Rolls-Royce Motor Cars unveils Black Badge Wraith Black Arrow to mark the end of production of one of the most transformative motor cars in the marque’s history. This Bespoke masterpiece, limited to just 12 examples worldwide, is also the last V12 coupé Rolls-Royce will ever make as it embarks on its bold new electric era and all 12 cars have already been allocated to clients around the world. While delivery of both Wraith and Dawn commissions to the United States concluded in 2022, these twelve commissions have already found homes in other countries across the globe.
WRAITH: A CULTURAL ICON
Launched in 2013, Wraith is one of the most important and influential models ever designed and built at Goodwood. More performance-focused than its predecessors Phantom and Ghost, Wraith fundamentally altered perceptions of Rolls-Royce and brought new, younger customer groups to the brand for the first time. Its wider cultural significance is underlined by countless references to the Wraith in music, cinema, art, and fashion.
THE V12 CONNECTION
Wraith’s dramatic ‘fastback’ silhouette signaled the motor car’s dynamic intent, which was further amplified in 2016, with the introduction of Black Badge Wraith: a potent, subversive, and even more powerful expression of this transformative motor car, offering some of the highest levels of performance ever achieved by a V12-powered Rolls-Royce.
When considering how best to mark the end of the Wraith era, Goodwood’s designers and engineers took inspiration for the Black Badge Wraith Black Arrow Collection from an equally significant V12 in Rolls-Royce‘s long and storied legacy. In 1938, Captain George Eyston – whose bold, brave endeavors encapsulate the Black Badge spirit – set a world land speed record of 357.497 mph (575.335 km/h) with Thunderbolt, a seven-ton, eight-wheeled leviathan equipped with two Rolls-Royce V12 ‘R’ Series aero engines.
Thunderbolt’s record attempts took place on the legendary Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. Against the glare of the brilliant white surface, and under a blazing desert sun, the reflections from the car’s polished aluminum body made it almost impossible to tell precisely when it passed the timing equipment. Eyston’s simple but ingenious solution was to paint a large black arrow on the car’s sides, incorporating a yellow central circle motif that could be seen clearly even at high speed. This is what gives today’s Black Badge Wraith Black Arrow Collection both its name and unique historical context.
V12 LEGACY FASCIA
To commemorate Rolls-Royce’s last-ever V12 coupé, the marque’s Bespoke Collective of designers, craftspeople, and engineers collaborated to create a unique artwork for Black Badge Wraith Black Arrow’s fascia. The intricate, tactile design skillfully depicts the contemporary V12 engine in Wraith. In keeping with the Black Badge family’s noir ambience, the highly complex design – itself the product of two months of development – is engraved in a single sheet of black-coated aluminum to reveal the gleaming metal beneath, providing a bold visual link to Thunderbolt’s polished aluminum body.
RECORD CONSTELLATION
Given Thunderbolt’s record-breaking status, it is only fitting that Black Arrow incorporates a record of its own. Casting a dramatic night’s-sky ambience over the interior suite, Black Badge Wraith Black Arrow’s Bespoke Starlight Headliner incorporates 2,117 fiber-optic ‘stars’ – the greatest number ever seen in a Rolls-Royce motor car. All individually arranged by hand, the ‘stars’ depict the Milky Way as seen from vast open spaces, and the constellations precisely as they would have appeared over the Salt Flats in Utah on 16 September 1938, the date of Eyston’s final, immutable record.
Rolls-Royce Black Badge Wraith Black Arrow released via 360 MAGAZINE. Rolls-Royce Black Badge Wraith Black Arrow released via 360 MAGAZINE.
“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.
2019 saw The Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective, a team of engineers, designers and craftspeople residing at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, England, create more Bespoke motor cars than ever before in the marque’s 116 year history. Unprecedented levels of creativity, craft and imagination have brought the unique visions of the marque’s global patrons to life. Almost every one of the record 5,152 motor cars created in 2019 was respectfully tailored by this Bespoke division.
Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, commented, “I am proud to say that the craftsmen and women of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars have surpassed themselves once again in creating an array of extraordinary motor cars, tailored to the requirements of some of the most influential and discerning individuals in the world. These motor cars become unique works of art and it is an extraordinary feat when you consider that each and every single one of these unique commissions has been created on one production line at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, West Sussex – the skills of these individuals knows no bounds.”
What follows is an overview of some of the finest examples of Bespoke design and craftsmanship completed by the luxury house throughout 2019.
THE MILLION STITCH ROLLS-ROYCE
CANVAS: PHANTOM │MEDIUM: EMBROIDERY
A Stockholm-based entrepreneur with a passion for flowers challenged the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective to create a car that immersed its occupants in floral decadence. The result was the ‘Rose Phantom’: a vision made with a million embroidered stitches.
The starting point was a rose bred exclusively for Rolls-Royce by Harkness Roses. The Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, England is the only place in the world where this rose is grown.
The Peacock Blue exterior of the Rose Phantom is punctuated with a Charles Blue twinned-coachline that intertwines organically like the stem of a rose, combining to introduce the rose motif.
Inside, the marque’s fabled starlight headliner illuminates the floral scene, with roses interspersed with Peacock and Adonis Blue butterflies. As a centrepiece of the interior, Phantom’s Gallery is adorned by stems of embroidered roses climbing through the glass fronted fascia.
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars marked the close of 10 remarkable years of Ghost by creating a limited edition ‘Zenith Collection’. With just 50 Ghost Zeniths made, the car featured the highest levels of Bespoke ever seen in a Ghost Collection.
