Posts tagged with "Gerry Spahn"

Rolls-Royce Coachbuild

According to Robb Report, Beyoncé and Jay-Z may be the proud owners of one of these vehicles.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is honored to present the next chapter of its Boat Tail coachbuilt commission—one of just three that have been, and ever will be, made.

The essence of Rolls-Royce Coachbuild is that each commission tells a story entirely unique and personal to its owner, reflecting their own history, tastes and sensibilities. With this in mind, Boat Tail, revealed at Concorso d’Eleganza, Villa d’Este 2022, on the shores of Lake Como in northern Italy, is a masterwork of restraint, sophistication, elegance and attention to detail.

Boat Tail is entirely hand-built, with the body panels fashioned from vast, single sheets of aluminum to create the distinctive outline inspired by the racing yachts of the early 20^th century. In every respect, this remarkable motor car is entirely unique.

This Boat Tail design was commissioned by a patron whose family business has grown from his father’s origins in the pearling industry. Widely traveled, internationally educated and cosmopolitan in his tastes and influences, the client is an established patron of the arts, who additionally owns a sizable collection of classic and modern cars, housed in a dedicated private museum.

The foundation of the color is a shimmering blend of oyster and soft rose, with large white and bronze mica flakes adding a unique pearlescent quality that changes subtly under different light conditions. The contrasting cognac-colored bonnet, created specifically for this Boat Tail, contains fine bronze and gold colored aluminum mica flakes complete with a layer of crystal and iced matte clear coat, adding significant warmth and depth to the car’s appearance. The technical fiber lower sills of Boat Tail incorporate a rose gold woven thread.

The rear deck, which houses Boat Tail’s unique ‘butterfly-design’ hosting suite, is swathed in Royal Walnut veneer, inlaid with rose gold-plated pinstripes with a satin-brushed finish to ensure a sensitive and sophisticated appearance. The Royal Walnut was specifically selected by the client for its beautiful properties as it matures over time, a material that will gradually transition to the tonal properties of the cognac color. From above, one observes a harmonious balance and satin effect of the iced bonnet and tactile wooden rear deck, in contrast with the high-gloss front and side perspectives.

From the front, the Pantheon Grille, milled from a single, solid billet of aluminum, is graced with a Spirit of Ecstasy fashioned in rose gold.

The interior is a beautifully curated combination of perfectly matched cognac and oyster-colored leathers and Royal Walnut veneer, with rose gold and mother-of-pearl accents throughout. The leathers, complete with a pearlescent finish, accentuate the surfaces and forms of Boat Tail’s seats and interior design. The transmission tunnel is formed from Royal Walnut veneer with rose gold pinstripes, drawing a direct visual reference to the rear deck and adding a glowing warmth to Boat Tail’s interior.

The centerpiece of the dashboard is a timepiece made from mother-of-pearl, chosen and supplied by the client from his own collection; the fascia of which is pure and minimal in its appearance so as not to detract from the precious material. The same prized substance graces the control switches and instrument dials, creating a strong visual and material connection between the car, the owner, and his family heritage.

Rolls-Royce front via Gerry Spahn for Rolls-Royce for use by 360 Magazine

Rolls-Royce interior via Gerry Spahn for Rolls-Royce for use by 360 Magazine

Rolls-Royce engine via Gerry Spahn for Rolls-Royce for use by 360 Magazine

Rolls-Royce Winter Highlights

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March 21st marked the first day of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere with day and night almost equally divided in half. Before the introduction of the ‘Architecture of Luxury’ with Cullinan, that was the day Rolls-Royce owners began to unfurl garage covers and prepare to ship their commissions back North. You can enjoy your Rolls-Royce motor car 365 days a year, 24/7!

But before we put the Winter of 2021-22 behind us, we wanted to share some highlights of Rolls-Royce in the snow

During the daytime, Rolls Royce Ghost is the most technologically advanced Rolls-Royce and reflects ‘Post Opulent’ design philosophy in rain, sunshine, or snow. At night, the alter ego Black Badge Ghost offers the same luxury with All-wheel drive and all-wheel steering for unprecedented poise and surefootedness.

