Rolls-Royce reveals Phantom ‘The Six Elements’ at a gala event in Dubai, UAE
A series of six one-of-one Phantom Extended Series II motor cars, representing an unprecedented convergence of fine art, design, technology and craftsmanship
Created by the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective, at the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood, resident Bespoke designer in the Private Office Dubai and dealer partners in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, in collaboration with world-renowned British artist Sacha Jafri
Each car includes a unique Gallery artwork, hand-painted by Jafri, inspired by one of the five traditional elements: Earth, Water, Fire, Wind and Air – plus a sixth, Humanity
At stage one of its journey, the Series has raised in excess of $1 million for charity; with a unique fundraising NFT in each motor car creating ‘the Rolls-Royce that keeps on giving’
Rolls-Royce has unveiled its unique Bespoke series Phantom ‘The Six Elements’ at a private gala ceremony in Dubai, UAE.
This unprecedented project, initiated by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Dubai and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Abu Dhabi, comprises six Rolls-Royce Phantom Extended Series II motor cars, each one entirely individual and featuring its own specially-commissioned artwork, hand-painted by one of the world’s most influential living painters, British artist Sacha Jafri, who is based between Dubai, London, and New York.
These stunning works of art are displayed in the gallery, the unique glass-enclosed space running the length of Phantom’s fascia. Each is inspired by one of the five traditional elements: Earth, Water, Fire, Wind and Air. The sixth, Humanity, references Sacha Jafri’s best-known work, ‘The Journey of Humanity’, which holds the official Guinness World Record for the largest painting ever produced on canvas.
Phantom ‘The Six Elements’ was designed, developed and hand-crafted by the Bespoke Collective at the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood, in collaboration with the resident Bespoke designer in the Rolls-Royce Private Office in Dubai. The project began in late 2020 and has taken two years to complete.
As well as their individual Gallery artworks, the cars feature a number of additional Bespoke elements reflecting Rolls-Royce’s unrivaled capabilities. These include Jafri’s personalised Heart-motif in the hand-painted Coachline, and a unique Six-Elements engraved base for each car’s Spirit of Ecstasy mascot.Accordingly, each car features not only its own original Jafri artwork, but also its own unique NFT, which the owner may sell independently if they choose to do so. With every trade of the NFT, a royalty will be paid into a digital wallet, raising funds for the future charitable donations. The owner can view the NFT using a bespoke Jafri Heart-motif QR code embedded within their motor car’s glove compartment
At the unveiling, it was announced that the project, at stage one of its journey, has already substantially exceeded its initial $1 million target, with all six motor cars have been allocated to customers in Dubai and the wider Middle East region.
“Bespoke IS Rolls-Royce, and our Bespoke Collective’s skills, artistry, and reputation are unrivaled. As this amazing project demonstrates, the world’s leading artists now actively seek opportunities to work with us, extending and informing their own practice and creating motor cars that are works of art in their own right. With his wonderful hand-painted gallery pieces, Sacha Jafri provides an extraordinary demonstration of how Phantom Series II provides the perfect blank canvas for bespoke commissions.
We’re delighted to see these motoring masterpieces come to life after a remarkable journey of collaboration, creativity and craftsmanship. We’re also thrilled that the project has fulfilled its original, primary purpose, and raised such a significant sum for worthy causes. I would like to congratulate everyone involved, both at Goodwood and in the Middle East, on this inspiring achievement.”
Phantom Rendezvous, the Global Press Drive for the new Phantom, takes place at the Maybourne Riviera Hotel in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, situated on the spectacular Mediterranean coast and overlooking Monaco. Invited guests from around the world will have the opportunity to drive, and be driven in, the newest incarnation of the marque’s pinnacle product, officially unveiled in mid-May.
Visitants will also be able to view two magnificent Bespoke Phantoms, exhibited on the lawn of the Maybourne Riviera Hotel. Phantom Platino, named after the silver-white finish of the coveted precious metal, platinum, echoes the marque’s formative days with front seats finished in fine Rolls-Royce leather, and those in the rear upholstered in luxurious fabric. The Great British Phantom, a playful nod to the marque’s more patriotic clients, is finished in striking Magma Red and features a Bespoke artwork in the Gallery, inspired by the Union Flag.
Rolls-Royce Phantom occupies an unrivalled position at the very apex of the luxury world. In line with clients’ expressed wishes, Phantom Series II incorporates only light-touch visual and aesthetic enhancements. By way of example, a subtle geometric change to the Pantheon Grille makes the RR Badge of Honour and Spirit of Ecstasy figurine more prominent when viewed from the front. The grille itself is now illuminated, while the headlights are graced with intricate laser-cut bezel starlights – adding further surprise and delight to Phantom’s night-time presence.
The French Riviera has been associated with Rolls-Royce since the first part of the 20th Century, when the Côte d’Azur established itself as the favoured haunt of actors, artists, musicians and other wealthy luminaries of the Belle Epoque. There is also a potent historical resonance for the company. In 1912, Sir Henry Royce built a villa, La Mimosa, in the village of Le Canadel, where he subsequently spent every winter until his death in 1933.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Phantom Series II: NEDC combined: CO2 emissions: 345 g/km; Fuel consumption: 18.7 mpg / 15.1 l/100km. WLTP combined: CO2 emissions: 351-362 g/km; Fuel consumption: 17.7-18.2 mpg / 15.5-16.0 l/100km.