The Ghost Zenith drew references from 200EX, the experimental car that introduced the contemporary expression of the Ghost nameplate in 2009. This design was immortalized in a blueprint-inspired artwork, divided into 50 distinct parts, and engraved on the centre console of Ghost Zenith.
A commemorative ingot, made from the original Spirit of Ecstasy of 200EX, was set into the centre console of each of the cars. The Collection’s own Spirit of Ecstasy and clock are engraved with the Zenith name.
Inside, ambient lighting shines through perforated leather, while the rear seats feature embroidery inspired by the seat details of the original 1907 Silver Ghost. The Ghost Zenith Standard Wheelbase also features an extraordinary starlight headliner with a unique Shooting Star configuration. Light trails fire at random across the cabin roof, which consists of over 1,340 individual, hand-finished fibre-optic lights.
BAYSIDE DAWN AERO COWLING
CANVAS: DAWN │MEDIUM: AERO COWLING
Following the arrival of the Dawn Aero Cowling in 2018, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars paid tribute to the sea with the Bayside Dawn Aero Cowling. Commissioned by a customer in Yokohama, Japan, this maritime-themed Bespoke motor car paid homage to their seafaring home city.
This one-off model drew inspiration from yachts and speedboats, combining both technical and natural materials. Open-pore teak Canadel panelling, reminiscent of a yacht’s deck, is matched with cutting-edge technical fibre. The rear deck complements exterior paint and interior leather colours, evoking the blue seas and white sails associated with the finest traditions of Yokohama Bay.
WRAITH TEAL
CANVAS: WRAITH│MEDIUM: PAINT, EMBROIDERY
A Wraith in a rich Teal hue adopts the colours of the Arabian Sea. The interior leather colour-way is newly developed to precisely colour-match the exterior, ensuring the patron is cocooned in vibrant, luscious luxury. Contemporary architecture influences a large-scale embroidery positioned on the rear waterfall, with stitches positioned for optimum light refraction to accentuate the geometric motif.
The colourful canvas is offset with chrome controls, interior vents and speaker grilles, darkened with a PVD coating.
The Digital Soul Phantom is a study in contemporary artisanship; a fusion of human endeavour and computer-generated design. At the heart of this Carrara White with Smokey Quartz two-tone Phantom is a Gallery created by Product Designer Thorsten Franck. An individual’s characteristics are interpreted by an algorithm which translates the data into a swathe of 3D-printed stainless steel. This is then hand-polished and plated in 24-carat gold, resulting in a unique artwork that embodies jewellery, sculpture and architecture.
Gold detailing embellishes the interior of the motor car, with Gold inlays set by hand in Smoked Eucalyptus wood and gold-plated speaker grilles concluding the aesthetic.
WRAITH EAGLE VIII COLLECTION
CANVAS: WRAITH │MEDIUM: GOLD VACUUM METALIZED WOOD WITH SILVER AND COPPER INLAYS,
To mark the centenary of the first non-stop transatlantic flight by Alcock and Brown in June 1919, Rolls-Royce created 50 extraordinary Wraiths in the Wraith Eagle VIII Collection.
The story of their perilous night-time journey, propelled by Rolls-Royce Eagle VIII engines, is told using Wraith as a canvas. A unique starlight headliner with 1,183 fibre-optic lights depicts the night time sky at the time of their flight. The flight path and constellations are embroidered in brass thread and the exact moment the pair left the clouds, also illustrated in embroidery, and navigated by the stars is indicated by a red fibre-optic light.
Brass speaker covers depict the estimated 1,880-mile flight distance whilst a brass plaque engraved with Winston Churchill’s stirring quote commending the pair’s remarkable achievement adorns the driver’s door.
The Smoked Eucalyptus fascia, vacuum metalized in gold and inlaid with silver and copper, depicts a birds-eye view of the Earth at night, showing a light map of roads and homes glittering below.
HOROLOGY PHANTOM
CANVAS: PHANTOM │MEDIUM: STAINLESS STEEL AND GOLD INLAY, COACHLINE
The Horology Phantom is touched with elements redolent of fine timepieces. The car was inspired by a meeting of a Rolls-Royce Motor Cars designer and master horologists from La Chaux-de-Fonds in Switzerland, who convened to explore the complexities and exotic movements of contemporary luxury timepieces.
Set against a Gunmetal and Black two-tone exterior finish, a gold and silver hand-painted twin coachline incorporates an intricate watch-inspired design; the Spirit of Ecstasy is cloaked in 24-carat gold. Inside, the fascia features the largest stainless steel and gold inlay ever made for Phantom. Positioned below a multiple layered stainless-steel Gallery, the inlay depicts an abstract schematic of a watch movement. The Rolls-Royce clock, housed in the Gallery, is set in a solid silver, guilloché case.
The Pastel Collection, showcased at Pebble Beach, drew upon a palette of colours from this year’s ‘wildflower super-bloom’ on California’s Monterey Peninsula. Three unique Black Badge commissions brought new colours to the Rolls-Royce Bespoke palette, reaffirming the notion that a Rolls-Royce Black Badge need not necessarily be black.
The Ghost Black Badge featured a Light Green Solid finish, a pastel shade representing the rebirth of flora on the peninsula after years of drought and fire. The black leather interior features a striking Serenity Green splash, highlighting the technical fibre of the fascia.
The Dawn Black Badge, in Coral Solid, showcases a stunning Bespoke finish only achieved after seven coats of paint and more than nine hours of hand-polishing in the Surface Finish Centre at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood. The Coral colour carries over to the Aero Cowling, while the interior is finished in Artic White and Sunset, an illustration of northern California’s hills and valleys in bloom.