The Ghost sports the world’s first Planar suspension system, significantly increasing agility and effortlessness. Equipped with hallmark 6.75-litre twin-turbo V12 engine, the car delivers 563hp and 627 lbf/ft. The Down-lit Pantheon grille discreetly illuminates Rolls-Royce iconography.

The Illuminated Fascia debuted featuring Ghost nameplates surrounded by more than 850 stars. The Rolls-Royce Cullinan was the first to introduce an All-Wheel drive into the range, allowing effortless travel. With the touch of a button, the ‘off road’ Cullinan raises 40mm allowing better clearance and more prowess. With the extraordinarily capable all-wheel drive system, and all wheel steering, the Cullinan is nimble and luxurious. The Black Badge Cullinan brings the darker, edgier image for exploring the nighttime. The “Shooting Starlight” headliner carries the nighttime into the cabin regardless of the weather.

Monterey Car Week

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As luxury car aficionados convene on California’s Monterey Peninsula for the 70 gathering of Monterey Car Week, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars showcases two unique Bespoke commissions to celebrate the occasion. With a stunning display at ‘The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering,’ the world’s leading luxury brand highlights the latest member of the Rolls-Royce family, Ghost, alongside the sought-after Cullinan Black Badge.

Ghost, the latest iteration of the most successful product in the marque’s 117-year history, is shown this year in Monterey with a bold, colorful finish of Bespoke Friskee Pink. For the first time, this unique color adorns the pure and minimalist form provided by the ‘Post Opulent’ design of Ghost.

Complementing this lively color choice is a soothing Navy Blue and Arctic White leather interior that features highlights of a new Rolls-Royce leather hue, Shieda. This bright and bold magenta pink accentuates the long unbroken lines throughout the cabin, for which Ghost is known. Stitching details in Shieda are found on Ghost’s seats, headrests, and leather encased indicator stalks. Each elegant detail has been considered and thoughtfully placed.

Engineered around the dedicated Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Architecture of Luxury, Ghost features a combination of reductionist design and state of the art technology. Underneath the refined exterior, Ghost is the most technologically advanced Rolls-Royce yet. The new Planar software integrates a unique front upper wishbone damper, the Flagbearer suspension management system and the world’s most advanced Satellite Aided Transmission to deliver the most refined driving experience ever.

Rolls-Royce Hosts Young Designer Competition

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Motor car handover ceremonies are an important part of the Rolls-Royce experience. But the marque has delivered a very unusual car to an extremely important person in somewhat unusual circumstances.

Rather than the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood, the setting was the playground at St Saviour’s & St Olave’s School, a fully inclusive, highly successful Church of England school for girls in inner-city Southwark, South London. The guest of honour was Sofia, UK regional winner in the marque’s global Young Designer Competition held in 2020.

As part of her prize, Rolls-Royce presented a complete new Greenpower car kit to her school to be used in future events run by the Greenpower Education Trust. This UK-based charity aims to inspire young people to excel in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects through designing, building and racing an electric car.

The kit comprises a standard chassis, motor and batteries. It’s left to the team to design and build the bodywork themselves. Sofia and nine friends, all currently in 8th grade, have formed ‘The Rolls Racers’ to create their car. The team will receive advice and support from Gavin Hartley, Head of Bespoke Design at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and one of the Young Designer Competition judges.

For all the right reasons, the Greenpower car kit is supplied in a series of highly practical but prosaic packing cases. Rolls-Royce felt this lacked the proper celebratory feel for a national prize-giving. Accordingly, the occasion was graced by the official Greenpower demonstration car, finished in a striking gold livery, and a magnificent Wraith, the most powerful Rolls-Royce ever made, brought to London specially from Goodwood.

Although both cars represent the very best of their kind, neither can match the features or capabilities of Sofia’s winning entry in the Young Designer Competition. Her Bumble Bee 5000 is driverless, and equipped with comfortable tables and chairs, a disco ball, the best surround sound system, WIFI, GPS, a hook for luggage and much more; it also changes colour depending on the occasion or season.

Launched in April 2020, the competition was devised to provide a creative outlet for children aged 16 and under confined by Covid-19 lockdown restrictions. It proved an instant and spectacular success, eventually attracting more than 5,000 entries from over 80 countries.