Phantom Extended Series II: NEDC combined: CO2 emissions: 345 g/km; Fuel consumption: 18.7 mpg / 15.1 l/100km. WLTP combined: CO2 emissions: 353-365 g/km; Fuel consumption: 17.4-18.1 mpg / 15.6-16.2 l/100km.
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars celebrates the 118th anniversary of the historic first meeting between Henry Royce and The Hon. Charles Stewart Rolls – which took place on 4 May 1904
The company they founded together created ‘the best car in the world’, a position still occupied today by the marque’s products
Phantom, Rolls-Royce’s pinnacle product, has continued to evolve technically, aesthetically and dynamically to maintain its pre-eminence in the Rolls-Royce offering, and in the world of luxury
The eighth generation of Phantom reflects Royce’s held conviction that “small things make perfection, but perfection is no small thing”.
“As we reflect on Phantom’s remarkable heritage, I am struck by the unique place it occupies in the hearts and minds of our most demanding Rolls-Royce clients. Phantom is the beneficiary of the most ambitious forms of Rolls-Royce Bespoke, transforming into whatever our clients want it to be. Indeed, Phantom is not only the ‘best car in the world’, but the best car for them in their world.”
Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars marks the 118th anniversary of the first meeting between its founders, Henry Royce and The Hon. Charles Stewart Rolls at the Midland Hotel, Manchester, England in 1904.
Through the combination of Royce’s engineering genius and Rolls’ talent for promotion, their company soon became recognised as the maker of ‘the best car in the world’ – a title that Rolls-Royce Motor Cars proudly retains more than a century later.
Today, the marque’s pinnacle product – Phantom – is the ultimate expression of Bespoke luxury designed and handmade at the Home of Rolls-Royce, Goodwood. As part of its annual reflections on its origins and unique heritage, Rolls-Royce looks back through Phantom’s lineage, exploring how its namesakes evolved over the years to remain consistently at the apex of the Rolls-Royce offering.
THE ORIGINS OF EXCELLENCE
In the automotive industry’s earliest days, luxury car makers produced only the mechanical components (engine, transmission, chassis and so on) known as a rolling chassis, which underpinned the car. The bodies were designed and constructed by independent coachbuilders to the customer’s specification.
For manufacturers, including Rolls-Royce, improvements in design and engineering were directed almost entirely towards technical aspects of the car’s performance. These included reliability, hill-climbing capability, ease of control and a set of ride quality attributes still known collectively as noise, vibration and harshness (NVH).
From the outset, Phantom earned the title ‘the best car in the world’ through the superior quality and designs of the rolling chassis – the finest platform on which coachbuilders could reach the very apex of their craft.
REDRAWING TECHNICAL BOUNDARIES
The Phantom family was born in 1925 when Rolls-Royce launched Phantom I. With its massive low-range torque, cutting-edge technology and ‘Magic Carpet Ride’, the new model immediately established the fundamental traits that would define the family for the next 100 years. Then, as now, Rolls-Royce declined to rest on its laurels, and by 1929, its successor was ready for the market.
Phantom II represented another step-change in engineering and technology. In 1930, the company unveiled the Phantom II Continental, which gave customers a choice of a more performance-orientated model for those who preferred to drive themselves. The ‘standard’ longer-wheelbase car was retained for chauffeur-driven use. This practice set the precedent for today’s Phantom and Phantom Extended.
THE NEED FOR SPEED
While the new Continental could attain speeds up to 95mph, it was still not as fast as some of its rivals. The company decided to resolve the matter once and for all. In 1934, applying its proven experience with aero engines, it developed a new 7.3-litre V12 engine, mounted on a new chassis. The resulting Phantom III, when fitted with lightweight coachwork, was capable of exceeding 100mph.
In 1939, Rolls-Royce produced an experimental car, nicknamed ‘The Scalded Cat’. In later years, this car was often loaned to influential individuals, including HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. The Duke was so impressed that he persuaded Rolls-Royce to build him a more formal version; the marque obliged with the first Phantom IV, delivered in July 1950. The car remains on front-line (albeit reduced) duty at The Royal Mews, under its pre-delivery codename, Maharajah. Though originally intended as a one-off, 18 Phantom IV cars were completed: 17 were sumptuously appointed commissions for other royalty and heads of state; the other, somewhat bizarrely, was built as a pick-up truck for use by Rolls-Royce as transport and on-the-road component testing.
A FINAL FLOURISH
In 1959, the marque launched Phantom V, equipped with its most up-to-date V8 engine. In 1967, the car underwent subtle technical changes that were deemed, at the very last minute, sufficient to justify its redesignation as Phantom VI.
By 1968 the only true coachbuilder left in Britain was Rolls-Royce’s own in-house company, Mulliner Park Ward. These magnificent cars soldiered on through the mid-1980s, until production dwindled to a mere two or three cars a year, and finally ceased altogether in 1992.
BRINGING VISIONS TO LIFE
Every generation up to Phantom VI was essentially a rolling chassis. The bodies were built to the owner’s individual requirements by some of the most famous and prestigious names in British and European coachbuilding.
While this was normal practice in the luxury automotive world, Phantom stood apart through its ability – thanks to Royce’s engineering genius and the excellence of the chassis’ components and construction – to carry coachwork of the very finest quality, weight and complexity.
