“The Spirit of Ecstasy is the most famous and desirable automotive mascot in the world. More than just a symbol, she is the embodiment of our brand, and a constant source of inspiration and pride for the marque and its clients. Like our brand, she has always moved with the times while staying true to her nature and character. In her new form she is more streamlined and graceful than ever before – the perfect emblem for the most aerodynamic Rolls-Royce ever created, and for gracing the prow of our bold electric future.” Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
Rolls-Royce has reimagined its iconic Spirit of Ecstasy figurine to grace the bonnet of its new all-electric motor car, Spectre, 111 years to the day the Spirit of Ecstasy was first registered as intellectual property of Rolls-Royce on 6th February 1911.
The figurine has been remodelled with a lower, more dynamic stance that brings her much closer to the drawings made by her original creator, the illustrator and sculptor Charles Robinson Sykes, in the early years of the 20th century. It also sees her physical form represent The Expression, a visual device that forms part of the marque’s new visual language. The new Spirit of Ecstasy stands 82.73mm tall, compared to her predecessor’s 100.01mm. Her robes, which flow behind her in the slipstream – often but erroneously characterised as ‘wings’ – have been subtly reshaped to make them more aerodynamic and realistic.
The most visible change is her stance. Previously, she has stood with her feet together, legs straight and tilting at the waist. Now, she is a true goddess of speed, braced for the wind, one leg forward, body tucked low, her eyes focused eagerly ahead. These changes have both practical and stylistic benefits, contributing to Spectre’s remarkable aerodynamic properties. The earliest Spectre prototypes have a drag coefficient (cd) of just 0.26, making it the most aerodynamic Rolls-Royce ever created. The figure is expected to improve during the product’s exhaustive testing protocols undertaken in 2022.
This new expression captures the essence of Charles Sykes’ original drawings, but rather than simply being redrawn or redesigned, her new shape has been digitally sculpted by a computer modeller working at the Home of Rolls-Royce, who has a passion for life drawing and sculpture. Their experience in this field was invaluable in developing the figurine’s elegant lifelike facial features as well as her expression, which deftly combines focus and serenity. The designers also consulted stylists at Goodwood for their perspective on her hair, clothes, posture, and expression, adding an authentically contemporary aura to her dynamism and commanding presence.
While all figurines are made using one of the oldest known casting techniques, named lost wax casting or cire-perdue, each is individually finished by hand, so will be minutely different from figurine to figurine. As well as continuing a long Rolls-Royce tradition – until 1939, the mascots were made and polished by Charles Sykes himself – this subtle, ephemeral human element creates an intriguing contrast to the precise, highly engineered motor car she sits atop.
Though relatively rare in the modern era, changes to the Spirit of Ecstasy have been made throughout her 111-year lifespan. She has been rendered in various sizes and materials and, briefly, in a kneeling position. The new version created for Spectre will appear on all future models: the current design will still be used on Phantom, Ghost, Wraith, Dawn and Cullinan and their Black Badge alter egos where applicable.
Beautiful Bespoke Phantom Collection Car debuts in Southern California marking a special occasion for its owners
Glenn and Gigi Moss celebrate 40th anniversary with a light and dark duo of Rolls-Royce commissions
Discreet message on each commission marks the time and place they met and the time and place they wed
Rolls-Royce delivers commissions in private ceremony in Orange County, California
“Rolls-Royce Phantom Tempus is a motor car for those who shape the world as they seek their own place in the universe. They understand that whatever our individual gifts, talents, and opportunities, we are all gifted time – and it is up to us to make the most of every precious moment. With Phantom Tempus, we have created a space in which the strictures of time no longer apply – as illustrated by the deliberate absence of a clock. Rolls-Royce clients are not bound by time; the outside world with all its pressures and demands are forgotten. We offer our congratulations to Glenn and Gigi Moss, not only on their years together, but also on these two beautiful Rolls-Royces, commissioned to mark this special occasion.” – Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
“I could think of no better way to mark a special moment in time in Gigi and my life together than with this duo of Rolls-Royce commissions. The beauty of commissioning a Rolls-Royce is in making it personal and intimate. Phantom Tempus provided us with a wonderful canvas to personalize the painting of our lives together. And the addition of the Rolls-Royce Dawn Black Badge commission is a statement to celebrate the fact that we will carry our passion for life long into the future. Some things are timeless, and this is what we celebrate.” – Glenn L. Moss Sr
Rolls-Royce Phantom, the marque’s pinnacle product, resides at the apex of the luxury world. Producing a Collection Car is always a seminal moment for the marque. With the Phantom Tempus Collection, the sources of inspiration are on an appropriately grand scale: time, deep space, and a theoretical physicist who changed the way to see the universe. Only 20 examples of this stunning Bespoke creation have been built at Rolls-Royce’s Global Center of Luxury Manufacturing Excellence in West Sussex, England.
To mark a very special moment in time, their 40th anniversary, Riverside California residents Glenn and Gigi Moss, have commissioned one of these rare and spectacular cars for themselves. Their Phantom Tempus was delivered to them at an exclusive celebration, together with a special Bespoke Dawn Black Badge. The beautiful pair of Bespoke Rolls-Royce’s were delivered to Mr. and Mrs. Moss by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Orange County.
The inspiration for this pair of Bespoke commissions arose from the Moss’ desire to celebrate the moment in time at which their life together began. The Phantom Tempus’ Bespoke Spirit of Ecstasy is made of solid silver, with the location and date the couple first met in 1976 engraved into the base of the statuette. Additionally, latitudinal, and longitudinal coordinates mark the precise location. Discreetly etched into the base of the black carbon fiber Spirit of Ecstasy which graces the prow of the Rolls-Royce Dawn Black Badge, is the date and location where the couple wed in 1981.
