Rolls-Royce has long been associated with some of the most high-profile names in the art world. Many leading artists and significant patrons owned and travelled in Rolls-Royce motor cars; in the modern era, the marque has collaborated with influential figures in the contemporary milieu to create Bespoke motor cars that stand as works of art in their own right.

This review celebrates some of the notable artists for whom Rolls-Royce has become part of their legacy and legend, and the wider connections between Rolls-Royce and the art world that have brought so many great practitioners to the brand over the years.



A BRAND BORN FROM ART

Born in 1875, Charles Robinson Sykes won a scholarship to the Royal College of Art, where he studied drawing, painting and sculpture. Sykes, who enjoyed a long, varied and successful career as a commercial artist, was hired by The Hon. John Montagu in 1902 to provide the illustrated elements of The Car Illustrated magazine, one of the first to print images in full colour.

Sykes’s work soon caught the attention of Claude Johnson, the first commercial managing director of Rolls-Royce. When Johnson decided Rolls-Royce needed an official mascot, he commissioned Sykes to create one, instructing him to make it look like the imposing Greek statue Nike of Samothrace in The Louvre in Paris. Sykes, however, believed a more ethereal figure would better express his own experience of travelling in Montagu’s Rolls-Royce. He created a delicate figurine now globally known and revered as The Spirit of Ecstasy, which continues to grace every Rolls-Royce motor car to this day.



ART IN MOTION

In the early days, Rolls-Royce supplied motor cars as rolling chassis, on which the owner commissioned bodywork from their chosen specialist independent coachbuilder. Many owners took full advantage of this opportunity for personal expression, creating motor cars that stand as works of art in their own right.

1925 Phantom I – Chassis 94MC

This motor car is based on a 1925 Phantom I chassis, bought new by Mrs Hugh Dillman of Detroit. Unhappy with the cabriolet body built by Hooper & Co in London, Mrs Dillman never took delivery, and the car was sold on to the Raja of Nanpara.

In 1934, a new owner sent the chassis to coachbuilders Jonckheere in Belgium. They gave it a completely new body defined by the large round doors, which allow passengers into either row of seating. Each door features a two-piece window that splits like a pair of scissors down into the door. The design also includes a sloping radiator grille covering the perpendicular original, double side-by-side sunroofs, round spats that cover almost the entire rear wheel, and a side-opening louvered luggage compartment. Bullet-shaped headlights, flowing wings and a long vertical tailfin down the luggage compartment lid finish off the sleek contours of what became known as The Jonckheere Coupé.

The motor car was later acquired by a Mr Max Obie, who painted it gold and charged visitors $1 to view it. In 1991, it was sold to a Japanese collector, then sat largely forgotten until 2001 when it was acquired by its present owners, the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, CA. Now fully restored, the ‘Round Door Rolls-Royce’ has taken top honours at both Pebble Beach and Meadowbrook Concours d'Elegance.

1927 Phantom I – Chassis 76TC

Among the most famous and extravagant examples was a Phantom I commissioned in 1927 by Clarence Gasque as a gift for his heiress wife, Maude. Known as 'The Phantom of Love', it was both a glorious monument to his devotion, and a spectacular indulgence of Maude’s passion for 18th Century French history and design.

With an effectively unlimited budget, coachbuilders Charles Clark & Sons produced an interior worthy of Versailles. Details included a bespoke Aubusson tapestry on the rear seats, a hand-painted ceiling with gilded cornices, and a bow-fronted drinks cabinet based on a Louis XIV chiffonier, topped with an ormolu clock and a pair of French porcelain vases filled with gilded metal and enamel flowers. Cupboards at either end held concealed, fold-down, inward-facing occasional seats also upholstered in Aubusson tapestry. A century later, it remains one of the finest examples of automotive art and craftsmanship ever created; it was displayed at the Goodwood Revival as part of the marque’s 100 Years of Phantom celebrations in 2025.