At every stage in Phantom’s development, owners exploited its potential to the full, creating some of the most magnificent, eye-catching and radical motor cars ever to grace the road. And since the chassis and body were separate, it was possible for a subsequent owner to change the car’s appearance to suit their own taste and requirements.
Many Phantoms took on more than one guise over their long, often globe-trotting lives: in some cases, they were merely repainted; in others, the whole car was rebuilt from the chassis upwards, taking on an entirely new form and character. And for all their extraordinary diversity, every one of the examples shown below is a true Rolls-Royce in terms of its underlying engineering, materials and construction, performance, ride quality and comfort – and, above all, in being exactly as the owner wanted it.
1930 Phantom II (62GY)
This handsome Phantom II was coachbuilt by Hooper of London with a Dual Cowl Tourer body. At the request of the owner, a wealthy timber merchant from Texas, 50 additions were specified with touring intentions. These include a larger fuel tank, louvered bonnet and radiator two inches taller than standard. The car was originally purchased for the owner’s honeymoon and went on to tour the Continent extensively until 1939. The present custodian acquired the car in 1998 and has since won prestigious awards including the Louis Vuitton Classic Parfums Givenchy Trophy pre-war tourers and Most Sporting Tourer in the Biarritz Concours.
1933 Phantom II Continental (55MW)
This ‘concealed-head boat body’ was a speciality of coachbuilder Park Ward. Its main feature was the compact folding hood that, when fully retracted, was entirely concealed under the rear deck, giving the coachwork its distinctive uninterrupted line. The original upholstery was textured pigskin.
Source: ‘Park Ward The Innovative Coachbuilder’ by Malcolm Tucker.
1933 Phantom Ill (3BT103)
This rare two-door sedanca coupé was coachbuilt by HJ Mulliner for Apsley Cherry-Garrard, one of the surviving members of Captain Scott’s last, fateful expedition to the South Pole in 1912. The car was originally finished in Primrose Yellow with a dyed Vaulmol leather interior; in the late 1940s it was repainted in black. The car was briefly owned by the legendary actor Sir Ralph Richardson; it then spent time in Wales and the USA before returning to the UK in the late 70s / early 80s. It sat neglected in a barn until 2018 when it was bought by its present owner, and has now been painstakingly restored using many authentic components, including original numbered engine parts.
Source: Alpine Eagle Ltd.
1937 Phantom III (3BT85)
London coachbuilder Hooper & Co built several bodies in this striking saloon-with-division style, which looks fast even when standing still thanks to its semi-razor edge styling and swooping curves. The art-deco chrome-plated flashes to the body and wings simply enhance the sense of kinetic energy.
Source: ‘The Spectre Arises’ by Steve Stuckey.
1965 Phantom V (5VD63)
This Phantom was originally owned by Wing Commander Patrick Barthropp. In 1968, John Lennon purchased the car from Barthropp coinciding with the launch of The Beatles’ White Album. In September 1969 he sold the car to Allen Klein, an American businessman.
The car appeared in the Oscar-winning film Georgy Girl (1966), the classic Let It Be (1970), starring The Beatles, Performance (1970), featuring Mick Jagger, and then prominently featured in The Greek Tycoon (1978) starring Anthony Quinn.
In 2016 after extensive restoration, Jody Klein, a longtime Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club member brought the car to the Concurs d’Elegance, Lincolnshire, where it was awarded first place for Best In Class.
James Young, established in 1863, is renowned for creating some of the most elegant coachwork to ever grace a motor car chassis. Perhaps the pinnacle of their achievements was realised in their PV23 design, developed especially for the Rolls-Royce Phantom V chassis, with 22 such bodies being built.
This model was usually finished in black, but for 5LVF65 the lighter shade of Ivory further enhances the classic elegance of every curve and line from the pen of its acclaimed designer, A. F. McNeil.
The interior contains a remarkably spacious rear compartment, with the finest cabinetry work below the division glass. Champagne cloth to the rear compartment is chosen for greater comfort than the similarly coloured and more resilient leather that the chauffeur would enjoy.
Source: P&A Wood.
2015 Phantom VII (Serenity Phantom)
Rolls-Royce created this magnificent Bespoke Phantom VII Extended for its display at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show. Inspired by opulent motor cars made for international royalty in the early 1900s, the rear passenger cabin is finished in a unique Smoke Green raw silk, specially handwoven and decorated with hand-embroidered and hand-painted Chinoiserie blossom motifs that took up to 600 hours to complete. The design also appears in the fascia and marquetry inlays in the rear doors; smoked cherrywood and bamboo elements, and details echoing the raked gravel in Japanese gardens complete the interior’s calm, natural ambiance. At the time, the Mother of Pearl exterior paint finish was the most complex – and expensive – the marque had ever produced.
2021 Phantom VIII (Phantom Oribe)
A unique collaboration saw the House of Rolls-Royce and the House of Hermès co-create a Bespoke Phantom for Japanese entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa. Named Phantom Oribe, the motor car features a Bespoke two-tone exterior finish, inspired by the client’s world-class collection of ancient Japanese ceramics, Oribe ware. In an unusual move, the Rolls-Royce paint was made available for use on the client’s private jet that the Phantom is paired with.
The interior is finished predominantly in Hermès Enea Green leather. The Gallery features an artwork based on a design by the celebrated French artist and illustrator Pierre Péron (1905–1988), who created many of Hermès’ iconic scarves.
