The vast majority
of Rolls-Royce customers choose to add their personal touch to their new ride
via the brand’s Bespoke division. This is all the more true for the Phantom
flagship: 99 percent of the limousines sold by Rolls in 2018 were customized.
It should come as no surprise then that global demand for Rolls-Royce Bespoke
vehicles has reached “unprecedented new levels,” according to the BMW-owned
luxury brand.
Without providing
any figures, the company says that “record numbers of exceptional handcrafted
vehicles leave the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood”. The automaker also showed
off three customized Phantoms that were recently completed.
Rolls-Royce Bespoke
designers, artisans, craftspeople, and engineers spent “several years” to bring
these three unique Phantom motor cars to fruition. Yes, you read that right, it
took three years for these exceptional creations to be completed. Let’s see
what’s so special about them.
Horology Phantom
As its name
suggests, this is inspired by the art of fine timepieces. It features a
Gunmetal lower and Black upper two-tone exterior paint, accented by Gold and
Silver hues. Those include the Spirit of Ecstasy ornament cloaked in 24-carat
gold and a hand-painted twinned coach line incorporating an intricate watch
inspired design.
Inside, the
Horology boasts the largest stainless steel and gold inlay ever made for a
Phantom. Positioned below a multiple layered stainless steel Gallery, the inlay
depicts an abstract schematic of a watch movement. The Rolls-Royce clock is set
in a solid silver, guilloché case.
Digital Soul
Phantom
Described as “a
study in contemporary artisanship” and “a fusion of human endeavour and
computer generated design,” the Digital Soul Phantom combines traditional
craftsmanship with modern techniques such as 3D printing. The exterior sports a
two-tone paint scheme of Carrara White and Smokey Quartz embellished with a
gold coach line and gold plated Spirit of Ecstasy figurine.
The gold exterior
accents serve as a prelude to the interior, as the Digital Soul Phantom’s
Gallery boasts the largest piece of 3D printed stainless steel ever featured in
a production car.This has been plated in nearly 50 grams of 24-carat gold and
is the first thing your eyes are, inevitably, drawn to when entering the car.
The design is actually a unique algorithm portraying the owner’s individual
characteristics. Other highlights include gold inlays set by hand in Smoked
Eucalyptus wood on the Phantom’s rear doors and picnic tables, Seashell and
Dark Spice leathers accented by gold stitching and “RR” monograms, as well as
gold plated speaker grilles.
Arabian Gulf
Phantom
Perhaps the most
visually striking of the three bespoke Phantoms, at least on the outside, is
the Arabian Gulf. Adopting the rich colors and historical narrative of pearl
diving in the Middle East, the unique limousine combines a Turchese body color
with an Andalusian White upper area. An Arctic White coach line is broken by a
hand-painted Nautilus shell motif that represents the link to the car’s lavish
interior.
The Gallery
displays an artwork featuring silk appliqué lines that evoke the movement of
the ocean. Created by Rolls-Royce and British artist Helen Amy Murray, the
Turchese Gallery serves as an exquisite background for a spectacular Mother of
Pearl clock.
Other interior
details worth mentioning include a tone-on-tone Nautilus shell embroidered on
the rear doors, with the same motif also featured in the delicate Mother of
Pearl marquetry found on the picnic tables’ fascia. Finally, the starlight
headliner consists of 1,344 hand-woven fiber optic lights.