year. The front light clusters and lenses will be different however, unique to Eterniti, and will feature LED units. The interiors are still undergoing prototype testing and will be shown later this year. They will be almost 100% new and unique to Eterniti.

A First Step

The Hemera is very much a first step for Eterniti. The company knows that it will take time to develop luxury vehicles which are completely designed in-house and fully reflect the Eterniti brand values, but the next products will move the company strongly in that direction.

Meantime the Hemera will be based on the most dynamic version of the latest generation of VW Group’s large SUV platform, the best in the industry. The platform is not only of the highest quality but is thoroughly proven and with a drivetrain capable of delivering additional performance without requiring significant changes to key components.

Indeed, few car brands even among the major OEMs now have stand-alone platforms: there is considerable technology sharing between VW Group’s brand stable for instance, and the Bentley SUV will reportedly be based on the next VW Group large SUV platform. The Maserati will reportedly be based on a Dodge platform and the mooted Lagonda on a Mercedes-Benz G-Class. Elsewhere, one of the industry’s most significant new-brand launches, Tesla, has heavily based its only car to date on the Lotus Elise.

The Hemera indicates that where future Eterniti products source in major elements like drivetrains they will always be from industry benchmark products for that vehicle type.

The Hemera will be the result of a chassis-up rebuild, including the new, re-packaged interior, additional engine performance, carbon-composite body panels and carbon fibre aerodynamics features. The principle behind the car might be compared to what Alpina does with BMWs, only with interior specification more akin to a Maybach. But, in addition, the skin of the Hemera is almost completely new, with only the pillars and the roof line being original, and in standard specification the roof panel will effectively be replaced by a full-length glass sunroof.

Luxury and Interior

The interior of the Hemera will be a large part of the story, especially the rear cabin. It will not only re-trimmed but re-engineered and repackaged to provide additional rear legroom of over 100mm, creating an SUV suitable for chauffeuring. This will make it more versatile but in particular satisfy the demand in Asia-Pacific markets, especially China, for driving as well as being driven, and where variable road surface quality means that conventional limousines and high-performance cars have limited usability.

As well as moving the line of the rear seats backwards, the configuration will be entirely new, with two individual seats separated by a central console. The seats will be fully electric, with fore, aft and recline controls, a footrest which is automatically raised when the seats are reclined, lumbar supports, and heating and cooling.

Individual iPads which reveal electronically will be concealed in the front seat-backs, and there will be accompanying wireless keyboards. An iPhone dock will connect to a choice of entertainment systems including one from B&O. All rear cabin features will be operated by controls in the new console, which will also house a drinks chiller.

The seats will be trimmed in highest-quality bespoke leather, and there will be a bespoke alcantara roof lining and a choice of floor coverings. There will be an option for a smaller sunroof with a starlight roof lining in place of the standard full-length glass sunroof. A state-of-the-art glass roof which goes from translucence to a dark tint at the touch of a button will also be available.

Technical and Performance

The Hemera’s body is made of advanced carbon-composite material, typically used in racing car manufacture for light weight and strength. With a width of 2112mm at the rear wheel arches, the Hemera has real physical presence, complemented by bespoke 23” wheels. Bespoke front and rear lights, high-mounted full-width brake light and front headlamp lenses, a clear carbon front splitter and rear diffuser – flanked by two large, flush exhausts – provide further individuality.

Width at the front wheel arches is 2074mm, length 4911mm and height 1674mm, giving a low, purposeful stance but with the ability to increase ground clearance by 110mm through the air suspension system which also provides active management.

Eterniti has increased performance from the twin-turbo 4.8-litre V8 petrol engine from 500bhp to over 620bhp, resulting in a top speed in excess of 180mph (290kph). Acceleration time from 0-100kph is expected to be under 4.5 seconds. The technical team is able to call on ex-Formula 1 driver Johnny Herbert and sports car racer Tim Sugden as test drivers to prove test cars under extreme conditions.

The transmission features an 8-speed semi-automatic gearbox with active all-wheel drive, electronically variable multi-plate clutch, automatic brake differential and anti-slip regulation.

Buying and Owning

The Hemera is undergoing final testing and will be put into production from early next year, with the first deliveries expected by summer 2012.

Prices will be confirmed shortly, and are expected to be in the region of £150,000. Eterniti’s London sales facility and atelier will be operational this autumn. Buyers will receive a full, three-year/100,000-mile warranty. Eterniti is commited to providing a first-class experience from the point of inquiry throughout the lifetime of ownership.

Servicing and warranty work will be carried out on-site in London, collected and returned and supplemented by a ‘flying doctor’ service. UK customers will have access to finance and insurance products.

 

The Future

The Eterniti product plan includes a second Hemera derivative for 2012, and plans for another SUV to meet the growing demand for luxury SUVs are currently being developed.

A high-performance car is also being planned. This is intended ultimately to form the basis of Eterniti’s racing programme and will fully express Eterniti’s brand DNA and its own design language. It will feature significant input from Alastair Macqueen and Johnny Herbert.