AN ICON REBORN
At one minute past midnight, on 1 January 2003, the first Phantom VII was handed over to its new owner – the first motor car to be produced at the brand-new Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood, West Sussex, England. A thoroughly modern interpretation of the marque’s signature lines and proportions, as first set down by Sir Henry Royce himself, it was built entirely in-house by Rolls-Royce, with monocoque bodywork to a standard design rather than coachbuilt. In one important sense, however, it retained a link with its heritage, in that every car was hand-built by a team of skilled craftspeople. Furthermore, the marque’s Bespoke programme meant Phantom was effectively a canvas upon which patrons could realise their own visions and desires.
Over its 13-year lifespan, Phantom VII cemented Rolls-Royce as the world’s pre-eminent superluxury motor manufacturer, and its own place as the marque’s pinnacle product. But just like their predecessors, Rolls-Royce’s designers and engineers understood that perfection is a moving target: that Phantom was never ‘done.’
In 2016, Rolls-Royce presented Phantom VIII. This was the first Rolls-Royce to be built on the marque’s proprietary Architecture of Luxury, an all-aluminium spaceframe designed to underpin every future motor car produced at Goodwood.
Phantom VIII was specifically designed to be the ultimate platform for Bespoke commissions. This has resulted in some of the most technically ambitious and challenging projects ever undertaken by the marque’s designers, engineers and specialist craftspeople. It is also the only Rolls-Royce model to feature the Gallery – an uninterrupted swathe of glass that runs the full width of the fascia, behind which the client can display a commissioned work of art or design.
A new Rolls-Royce motor car always begins its life in winter. Temperatures at the Bespoke facility used by the marque, located in Arjeplog, Sweden, just 55km from the arctic circle, drop to -26 degrees centigrade and are further cooled to -40 degrees centigrade.
There are several reasons for subjecting the marque’s products to such extremes. When the prototypes are built, engineers perform very basic tests in extreme conditions to ensure that each system is operational and functions at a basic level in cold weather. This test is combined with the beginnings of the refinement process – the first ‘lessons’ in a finishing school that will form the foundations of a motor car worthy of the marque.
ROLLS-ROYCE SPECTRE: ROLLS-ROYCE 3.0
Rolls-Royce 3.0 represents the beginning of the marque’s bold electric future. The term ‘Rolls-Royce 3.0’ is a reference to the brand’s progress during its renaissance, which began in Goodwood, West Sussex on 1st January 2003. The first Goodwood Rolls-Royce was Phantom, and it was underpinned by its own Bespoke architecture. This was Rolls-Royce 1.0. Following this, a new, highly flexible all-aluminium spaceframe architecture was conceived that could be adapted for multiple applications, including the current Phantom, Cullinan, Ghost and Coachbuild projects. This was Rolls-Royce 2.0. Rolls-Royce 3.0 is the integration of a fully electric power train and Decentralised Intelligence into the marque’s architecture.
In component terms, the simplicity of the car has increased significantly. However, the requirement for engineering Spectre – of sending this uneducated car to Rolls-Royce finishing school – is unparalleled.The definition of engineering has changed. Historically, engineering a Rolls-Royce has taken place in workshops. Spectre sees this pivot into the digital space.
Spectre is the most connected Rolls-Royce ever and each component within it is more intelligent than in any previous Rolls-Royce. It features 141,200 sender-receiver relations and has more than 1,000 functions with more than 25,000 sub functions. By comparison, Phantom has 51,000 sender-receiver relations, 456 functions and 647 sub functions.
The dramatically increased intelligence of Spectre’s electronic and electric powertrain architecture enables a free and direct exchange of detailed information between these 1,000+ functions with no centralized processing. While this has required engineers to increase the length of cabling from around 2 kilometers in existing Rolls-Royce products to 7 kilometers in Spectre, and to write more than 25 times more algorithms, it offers a significant step forward for the brand. A dedicated control can be created for each set of functions which enables unprecedented levels of detail and refinement, allowing for what Rolls-Royce chassis specialists are already calling “Rolls-Royce in high definition”.
ROLLS-ROYCE SPECTRE: ARCHITECTURE
In creating a design for Spectre, a generously proportioned, highly emotional body style was selected. This could only be enabled with the marque’s all-aluminium spaceframe architecture. Indeed, the scale is so far beyond other contemporary coupés that it orary product that occupies this space – Phantom Coupé. The marque’s designers consider Spectre to be Phantom Coupé’s spiritual successor.
Indeed, when it came to styling Spectre, the marque’s designers considered the dimensions and emotionality of Phantom Coupé, and other grand coupés from Rolls-Royce’s past. Not only did they create this emotion with Spectre’s fastback silhouette and size, but they also carried forward a key design feature of Phantom Coupé: the iconic split headlights, a design tenet that Rolls-Royce has owned for many decades.
This design typology was selected in consultation with the marque’s clients, who found the idea of a Phantom-scale Electric Super Coupé highly appealing. However, the decision to pursue this aesthetic was also strategic. Leaders within the brand wanted the first fully electric Rolls-Royce to be highly emotional, something that shows that electric powertrain technology can deliver on the promise of such grand, seductive and compelling styling. While Spectre represents an historical moment for Rolls-Royce, it is also an historic moment for electrification – the technology is now able to contain the Rolls-Royce experience.