Asked only to design their ‘dream Rolls-Royce of the future,’ children had complete creative freedom, allowing them to develop ideas of astonishing scope, complexity and vision far beyond the realms of automotive design. Winning entries included designs inspired by (among many other things) unicorns, turtles, space travel, the Egyptian pyramids and Pablo Picasso.

Although the worldwide event ended in June last year, the format is currently being reprised in a Young Designer Competition recently launched by Rolls-Royce Lebanon.

Rolls-Royce Makes Custom Car for Children’s Hospital

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Every motor car that is meticulously handcrafted at the Home of Rolls-Royce is unique, with its own story and inspiration. But one Bespoke project has a special place in the affections of the marque’s 2,000-strong workforce – and it recently returned to the company’s Global Centre of Luxury Manufacturing Excellence, at Goodwood, for some much-needed TLC.

The Rolls-Royce SRH belongs to St Richard’s Hospital in Chichester, where it performs a vitally important role: young patients on the paediatric day surgery unit use it to drive themselves to theatre when the time comes for their operation, rather than walking or being wheeled on a trolley. This simple yet ingenious idea transforms what would otherwise be an anxious, intimidating moment into a truly memorable and enjoyable experience for children, parents and staff alike.

Since the car entered service in 2017, it has conveyed no fewer than 2,000 brave youngsters in true Rolls-Royce comfort and style. But inevitably, its singular working condition, the marque is unaware of any other Rolls-Royce being routinely driven along corridors by unlicensed children in a state of nervous excitement had exacted a toll on its beautiful Bespoke bodywork and paint.

The car was therefore recalled to the Home of Rolls-Royce for its first 100,000m* service, lovingly carried out by specialists from the Bespoke Team and other technical and craft departments, to restore it to its original condition.

The car was built in 2017, when the hospital asked Rolls-Royce if it could repair the original theatre transport – an electric plastic Jeep – that had succumbed after suffering one too many traumatic injuries of its own. The marque respectfully declined, offering instead to create a new one, to Rolls-Royce standards.

A small team designed and constructed a Bespoke bodyshell in fibreglass reinforced with carbon-fibre, complete with the marque’s iconic Pantheon grille. The bonnet strips were ‘real’ ones cut to length; the two-tone finish was applied exactly as it would be on a full-size commission, with the wheel covers, seats and coachlines all perfectly color-matched.

The seat was hand-made from wood, with padding upholstered in medical-grade vinyl, hot‑welded to eliminate seams that could trap dirt. The team also designed a custom aluminium footwell that lifts out for cleaning.

In keeping with a Bespoke project, a number of components were individually created, including handcrafted treadplates, 3D-printed dash, wheel caps and spacers and trim pieces. As a true Rolls-Royce, it is completed with a laser-etched RR badge and its own Spirit of Ecstasy mascot.

Electric power provides the authentic noiseless Rolls-Royce driving experience; and like its road-going counterparts, its speed is limited, in this case to 4 mph. The project took around 400 hours to complete.

Following its service and repairs, the car has now returned to the Hospital to resume its humble but transformational duties.

Linda Collins, Day Surgery Unit Sister, said, “The servicing of our mini Rolls-Royce is perfect timing as we transition out of Covid restrictions and begin to restore our paediatric surgical services. Once again, our youngest patients can experience the full use of the car as part of their journey to surgery. This helps to take the emphasis away from the procedure they’re undergoing and focus on the unique experience of driving a genuine Rolls-Royce while being safely supervised through the hospital corridors. A huge thank you to Rolls-Royce Motor Cars for helping to keep our beloved little car in tip top condition.”

Rolls- Royce x BOVET 1822

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The clock in a Rolls-Royce motor car frequently assumes a jewel-like status, often becoming a canvas for the client to tell the story of their commission in miniature. For Rolls-Royce Boat Tail, the recently unveiled first of three coachbuilt creations, in which every element has been created to the owners’ exact specifications, this iconic centrepiece has been elevated to new technical and aesthetic heights.

In a spirit of warm collaboration, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and Swiss master watchmakers, BOVET 1822, have created a pair of unique timepieces for Boat Tail and its owners. This ambitious undertaking brought together designers, engineers and craftspeople from both luxury houses, in a magnificent demonstration of their shared values of excellence, precision, heritage, artistry, innovation and attention to detail.