The third car is a Wraith Black Badge in Semaphore Yellow, a bright and sunny finish for the most powerful member of the Rolls-Royce family, complemented by a Selby Grey and Lemon interior.
FALCON WRAITH
CANVAS: WRAITH │MEDIUM: EMBROIDERY, PAINT
The Falcon Wraith features the most detailed single embroidery to ever appear in a Rolls-Royce motor car. An intricate embroidery of a Peregrine Falcon, the fastest bird in the world, is interpreted in photo-realistic detail amongst clouds on Wraith’s headlining. Consisting of nearly 250,000 stitches, the dramatic embroidery took more than one month to develop.
A unique coachline in Arctic White hints at the form of the bird’s wing, with the motif additionally embroidered between the rear seats and painted onto Wraith’s fascia.
The Arabian Gulf Phantom adopts the rich colours and historical narrative of pearl diving in the Middle East. The Turchese exterior hue is evocative of the vibrant local waters, while the Andalusian White upper two-tone recalls the purity of natural pearls, alluding to the story within. An Arctic White coachline introduces a hand-painted Nautilus shell motif that forms the basis for the car’s design.
A sculpted silk appliqué Gallery by British Artist Helen Amy Murray takes centre stage across the motor car’s fascia. Reminiscent of swelling oceans, the Turchese Gallery is punctuated by a Mother of Pearl clock.
The Nautilus shell is embroidered on Phantom’s rear doors, whilst the rear occupants may also enjoy the motif in Mother of Pearl marquetry on the picnic tables’ fascia. Once deployed, the picnic tables present a complex piece of marquetry, incorporating generously applied Mother of Pearl to the picnic table-top.
TRANQUILLITY COLLECTION
CANVAS: PHANTOM │MEDIUM: METEORITE, SPACE GRADE ALUMINIUM, GOLD PLATE
Named and crafted to celebrate the feeling of euphoric tranquillity one achieves within Phantom, this unique motor car is a curation of objects and inspirations from worlds beyond earthly bounds.
Tranquillity’s Gallery is inspired by the X-Ray coded aperture masks used on the British Skylark space rocket. The Gallery is made from stainless steel, 24-carat gold plating and space grade aluminium.
For the first time in Rolls-Royce history, meteorite has been incorporated into the interior of a car. Shavings of the Muonionalusta meteorite, which fell to earth in Kiruna, Sweden in 1906, adorn the Volume Controller, with a detailed engraving of the location and date of its discovery.
Inspired by the light and dark sides of the Moon, the interior colourway of Arctic White or Selby Grey leather integrates unique veneer combinations of gloss and satin, both with an exclusive metallic effect. Bespoke Audio speaker frets are finished in yellow gold, complementing the additional gold elements throughout the car.
A Bespoke ‘Technical’ yellow gold, vapour blasted and engraved titanium clock and engineered titanium Spirit of Ecstasy complete the aesthetic.
CULLINAN IN FUX ORANGE
CANVAS: CULLINAN │MEDIUM: PAINT
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars debuted the colourful ‘Cullinan in Fux Orange’ under the summer sun of Pebble Beach last year.
Working with the Bespoke Collective at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, West Sussex, a North American patron, Mr. Fux, challenged designers to match the exterior colour to vibrant orange shawl that had caught his eye in South Florida. The shawl was delivered to Rolls-Royce Motor Cars where a colour-matching process began. Working together for nearly a year, the teams created a seven-layer surface, polished by hand for many hours in the Surface Finish Centre.
The interior is decked in hand-crafted Arctic White leather with contrast Orange stitching and Orange Rolls-Royce ‘RR’ headrest monograms. Arctic White is carried over to the box-grain leather fascia, steering-wheel control stems and carpets. ‘Fux Orange’ fascia veneer, rear-view mirror and lambswool floor mats complete the cabin, which showcase the exacting standards brought to bear by Rolls-Royce’s craftspeople.
· Annual sales of 5,152, the highest in the marque’s 116-year history
· Sales reflect growth of 25% on 2018’s previous record of 4,107
· Significant sales growth in all regions worldwide
· Cullinan, the brand’s new SUV, makes major contribution to sales growth
· Black Badge continues to enjoy strong demand, particularly amongst younger clients
· Strong demand for Phantom, Wraith, Dawn and Ghost (in its final year of production)
· Spectacular Bespoke commissions and Collection Cars reaffirm Rolls-Royce’s status as the world’s foremost manufacturer of luxury products
· Significant new investment in manufacturing plant at the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood
· 50 new jobs created to meet expanded global demand
· Record number of Apprenticeship Programme recruits in 2019
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has delivered an historic annual sales record in 2019, with a global performance unequalled in the company’s 116-year history. A total of 5,152 cars were delivered to customers in over 50 countries around the world, an increase of 25% on the previous high set in 2018. With these historic results, Rolls-Royce continues to make a meaningful contribution to the overall performance of its shareholder, BMW Group.
Commenting on the results, Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, said: “This performance is of an altogether different magnitude to any previous year’s sales success. While we celebrate these remarkable results, we are conscious of our key promise to our customers, to keep our brand rare and exclusive. We are pleased and proud to have delivered growth of 25% in 2019. Worldwide demand last year for our Cullinan SUV has driven this success and is expected to stabilize in 2020. It is a ringing testament to the quality and integrity of our products, the faith and passion of our customers and, above all, the skill, dedication and determination of our exceptional team at the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood and around the world and our dedicated global dealer network.”