The flexibility of Rolls-Royce’s proprietary architecture, which is reserved for the marque’s exclusive use and does not underpin mass market cars, enables the exterior design to carry the scale required to create the presence of an authentic Rolls-Royce. This is plain to see in Spectre’s wheel size – it will be the first coupé equipped with 23-inch wheels since 1926.
The flexibility of the marque’s architecture also enabled designers to dramatize the coupé experience. By placing the floor halfway between the sill structures rather than on top or underneath the sills, there is a highly aerodynamic channel for the battery, providing a perfectly smooth underfloor profile. Likewise, this creates a low seating position and enveloping cabin experience.
By moving the bulkhead location, designers and engineers have also been able to deepen the dashboard location to truly cocoon passengers.This is amplified with a dramatically low windscreen rake and incredibly efficient airflow profile. This, along with other intelligent design solutions such as an aerodynamically tuned Spirit of Ecstasy mascot, contributes to a drag coefficient (cd) of just 0.26 in early prototypes.
The battery location, which is enabled by the marque’s architecture, unlocks another benefit that is commensurate with the Rolls-Royce experience. By creating wiring and piping channels between the floor of the car and roof of the battery, engineers have created a secondary function for the battery – 700kg of sound deadening.
ROLLS-ROYCE SPECTRE: THE EXTRAORDINARY UNDERTAKING CONTINUES
With the winter testing phase completed, Spectre will continue its global testing programme. The Electric Super Coupé still has to complete nearly two million kilometres before the marque’s engineers will consider this undertaking complete prior to first customer deliveries in the fourth quarter of 2023.
Rolls-Royce recently announced their latest inspirational piece, the Rolls-Royce Phantom Orchid. Designed specifically with Singapore in mind, the Phantom is extremely rare as just one singular model has been produced. Looking to the orchid for motivation, the team chose this reference to serve as a representation of beauty and strength. Serving as a withstanding focal point in the history of art, this marks the first instance of an orchid being incorporated into a Rolls-Royce commission. Exemplifying the attributes of elegance and glamour with a light but edgy flow comes to Rolls-Royce Phantom Orchid.
BESPOKE COLLABORATION
The new commission comes as a partnership with the Bespoke Collective and the withstanding Rolls-Royce team. This imperative duo saw the likes of top designers and artists coming together to create a work of art.
Michael Bryden, Lead Designer, Rolls-Royce Bespoke, spoke on the Phantom and how it came to its full loveliness. He stated, “[the] Phantom Extended, our pinnacle motor car, was chosen to be the ‘blank canvas’ for this commission. Our concept envisaged a balanced yet progressive design, which echoes the values of the Singapore region. The orchid is seen in many facets of Asian life, a reminder that the resilient adapt and thrive regardless of the evolving environment. Phantom is the only motor car in the world to feature the Gallery, a space that enables one to exhibit art, sculptures, or objects of self-expression in the sanctuary of Phantom’s interior. For Phantom Orchid, we collaborated with award-winning artist Helen Amy Murray to create a unique, hand-sculpted silk artwork. The delicate materials and techniques that were deployed in the creation of this piece are protected behind an application of pure glass, that runs uninterrupted across the fascia of Phantom. Finished in an elegant blend of Grace White, Havana and Smoke Grey with Dark Olive stitching, the interior evokes the calm and serene nature which is inherent to the character of Phantom.”
HAND-SCULPTED ART
Through the association with Helen Amy Murray and her team, a new wave of work with Phantom’s Gallery has been generated. Their fresh and innovative design transformed the interpretation of a motor car’s presence.
Helen found creativity from the orchid, often referencing the Singapore Orchid, hence as to why the commission was constructed with the location as muse. She worked around the clock, totaling over 200 hours of subtlety refining her designs with her team of six.
The design came to initially through Helen’s hand drawings and sketches, before moving to a digital media that would ensure the success of the piece. Through the virtual enhancements, the team was able to print the art directly onto the silk crepe satin. More handwork came into play for the final part of the layout process, where they hand-molded the flowers to stimulate a 3D force.
ORCHID SANCTUARY
Rolls-Royce Bespoke Designer Yohan Benchetrit worked his magic on the interior of the Phantom. He started with an orchid-motivated Picnic Table Inlay through the rear of the suite. Moving on, Bespoke treadplates were an addition that mimicked a like theme sans text to all who hopped into the motor car. Natural colors finished out the interior of the Phantom, adding to the luxurious experience imitated.
GLORIOUS EXTERIOR
To add to the exclusivity of this Phantom, a distinct paint was crafted using advanced, modern paint technology. The color started with a base of Arctic White with a light tint of violet was laid over, motivated by the main inspiration for the piece, orchids. The addition of fine glass particles within the paint color establishes a dazzling aura.
Marking an important milestone, multiplatinum Icelandic collective Of Monsters and Men announce My Head Is An Animal (10th Anniversary Edition) to be released on October 29th.
To celebrate a decade since the arrival of their platinum-certified debut My Head Is An Animal, the group is releasing a version of the album as it was when it was released in Iceland in 2011. This version has a total of four tracks that were not on the 2012 US release, including two never-before-released songs: “Phantom” and “Sugar In A Bowl.” The anniversary album will also be accompanied by commemorative merchandise and a limited-edition vinyl as a special thank you for fans.
Pre-order/Pre-save My Head Is An Animal (10th Anniversary Edition) album and view exclusive merchandise—HERE.