1937 Rolls-Royce Phantom III – Chassis 3CP38

Originally built in 1937 as a six-passenger limousine with occasional seats, this Phantom III was re-bodied in 1946 as a Sedanca de Ville by coachbuilders Freestone & Webb for Sir John Gaul, a colourful and eccentric property developer with a penchant for spectacular cars. To complement its striking Chianti Red paintwork and sham-cane rear doors, the front and rear wings, together with all the brightwork, were finished in copper, earning the motor its nickname, ‘The Copper Kettle’. The sumptuous interior featured comforts including an electrically operated division window, folding tables, a heater, radio, bar and clock in the rear compartment.

In 1954, Gaul sold the car to a Mr L Zimbler in the UK: it then spent time in South Africa and the Netherlands before returning to London in 1964, where it went on sale, fully restored and with 56,000 miles on the clock. By 1966 it had found its way to the USA, eventually entering the Blackhawk Collection in Danville, CA, where it remains among the most popular exhibits. In 2008, the motor car took both First in Class in the Rolls-Royce Pre-War Class and the Lucius Beebe Trophy at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance; it returned to the event in 2017.

1946 Silver Wraith – Chassis WTA45

This motor car was also owned by Sir John Gaul. He initially sent the chassis to Freestone & Webb, creators of his ‘Copper Kettle’, but changed his mind and commissioned Coupe de Ville bodywork from his other favourite coachbuilder, Carrosserie Saoutchik of Paris. It was the first Rolls-Royce to be bodied by a coachbuilder outside the UK after the Second World War, and the only example Saoutchik ever built on a Rolls-Royce chassis.

In typically flamboyant Saoutchik style, the motor car features sweeping curves and reversed elements, sham-canework, carriage-style door handles and faux landau irons. The interior is pure Art Deco in contrasting colours. The motor car was awarded Best of Show at the Monte Carlo Concours in 1948; over 60 years later, following a complete rebuild, it took a Best in Class at the 2010 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Today, the Coupe de Ville roof, which was welded shut during the motor car’s middle years, has been restored to its original configuration.



THE HOME OF GREAT ART

The team at the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood includes its own world-class artisans, who produce one-off pieces for client commissions and Bespoke Collection projects.

In 2023, Rolls-Royce unveiled Phantom Syntopia, a singular Bespoke commission developed over four years in collaboration with Dutch fashion designer and Haute Couturière Iris van Herpen. Inspired by her ‘Weaving Water’ concept and the principles of biomimicry, the motor car translates the fluidity and movement of natural forms into both its iridescent ‘Liquid Noir’ exterior and a highly sculptural interior featuring three-dimensional textiles, the most intricate Starlight Headliner in Rolls-Royce history, and a unique Gallery artwork. As the first Rolls-Royce to incorporate a tailored fragrance, it delivered a fully immersive, multi-sensory experience, pushing the boundaries of craftsmanship, innovation and personalisation.

Two years later, Rolls-Royce presented three Bespoke motor cars inspired by the ancient mural paintings of Dunhuang in China, which date back over 1,000 years. Commissioned through Private Office Shanghai, the centrepiece of the interior is a hand-painted Bespoke Gallery artwork. The composition presents a landscape painting on black leather, completed with the Silken Spirit motif embroidered in white and black thread, evoking the movement of flying apsaras – celestial beings in Buddhist culture – which are prominently portrayed in the ancient murals.

Rolls-Royce has also exhibited at the prestigious London Craft Week; founded in 2015, this city-wide festival celebrates exceptional craftsmanship across multiple sectors and disciplines. A curated programme shines a light on the creative talent behind some of the world’s most beautiful objects, telling stories of their inspiration, process and materials. Today, it features over 1,000 makers from more than 30 countries.

In 2025, Rolls-Royce presented an exquisite artwork inspired by the rich flora and fauna of the British Isles. A collaboration between makers from the Interior Surface Centre, the Exterior Surface Centre and the Interior Trim Centre, the triptych captures the essence of woodland life at three moments over a 24-hour period.

For London Craft Week 2026, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars unveiled four new craft techniques inspired by historical craftsmanship: 3D leather hand-sculpting, 3D metal hand-sculpting, 3D veneers and beadwork application. These innovations were presented in two works built at the scale of a Phantom Gallery.