The timepieces are unique to both the horological and automotive worlds. Made as a pair – in lady’s and gentleman’s versions – they are reversible, and housed in BOVET 1822’s patented Amadeo case, which allows them to be worn on the wrist, or used as a table clock, pendant or pocket-watch, as well as being placed front and centre in Boat Tail’s fascia as the motor car’s own timepiece. Both are fitted with tourbillon mechanisms to ensure perfect accuracy.

BOVET 1822 initially earned its reputation making luxury pocket-watches for wealthy patrons in China; today, it is renowned worldwide for its exquisite timepieces featuring hand-painted dials, detailed engraving and finely finished visible mechanisms.

The timepieces created for this first iteration of Boat Tail have specially designed 18K white gold cases and feature matching front dials with the same Caleidolegno veneer found on the aft deck of Boat Tail itself, and are finished with the owner-couples’ names. The gentleman’s timepiece is highly polished; the lady’s is ornately engraved then filled with blue lacquer.

On the reverse side, the dials are more individual. The gentleman’s features an aventurine dial with the celestial arrangement of the night sky over the place of his birth on his birth date; the lady’s is decorated with an ornate miniature painting of a flower bouquet on a mother-of-pearl dial. This design is a traditional BOVET 1822 motif, chosen by and personalised for the owner.

Both reverse dials have hand-engraved Bespoke sculptures of Boat Tail, complete with wheels, door handle, mirrors and other fine details. By working closely together, the teams at Rolls-Royce and BOVET 1822 were able to achieve a precise colour match between the lacquer on this tiny work of art and the full-size motor car.

Further close cooperation was required to ensure the timepieces conformed to the demands of their unique role as motor car clocks. In watchmaking, weight is rarely an issue for a complex timepiece, but in this instance, there was a limit on the combined permissible weight of the timepieces and their holders. BOVET 1822 met this requirement by creating an entirely new 44mm white gold case. In addition, the timepieces and holders also had to be tested to automotive-industry standards for vibration and crash safety – something never previously undertaken on mechanisms of this kind.

At a conservative estimate, the timepieces’ design, engineering, sculptures, miniature painting, marquetry, bespoke movements and cases took a total of 3,000 hours to complete.

When a pocket-watch is left static in one position for any length of time, the effect of gravity on key moving parts can impair its accuracy. At the end of the 18^th Century, watchmakers solved this problem by developing the tourbillon, where the escapement and balance wheel are mounted in a cage that slowly revolves, cancelling out the gravitational effect. In a wristwatch, the wearer’s natural physical movements diminish the need for the tourbillon. However, when that same timepiece is mounted vertically in a car dashboard for many hours at a time, the tourbillon truly comes into its own.

BOVET 1822 is a specialist in tourbillion timepieces, for which it holds a number of patents and has received many awards including the Aiguille d’Or, watchmaking’s highest honour. It is also one of the only companies in the watch industry to manufacture its own spirals and regulating organs. To reduce potential impact from the vibration from the car, the tourbillon has pivots rather than the traditional ball bearings; a heavier balance wheel and an increased oscillation rate to aid precision. Finally, the tourbillon bridge is finished with a miniaturised Spirit of Ecstasy handcrafted in gold.

The timepieces have an astonishing five-day power reserve, rather than the 42-48 hours of a ‘standard’ watch, to allow for their role as motor car clocks.

The holder mechanism is unique to Rolls-Royce Boat Tail and was designed by BOVET 1822 engineers and the Rolls-Royce Coachbuild design team from a blank sheet of paper. Although in a Rolls-Royce vibration is naturally reduced to an absolute minimum – undetectable vibrations are inevitably still present. This highly complex mounting assembly serves to isolate the timepieces from these micro-vibrations. It also ensures they operate silently, are easy to mount and remove from the dashboard and, above all, remain safe and secure.

These challenges were unlike any normally encountered in watchmaking and car manufacture. From the start, BOVET 1822 was determined to follow a purely mechanical approach in keeping with its tradition of Swiss handcrafted production. The engineers’ innovative solution was to keep all the system’s moving parts external, with the dashboard providing a solid setting for the holder. Finally, Rolls-Royce ensured that when the holder is not housing one of the time pieces, it can be covered with a beautiful engraved and lacquered display plaque. Below the clock, the dashboard is fitted with a special drawer, lined with the same leather as Boat Tail’s seats, which serves as a safekeeping receptacle to house the timepieces, straps, chain and pendant when not in use.