Worldwide Sales Growth
Sales grew across all regions during the year, driven by strong customer demand for all Rolls‑Royce models. The company reported significant sales growth in every one of its key global markets. North America retained top status (around a third of global sales) followed by China and Europe (including UK). Individual countries that achieved record sales results included Russia, Singapore, Australia, Qatar and Japan. In 2019, Rolls-Royce motor cars were sold in more than 50 countries worldwide through a global network of 135 dealerships. As part of its commitment to long-term sustainable growth, Rolls‑Royce announced two new dealerships during 2019 – Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Brisbane and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Shanghai Pudong. Development of the new Rolls-Royce Motor Cars flagship dealership in Berkeley Street, London – more than twice the size of the previous location – is underway and is due for launch in 2020.
Strong Demand for All Models
Phantom retains its rightful place as the company’s pinnacle product, with Dawn and Wraith continuing to dominate their respective sectors; strong demand was experienced for all three models during the year. Cullinan, the marque’s new SUV, successfully translated the media plaudits and public acclaim into the largest advance order book and fastest post‑launch sales growth of any Rolls-Royce model in history. In November 2019, the marque completed its dark, edgy Black Badge family with the addition of Cullinan Black Badge alongside Ghost, Dawn and Wraith variants, all of which were highly sought-after by customers seeking a more individual, rebellious expression of the Rolls‑Royce brand.
Cullinan: ‘Effortless Everywhere’ delivering on its promise
In its first full year of availability, Cullinan exceeded even the highest expectations raised by its successful launch. The world’s pre-eminent super-luxury SUV has become the fastest-selling new Rolls-Royce model in history. The fervor throughout the year around the arrival of Cullinan was matched only by the media and public sensation occasioned by the launch of Cullinan Black Badge, ‘The King of the Night’, in November. This completed the Black Badge family of unapologetic, dynamic products created for an emerging generation of super-luxury consumer; people who refuse to be defined by traditional codes of luxury, follow their own path and make their own rules.
Farewell to Ghost – But Not for Long!
2019 marked the end of Ghost production after 11 years of uninterrupted commercial and critical success. Since its launch at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2009, Ghost has established itself as an undisputed modern classic. The most popular Rolls-Royce model of the Goodwood era, Ghost attracted a new audience of younger, often self-made, entrepreneurial customers to the Rolls-Royce brand. An extended wheelbase version was introduced in 2011 and an updated Ghost Series II was unveiled in Geneva in 2014. The last Ghost of the current generation left the Goodwood production line at the end of 2019. Ghost has been a highly successful and vitally important car for Rolls-Royce. Over its 11-year lifecycle – a truly remarkable record for any motor car – it became the biggest-selling Rolls-Royce not just of the Goodwood era, but in the entire history of the marque. The commercial success of Ghost placed Rolls-Royce in a position to scale up its production and make the massive investments that have led to it becoming the truly global brand it is today.
Ghost’s successor is due for launch in mid-2020 after five years in development. With market availability from the fourth quarter, the successor will elevate the Ghost name, and the company itself, to new heights of excellence and ambition in design, engineering, materials and driving dynamics.
Bespoke: The Jewel in the Crown of Rolls-Royce
Global demand for Rolls-Royce Bespoke reached a new peak in 2019. The Bespoke Collective at The Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, West Sussex, comprises several hundred creative designers, engineers and craftspeople. These highly talented men and women take enormous pride in fulfilling unprecedented levels of customer requests for Bespoke personalisation and delivering on beautiful individual commissions such as the Rose Phantom. Undisputed global leaders in their pursuit of perfection, the Bespoke Collective captured the imagination of customers, enthusiasts, media and fans alike in 2019 with some of the most spectacular Collection Cars ever created in the history of the brand. Bespoke IS Rolls-Royce! Among the year’s Bespoke highlights was the Zenith Collector’s Edition of Rolls-Royce Ghost. Limited to just 50 examples, this masterpiece was created to mark the end of Ghost’s remarkable 11-year reign.
Wraith Eagle VIII celebrated the centenary of Alcock and Brown’s first non-stop transatlantic flight (powered by twin Rolls-Royce Eagle engines). Tranquillity Phantom, inspired by space exploration, features a unique Gallery inspired by the X-Ray coded aperture masks used on the British Skylark space rocket and, for the first time in a Rolls-Royce, incorporates meteorite as an aesthetic embellishment. New accessories added to the existing, much celebrated Bespoke offering included the exceptional Rolls-Royce Champagne Chest.
An Expanding Family
At more than 2,000 strong, with 50 nationalities represented, the workforce at the Home of Rolls-Royce is now at its largest since the opening of Rolls-Royce’s Global Centre for Luxury Manufacturing Excellence, in 2003. During 2020, 50 new jobs were created to meet expanded global demand.
This year’s intake of 26 new entrants on the company’s highly successful Apprenticeship Program included the first-ever Sir Ralph Robins Degree Apprenticeship candidates. Named after the ex-CEO of Rolls‑Royce plc, Sir Ralph has served as a non-executive Director of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars since its inception in 2003.
Since the launch of the Apprenticeship Program in 2006, almost 200 participants have completed a combination of hands-on practical training alongside skilled Associates and vocational training at local colleges. A number of these remarkable young men and women have gone on to hold important technical and supervisory roles within the company.
Confidence in the future
The year saw significant new investment in the manufacturing plant at the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood, reaffirming both the company’s commitment to its UK operations and its buoyant outlook for the years ahead. Projects included further refinements to the already world-class manufacturing facilities, equipment and processes, to maximize efficiency and ensure the highest levels of quality as demanded by Rolls-Royce customers. A new two-story development, due for completion in the first quarter of 2020, will add more than 1,000 square meters to the ground floor Assembly Hall, and create additional first-floor office space. In closing, Mr. Müller-Ötvös said, “There is no other company like Rolls-Royce Motor Cars: we are all conscious of what a privilege it is to design, build and deliver the best car in the world for our customers. PersonalIy, I continue to feel honored and humbled to have led this great company for the past decade.”