Regarding this moment, the band commented: “It’s been 10 years since the original edition of MHIAA was released in Iceland and because of that we wanted to do something special so we’re releasing a 10th anniversary edition of the album as well as performing some fun live, intimate anniversary shows from Iceland from the venue where we played our first album release party ever.
The track list matches the one from that first edition of the album that came out in Iceland in 2011 plus two unreleased bonus tracks that sort of got left behind when making the record.
This album is how most of you got to know us and how we got to know you and for that we are forever grateful.
Thank you to everyone that listened to and supported us this past decade.
Here is to another 10 years!
Love, OMAM”
While “Phantom” and “Sugar In A Bowl” are newly recorded songs, they are not new to the band. “Phantom” was first performed by Of Monsters and Men in 2010 at the renowned Músíktilraunir music competition. It was one of the two songs performed when they took home first place in the competition helping to jumpstart their career. The album features another unreleased track entitled “Sugar In A Bowl”—also composed and conceptualized over decade ago but never recorded.
Continuing the celebration of their anniversary the band also announce their first and only live shows of 2021: Of Monsters and Men: The 10 Year Anniversary Celebration of My Head Is An Animal where they will be performing two intimate shows at Gamla Bíó (the venue where they held the album release party for the album in 2011) on November 9th and 10th. The band will play the album in its entirety as well as other OMAM favorites both older and newer. Pre-sale for Of Monsters and Men: The 10 Year Anniversary Celebration of My Head Is An Animal starts October 13th at 10am GMT and general on sale begins on October 14th at 10am GMT. Fans can head to http://ofmonstersandmen.com for more details.
Upon release in 2011, My Head Is An Animal scaled the Billboard Top 200, bowing at #6. It also boasted the quintuple-platinum “Little Talks,” which became “the first song by an Icelandic band to cross 1 billion streams on Spotify,” and the gold-selling “Dirty Paws.” To date the album has been streamed nearly 5 billion times globally and was the starting point for the band’s long career.
Since the start of the pandemic, the band has been keeping busy in Iceland. They released a cover of Post Malone’s “Circles,” in April 2020 that the band performed on The Ellen DeGeneres Show (see performance here). Last Fall they released new original track “Visitor,” which generated over 14 million streams worldwide and performed on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. The performance was shot in Iceland in the landmark theater IÐNO in central Reykjavik. See the incredible performance here. The track was also remixed by indie darlings MUNA who gave new life to the track (listen here).
In 2019, the group welcomed listeners into the embrace of their critically acclaimed third full-length album, FEVER DREAM. Not only did the record tally 80 million-plus total streams to date, but it also attracted acclaim from Billboard, NPR, The Line of Best Fit, Independent, Paste, and more. Clash Magazine claimed, “The songs also have an emotional content to them that is hard to ignore.” Q Magazine praised it as “a dizzying rush of exuberance and emotion…their transformation into an arena-ready pop beast is complete.” Notably, the single “Alligator” made history by completing “their quickest climb to #1 on the Adult Alternative Songs Airplay Chart,” as reported by Billboard. In addition to selling out dates coast-to-coast on the FEVER DREAM Tour, the group delivered rapturous television performances on Jimmy Kimmel LIVE! ,The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and Ellen.
OF MONSTERS AND MEN went from the talk of Iceland to the top of the global conversation on their 2011 debut, My Head Is An Animal which landed the band a performance on Saturday Night Live. The group appeared on official soundtracks for franchises such as The Hunger Games, The Walking Dead, and Beat Bugs, to name a few. In addition to performing at festivals such as Coachella, Lollapalooza, Firefly, and beyond, they supported Florence + the Machine on a high-profile arena tour. In the midst of this rapid rise, 2015’s Beneath The Skin bowed in the Top 3 of the Billboard Top 200 and the band had a coveted cameo in an episode of HBO’s Game of Thrones in the same year.
My Head Is An Animal (10th Anniversary Edition) Tracklist:
1.) Dirty Paws
2.) King and Lionheart
3.) Numb Bears
4.) Sloom
5.) Little Talks
6.) From Finner
7.) Six Weeks
8.) Love Love Love
9.) Your Bones
10.) Lakehouse
11.) Yellow Light
12.) Sinking Man
13.) Phantom*
14.) Sugar In A Bowl*
*Never before released song
“Today is the most significant day in the history of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars since 4 May 1904. On that date, our founding fathers, Charles Rolls and Sir Henry Royce, first met and agreed that they were going to create ‘the best motor car in the world’.
“Using the most advanced technology available to them at the time and by applying their remarkable engineering minds, these two pioneers elevated early internal combustion engine cars, from noisy, uncomfortable and rudimentary means of transportation, by setting a completely new benchmark of distinction.
“The cars they created, introduced to the world a true luxury experience and secured for Rolls-Royce the ultimate pinnacle position that it continues to occupy, unchallenged, to this day. The marque has continued to define the very best in internal combustion motoring for more than a century.
“Today, 117 years later, I am proud to announce that Rolls-Royce is to begin the on-road testing programme for an extraordinary new product that will elevate the global all-electric car revolution and create the first – and finest – super-luxury product of its type. This is not a prototype. It’s the real thing, it will be tested in plain sight and our clients will take first deliveries of the car in the fourth quarter of 2023.”
