When you hear about ultra-luxury cars, you probably think of names like Rolls-Royce or Bentley. But today, a new name is entering that world — and it comes with a story no one expected. That name is Kristie D’Ambrosio-Correll, and she is leading one of the boldest moves in the American car market in almost a century.
Kristie is the CEO and Co-Founder of Dacora Motors, a young but powerful American automaker that wants to bring back something the world has missed for a long time: true coachbuilt luxury. And what makes this even more special is that Dacora is the first female-founded and female-led ultra-luxury car company in industry history.
The more you learn about Kristie D’Ambrosio-Correll, the more the story feels like a mix of art, engineering, heritage, and deep passion.
A Childhood Passion That Never Left
The journey of Kristie D’Ambrosio-Correll started long before Dacora Motors existed. She grew up “under the hood” with her father. They spent hours fixing things, exploring tools, and enjoying the feeling of building something with their own hands. That early passion shaped everything that came after.
She later went to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where she studied Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, and Artificial Intelligence. She even studied AI under Patrick Henry Winston, a legend in the field. But even with all the high-tech learning happening around her, Kristie never forgot the feeling of old cars — the wood, the shape, the warmth, the emotion.
This mix of engineering and art, which she talks about often, sits at the center of who she is. She says combining these two sides has been exciting and challenging at the same time — and it is exactly why Dacora feels so different from other brands.
How a Tech Leader Ended Up Building Luxury Cars
Before Dacora, Kristie D’Ambrosio-Correll spent over 15 years building things in the tech world. She worked at Northrop Grumman, Sailthru, and later became the Chief Technology Officer of MIRROR, the famous smart fitness display. She helped take MIRROR from prototype all the way to a $500 million acquisition by lululemon.
Her work included hardware, software, product design, manufacturing, and supply chain. It was fast, it was intense, and it taught her how to bring complex ideas to life quickly.
But deep down, she and her husband Eric D’Ambrosio-Correll still loved cars. Eric came from a family that restored classic cars. Kristie loved the engineering side and the emotional side. Together, they asked a simple question:
“Why doesn’t America have an ultra-luxury car like Rolls-Royce anymore?”
That question planted the seed for Dacora Motors, based in the Hudson Valley of New York.
Bringing Back the Lost Art of Coachbuilding
One of the biggest ideas behind Dacora is bringing back 1930s coachbuilding, a lost art where each car was shaped by hand. This idea became the soul of the brand.
Kristie D’Ambrosio-Correll often explains that Dacora wanted to pay tribute to American classics, especially the famous “woodies” that combined metal and wood. This is why Dacora uses black walnut, an American wood known for its beauty. But the challenge was big — wood looks nice, but it can creak. So they worked on it until it felt strong, silent, and worthy of a modern ultra-luxury EV.
Another detail that shows their love of vintage style is the decision to add physical buttons and dials. Kristie says she misses the days when phones gave you real tactile feedback. She wants Dacora owners to feel something warm, real, and personal — not just touch glass screens.
Everything in the car is designed to feel emotional, gentle, and human-first. This fits perfectly with Kristie’s belief that technology should help people, not overwhelm them.
A Luxury EV With an American Identity
Dacora’s first model is a $500,000 coachbuilt electric car, and it is proudly American. It sits in the same price world as Rolls-Royce and Bentley, but Kristie D’Ambrosio-Correll explains the strategy clearly:
people in this price range don’t choose between cars — they buy more than one.
The electric powertrain was not the starting point. Coachbuilding was. But EV technology made sense because it is quiet, smooth, and fast, which fits the luxury feeling they want. And if the future demands hybrid models, Dacora is ready to explore that too.
What makes this car even more exciting is the level of personalization. Many luxury brands let you design your car before you buy it. But Dacora lets you change the car after you buy it.
Want leather for winter and linen for summer?
Want three seats this weekend and six seats next month?
Want a console with an espresso machine, or maybe a small bookshelf or even a bonsai garden?
Dacora says yes.
They even filed patents for dog-friendly features, which you rarely hear about at this level.
This is why people say Dacora is not just building a car. They are creating a personal experience that evolves over time.
The Market Response So Far
Even before production began, Dacora Motors received 79 reservations. That is a big number for a new ultra-luxury brand. Their plan is simple and careful:
- Build 50 cars in 2028
- Increase to 200–300 cars per year
- Long-term goal: 5,000 cars
Kristie D’Ambrosio-Correll has also been featured on Bloomberg, Newsweek, The Luxury Item Podcast, and the Women in Retail Leadership Circle. Everywhere she speaks, people connect with her blend of engineering, empathy, and artistic vision.