ROLLS-ROYCE MOTOR CARS MIAMI INTRODUCES THE ‘MIAMI COLLECTION, Six of Six’
· With the inspiration of picture perfect sceneries, the ‘Miami Collection, Six of Six’ captures the essence of Miami by day and by night.
· The Six of Six Collection is made up of three models that reflect the light, sunny and breezy days in Miami.
· The collection also features three models, which represent the reflection of the moon over Miami and the evening sparkle that provokes this magical city.
Miami days are radiant. The rays of the sun shine bright spreading the warmth of year-round summer throughout the entire city. The clear blue water and its waves move slowly in a flirtatious dance with the creamy shoreline resulting in an inevitable romance. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Miami has taken these magical motifs as inspiration in the creation of a collection of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars unique to Miami. The collection is the result of creative collaboration among the teams and exquisite execution by the House of Rolls-Royce Bespoke Design Studio in Goodwood, England. The exquisite ‘Miami Collection, Six of Six,’ was revealed today at the Southern Automotive Media Association’s annual showcase of drop heads, ‘Topless in Miami.’
Day and night, Miami is an ultra-lux wonderland. In celebration of this unique paradise, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Miami came together to design a collection that reflects just that. A variety of one of a kind motor cars that combine the sheer fascination of Miami with the ultimate in luxury and the best car in the world. The collaboration among the teams and creative execution by the House of Rolls-Royce Bespoke Design Studio in Goodwood, England resulted in the exquisite “Miami Collection”, Six of Six.
Miami by Day
The Six of Six collection is made up of three models that reflect the light, sunny and breezy days. The first three members of the collection feature Dawn, Ghost and Wraith representing Miami by day, with its overflow of sunshine and seashells, long afternoons of lounging and unwinding as the sun slowly descends and takes cover. With a classic Rolls-Royce two-tone color finish of Carrara White over Latte and 21 inch 14 spoke polished forged wheels. The Interior is appointed in Seashell leather with Oatmeal and Dark Spice accents – accents include a Bespoke two-tone steering wheel in Dark Spice and Oatmeal. The interior woodwork features Open Pore Royal Walnut throughout, including fascia, doors and rear deck of Dawn. And of course, the hand fitted leather seats are heated, ventilated and feature the Rolls-Royce front-seat massage.
Miami by Night
The second half of the collection then features three models: Dawn, Ghost and Wraith, which represent the reflection of the moon over Miami and the evening sparkle that provokes this magical city.
Miami nights are vibrant. As the sun goes down, the city sets the stage for its nightly performance of metropolitan seduction and glamour. From elegant dining to chic dance clubs, the revelation of luxury and beauty is eminent. The exterior finish features is done in Rolls-Royce Dark Indigo with 21 inch 10 spoke part polished wheels. The Interior is appointed in Sunrise leather with Purple Silk accents, Mimosa Negra Open Poor veneer has been hand-finished for the interior woodwork.
Both versions of the collection feature a hand-painted coachline, applied by Rolls-Royce master painter Mark Court in his Goodwood workshop. The Palm Tree coachline represents the umbrella of palm trees that spread shade over the sunny days and decorate the legendary nights. The motif is repeated on the Bespoke Headrests. The collection also includes Bespoke Treadplates with the Palm Tree motif and reading “The Miami Collection 1 of 6.” Each motor car has been hand assembled by the craftsmen and women at Goodwood, home of Rolls-Royce in the south of England.
Like all Rolls-Royce motor cars, all six of the collection are powered by the V-12 engine from Rolls-Royce precisely paired with an 8-speed transmission and independent air suspension designed to create the heralded ‘Rolls-Royce Magic Carpet Ride.’ Immediately recognizable by the Electrically Retracting Spirit of Ecstasy and Electronically Regulated Rolls-Royce Coach Doors with power closing assist and the iconic Self-righting Wheel Centers. Nestled into the door openings, two Integrated Teflon umbrellas are designed into each car, allowing this collection to bring the best of Bespoke to Miami.
The price of these commissions range from approximately $430,000 for Ghost to $470,000 for Dawn Miami Night edition. All six commissions will be on display and offer at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Miami, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Miami is consistently at the top level in delivering world-class customer experiences for Roll-Royce clients every year. For 2018, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Miami has been honoured as Dealer of the Year for the Americas, the largest region for the brand globally. This prestigious honour recognizes the efforts of the entire team in Miami in ensuring the experience that every Rolls-Royce Motor Car owner deserves and expects. The criteria for the recognition is consistency in delivering the ultimate luxury experience from the initial idea through the entire commissioning and ownership experience. While only a small factor in the evaluation, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Miami, part of Braman Miami, was among the top dealers in delivering Rolls-Royce commissions in 2018. This performance helped lead the brand to a record year, with 4,107 Bespoke creations leaving Goodwood, Home of Rolls-Royce, for collections worldwide.
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Beverly Hills hosted the Fourth Annual Lunar New Year: Year of the Pig Celebration presented by The Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce, Asian Business Connection Committee at the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and McLaren Beverly Hills Showroom. The event featured traditional Lunar New Year entertainment including an assortment of epicurean delights from many of the Asian and Indian cultures, extravagant performances, and spectacular surprises that added the Beverly Hills touch.