ROLLS-ROYCE BOAT TAIL TIMEPIECES FACTS & FIGURES

Case Size: Bespoke; diameter – 44mm; thickness – 14mm

Case Type: 18K white gold Fleurier case; BOVET 1822 bow at 12 o’clock; 49 components

Case Function: Amadeo Convertible System; reversible; pocket watch on chain; pendant watch on necklace; table clock; dashboard clock

Case Finishing: Men’s timepiece is high polish finish; Women’s timepiece is hand-engraved then filled with blue lacquer

Movement: Bespoke 60-second tourbillon; manual-wind; 284 components (without dial and hands); 21,600 v/h

Functions: Hours and minutes on both sides (reverse hand-fitting); power reserve indicator on front

Power Reserve: 5 days

Men’s Front Dial: Hand-made wood marquetry dial; hand-engraved Spirit of Ecstasy sculpture fixed to the tourbillon bridge; “A Special Timepiece Commission” on the dial

Women’s Front Dial: Hand-made wood marquetry dial; hand-engraved 18K white gold Spirit of Ecstasy sculpture; “A Special Timepiece Commission” on the dial

Men’s Reverse Dial: Blue aventurine glass with sky chart of owner’s birth day and birth place; hand-engraved bespoke Boat Tail sculpture, lacquered to match the colour of the car then miniature painted by hand to add the details; lady’s name engraved on the mirror-polished (by hand by the watchmaker) tourbillon bridge

Women’s Reverse Dial: Miniature hand-painting of flower bouquet on mother-of-pearl dial (based on historical BOVET 1822 timepiece, customised); hand-engraved bespoke Boat Tail sculpture, lacquered to match the colour of the car then miniature painted by hand to add the details; gentleman’s name (engraved on the mirror-polished (by hand by the watchmaker) tourbillon bridge

Dashboard Holder: Aluminium and Titanium; 51 components; Engraving of two Rolls-Royce Boat Tails in a white gold case, to match that of the timepieces, to place inside when the timepiece is not present (100% engineered, designed, and produced in-house by BOVET)

In-car Drawer: to hold timepieces, straps, chain, necklace

Independent laboratory certification: shock, temperature, humidity, vibration

Visit YouTube to watch a video about the new Coachbuild Boat Tail.

ROLLS-ROYCE LAUNCHES NEW ‘PURSUIT SEAT’ ACCESSORY

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Latest Rolls-Royce accessory reimagines traditional Pursuit Seat for a contemporary world
Embossed Rolls-Royce Leather seat, coloured to match or contrast with the car’s interior
Created with contemporary craft materials including carbon fibre and polished aluminium
Concealed torch bares double-R Badge of Honour

“We have applied Sir Henry Royce’s maxim, ‘Take the best that exists and make it better’, to a quintessentially British product. Elevated to Rolls-Royce’s precise and exacting standards yet true to the original concept, the Pursuit Seat has been reimagined for a contemporary world. Our clients can now enjoy the comfort of a Rolls-Royce seat, no matter the activity or where it may lead.

“We look to create accessories that enhance our clients’ lifestyles. Like every Bespoke commission, each detail of the Pursuit Seat has been minutely considered and meticulously designed, then handcrafted using the very finest materials. The marriage of carbon fibre, polished aluminium and Rolls-Royce leather demonstrates the art of contemporary craftsmanship.”

Matthew Danton, Rolls-Royce Bespoke Designer

The comfort of a handmade leather seat is no longer confined to the interior of a Rolls-Royce motor car, following the release of the marque’s latest Bespoke accessory.

The new Pursuit Seat is a contemporary reimagining of the traditional portable seat, designed by the Bespoke Collective at the Home of Rolls-Royce, in Goodwood, West Sussex. True to the spirit of the original, the Pursuit Seat offers instant, portable comfort in town or country, bringing ease and style to clients’ ever diversified lifestyles. A perfect perch for flying a drone, painting a landscape or simply pausing to take in the view, the Pursuit Seat is the latest accessory designed to enhance the lifestyle experience of Rolls-Royce clients.