Phantom Tempus: One of 20 for Glenn L. Moss Sr
The exterior of Mr. Moss’ Phantom Tempus is presented in a bright and stunning Crystal over Arctic White. The couple chose the bright color to signify the light and infinite nature of time in their marriage. This brilliant finish is highlighted by a hand-painted black coachline, and detailing.
Upon opening the coach doors, an illuminated treadplate reads, ‘Phantom Tempus Collection — Hand built in Goodwood England for Glenn L. Moss Sr.’ The interior of the Moss Phantom Tempus carries over the ‘light’ theme with Arctic White hand-crafted leather offset by black highlights, piping, and contrast stitching. The fascia is finished in black Sparkle Piano reminiscent of the deep darkness of space glittering with the timeless brightness of the constellations.
Rolls-Royce Dawn Black Badge: Bespoke for Gigi Moss
In addition to creating a very personal Phantom Tempus, Mr. Moss asked the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars to create a singular Rolls-Royce Dawn Black Badge for Mrs. Moss. With an exterior finish of Crystal over Bright Red, the vibrant swathe of color stands in stark contrast to the bright white hues of the Phantom Tempus. Equipped with a Bespoke Aero Cowling, the four-seater convertible quickly and stylishly transforms into a sleek two-seater roadster.
The Spirit of Ecstasy that adorns the bonnet is milled from black, high-gloss carbon fiber. This transformation to a darker aesthetic extends to certain chrome surfaces including the front grille surround, luggage compartment lid finisher, exhaust pipes and air inlet finisher. The ‘Double R’ signifiers on the Rolls-Royce badges are inverted in color, a key signifier that this car is a Rolls-Royce Black Badge model, representing the alter ego of the brand. The car’s rims are created using 22 layers of carbon fiber folded and formed to provide an aggressive style.
Complementing the treadplate of Phantom Tempus, the treadplate for this Dawn Black Badge reads ‘Hand built in Goodwood England for Gigi Moss’. The hand-crafted interior of the car is finished in full natural grain leather with black highlights and piping. The Rolls-Royce monogram is embroidered on each headrest as is the ‘Unlimited’ infinity logo which is embroidered on the Dawn’s upholstery. The centrepiece of the Black Badge cabin is the aerospace-grade, aluminum-threaded carbon fiber composite surfacing material. The air vents are darkened using the Physical Vapor Deposition process. This surfacing method is utilized to ensure that the parts will neither discolor nor tarnish over time.
This Rolls-Royce Dawn Black Badge commission provides a stunning, darker ‘alter-image’ to the light and infinite nature of Phantom Tempus, leaving the couple with a lasting memory of their very special relationship.
Phantom Tempus Collection
The design of the Phantom Tempus Collection encompasses various aesthetic and intellectual themes relating to time and the cosmos. A key component is a rare astronomical phenomenon, the pulsar, unknown until 1967 and found only in the deepest reaches of space (the nearest yet discovered is 280 light years, or 1,680 trillion miles, from Earth). These very dense, white-hot stars emit electromagnetic radiation in extremely regular pulses, making them some of the most accurate clocks in the universe.
In the Phantom Tempus Collection, this remarkable force of nature is rendered as a centerpiece in a Bespoke Starlight Headliner consisting of fiber-optic lighting and intricate Bespoke embroidery, creating the unique and beautiful Pulsar Headliner.
Another aspect of time – the illusion of its standing still – is captured in the ‘Frozen Flow of Time’ Gallery. This unique artwork is housed in the fascia from which the clock is deliberately omitted to signify patrons’ freedom from time and its limitations. A single billet of aluminum is milled to form 100 individually contoured columns, representing the 100-million-year period of a rotational spin of a pulsar star. Each column is black-anodized and hand-polished to reflect the light and set against an Arctic White background. As the eye travels along it, the whole structure, though entirely solid, appears to ripple and flex.
A description of the Gallery can be found on an engraved plaque in the glove compartment, together with a quotation from Albert Einstein, “The distinction between past, present, and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion”.
A swirling, twisting pattern of stars is presented on the interior of the doors. Created by hundreds of illuminated perforations, additional perforations in contrasting leather add a greater depth and detail to the effect, providing an atmospheric aura even when not illuminated.
ROLLS-ROYCE MARKS WORLD BOOK DAY WITH ‘MAKING A LEGEND’
Rolls-Royce celebrates UNESCO World Book Day on 23 April 2021 with Making A Legend
The new book explores the unique blend of hand-craftmanship, and world-class technology embodied in the present generation of Rolls-Royce motor cars
Authors Simon Van Booy and Harvey Briggs granted exclusive behind-the-scenes access with photographer Mariano Vilarós at Rolls-Royce’s Global Centre of Luxury Manufacturing Excellence at Goodwood
Foreword provided by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Chief Executive, Torsten Müller-Ötvös
Hardcover, 296 pages, full-colour photographs throughout; now available from all good retailers
“When the authors approached us with their proposal for this book, we welcomed them with open arms. Simon and Harvey are both distinguished writers with great perceptiveness, integrity and enthusiasm. They joined us at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, West Sussex, where we gave them our full support, granting access to whatever and whoever they wanted to see and talk about. Their words, combined with the images captured by Mariano Vilarós, make this a definitive history of the marque, right up to and including, the present day. Its publication represents a worthy addition to the literature of Rolls-Royce, a fine celebration of our unique products and people, and a perfect book with which to acknowledge World Book Day.” – Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
Rolls-Royce marks the UNESCO World Book and Copyright Day with Making A Legend – a new book exploring how today’s generation of Rolls-Royce motor cars is designed and handcrafted at Rolls-Royce’s Global Centre of Luxury Manufacturing Excellence in Goodwood, England.