In celebration of this remarkable initiative, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars unveiled three specially-commissioned Year of the Pig Rolls-Royces commissions exclusively for their guests, including Ghost, Wraith and Dawn. The three special edition cars were on display in Lunar New Year colors including Aurum, Mugello Red, and Diamond Black. Each car featured a Rolls-Royce Year of the Pig nameplate and a hand-stitched ‘Lunar New Year’ embroidery on the headrest in Mugello Red. The vehicles are now exclusively available through Rolls-Royce Beverly Hills.
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group welcome the Lunar New Year, honoring Asian heritage with luxurious immersive moments. In celebration of the holiday, which officially starts on February 5, 2019, Mandarin Oriental properties will offer a stellar lineup of packages and offerings including a chance to experience ‘Rolls-Royce Cullinan in Red,’ the most luxurious SUV ever.
Mandarin Oriental’s properties in Boston, Miami and Washington, D.C. will ring in the Lunar New Year with Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, offering guests special access to the brand’s first-ever SUV, the ultra-luxury Cullinan. The cars will make a special appearance at each property from February 4 to 8, and will be a fortuitous red, selected for its symbolization of good luck and happiness in the Chinese culture. A Rolls-Royce White Glove Product Specialist will be onsite for drives and chauffeured rides. Guests at the Mandarin Oriental will also have the opportunity to win a week-long first-hand experience with a Rolls-Royce motor car in select U.S. luxury destinations.
To celebrate, Rolls-Royce has commissioned three special Bespoke Cullinan. Guests in Washington D.C. and Miami will have a chance to experience a splendid Cullinan in Magma Red exterior with a Tan interior, while visitors in Boston will have a chance to take a very special journey in Cullinan in Scala Red exterior and Black and Mugello Red interior. All three vehicles are hand-crafted in Goodwood, England, the Home of Rolls-Royce.
“Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and the Mandarin Oriental hotels share two very important things in common. First, a client base with exacting taste for luxury and second the ability to deliver an unparalleled luxury experience. To celebrate, especially with our Chinese clients and those who join them in welcoming a new year, is a pleasure and an honor.” Martin Fritsches, President of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Americas.
SILICON VALLEY TECH EXECUTIVE TAKES DELIVERY OF BESPOKE ROLLS-ROYCE DAWN BLACK BADGE AT PEBBLE BEACH
Benjamin Treynor Sloss, Vice President of Engineering at Google and a well-known car enthusiast, has taken delivery of a very personal Rolls-Royce Dawn Black Badge at this year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Presented to him at the Rolls-Royce Collectors Cocktail Reception on Saturday night by Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer of Rolls-Royce, this stunningly contemporary Dawn Black Badge was created in collaboration with the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective in Goodwood, England in the Slosses’ personal livery.
“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 bought a Rolls-Royce Dawn, a motor-car that has become her daily driver. “You can tell which are the favourite 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.”
“The Rolls-Royce Dawn Black Badge is the most uncompromising expression of open-top luxury in the world, and Ben’s personal vision has demonstrated that Black Badge Rolls-Royces can be some of the most beautiful statements of automotive power on the road today,” commented Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer of Rolls-Royce on presenting the car to Mr. Sloss.
The 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 colour scheme into Rolls-Royce design language, creating two new bespoke paint colours 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.
We all know that Rolls-Royce has been defining the pinnacle of luxurious automobiles since 1904. But the comfort level of the first cars were, well, not even close to what it is today, rather a rough outing. The Phantom in its eighth iteration started in 1925 as a replacement for the Silver Ghost and since then has been the top model for Rolls-Royce, hence bearing the duty of being coined the phrase Best Car in the World.
The styling of the Phantom is an evolution of the series, carefully incorporating the DNA of the past into the elegant updated shape. For the first time, the signature grill is gently curved at the top and twin chrome strips run back to the A-pillars and surrounds the windshield. The rear end has been lightened up and a chrome C-pillar garnish defines the passenger compartment. The overall feeling is that it is magnificent and cannot be anything but a Rolls-Royce. We have written before about Bespoke and explained how the owner “tailors” the car to his exact preference and taste. Hence a Phantom is a personal statement of the owner and the owner is the most important aspect of the car because he/she alone determines how his or her Phantom gets built.
The all new twin turbo V12 produces 563bhp @ 5,000rpm with 664 lb ft of torque @ 1,700rpm, more than adequate to propel the 5754lbs car from 0-60mph in 5.2 seconds. The ZF 8-speed automatic transmission is silky smooth and shifts are hardly noticeable. The new Architecture of Luxury incorporates an aluminum space frame that will be shared by all new vehicles hereafter including the Cullinan SUV coming later this year. With 4-wheel steering, Electronic Roll Control. GPS and optically monitored air suspension system reading what’s coming on the road ahead, the Phantom just glides through uneven pavement.
The new interior is something to behold. The Gallery is a glass panel that spans the entire dashboard and can display various art work or designs by commissioned artists. The instruments are displayed in front of the driver who sits holding a large diameter steering wheel that is retro in design. In fact the wood paneling, various knobs and rotary switches that operate vents, a/c and the infotainment system are elegant compared to touch panel controls. Every surface is covered in wood or leather and the aroma inside the cabin is heavenly. Enter the Phantom Suite which is now the name of the rear compartment for the Extended Wheelbase model which adds 8.6 inches to the wheelbase. The Suite is a Zen like sanctuary where it is quiet, serene and isolated thanks to 287 lbs of sound insulation making it 10% more quieter than Phantom VII. Here you can relax to multi-adjustable massage seats, gaze at the Starlight Headliner, watch the screens for movies or connect to the internet. Then open the refrigerated compartment, enjoy your chilled Champagne and drink it in the RR crystal glasses with your initials on them. If its congested outside and you’re about to miss a concert at the Met or Disney Hall, just crank up the Rolls Royce Bespoke Audio with 1300 WATTS of power and you won’t miss a thing
Peninsula Hotels, one of the must luxurious hotels in the world have been a partner with Rolls Royce by offering their guests pick up service in a Phantom. Some of the suites come with the use of a chauffeured Phantom when they stay there. Like pairing a fine wine to an exquisite dinner, the Peninsula and a Phantom are well suited for each other.