A PROPHECY FULFILLED
“The use of electric motors is not a new concept for Rolls-Royce. Sir Henry Royce was fascinated by all things electrified, and his first venture, named F. H. Royce and Company, created dynamos, electric crane motors and patented the bayonet-style light bulb fitting.
“However, it was Charles Rolls who truly prophesied an electrified future for automobiles. In April 1900 he experienced an early electric motor car named the Columbia and declared its electric drive to be ideal.
“Rolls said, ‘The electric car is perfectly noiseless and clean. There is no smell or vibration, and they should become very useful when fixed charging stations can be arranged. But for now, I do not anticipate that they will be very serviceable – at least for many years to come.’
“Charles Rolls’ prophecy has been the subject of constant consideration during the marque’s Goodwood era. But we have not been satisfied that available technology could support the Rolls-Royce experience. Until now.
“Now is the time to change the course of the future of luxury.
“We embark on this bold new future with a huge advantage. Electric drive is uniquely and perfectly suited to Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, more so than any other automotive brand. It is silent, refined and creates torque almost instantly, going on to generate tremendous power. This is what we at Rolls-Royce call ‘waftability’.
“At Rolls-Royce, we have been experimenting with an electric powertrain for some time. In 2011 we revealed 102EX, a fully operational all-electric Phantom. We followed this in 2016 with our fully electric 103EX, which represented our vision for the marque several decades into the future.”
A PROMISE KEPT
“These extraordinary products prompted a huge amount of interest in electric powertrain technology amongst our clients. They considered it as the perfect fit for Rolls-Royce. And, over the past decade, I have been repeatedly asked, ‘When will Rolls-Royce go electric?’ and ‘When will you produce your first electric car?’
“I answered with an unambiguous promise: ‘Rolls-Royce will go electric, starting this decade.’ Today, I’m keeping my word.”
A REMARKABLE UNDERTAKING
“Charles Rolls’ prophecy and my promise have led us to a seminal moment for the marque. Rolls-Royce has embarked on an historic and unique undertaking, which today becomes a reality. Our designers and engineers have worked relentlessly to bring us here: we are now ready to commence road-testing of the first all-electric Rolls-Royce in history.
“This fundamental change in our powertrain technology requires that we challenge every single aspect of the product before we offer it to the most discerning and demanding individuals in the world – our Rolls-Royce clients.
“To do this, we have conceived the most demanding testing programme in Rolls-Royce’s history. We will cover 2.5 million kilometres – a simulation of more than 400 years of use for a Rolls-Royce, on average – and we will travel to all four corners of the world to push this new motor car to the limit.
“You will see these test cars on roads, around the world. Look out for them – they will be in plain sight. They will be tested in all conditions and over all terrains on their multi-million-mile journey – that will literally accelerate Rolls-Royce into the future.”
TRULY FLEXIBLE ARCHITECTURE OF OUR OWN
“In 2017, we debuted Phantom, and with it the marque’s proprietary aluminium architecture: a scalable and flexible spaceframe that would underpin all forthcoming Rolls-Royce motor cars. This unique technology – developed for Rolls-Royce by Rolls-Royce and reserved for the marque’s exclusive use – was created to form the foundation of not just different internal combustion engine models, as it now does with Cullinan and Ghost, but models with completely different powertrains.
“To this end, our forthcoming electric car benefits from the Rolls-Royce architecture and therefore the extraordinary experience of a Rolls-Royce on the road. Free of any group platform sharing strategy, we were able to integrate our plans for an electric powertrain into the architecture’s initial design and ensure that this extraordinary new product meets the extremely high expectations of our clients.”
A NEW NAME: A NEW LEGACY
“This Rolls-Royce is the fulfilment of a prophecy and it represents a promise kept as we embark upon a unique undertaking. It is the beginning of a new legacy for our brand. In that spirit, we have decided on a completely new name for this car. A name that is as powerful and evocative as the nameplates that have served us so perfectly for the past century – names like Phantom, Ghost and Wraith. It’s a name that perfectly fits the ethereal and other worldly environment within which our products exist – a name that we have reserved especially for this moment: Spectre.
“Spectre is a name given to otherworldly beings synonymous with great power and apparition; creatures of an alternative realm that make their presence felt through fleeting manifestation. A spectre forces the world to pause. It dominates the space it occupies. Then, as quickly as it appears, it dissipates, leaving a wake of exhilaration, energy, and intrigue.
“This name perfectly matches the extraordinary Rolls-Royce that we are announcing today – a motor car that makes its presence felt before disappearing into a world inaccessible to all but the very few. As a quintessentially British brand, we have selected the British spelling, however the meaning is universal.
AN EXTRAORDINARY FUTURE
“With this new product we set out our credentials for the full electrification of our entire product portfolio by 2030. By then, Rolls-Royce will no longer be in the business of producing or selling any internal combustion engine products.
“Spectre is the living fulfilment of Charles Rolls’ Prophecy. My Promise, made on behalf of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, is kept. Now we begin a remarkable undertaking. I am proud that we will continue to propel the world’s most progressive and influential women and men into a brilliant, electrified future.”