An important and worthy addition to the extensive Rolls-Royce literary canon, Making A Legend takes in a broad sweep of the company’s history, featuring cars from the marque’s very earliest days in the 1900s, right up to new Ghost launched in 2020.
The book provides an intimate, highly contemporary account of life at the house of luxury, with the aim of connecting readers with the people who make the best car in the world. The narrative follows the process of transforming a customer’s idea into a finished product, through interviews with individuals from all departments including Bespoke designers, skilled craftspeople and assembly specialists.
Over almost 300 lavishly illustrated pages, every detail of how a Rolls-Royce motor car is designed, engineered and meticulously hand-built, is examined. Chapters include Design and Customization, Paint and Finish, Chassis Assembly, Woodwork, Leather and Testing; there is also an entire section devoted to the Spirit of Ecstasy, the figurine that has graced the bonnet of Rolls-Royce motor cars for over 100 years.
Emmy-winning automotive journalist Harvey Briggs, novelist Simon Van Booy and photographer Mariano Vilarós were granted unprecedented behind-the-scenes access to Rolls-Royce’s facilities and people over several months before the Covid-19 pandemic struck.
Briggs, who grew up in America’s Motor City, Detroit, and has reviewed every new Rolls-Royce model since Wraith in 2013, recalls being surprised at how much work is still performed by hand, even in the assembly process. He was also struck by the level of innovation in today’s Rolls-Royce motor cars, and the marque’s commitment to delivering impeccable quality.
Harvey Briggs commented, “The first time I visited Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, I was in awe of the exceptional creativity and skill of the people who design and build these remarkable cars. I knew I had to tell those stories.”
Simon Van Booy added, “The friendly perfectionism for craft, displayed by everyone we interviewed and Mariona photographed, was inspiring to the point where we knew the book had to be something rare and marvelous and functional – rather like a Rolls-Royce itself.”
Organized by UNESCO, World Book and Copyright Day celebrates the role of books and reading as a link between the past and the future, the bridge across generations and cultures. The date, 23rd April, is symbolic in world literature, marking the deaths of playwright and poet William Shakespeare, the creator of Don Quixote, Miguel de Cervantes, and the early Peruvian writer, Inca Garcilaso de la Vega.
Making A Legend is published in hardback by ACC Art Books, and is now available from all good retailers including Amazon.
“Every Bespoke Rolls-Royce represents a unique expression of the clients’ personal passions and character. We have had the privilege of working with Mr. and Mrs. Sloss on several previous commissions and were delighted to create a Cullinan Black Badge to augment an already impressive collection. This magnificent interpretation of our all-conquering SUV is a true work of art that captures their passion for racing, luxury, and automotive excellence. Mr. and Mrs. Sloss are highly discerning patrons with a clear vision and exacting standards. In their new Cullinan, as with all their Rolls-Royce motor cars, there is no compromise between style, luxury, and performance. We are delighted they have chosen to share their creation with the wider world.”
-Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
Ben & Christine Sloss, car enthusiasts by day and endurance racers on the weekends, took delivery today of their latest Bespoke Rolls-Royce commission from Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Los Gatos.
The Sloss’s new Cullinan Black Badge is finished in a unique Bespoke colorway, Pikes Peak Blue, created to their personal specification by the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective. The name is an homage to the legendary Colorado hill-climb, which is one of their favorite races. Combined with the vivid flashes of Forge Yellow on the hand-painted coachline, wheel-centre pinstripes and brake callipers, it carries the colors of the flag of Modena, the northern Italian province, and the livery carried by all the couple’s racing cars.
The Black Badge variant brings out the darker, edgier, more assertive side of Cullinan’s character. Mr. and Mrs. Sloss’s car includes the signature silver-on-black ‘RR’ monogram, dark window surrounds and custom two-tone Black Badge wheels. To underline the car’s performance credentials, the iconic Spirit of Ecstasy atop the dark Pantheon grille is milled from a solid billet of carbon fibre. Greeting the driver upon opening the front doors are personalized Black Badge tread plates designed to match the Black Badge logo. Each plate underwent a precise Physical Vapor Deposition coating process in Black, and then was engraved to reveal the silver metal of the client’s name – Benjamin on the Driver’s side, Christine on the Passenger’s side.
Inside, the seats are hand-crafted in navy-blue leather with accent stitching and monograms in Forge Yellow; similar contrast highlights appear on the fascia, door pockets and even the face of the brushed metal Bespoke clock. The Bespoke Technical Clock was created with Navy Blue Anodized brushed stainless steel surround and accented with Forge Yellow. The subtle accents with Forge Yellow highlights were developed especially for Mr. Sloss’s project to harmonize with the dark blue interior scheme. Each door panel is adorned with Mrs. Sloss’s personal racing logo – a stylized stiletto in embroidered leather – created by Mrs. Sloss and interpreted by a Bespoke specialist who previously worked as a shoe designer.
The Cullinan Black Badge perfectly complements the Bespoke Dawn Black Badge the Collective created for Mr. Sloss in 2018. In this spectacular example of the world’s most sociable drophead coupé, the color scheme is reversed, with the principal bodywork finished in bright yellow, and the bonnet and coachline in Pikes Peak Blue. The couple’s love of the open sky and Rolls-Royce elegance also carries over to Mrs. Sloss’s own two-tone Dawn.