Akin to a Rolls-Royce motor car, only the finest materials applied with utmost precision and skill are considered when designing a Rolls-Royce accessory. The Pursuit Seat’s main support is made from carbon fibre and polished aluminium, for an optimal strength-to-weight ratio. With a fully height-adjustable seat, the accessory is designed with the utmost comfort in mind.

Should one find oneself at an outdoor performance, or even trackside at a motorsport event, a discrete pocket on the outer leather seat provides a safe repository for tickets. In case of extra time, encores and curtain-calls, a slim aluminium torch, finished with the double-R Badge of Honour, is stored in the hinge of the seat, ensuring safe passage back to your motor car.

The seat is made from the finest Rolls-Royce leather and embossed with the Spirit of Ecstasy. Clients can choose from an array of Bespoke colours to match, or contrast, with their car’s interior.

The gently flared aluminium ferrule on the end of the stick provides a solid grip on hard surfaces, while the retractable spike, cleverly concealed within, offers the same security on grass and other soft ground.

The Pursuit Seat fits perfectly within the Cullinan Recreation Module, reflecting the car’s #EffortlessEverywhere character; its compact dimensions and elegant leather case also allow it to be stowed unobtrusively in any Rolls-Royce motor car.

The Pursuit Seat is available to purchase individually or as a pair through the Rolls-Royce Boutique and at dealerships worldwide. Prices for an individual seat start from $10.081, excluding local taxes.

GHOST ZENITH R-R

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GHOST ZENITH COLLECTION THE PINNACLE OF A TIMELESS MASTERPIECE

Zenith: The highest or most successful point of anything —Oxford English Dictionary

Ingot made from 2009 Ghost concept 200EX commemorated in Ghost Zenith’s interior

Blueprint inspired artwork depicting technical data of 200EX engraved on centre console

Illuminated door pockets accent architectural elegance of interior

Contemporary complex marquetry celebrates Ghost’s dual passenger and driver nature

Collection limited to only 50 examples

Very rarely, there is a chance for collectors of luxury to obtain an itemthat is truly at its apex. In the context of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, these rare moments present themselves approximately once every 10 years. At Rolls-Royce, we celebrate ultimate craftsmanship and perfection, and when better to do so than when celebrating the success and global adoration that has been lavished on one of our motor cars during its life.

It is in this vein that, as Ghost approaches the end of its remarkable ten year tenure, the marque offers to collectors an extremely limited Zenith Collector’s Edition of Rolls-Royce Ghost. The Collection of just 50 Zeniths will celebrate the timeless elegance of a nameplatethat has become the cornerstone of contemporary Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. In true keeping with its name, the Ghost Zenith Collection will feature the highest levels of Bespoke ever seen on a Ghost Collection car.

The only previous occasion on which discerning collectors around the world have been afforded this privilege was when an equally limited number of Phantom VII Zeniths were created in 2016 to celebrate the end of its extraordinarily long and successful reign. These motor cars immediately became highly collectable and sought after, re-setting the bar of luxury and in doing so, creating a modern legend.

Ghost is a luxury icon that carries with it a rich and extraordinary past. From the Silver Ghost, the motor car that established the moniker of ‘The Best Car in the World’ over one hundred years ago, to 200EX, the experimental car that introduced the concept of a contemporary expression of this nameplate at the Geneva Motor Show in 2008, Ghost has offered patrons of the marque a modern, lithe and driver–focused Rolls-Royce. When production of Ghost began in 2009, patrons across the world were drawn to its elegant lines and dynamic offering and it quickly became, and remains to this day, the most successful Rolls-Royce motor car ever to be built, attracting a new group of young entrepreneurs to the marque. Indeed, the reduction in average age of a Rolls-Royce customer to around 43 is in part testament to Ghost’s global success.

Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, commented, “The Ghost Zenith Collection presents an entirely forward-looking study of the unique characteristics that have seen Ghost ascend to the status of the most progressive super-luxury saloon ever conceived. This unique Collection provides patrons of the marque with a rare opportunity to own a motor car truly evocative of our time. Ghost is the most successful Rolls-Royce ever created and the Zenith Collection marks an important milestone in our modernhistory.”