ART FOR A CAUSE

Phantom VIII provided the canvas for a one-of-one work by artist Marc Quinn, offered as the headline lot in an auction at the marque’s ‘Dine on the Line’ charity event in 2019. Quinn created a bespoke artwork featuring the iris of the winning bidder’s daughter, inspired by his series of paintings, We Share Our Chemistry with the Stars.

In 2022, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Greater China worked with Spanish artist Javier Calleja to produce a series of 1:8 scale models of Ghost featuring abstract representations of a child’s portrait. One of the pieces was auctioned to raise funds for a charity foundation supporting mental health and well-being initiatives.

Some years earlier, Rolls-Royce had commissioned 12 leading artists, including Gavin Turk, Charming Baker, Stuart Semple, Richard Wentworth, Mark Wallinger, Sam Taylor-Johnson, Maggi Hambling, Yinka Shonibare and Natasha Law to create unique artworks based on miniatures of Ghost to raise funds for a breast cancer charity.



THE PHANTOM GALLERY: A NEW CANVAS

With the introduction of Phantom VIII, Rolls-Royce reimagined the motor car interior as a space for artistic expression. At its heart is the Phantom Gallery: a full-width, glass-enclosed fascia that spans the dashboard, designed to house commissioned artworks. Seamlessly integrated and permanently displayed, it transforms Phantom into a curated exhibition space.

The Gallery marked a significant evolution in the marque’s relationship with the art world; where Rolls‑Royce motor cars have long inspired artists, the Gallery provided a new platform for art itself. Clients collaborate with leading artists, designers and the marque’s own artisans at the Home of Rolls‑Royce to create entirely bespoke works, making each Phantom a rolling gallery unique to its owner.

Notable recent commissions demonstrate the breadth of possibility. The Phantom Centenary Private Collection contains a special Anthology Gallery, the dramatic composition of which features 50 3D-printed, vertically brushed aluminium ‘fins’ interlaced like pages of a book. Each fin is composed of sculpted letters that can be read from both sides, forming quotes drawn from a century of press acclaim.

Phantom Oribe was developed in collaboration with Hermès; for its Gallery, Hermès commissioned an artwork based on a design by the celebrated French artist and illustrator Pierre Péron (1905–1988) who created many of the House's iconic scarves. The work, inspired by the famous Hermès horse motif, is hand-painted on Open Pore Royal Walnut and is presented as though staged in an art gallery, behind glass.

In the Koa Phantom, the Gallery incorporates rare, open-pore Hawaiian Koa wood, selected and bookmatched to create a serene, landscape-like composition, underscoring the client’s personal connection to place and nature.

Through the Phantom Gallery, Rolls-Royce has defined a new typology within the art world: a private, mobile exhibition space, experienced not in a public gallery, but in moments of quiet reflection. It is a contemporary expression of the marque’s enduring dialogue with artists and patrons alike – and a powerful articulation of Phantom’s position not only as a motor car, but as a work of art in its own right.



AN ENDURING CONNECTION

Since its earliest days, Rolls-Royce has so often been the mode of transport chosen by the world’s most influential figures – and the art world is no different. From master artists to the world’s most notable collectors, it is no surprise that such influential figures would travel in this fashion, with Rolls-Royce offering a luxury experience that is akin to viewing the exquisite pieces of art these individuals became known for.

A Place of Sanctuary

In 1947, aged 77, Henri Matisse embarked on what he regarded as his masterpiece: not a painting, but a chapel for the Dominican convent in Vence, a small town near Nice. Matisse eventually spent more than four years working on the Chapelle du Rosaire (Chapel of the Rosary) designing its architecture, stained-glass windows, interior murals and ceramics, liturgical furnishings and even the priests’ vestments. Throughout the construction work, he made constant trips up the hill from his studios in the upper-class Nice suburb of Cimiez to the site –now often known simply as the Matisse Chapel – in a Rolls-Royce.

An Unforgettable Scene

Anyone rejoicing in the title Salvador Domingo Felipe Jacinto Dalí i Domènech, Marquess of Dalí of Púbol, is always likely to attract attention. But the Spanish artist better known by his abbreviated name, Salvador Dalí, nevertheless went out of his way to occupy the limelight. Having shocked the art world with his surrealist images of nightmarish landscapes, chimeric animals, suggestive food and melting clocks, he was eager to bring his unique brand of excess and eccentricity to a wider audience.