BACKGROUND: BEN & CHRISTINE SLOSS
Black Badge Cullinan, Black Badge Dawn, Dawn, Wraith
“Our Rolls-Royce story began here at Pebble Beach in 2014 when we were looking for a two-door coupe with four useable seats for adults,” comments Ben Sloss. “Brands such as Aston Martin or Bentley do not offer anything suitable. When we saw the Rolls-Royce Wraith, we loved the style and elegance of the coupe, and when we took it for test drive we were impressed (really, startled) by how well it accelerated and handled, in addition to the sublime ride quality and materials we already associated with the Rolls-Royce brand. The Wraith offered a unique combination of luxury car experience and sports car performance, and we fell in love with it on the spot.”
Ben’s wife Christine subsequently commissioned a Rolls-Royce Dawn, a motorcar that quickly became her daily driver. “You can tell which are the favorite cars in our family by the mileage they have on them,” comments Mrs. Christine Sloss. “My Dawn has over 13,000 miles on the clock, because both Ben and I drive it regularly, and we enjoy its open-air experience so much that Ben decided he wanted one too.”
“Christine and I are both gentleman… err, gentleperson racing drivers, competing in endurance races in GT racing cars, and many of our street cars are two-seater supercars with a very distinctive and personal livery,” continues Ben Sloss. “Michael Fux showed me that Rolls-Royce’s craftspeople could create completely personal, outrageous but beautiful colour schemes, and when I heard about the sportier Dawn Black Badge, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to commission a very personal Rolls-Royce.”
Ben Sloss Dawn Black Badge
Through the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Los Gatos dealership, Ben Sloss worked closely with the Bespoke Collective at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood to realize his vision for his perfect personal Rolls-Royce. His motor-racing pursuits led him to the more driver-focused Dawn Black Badge as the canvas for his vision, a reinterpretation of the livery on the couple’s racing cars.
“Our racing cars carry the colors of the flag of Modena in Northern Italy. I wanted to see what Rolls-Royce could do with those same colors,” comments Mr. Sloss. “The first time I saw the livery the Rolls-Royce team had created for the Dawn, I burst out with “O my God, that’s unreal– I love it!!’ It’s outrageous, it’s over the top… it’s perfect. I still grin every time I see it.”
The Bespoke Collective set to work reinterpreting the color scheme into Rolls-Royce design language, creating two new bespoke paint colors for the exterior of his Dawn Black Badge. The intense deep yellow that adorns the main bodywork has been named ‘Superflare’ due to its radiance under the California sun, whilst it is contrasted with the darkest of navy blues named Pikes Peak Blue, due to Mr. Sloss’ interest in the king of timed hill climbs. A further flash of Superflare yellow offsets the black of the 21” carbon fibre and aluminium wheel.
The same color scheme is continued throughout the interior of Mr. Sloss’ Dawn Black Badge, with the seats, dashboard, tonneau cover and rear seat waterfall clad in Navy Blue leathers, highlighted with Bright Yellow seat piping, stitched RR headrest logos and unique to Black Badge model infinity logo between the rear seats. The yellow theme continues in the cabin with a yellow flash along the door interiors, two-tone Navy Blue and Bright Yellow steering wheel and an exclusively developed Bright Yellow pinstripe applied to the Piano Milori Blue wood dashboard, the first use of Milori Blue outside the one-off customer Phantom, ‘Whispered Muse’, shown at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show. Mr Sloss’ Dawn Black Badge is finished with a Navy Blue, leather-clad Aero Cowling enclosing the rear seats.
“The events of the past year have caused many people, not least our clients, to re-evaluate their sense of, and relationship with, Time. At a moment in history when so much in life seems ephemeral, our patrons are seeking solace in the unique timelessness, longevity and permanence offered by a Rolls-Royce motor car.
It is thus the perfect moment for Phantom Tempus Collection – a magnificent incarnation of our pinnacle product, inspired by a mysterious celestial phenomenon and Time, which Albert Einstein, one of the greatest minds in human history, defined as a persistent illusion.
As we all know, Time never stands still, waits for no one. Hence, we manage it, guard it, account for it, weigh and measure it to its smallest fraction. With Phantom Tempus, we have created a space in which those structures no longer apply – as illustrated by the deliberate absence of a clock. Rolls-Royce clients are not bound by Time; the outside world with all its pressures and demands are forgotten.
Phantom Tempus is a motor car for those who shape the world as they seek their own place in the universe. They understand that whatever our individual gifts, talents and opportunities, we’re all given Time – and it is up to us to make the most of every moment.”
Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
Rolls-Royce Phantom, the marque’s pinnacle product, which resides at the apex of the luxury world, has today become the subject of an exclusive and rare collection, the Phantom Tempus Collection. This arresting new iteration of Phantom is inspired by Time – how it passes, and how it can be made to seemingly stand still. The Collection is strictly limited to just 20 examples, all of which have already been allocated to clients.
The design of the Phantom Tempus Collection encompasses various aesthetic and intellectual themes relating to time and the cosmos. A key component is a rare astronomical phenomenon, the pulsar, unknown until 1967 and found only in the deepest reaches of space (the nearest yet discovered is 280 light years, or 1,680 trillion miles, from Earth). These very dense, white-hot stars emit electromagnetic radiation in extremely regular pulses, making them some of the most accurate clocks in the universe.
In Phantom Tempus, this remarkable force of nature is rendered as a center piece in a Bespoke Starlight Headliner consisting of fibre-optic lighting and intricate Bespoke embroidery, creating the unique and beautiful Pulsar Headliner.