Continuing the Story: A New Kind of Leadership in Luxury Cars
One thing that stands out when you follow the journey of Kristie D’Ambrosio-Correll is her leadership style. She brings a very warm, human way of leading, even though she works in a world known for hard edges and big engines. She talks about how engineering and empathy can live together, and how listening to people can shape better ideas. This feels rare in the automotive world, where newcomers are often treated with doubt.
Kristie says that in tech, new ideas are welcomed. But in the car world, trust takes time. She explains that you have to show your work, show your vision, and show that you will stay. This honesty is part of why many people now follow her story so closely.
She has shared that being both an engineer and an artist has not always been easy. Sometimes the artist in her wants to adjust the design again and again. Sometimes the engineer wants to focus on performance and systems. But when both sides work together, the result becomes something special — and Dacora Motors is proof of that balance.
Why Personalization Matters More Than Ever
In the first half of the article, we talked about Dacora’s custom features. But the idea of high-touch personalization goes deeper than that. For Kristie D’Ambrosio-Correll, personalization is the heart of ultra-luxury. It is what makes a coachbuilt car feel truly yours.
Think about it this way: most cars give you the same buttons, same screens, and same seats as everyone else. But Dacora lets you change your interior like seasons. You can have a cool linen look in summer and a warm leather look when winter arrives. You can choose your seat layout based on your life at that moment.
If your family visits on weekends, you can swap in a wide bench seat. If you want more space for a long road trip, you can pick a different setup. And if you love small details, you can add a bookshelf or even a bonsai garden. These ideas sound playful, but they show how different Dacora is.
The brand even filed patents for dog-friendly features, which tells you how far they think about your daily life. This is the kind of deep personalization that makes people feel seen. And this is why many early buyers trust Dacora even before the first car hits the road.
The Power of a Human-First Luxury EV
One of the strongest ideas that Kristie D’Ambrosio-Correll brings is her “human-first” view of technology. She believes tech should support you, not distract you. This is why Dacora avoids crowded screens and uses tactile buttons, soft shapes, and warm materials like black walnut.
She often says that the relationship between humans and technology is “sacred.” This simple idea shapes the whole car. The goal is not to show off tech, but to create calm moments — like when you step into a beautiful room that makes you breathe easier. And when you get this feeling in a moving car, it becomes powerful.
The electric powertrain adds to this experience. It is quiet, smooth, and clean. It does not shake the cabin or interrupt the mood. And this fits perfectly with a coachbuilt vehicle that is meant to feel gentle, timeless, and personal.
A Future Built on Trust and Craft
Even though Dacora Motors is new, it already has a strong road ahead. With 79 reservations, a detailed production plan, and a clear identity, the company is showing that there is room for a new American luxury story.
The first 50 coachbuilt EVs will arrive in 2028. After that, Dacora wants to grow slowly and carefully, reaching 200–300 cars per year, and maybe 5,000 cars in the long run. This slow, handcrafted growth matches the spirit of coachbuilding. Nothing is rushed. Nothing is mass made.
Kristie D’Ambrosio-Correll also shares the brand’s story in major places like Bloomberg, Newsweek, The Luxury Item Podcast, and the Women in Retail Leadership Circle. In every interview, she highlights themes like integrity, personalization, engineering excellence, and American craft. With each appearance, more people understand what Dacora is trying to build — a new heritage brand that can stand beside legends.
Why Dacora Feels Like a Turning Point
When you look at everything together, Dacora Motors feels like a moment in history. It brings back 1930s coachbuilding, but with modern EV technology. It mixes art, engineering, luxury, and deep emotional design in a way that feels fresh and personal.
And at the center of this change stands Kristie D’Ambrosio-Correll, the first woman in the world to lead an ultra-luxury American car company. Her story reminds us that great ideas can come from anywhere — from a childhood garage memory, from a love of classic cars, or from a desire to build something human and warm in a world full of cold screens.
Her journey also shows that the future of the auto industry may not be only about speed or size. It may be about connection, personalization, calm spaces, and craft just as much as power.
Looking Ahead
Dacora Motors is still young, but the vision is clear and strong. The company is building cars that feel personal, emotional, and American at heart. Each model moves the story forward — a story of heritage, art, and modern electric power coming together in one place.
As people start to see these cars on the road in the coming years, it may mark a new era in ultra-luxury travel. And as more people learn about Kristie D’Ambrosio-Correll, they may start to see her as one of the key names shaping the future of high-end electric vehicles.
If this is the beginning, then the next chapter will be even more exciting.