In 1955, he was asked to give a lecture at the Sorbonne in Paris. Seeing a golden opportunity to create a moment in modern art, Dalí borrowed a friend’s white Phantom and filled it with 500kg (1,100lb) of cauliflowers.

After a wild ride through the streets of Paris in his brassica-laden conveyance, Dalí pulled up outside the august university and flung open the Phantom’s doors, sending the cauliflowers cascading to the ground. How many now remember his exposition on ‘Phenomenological Aspects of the Paranoiac Critical Method’ is debatable, but in the public consciousness, Dalí had well and truly arrived.

Famous for More than 15 Minutes

Dalí spent every autumn and winter in New York City, where he based himself in a suite at the St Regis Hotel in Manhattan. It was here, in 1965, that he first met a young visual artist named Andy Warhol. This seminal moment in art was captured by British photographer David McCabe, who later recalled: ‘Dalí turned the whole event into theatre. Andy was petrified.’

Warhol was Dalí’s natural successor and became one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. Unlike his mentor, however, he actually owned a Phantom: a 1937 model that had been converted into a shooting brake around 1947. In 1972, Warhol and his Swiss agent, Bruno Bischofberger, happened to pass an antique shop in Zurich where it was on sale. Warhol bought it on the spot and shipped it to New York. He owned the car until 1978, when he sold it to his friend and manager, Fred Hughes.

Power and Patronage

Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller (1908-1979) served as Vice President of the United States under President Gerald Ford; he was also Governor of New York from 1959 to 1973. Arguably, his more enduring legacy was as a leading patron of the arts: Alfred Barr, founding director of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) observed that ‘Nelson needs art more than any man I know’.

Rockefeller was also a passionate car collector and owned a number of Rolls-Royce motor cars during his lifetime. One notable example is his 1929 Phantom I, manufactured at Rolls-Royce’s former US plant in Springfield, Massachusetts, with coachwork by in-house coachbuilder Brewster. It is one of only 10 ever produced with the Brougham de Ville’s ‘Riviera Town Car’ body style, and the only one to be decorated in pure gold. Its most arresting feature is the passenger cabin set at the extreme rear of the chassis, accentuating its extended wheelbase. Rockefeller’s name can still be seen on the gold-varnished wicker on the rear. He also owned a 1936 25/30H.P. Sedanca Coupé, with distinctive maroon and black coachwork by Gurney Nutting.

Rockefeller took delivery of his 1966 Phantom V, one of just three Sedanca de Ville motor cars produced by coachbuilders James Young and refinished to his order in Black over Primrose Yellow, a few days before being sworn in as Vice President of the United States in 1974.

On the Beaton Track

Sir Cecil Walter Hardy Beaton CBE (1904-1980) was an artistic polymath; though best known as a fashion, portrait and war photographer, he won three Academy Awards and four Tony Awards as a costume and set designer for screen and stage, and was also a noted diarist, painter and interior designer. An artist-patron of extraordinary reach and depth, he photographed Queen Elizabeth II and dressed Audrey Hepburn as Eliza Dolittle in My Fair Lady.

Beaton used a 1946 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith, driven by a chauffeur, to convey him from the whirl of London high society to the peace of his country home at Reddish House in Wiltshire.

There is Nothing like a Dame

At the height of her fame, Dame Laura Knight (1877-1970) was one of the most eminent and popular painters in Britain. In 1936, she became only the third woman to be elected as a full member of the Royal Academy – her 1965 retrospective was the first for a woman in the RA’s history – and her success in the then male-dominated British art establishment helped secure greater status and recognition for other female artists.

Dame Laura was greatly interested in and inspired by marginalised communities and individuals, including Romani people and circus performers. In the mid-1930s, Dame Laura befriended and painted groups of Romani women at Epsom and Ascot racecourses, using an old Rolls-Royce she rented from an undertaker as her mobile studio. The motor car, which is sadly unidentified, was large enough to accommodate her easel when it was raining; in fine weather, she would climb on the roof, which gave her a splendid vantage point above the heads of the race-day crowds.