Another aspect of time – the illusion of its standing still – is captured in the ‘Frozen Flow of Time’ Gallery. This unique artwork is housed in the fascia from which the clock is deliberately omitted to signify patrons’ freedom from time and its limitations. A single billet of aluminum is milled to form 100 individually contoured columns, representing the 100-million-year period of a rotational spin of a pulsar star. Each column is black-anodized and hand-polished to reflect the light. As the eye travels along it, the whole structure, though entirely solid, appears to ripple and flex.
A description of the Gallery can be found on an engraved plaque in the glove compartment, together with a quotation from Albert Einstein, “The distinction between past, present, and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion“.
A swirling, twisting pattern of stars is presented on the interior of the doors. Created by hundreds of illuminated perforations, additional perforations in contrasting leather add a greater depth and detail to the effect, providing an atmospheric aura even when not illuminated.
The exterior of the Phantom Tempus Collection is presented in a new Bespoke paint finish, Kairos Blue, created to embody the darkness and mystery of space. The paint incorporates jewel-like blue mica flakes, which glitter and glint as they catch the light, representing the stars. This effect is highlighted by black exterior detailing.
Gracing the bonnet of Phantom Tempus is the Spirit of Ecstasy, now in her 110th year, personalized with a unique date and location of particular significance to the client. A marriage, the birth of a child or even a major business success, can be engraved as a timeless reminder on the base of the iconic figurine.
As a finishing flourish, a unique accessory has been developed to accompany the Collection. Based on the widely acclaimed Rolls-Royce Champagne Chest, the Tempus Champagne Chest incorporates a distinctive element of the Collection. A pulsar artwork is hand-painted onto the table, below which, the perfectly appointed chest houses thermal flasks for chilling both champagne and caviar, four hand-blown crystal champagne flutes arranged to evoke the cylinders of a V12 engine and a fine mother-of-pearl caviar spoon.
In response to continuing travel restrictions and limitations on face-to-face interactions in dealerships, Rolls-Royce has created a Virtual Reality presentation for Phantom Tempus, accessible via the Google Cardboard app. Providing patrons with a fully immersive, 360° walkaround of the Collection’s interior and exterior, clients are able to relish Phantom Tempus’ extraordinary presence at a time to suit them, wherever they are in the world.
Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, concludes, “Phantom is our pinnacle product, so producing a Collection Car is always a supremely important moment for us and our clients. With Phantom Tempus, our sources of inspiration are on appropriately grand scale: time, deep space, and a theoretical physicist who changed the way we see the universe and our place within it. That all 20 cars have already been reserved indicates that these are themes that truly resonate with our patrons around the world.”
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is also pioneering and celebrating the return of the radical Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100 – codenamed 103EX – to the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood – the latest stop on a world tour for the marque’s revolutionary electric motor car. This groundbreaking all-electric Rolls-Royce experimental model comes home to Goodwood after touring the globe for almost four years. The Car will be displayed at the company’s headquarters to underline marque’s commitment to future developments in electric power.
In honor of the newly unveiled Wraith Kryptos Car Collection, Rolls-Royce launches an entertaining and interactive online game, for members of the public and enthusiasts around the world to enjoy. On top of just being an enjoyable and unique game, ten lucky players who complete the game first will win their very own personalized Rolls-Royce tread plate.
The Wraith Kryptos Collection was revealed at the beginning of July and has been exciting cryptography lovers and automobile admirers ever since. Consisting of just 50 examples, these very special motor cars have cryptic messages embedded within the fabric of the car. Finally, once car-owners decipher the code, they are invited to submit their findings to Rolls-Royce’s highly exclusive members’ club, the Whispers Application.
The online game has been devised to entertain and amuse Rolls-Royce enthusiasts who may not have the Wraith Kryptos Collection vehicle themselves. Anyone with a penchant for cryptography and luxury cars may enter the challenge. Consisting of four different levels, players are initially invited to guide an orb through a maze by tilting their mobile device in the direction they wish to travel, in a time-pressured challenge. Next, a series of questions will reveal just how keen the cryptographer player really is. The third level will test the observation skills of the participant. The final phase consists of cryptographic ciphers, designed to boggle players’ minds.
For the new Wraith Kryptos Collection, Rolls-Royce invites clients to decipher encrypted messages within unique new Collection Car
Rolls-Royce Collection Cars are poetic embodiments of artistry and skill, envisioned at the hands of the marque’s accomplished designers. They are illustrative of the Bespoke Collective’s mastery of their craft, and extremely limited in number. Incorporating only the finest materials and contemporary applications, Rolls-Royce Collection Cars are executed with creative passion and technical precision. These cars capture clients’ imaginations around the world, joining the chronicles of some of the greatest and most storied Rolls-Royces ever to have been created.
Design is naturally the starting point for these endeavours. For the new Wraith Kryptos Collection, one designer’s passion for cryptography led to Wraith becoming a willing canvas for an intricate and clandestine design. The Wraith Kryptos Collection, which will consist of just 50 motor cars, incorporates a labyrinth of complex ciphers into its beguiling façade.
Rolls-Royce Bespoke Designer, Katrin Lehmann, said, “The name Kryptos is derived from Ancient Greek, referring to something unseen, hidden and coded, mythical even. Ciphers can be traced through millennia, capturing the imagination of some of the world’s most brilliant minds. As a designer, I’ve always been fascinated by the notion that you can communicate messages that are understood by only an elite few, using symbols, pictograms, and ciphers. Finding the key becomes integral to appreciating the full meaning of an item that can otherwise be viewed simply as a work of art.”