The 2018 Rolls Royce Phantom VIII is reserved for the top 1% and is a personal statement of the owner. It doesn’t come with autonomous driving feature because the ultimate auto pilot is your chauffeur. Please make mine with the Lalique crystal Spirit of Ecstasy.
For more information, please visit www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com
ADAMAS COLLECTION TAKES ROLLS-ROYCE BLACK BADGE FURTHER INTO THE DARKNESS
· Rolls-Royce unveils first Black Badge Collection of 40 Wraiths and 30 Dawns, named Adamas
· Laboratory-grown black diamonds encrust Black Badge infinity symbol
· Spirit of Ecstasy transformed in machined carbon fibre
· Carbon structure inspired Starlight Headliner features colour gradation
The Bespoke Collective of the House of Rolls-Royce has conceived a darker iteration of Black Badge Wraith and Dawn, presented in a limited Collection, named Adamas. Drawing inspiration from the name, meaning ‘untameable’, ‘invincible’ and also ‘diamond’, the Collective celebrate the darker side of contemporary craftsmanship, expertly weaving a dark aesthetic of unbreakable carbon structures into just 40 Black Badge Wraiths and 30 Black Badge Dawns. Technical fibres and molecular compounds are manipulated and recognised for their systematic, beguiling beauty.
Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce, commented, “Adamas is a Collection that fuses the extraordinary competence of our Bespoke craftspeople from the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, West Sussex, with the rebellious spirit of Black Badge. The result is a motor car for those who seek more than the definitive of engineered luxury conveyance. This is a motor car for the risk-taker who is not afraid to embrace a bold and progressive statement of true and modern luxury, in its darkest form.”
Adamas Collection
On encountering Adamas, one is immediately drawn to the Spirit of Ecstasy, who finds herself taken from the edge of darkness, into the black. She is formed for the first time in history of machined carbon fibre, personifying the very essence of the Collection.
The entrancing figure is engineered from 294 layers of aerospace grade carbon fibre, which takes 68 hours to produce with a technical weave angle of precisely 25 degrees. She confidently resides on a specially created titanium base, vapour blasted to adopt a darkened aesthetic, bearing the words ‘BLACK BADGE ADAMAS’, and the infinity logo.
One recalls the colours of the first iteration of Rolls-Royce Black Badge. The mandarin orange interior for Dawn and Cobalto Blue interior for Wraith have spread to the exterior; darkened versions of these hues envelop the body in a hypnotic Aphrodite Red over Black and Morpheus Blue over Black two-tone respectively. These are the first two-tone Black Badge cars. These colours, as though touched by darkness, have a deep colour transition, providing a mesmerising iridescent effect. Patrons are able to specify their chosen Adamas in either colourway.
Below, black grille vanes are added to the already darkened grille surround of Black Badge, underlying the sinister, untameable nature of Adamas.
Stepping inside, one’s eye is drawn to the clock, encrusted with black diamonds. Harnessing the carbon structure in its most explicit form, 88 laboratory-grown diamonds form the Black Badge infinity symbol, providing a jewellery-like reminder of the restless spirits of the inhabitants of these motor cars. Mounted upon a carbon fibre back-plate, the black diamonds are perfectly engineered to deliver exquisite clarity and colour. The face of the clock is embellished with machined aluminium chaplets and a polished aluminium inner bezel, adding dramatic detail to the contrasting white face.
Perhaps one of the most captivating expressions of technical craft is the interpretation of the diamond theme on the starlight headliner of Wraith Adamas. 1,340 individual fibre optic lights are configured as though forming the molecular structure of carbon as it becomes a diamond, presenting a motif reminiscent of a powerful spine running through the interior cabin. Available in either hue, co-ordinating perfectly with either colour scheme, the starlight headliner for the first time incorporates graded shading, using varying tones of the chosen colour palette to accentuate the subject.
Pearlescent effect leather, a Collection Car debut, echoes the exterior hue. Offset by a two tone steering wheel and accentuated by rich woven black leather on the door panniers and transmission tunnel, the interior celebrates the darker side of luxury craftsmanship in even the smallest of details.
The Collection premieres a new dark brushed metal fascia, designed to correspond with the carbon fibre. Cold to the touch, this metal finish flows through the motor car, through both front and rear centre console lids, emphasising the unbreakable strength at the core of Black Badge Adamas.
As a final touch, when one enters or alights from the atmospheric cabin of Adamas, one encounters an illuminated tread plate, reading either ‘Black Badge Wraith Adamas – One of Forty’ or ‘Black Badge Dawn Adamas – One of Thirty’, reminding the occupant of the power and precious nature of this Collection.
Rolls-Royce Collection Cars
The Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective, consisting of designers, engineers and craftspeople from the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, have an innate understanding of the marque’s discerning patrons. Characterised by a desire for more than mere acquisition, a patron of Rolls-Royce, accustomed to luxury in all avenues of their lifestyle, seeks to commission and collect. It is at this juncture that there is a meeting of minds with the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective, who provides a guiding hand in this commissioning process, imparting its deep understanding of the constitution of true luxury in the process. The Bespoke Collective harness this knowledge to create a limited number of highly Bespoke, rare, collectable motor cars; a Rolls-Royce Collection car.