When shown at Geneva in 2008, 200EX introduced a concept that was both driver and passenger focused. The Ghost Zenith Collection draws many references from 200EX, with perhaps the most significant being the inclusion of a commemorative ingot, made from the original 200EX Spirit of Ecstasy, melted down and set in to the centre console of each of the 50 Zeniths. Engraved with the three keydesign lines of Ghost, the plaque details its significant origins. The Collection’s own Spirit of Ecstasy and clock are engraved with the name of this highly anticipated collection.

Furthermore, 200EX is immortalized in a complex engraving on the centre console of Ghost Zenith. A blueprint inspired artwork enlarged to a point of abstraction has been divided into 50 distinct parts, allowing each Ghost Zenith customer their own personal and individual work of art, while at the same time uniting the collection as a group homage to Ghost.

One’s eye is naturally drawn to the interior of the Collection’s doors, owing to the illuminated door pockets. Ambient light emits through perforated leather enhancing the architectural elegance of Ghost’s interior. One will also encounter a complex piece of marquetry, created by the master craftsmen and women in the marque’s legendary wood shop. Available in either wood, Technical fibre or piano finished veneer, the door marquetry transitions from the driver’s suite to passenger suite, emphasizing the dual nature to Ghost.

Members of the Bespoke Collective from the Home of Rolls-Royce’s leather shop too have been perfecting their art. The rear seats feature embroidery that takes its inspiration from the seat details of the original 1907 Silver Ghost. This embroidery elegantly transitions from the rear to the front of the cabin, and in the case of the Extended Wheelbase Zenith, the headliner thrusts purposefully forward into the poised silhouette of the Spirit of Ecstasy. The seats themselves are accentuated in a contrasting leather, accenting Ghost as the ultimate four seat limousine.

Occupants of the Ghost Zenith Standard Wheelbase will experience an extraordinary phenomenon. The famed starlight headliner is presented in a unique Shooting Star configuration. Shooting stars fire at random across the cabin roof, adding an extraordinary sense of theatre. This surprise and delight feature consists of over 1,340 individually mapped and hand-woven fibre optic lights.

Reminiscent of its Phantom counterpart, The Ghost Zenith Collection’s exterior styling takes on a new interpretation of its own –a special two-tone application with a gloss–contrast paint finish. Patrons may select three different colour-ways, Iguazu Blue with Andalusian White, Premiere Silver with Arctic White or a daring Bohemian Red with Black Diamond, with multiple variants available highlighting the flexibility of the model. The Silver Satin bonnet was first seen on 200EX.

These extraordinary motor cars, which represent the final opportunity to acquire this landmark, transformative luxury product, are currently being hand-crafted at The Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, West Sussex, an establishment recognised as the world’s premiere Global Centre of Luxury Manufacturing Excellence. The order books for this seminal Collection will close imminently.

Rolls Royce Silver Cloud III

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Guernsey’s Auction House is previewing its August 6th Auction at an exclusive New York City event
Guests will be given the first look at items belonging to the iconic actress and socialite, including her 1960 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud II, which Taylor christened “The Green Goddess”
The items also include a figure hugging Gianni Versace dress, and her Christian Louboutin evening bag and other special motor cars
All of these items will be sold through Guernsey’s Auction House at an auction on Tuesday, August, 6, at 10:30 AM at The Pierre Hotel.

ROLLS-ROYCE UNVEILS WRAITH EAGLE VIII COLLECTION

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Rolls-Royce Motor Cars will unveil its latest Collection Car, Wraith Eagle VIII, on the shores of Lake Como at this year’s Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, 24-26 May. Created by the Bespoke Collective at the House of Rolls-Royce, a Collection of just 50 Wraith Eagle VIII motor cars will tell the epic tale of one of the most pivotal moments of the 20^th century.

Captain John Alcock and Lieutenant Arthur Brown braved uncharted skies to make the first non-stop transatlantic flight in June, 1919. Contemporaries of Sir Henry Royce, Alcock and Brown flew non-stop from St. John’s, Newfoundland to Clifden, Ireland in a modified First World War Vickers Vimy bomber aircraft. The bi-plane was powered by twin 20.3 litre, 350 bhp, Rolls-Royce Eagle VIII engines. It is from this remarkable engine that this Collection takes its name. Rolls-Royce marks the 100 year anniversary of this feat with a highly contemporary Collection that speaks to today’s adventurers, whilst honouring those who changed the course of history.