The Wraith Kryptos Collection carries within it an encrypted cipher that evolves throughout the car for the clients’ pleasure and amusement, leading them on a journey of discovery and intrigue. To the uninitiated, these ciphers appear, on the surface at least, to be an alluring design purely for aesthetic purposes and devoid of any discernible pattern. However, for those that look closer, those few who hold the key, they will embark on an experience that leads to an enlightening conclusion.
Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, said, “The brilliant and creative minds of our Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective have excelled once again, creating an extraordinarily contemporary and compelling iteration of Wraith. The Wraith Kryptos Collection is a statement of dynamism. On closer examination, a series of messages are hidden behind a unique Rolls-Royce cipher. I look forward to seeing whether any of our clients will crack the code!”
As a matter of fact, the code is so secret that only the designer and the CEO at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood know the full resolution of the sequence. The answer has been placed in a sealed envelope, in the safe of the CEO, at the Home of Rolls-Royce, in Goodwood, West Sussex. Clients will be invited to submit their efforts at cracking the code via the members only Rolls-Royce mobile app, Whispers.
The cryptographic journey begins with the Spirit of Ecstasy, which has graced the bonnet of the marque’s motor cars for over a century. An engraving with green enamel detailing introduces the Rolls-Royce cipher on the base of the enigmatic figurine. Below, recrafted bumper inserts draw the eye lower, subtly modifying both the gesture and posture of Wraith, giving this Collection an identity of its own.
The alluring colors offered in the collection hints at the car’s inner-most secrets. Delphic Grey, a Bespoke exterior hue consisting of a solid Anthracite base colour has a hidden effect – only in sunlight do the blue and green mica flakes appear. This effect is accentuated by a hand-painted double coachline, the upper being painted in the newly developed Kryptos Green while the lower acts as a shadow in Dark Grey, both depicting clues relating to the interior code. Completing the exterior aesthetic are part polished wheels, with Orbit Grey coloured centres featuring a coloured pinstripe.
Inside, stepping over the illuminated treadplates, the cipher evolves deep into the fabric of the motor car. One is immediately greeted by the accented Bespoke Kryptos Green leather hue, which has been developed to incorporate a metallic effect, set against either Selby Grey or Anthracite. In perhaps the most apparent clue, elements of the cipher are embroidered into Wraith’s headrests, where the customary ‘double-R’ emblem can so often be found. For the driver’s enjoyment, an intriguing screen print flows across the metal fascia, spanning the width of the interior.
Rolls-Royce is delighted to unveil this new generation of Collection Car; one that brings with it an entertaining challenge that will be sure to delight.
As of late, 360 MAGAZINE had an opportunity to glide through the five Burroughs of NYC in an all-terrain super-luxury SUV during the Holiday Season.
Unassuming and illustrious are the best words to describe the 2020 Rolls-Royce Cullinan SUV. Worth its weight in gold! Approximately priced around $394,275, it’s the most expensive off-roader in it’s class and by far the most luxurious in the world.
Design
Handcrafted from the soil up, every nook and cranny has the Rolls-Royce stamp of approval. The overall shell of the vehicle is sleek and seamless. Every pillar and appointment makes perfect sense. Outside, the frontfasia is bodacious with integrated laser headlights and a pronounced grill. The Spirit of Ecstasy (SoE) sits on the hood and is retracts at a moment’s notice. 22″ inch part polished wheels and tires have a weighted emblem in the middle so as the car rolls (no wordplay intended) it stays center so there’s no mistaking who fabricated this monster. Swooping lines lead towards the back wisease. At first glance, it’s profile is somewhat reminiscent of an Range Rover Autobiography. On the sides, are LED parking lights. Boxy, beautiful yet masculine. At the rear, are gem-like light fixtures with turning signals. The boot has a clamshell tailgate which opens up and out with dual doors.
Push the button on the door knob to enter. Right before you enter the cabin, you are greeted by illunlminated ‘Cullinan’ treadplates alongside of lambswool floor mats. Even if the interior lights aren’t on, the Charles Blue interior leather seats are just as magnetic as Angelina Jolie’s electric eyes. One will feel like they’re swimming in Bali at Geger Beach wrapped by a navy blue beach towel in leather. Equally drowned by a sea of blue, the moonroof unveils the sky like a drophead, making the cabin feel more open and airy. Literally two to three people can promote their entire bodies out of the dual panel sunroof. It’s definitely one of the largest in its segment hands-down. Per usual, all of the appointments are wrapped in leather and stainless steel as easily as every headrest is embossed by SoE. Classic dials throughout and an analog clock sits on the dashboard with the same kind of realness as Big Ben in London.
Continue along to the back seats, the same luxurious integrity is apparent with large screens with trays which go flush. Instead of a back panel window in the trunk space, it’s laid right on side of back passengers. All of the rear windows possess dark tempered glass fit for the likes of the Queen herself, Beyoncé. As we dropped a passenger off at the Hard Rock Hotel in Time Square, tons of bystanders huddled around to take pictures.
Technology
Once again, the BMW’s iDrive system is dominant in the infotainment unit. The knob toggles through various screens, but this season they have a concierge which makes it a tad easier to locate and designate a destination – similar in type to Lexus Enform. Eight different settings for driver/passenger massages – excellent way for a driver to refresh during a long road trip.
During these colder months, the steering, arm rests and seats are heated. And, if you haven’t received a formal crash course on your Cullinan, you can refer to the animated digital owner’s manual which can easily search many of its amenities. The custom Rolls-Royce signature audio system has tweeters, floor subwoofers and enough watts to make you thump like you’re at a rock concert.