It is for this reason a Rolls-Royce Collection car gains such distinction. Formed at the hands of masters in their fields, a Rolls-Royce Collection car is a showcase of competence, using the finest materials in ways that raise the bar of technical competence to create a stunning masterpiece.
Resulting from this deep understanding of its clientele, Rolls-Royce is able to anticipate these customer needs and requirements. Whether drawn to a motor car steeped in rich heritage, such as the recently announced ‘Silver Ghost Collection’, or a playful adaptation of luxury theatre as revealed in the ‘Wraith Luminary Collection’, or now, embodying the darkest expressions of luxury in the Adamas Collection, the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective can rise to the most demanding of challenges.
· Limited Collection of 55 unique Rolls-Royce motor cars
· First ever shooting star headliner
· World debut of illuminated wooden paneling
· Stainless steel hand-woven fabric incorporated into cabin
· Global debut of Sunburst Grey paint. Solid grey with rich copper tone
Oxford English Dictionary definition Luminary: 1) A person who inspires or influences others, especially one prominent in a particular sphere. 2) A natural light-giving body, especially the sun or moon.
In a bold expression of dynamic luxury, Rolls-Royce unveils the Wraith Luminary Collection. Inspired by those who lead where others follow, the Wraith Luminary Collection will light the way for the luxury trailblazer.
In response to an ongoing global demand for Rolls-Royce Collection Cars, the marque has created a Limited Collection of just 55 of these spectacular Wraiths. These motor cars join the highly exclusive ranks of collectible Bespoke masterpieces, envisioned by the Rolls-Royce Bespoke design team and collected by Patrons of true luxury all over the world.
Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, commented, “Wraith Luminary is a stunning Collection Car. It speaks directly of our contemporary Rolls-Royce brand – progressive and trailblazing; the pinnacle in hand-crafted luxury. This is a motor car that celebrates visionaries who achieve eminence in their respective fields. Indeed, this collection is for the world’s luminaries.”
The heady shade of the golden hour’s sunrays inspire this newly developed exterior paint, Sunburst Grey. One is met by a flat grey that enlivens when awoken by the sun, rich copper tones, emitting a deep emotive warmth. Further intrigue is added by a hand-painted Sunburst Motif coachline, hand-painted Wake Channel Lines on Wraith’s bonnet and pinstripes applied to the wheel centers, each in Saddlery Tan, bearing reference to the color scheme of the interior leather.
Energy courses through this highly charged edition of Wraith. On opening the coach doors, one is met by a statement of modern luxury, as light flows from the front into the rear passenger compartment. The Collection’s defining feature, Tudor Oak wood, sourced from the forests of the Czech Republic, selected for its depth of color and the density of the grain structure, is for the first time, illuminated. The light of 176 LEDs permeates through an intricately perforated design in the unique Tudor Oak veneer, allowing a mesmerizing pattern, reminiscent of the trailing light of a shooting star, to luminesce at the touch of a button. Linked to the controls of the starlight headliner, the cabin’s veneer surrounds Wraith’s occupants in an ambient glow of light.
Speaking of shooting stars, the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective, a talented group of engineers, designers and craftspeople located at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, West Sussex, have brought further theatre to the cabin of Luminary in the form of brilliant shooting stars. The prized Rolls-Royce starlight headliner, a handwoven configuration of 1340 fiber optic lights which act as a glittering night sky, takes a bold new step as it incorporates shooting stars into the constellation; a playful display of light that creates wonderment and awe for the car’s passengers.
Taking nearly 20 hours to configure, eight shooting stars fire at random, predominantly over the front seats, in recognition of Wraith’s owner-driver appeal.
Wraith Luminary’s cockpit is trimmed in Saddlery Tan, though the rear seats contrast in Anthracite leather, thus highlighting the prominence of the driver’s position. Contrast piping and stitching masterfully marry the front aesthetic to the rear. Alternatively, a more dramatic contrast can be selected by specifying Seashell colored leather in the rear, both of which will be perfectly coalesced by the inclusion of a two-tone steering wheel.
The Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective continually seeks inspiration from external trends and influences. In a progressive step, the application of hand-woven stainless steel fabric, a highly contemporary and innovative new technique in luxury craft, is appointed to the central transmission tunnel and door panniers, contrasting the Tudor Oak wood and Saddlery Tan leather.
Incorporating strands which are 0.08mm – 0.19mm in diameter, this technical fiber is woven in a pattern oriented at precisely 45 degrees, to complement the lines of the interior and provide a uniform appearance throughout the passenger compartment when viewed from either side. Taking three days to produce in a ‘clean room’ environment, the fabric is manipulated to cloak the center console, modified from use in an industrial environment to create a finish befitting the interior of a Rolls-Royce motor car, refracting the light of the unique illuminated paneling in the doors.
As a final touch, the car’s tread plates bear the provenance of this unique collection. ‘WRAITH LUMINARY COLLECTION – ONE OF FIFTY-FIVE’ is engraved in hand-polished stainless steel.
Since its incarnation, Wraith has long attracted the patronage of visionaries – drawn to the intoxicating promise of near unlimited power and it’s hauntingly rakish fast-back design, the ultimate gentleman’s tourer. The remarkable success of Wraith in attracting a new generation of drivers to the marque is reflected in this distinctive motor car’s masterfully incorporated, innovative expressions of pure luxury.