Rolls-Royce Phantom sits at the apex of the luxury world, gracing some of the most formative moments of the past century. It is the motor car that proudly counts many of the world’s most influential and revered individuals among its wealthy collectors. As the brand has evolved, so has the face of the patrons of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and that face today is more and more feminine. Patronnes who sit at the apex of their business and industries. From Beverly Hills to Dallas, Miami, Austin, and Washington DC, these women excel as leading realtors, designers, jewellery magnates and personal services entrepreneurs. Their charitable efforts span an array of causes. Rolls-Royce captured each Phenom’s passion and personality alongside Rolls-Royce Phantoms in creating a visual gallery of their common excellence and Rolls-Royce and its dealers will kick off a series of local events to honor these individuals.
Like a Phantom, each of these owners have a commanding presence and have built their own success being the best at what they do. They never stay in one lane. They have aimed high and delivered for themselves and their community. Exhibiting elegance, presence, and compassion, Phantom Phenoms share a passion for their philanthropic efforts that make them stand out in their communities.
Martin Fritsches, President & CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Americas, commented, “Phantom Phenoms exhibit an aura of presence and power reminiscent of Rolls-Royce Phantom. Each of them has defined and achieved their own success, and we are honored they have chosen a Rolls-Royce motor car to help celebrate that success. We invite everyone to join us in applauding their success in business and their passion in giving back to their community.”
Rolls-Royce looks forward to the series of events this fall. Each event is designed to raise funds for a local or national charity supported by the Phantom Phenom. Events will take place when deemed safe given CDC guidelines.
As the co-Founder of a global design and strategy consultancy, Alexandra re-imagines a better future through strategic solutions and creative innovations. With this in mind, she founded Women Nation, a members-only private organization that establishes a synergy between its female members and nurtures sisterhood. The mission behind Women Nation is, through the empowerment of women, bridging gender disparity in corporations and governments. She is also a leading advocate for The Center for Child Protection, an organization spearheading the end of child abuse in Austin, Texas.
This visionary is hosting a two-part event. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Austin will host a bespoke drive experience for her clients and friends in Austin. This two-part event will conclude with an intimate gathering in the Park Souto home that benefits the Center for Child Protection.
Rolls-Royce is celebrating the 110-year anniversary of Charles Stewart Rolls’ first non-stop double crossing of the English Channel by airplane.
At 6:30 pm on June 2, 1920, aviation pioneer Charles Stewart Rolls took off alone in his flimsy biplane from Swingate aerodome, near Dover, to achieve the world’s first non-stop double crossing of the English Channel by airplane. He had been waiting in frustration for over a week, his departure repeatedly frustrated by high winds, fog or mechanical problems with the machine. But finally, conditions were perfectly calm and clear. Among the spectators on the cliffs were Rolls’ parents, Lord and Lady Llangattock, and his sister and brother-in-law, Sir John and Lady Shelley.
According to a report in the Daily Telegraph, Rolls reached an altitude of 900 feet and a speed of ‘quite forty miles an hour’ as he approached the coast of France. By 7.15 pm, he was flying over the small French town of Sangatte, where the present-day Channel Tunnel emerges. Leaning out of his airplane, he threw overboard three weighted envelopes, each containing the message: ‘Greetings to the Auto Club of France…Dropped from a Wright airplane crossing from England to France. C. S. Rolls, June 1910. P.S. Vive l’Entente.’’
He then turned northward and set a course for the English coast. At 8.00 pm, he was back in Dover where, the Daily Telegraph reported, “the sea front, cliffs and piers were thronged with people, all in the most intense state of excitement.” Rolls rewarded them in typically flamboyant style, by flying in circles around the outer towers of the town’s medieval castle. “I decided that, as I had plenty of petrol and my engines were working splendidly, I would encircle the Castle, although it would lengthen my flight considerably,” he told the Telegraph correspondent. The crowd loved it. This was more than mere entertainment: they knew they were present at a moment of history.
In an adventure lasting 95 minutes, Rolls had achieved two immortal landmarks. He had become both the first Englishman to fly an airplane across the English Channel, and the first aviator ever to fly non-stop from England to France and back again.
Torsten Müller-Ötvö, Chief Executive Officer of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, said “Charles Rolls combined a fine technical mind with a bold, adventurous spirit; it is no wonder that aviation and motoring held such powerful, almost magical attractions for him. He was a true pioneer in both fields, instrrumental in the development of aeroplanes and motor cars with his record-breaking feats.”
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is extending the deadline for entries in its Young Designers Competition to Monday 1 June 2020.
This gives aspiring designers up to the age of 16 an additional two weeks to create and submit their dream Rolls-Royce of the future.
Launched in early April, the competition has already attracted more than 2,000 entries from children in more than 70 countries worldwide. Its aim was to stimulate design talent and provide an educational distraction for children from self-quarantine and social-distancing measures. Although some countries are starting to ease their lock-down restrictions, many children are still unable to attend school, and their normal interactions and activities are likely to remain curtailed for some weeks to come.
The overall winner will receive a once-in-a-lifetime prize: a fully rendered illustration of their design. Runners-up will receive a certificate individually hand-signed by Torsten Müller-Ötvös, the Chief Executive Officer of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.
“We’re delighted by the sheer inventiveness, vision and detail we’re seeing in the children’s designs. Some of the ideas are truly extraordinary and have really got us thinking; it’s inspiring us as a design team to see things differently and challenge our own notions of what’s possible. We’re really looking forward to the judging process, but it’s going to be a huge challenge to pick our winners,” — Gavin Hartley, Head of Bespoke Design, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, will be judging the entries together with members of his team.