Safety
With more bells than whistles, you won’t leave a lane or come close to a dinging anything on this vehicle. The over the head 360 panoramic backup cam gives you a spaceage Jetson POV of what’s around the vehicle at all times. Night vision with heat detectors can help you navigate through woodsy areas without hitting a deer. In the urban center, we were alerted while behind a school bus – cameras came about when pedestrians accosted the vehicle’s walk around radius. Moreover, with a reinforced steel skeleton and airbags virtually for every piece of your body, you’re pretty safe in this vehicle.
Performance
Weighing in at around 5,863 lbs, this V12 turbo is more than powerful. With 570 HP and 627 pound-ft of torque, this SUV plows. Of course, the AWD allows you to claw corners and steering provides you with turning capabilities as if you’re in a sportscar. We pounded the asphalt and it felt like we could conquer 0-60 mph in less than 4.9 minutes while we entered the Garden State Parkway. There’s a reason why RR makes airplane engines because we felt like we were flying! Mentioning mpg makes no sense if you’re purchasing an automotive beast like this one – but here you go – 12 city / 20 highway.
Conclusion
If you’re in the market to floss and experience what many will never – this car should make it onto your bucket list. Out of all the Rolls-Royce tribe, this is the most practical as you can apply it for everyday use as well as a red carpet experience.
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 forcollectors of luxury to obtain anitemthatis truly atitsapex.In the context of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, these rare moments present themselvesapproximatelyonceevery 10 years.At Rolls-Royce,we celebrate ultimate craftsmanship and perfection, and when better to do sothanwhen celebrating the success and global adorationthat has been lavished on one of ourmotor carsduring itslife.
It is in this vein that, as Ghost approaches the end of its remarkable ten yeartenure,the marqueoffersto collectorsan extremely limited Zenith Collector’s Edition of Rolls-Royce Ghost.The Collectionof just 50 Zenithswill celebrate the timeless elegance of anameplatethat 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 onlypreviousoccasionon which discerning collectors around the world have been afforded thisprivilegewaswhenan equallylimited number of Phantom VII Zeniths werecreatedin 2016to celebrate the end of itsextraordinarilylong andsuccessfulreign. These motor cars immediately became highlycollectable andsought after, re-setting the barof luxuryand in doing so, creating a modern legend.
Ghost is aluxury iconthat carrieswith itarich andextraordinary past.FromtheSilver Ghost, the motor car that established the moniker of ‘The Best Car in the World’over one hundred years ago, to200EX, theexperimentalcar thatintroducedthe concept ofa contemporary expression of this nameplateat the Geneva Motor Show in 2008,Ghosthas offeredpatrons of the marque amodern, lithe anddriver–focused Rolls-Royce. Whenproduction ofGhost beganin 2009,patronsacross the world were drawn to its elegant lines and dynamic offering and itquickly became,and remainsto this day,the most successful Rolls-Roycemotor carever to be built, attractinganew groupof young entrepreneurs to the marque.Indeed, the reduction in average age ofaRolls-Royce customer to around 43 is in part testamentto Ghost’sglobalsuccess.
Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, commented,“TheGhost ZenithCollectionpresents an entirely forward-looking study of the unique characteristics that haveseen Ghost ascend to the status of the most progressive super-luxury saloon ever conceived.This unique Collection provides patrons of the marque witha rareopportunity to own amotor cartrulyevocative of our time. Ghost is the most successfulRolls-Royce ever created and theZenithCollection marks an important milestone in ourmodernhistory.”
When shown at Geneva in 2008,200EX introduced aconceptthat was both driver and passenger focused. The Ghost Zenith Collection draws many references from 200EX, with perhaps the mostsignificant being the inclusion of acommemorativeingot, made from the original 200EX Spirit of Ecstasy, melted down and set intothe centre consoleof each of the 50Zeniths. Engraved with thethreekeydesignlines of Ghost,theplaque details its significant origins.The Collection’s own Spirit of Ecstasyand clock areengraved with the name of this highly anticipated collection.
Furthermore, 200EX isimmortalizedin acomplexengraving on the centre consoleof Ghost Zenith.A blueprint inspired artworkenlarged to apoint of abstraction has beendivided into 50distinct parts,allowing each GhostZenithcustomer theirown personaland individualwork of art, while at the same time uniting the collection as a group homage to Ghost.
One’seye is naturally drawn to theinterior of theCollection’s doors,owing to theilluminated door pockets.Ambient light emits throughperforated leatherenhancingthe 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 legendarywood shop.Availablein eitherwood, Technicalfibre or piano finished veneer, the door marquetrytransitionsfromthe driver’ssuiteto passengersuite, emphasizing the dual nature to Ghost.
Members of the Bespoke Collective from the Home of Rolls-Royce’sleather shoptoo have beenperfectingtheir art. The rear seatsfeatureembroiderythattakes its inspiration from the seatdetails of the original1907Silver Ghost.This embroidery elegantly transitions from the rear to the front of the cabin, and inthe case of the Extended WheelbaseZenith, the headliner thrustspurposefully 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 StandardWheelbase will experience an extraordinary phenomenon.The famed starlight headliner is presented in a unique ShootingStar configuration. Shooting starsfireat randomacross the cabinroof, 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 takesona new interpretation of its own–aspecialtwo-tone application with a gloss–contrast paint finish. Patrons mayselectthreedifferent colour-ways, Iguazu Blue with Andalusian White, Premiere Silver with Arctic White or a daring Bohemian Red with Black Diamond, with multiplevariantsavailable highlighting the flexibility of the model. The Silver Satinbonnet was first seen on 200EX.