“I do not know what we should most admire – their audacity, determination, skill, science, their aeroplane, their Rolls-Royce engines – or their good fortune”, commented Sir Winston Churchill, following the perilous journey that brought unfathomable advancement to 20^th century society.

Alcock and Brown established a legend and gained a place alongside Sir Donald Campbell in the most select club in the world; those who push beyond previous conceptions of human endeavour to achieve seemingly impossible records on land, water and now, air. Their one binding characteristic? Rolls-Royce power.

The duo suffered every conceivable challenge an aviator could face. The Rolls-Royce Eagle VIII engines were the only components that proved indestructible. The engines propelled the aerial voyage at previously unimagined speeds, averaging 115 mph. Their peril cannot be underestimated. Their radio and navigation instruments failed almost immediately, leaving the pilots flying unaided at night through dense cloud and freezing fog for many hours, sometimes upside down. Eventually they emerged from the cloud and using Brown’s extraordinary skill as a navigator, flew by the stars to the coast of Ireland.

Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, commented, “Wraith Eagle VIII is at once an object of desire; an homage to heroes and a protagonist to today’s visionaries. This Rolls-Royce Collection demonstrates the extraordinary skill of our Bespoke Collective at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, West Sussex. Bespoke remains the jewel in the crown of the marque, creating luxury items that defy the trend of mass luxury manufacturers using ‘tick-box’ options to answer customer demand.”

The exterior of the Wraith Eagle VIII Collection Car is evocative of Alcock and Brown’s compelling night time adventure. Swathed in Gunmetal with a Selby Grey upper two-tone, the colours are separated by a brass feature line, a hint at the detailing that lies within. The black grille vanes draw immediate reference to the Rolls-Royce Eagle VIII engine cowling on the Vickers Vimy aircraft, the wheels are part polished with a translucent shadow finish.

Within, the finely executed interior mirrors the exterior hue. Selby Grey and black leather are accented by brass, redolent of the brass sextant so integral to the success of the transatlantic journey. Executed in a contemporary fashion, the material populates key areas throughout the cockpit of the Collection. Brass speaker covers depict the estimated flight distance of 1,880 miles and ‘RR’ monograms are embroidered in brass coloured thread onto headrests. A flash of brass complements the navigator door paniers, whilst the door of the driver includes a brass plaque with Churchill’s quote commending the duo’s remarkable achievements.

Inspired by the night time flight of our intrepid heroes, the fascia represents a modern-day abstract interpretation of the view the pair would have enjoyed as finally, their craft cleared the thick fog and cloud. In a fusion of contemporary and traditional practises, Smoked Eucalyptus wood is vacuum metalized in gold before being inlaid with silver and copper, to depict the rich detail seen in night time images of the Earth from above. The scene extends to the centre console providing both an emotive and immersive experience for today’s occupants – the cockpit is in perspective with the headliner. Below, the brass-stitched quilted sides of the centre tunnel provide a direct nod to the V12 engined Vickers Vimy.

The clock of a Rolls-Royce is frequently viewed as jewellery, with many patrons choosing this canvas to tell the story of their motor car in miniature. Wraith Eagle VIII is no exception. Our intrepid pioneers recounted that their instrument panel was frozen from the high altitude and the poor conditions, referring to the only illumination coming from the green glow of the control panel lighting and the burst of flame from the starboard engine. In homage to this, the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective has masterfully fabricated a clock with an iced background effect which glows a faint green in night time driving conditions. The red hour hand sits atop compass inspired lines on the clock’s fascia, whilst the landing location coordinates are engraved below.

Perhaps the most alluring feature of the Collection is the extraordinary unique starlight headliner. 1,183 starlight fibres show the celestial arrangement at the time of the flight in 1919, the flight path and constellations are embroidered in brass thread, whilst the exact moment the pair left the cloud to navigate by the stars is indicated by a red fibre optic light. Clouds are embroidered and a plaque reading, “The celestial arrangement at the halfway point 00:17am June 15^th 1919, 50” 07’ Latitude North – 31” Longitude West” shows the half-way point of the momentous journey.

Just 50 of these highly collectable motor cars will be created for discerning collectors at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, West Sussex – a Centre of Global Luxury Manufacturing Excellence.