A truly special wedding car

His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco and Carlene Wittstock got married on the 2nd of July 2011 in Monte Carlo. Like all couples they wanted a special car to take them to and from the wedding venue, in this case they also need a car to tour around the principality straight after the ceremony. A special Lexus LS 600h was prepared for the special occasion. It was a special Lexus LS 600h Landaulet featuring a one-piece transparent polycarbonate roof. The car had to go under a lot of modifications to ensure it was safe, reliable and comfortable just like a typical used Lexus. Belgian coachbuilder Carat Duchatelet was responsible for the conversion, working closely with Lexus engineers from Brussels. The special Lexus LS 600h took more than 2000 hours to complete, with the engineers focusing on ensuring levels of quality and technology whilst maintaining performance, safety and dynamic attributes of the original Lexus LS 600h L. The bodyshell is reinforced with honeycomb structure Kevlar and carbon fibre composite materials in order to achieve chassis stiffness and torsional rigidity due to the removal of the roof and pillars! A specially prepared oven was used to 'cook' the parts onto the bare chassis as they require curing at very high temperatures. This procedure required dismantling of the vehicle, with 20,000 mechanical parts, electric components, interior features and upholstery being removed. The Lexus team ensures the re-assembly was consistent with the original vehicle specifications and performance. The Lexus LS 600h Landaulet will be used by the royal couple to tour the principality after the marriage ceremony. For the majority of the tour, the car will be used in full electric mode. The car will later be displayed at the Media Centre and then on to the Oceanographic Museum in Monaco.