Theseextraordinary motor cars, which represent the final opportunity to acquire thislandmark,transformative luxury product,are currently beinghand-crafted at The Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, West Sussex, an establishment recognised asthe world’s premiereGlobal Centre ofLuxuryManufacturing Excellence. The order books for this seminal Collection will close imminently.
From Kings and Queens to entrepreneurs, many of the most prominent and wealthy collectors of the 20thand 21stcentury have been beguiled by the lure of a Fabergé Egg. With just 50 pre-1917 Imperial Eggs completed, these exceptionally precious creations are some of the most valuable and coveted objects ever to have been made.
Now, in a contemporary fashion, a new Fabergé Egg has been created. Two of the world’s most esteemed houses of luxury have joined forces to create one unique objet d’art, for one discerning patron. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and Fabergé proudly announce the ‘Spirit of Ecstasy’ Fabergé Egg.
For the first time in history, an iteration of the Spirit of Ecstasy, the enigmatic mascot that has adorned Rolls-Royce motor cars since1911, is cocooned in an exquisite, contemporary, Fabergé Egg. The design, conceived by Rolls-Royce Designers Stefan Monro and Alex Innes and rendered by Fabergé Lead Designer Liisa Talgren, has been brought to life by Fabergé workmaster Paul Jones, creating a contemporary interpretation of one of the world’s most fabled and prized possessions.
The commissioning of a Rolls-Royce motor car is often a seminal moment for the patron, so too is the commissioning of a Fabergé Egg. Indeed, this ‘Spirit of Ecstasy’ Fabergé Egg, the second to be commissioned in the ‘Imperial Class’ since 1917 – a category reserved only for Fabergé’s most illustrious creations – celebrates the history, heritage and legend for which both Rolls-Royce and Fabergé have been revered over more than a century. Both brands have navigated the vicissitudes of time and continue to produce the apogee of modern, highly sought after, true luxury items. The Egg is destined for the residence of a great collector of both brands.
The Egg connects the elements that lie at the very core of each marque – the Spirit of Ecstasy, the illustrious muse that has guided each Rolls-Royce motor car for over a century, and the form of a Fabergé Egg, the pinnacle of ornamental expression. The masterpiece resulting from this distinguished collaboration reflects the extraordinary attention to detail and the consummate craftsmanship for which both brands are renowned to this day.
Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, commented, “’The Spirit of Ecstasy’ Fabergé Egg was born from an intrinsic desire to further the realms of Bespoke personalisation. Responding to the continuing demands of patrons in search of unique and cherished possessions, a designer at the House of Rolls-Royce sketched an egg, igniting a fascination that will undoubtedly become one of the most collectable items of modern times.”
A team of seven craftspeople from Fabergé undertook the challenge of fabricating the design using the finest materials married with their extraordinary skill as artist jewellers. At first glance, the Egg is unmistakable in its character. Design cues from Fabergé’s heritage are masterfully woven into the intricate design which stands at 160mm and weighs just 400g, with the Egg harnessing the ‘surprise and delight’ attributes for which Imperial Eggs are celebrated.
The Egg rests on an engine-turned, hand-engraved, purple enamel guilloché base of 18 karat white gold. Arms of rose gold define the shape of the egg, acting as a protective chamber for the Egg’s precious inhabitant. Upon operating the movement via a discreet lever at the base of the stand, a sense of theatre ensues as the boughs open to present the fine figurine of the Spirit of Ecstasy, hand-sculpted in frosted rock crystal, standing nobly in her opulent surrounds. The rose gold vanes, embellished with nearly 10 carats of round white diamonds, resolve into swathes of natural amethyst weighing over 390 carats, specially selected for its colour saturation and quality. The purple hue of the enamel and amethyst provide a playful nod to the use of colour found in Fabergé’s heritage.
The technical mastery of Fabergé prevails. The ‘Spirit of Ecstasy’ Fabergé Egg adopts a highly complex operating mechanism, conceived through computer aided design and animation, developed with micro engineering. The success of this mechanism, and in turn the piece as a whole, can be attributed to the goldsmiths’ art as craftspeople and their ability to meld this skill with technology, creating a work of art that could not be created by man alone. The piece embodies both the artistic design and engineering skill that one expects from a collaboration between Rolls-Royce and Fabergé, and has probably the most complicated opening of any Fabergé Egg to date.
Sean Gilbertson, Chief Executive Officer, Fabergé said, “A unique moment in both our companies’ history, the creation of the ‘Spirit of Ecstasy’ Egg represents the meeting of two masters of unrivalled quality and design, showcasing two globally recognised symbols – the Fabergé Egg and the Spirit of Ecstasy.”
Josina von dem Bussche-Kessell, Business Development and Global Sales Director, Fabergé added, “Two years in the making, we are very excited to unveil this special piece to our clients and partners across the globe together with Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and are proud to continue making history by creating bespoke and unique pieces such as this. The ‘Spirit of Ecstasy’ Egg marks a demonstration of the reputation that Fabergé proudly carries today.”
Fifty Imperial Easter eggs were created for the Russian Imperial family between 1885 and 1916. These creations are inextricably linked to the lives of the Romanov family. Ten eggs were produced from 1885 to 1893 during the reign of Emperor Alexander III; a further 40 were created during the rule of his dutiful son, Nicholas II, two each year – one for his mother the dowager, the second for his wife. If we explore the great archives of Rolls-Royce, we find that Tsar Nicholas II was indeed also a patron of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.
The ‘Spirit of Ecstasy’ Fabergé Egg will be premiered at the House of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, West Sussex, England, to a host of distinguished guests and venerable patrons of the marque on 23 October, 2018. The Egg will then be on public display in Fabergé’s London window this Christmastime.