INTRODUCTION

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has a longstanding relationship with the world of yachting, through a shared interest in harnessing fine materials and craftsmanship in the pursuit of performance and an overlapping clientele. Historically and in the modern era, racing yachts have informed key elements of Rolls-Royce’s design language, and provided direct inspiration for motor cars, including the fabled Phantom Drophead Coupé and the Boat Tail Coachbuild commissions.


A SHARED HERITAGE

The links between the marque and the maritime world are deep, personal and predate the marque’s foundation. Charles Rolls’ family owned the substantial but graceful Santa Maria – a 154ft (47m), 235 ton single screw schooner, powered by a twin cylinder 80HP steam engine, typical of fashionable late Victorian and early Edwardian nautical society. Logbooks and records from the late 19th and early 20th Centuries show Santa Maria taking the family on frequent cruises from Shoreham on the south coast of England to the Mediterranean, where her ports of call included Cannes, Naples, Malta and Monaco, still favoured destinations and/or home ports for the many Rolls-Royce clients who are also yacht owners.

After graduating from Cambridge in 1898, six years before his historic first meeting with Henry Royce, the youthful Rolls briefly served as her Third Engineer. This was his foundational engineering role before fulfilling his true vocation as a pioneer of both motoring and aviation. His fellow motoring enthusiast, Lord Montagu of Beaulieu was, like so many of the marque’s aristocratic early adopters, also an active yachtsman and motorboat racer.


MAKING WAVES

In the decades that followed, Rolls-Royce forged deep connections with the maritime world, much as it did in aviation, as a world-class engine manufacturer. In the early 1960s, the graceful Riva Caravelle yachts were powered by Rolls-Royce engines, combining Italian craftsmanship with British engineering excellence. (Between 1989 and 1997, Vickers owned both Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and Riva.) In 1965, Rolls-Royce collaborated with the leading Italian boatbuilder, Avonautica Rio, to develop the ‘Rolls-Rio’ – a stunning open luxury wooden sports boat, in the celebrated Italian style, powered by a marine-adapted version of the Rolls-Royce V8 engine which powered the Silver Cloud II.

From 1954 to 1997, Her Majesty’s Yacht Britannia was the official vessel of the British Royal Family, the late Queen Elizabeth II describing it as “the one place I can truly relax”. Now permanently berthed at Ocean Terminal in Leith, Edinburgh, as a five-star tourist attraction, during her service life, HMY Britannia famously carried a Rolls-Royce Phantom V Park Ward limousine for the Queen’s use when the yacht docked in foreign ports. The motor car was hoisted on and off the deck using a small crane, or davit, and kept in a garage on the Shelter Deck: in order to fit inside, it had to have its bumpers removed, then reattached at the destination.


ON LAND AND SEA

The strongest historical connection between Rolls-Royce and yachting lies in their shared clientele. During the early 20th century, yacht-racing was a highly prestigious and exclusive pursuit, attracting many of the same wealthy British and American industrialists, financiers, aristocrats and entrepreneurs who were also Rolls-Royce owners.

Then as now, the pinnacle of this rarefied sport was the America’s Cup. For many, this reached its own zenith in the 1930s, when it was contested by the peerless J-class yachts. With their elegant proportions, long overhangs, sweeping lines and enormous sail plans, these classic high-performance vessels combined beauty with breathtaking speed, and are still revered as floating works of art.

One example, Endeavour, was owned by Sir Thomas ‘Tommy’ Sopwith. Another aviation pioneer, whose designs included some of the most influential machines of the First World War, Sopwith ran a Rolls-Royce dealership early in his career, and owned an extensive collection of Rolls-Royce motor cars throughout his life. Similarly, the media magnate Sir William Berry, Viscount Camrose, owned both a J-Class yacht, named Cambria, and a Rolls-Royce Phantom II.


THE LANGUAGE OF SPEED

In the early 20th century, Rolls-Royce motor cars were frequently bodied in styles directly inspired by yachts, incorporating materials such as mahogany and construction methods derived from traditional boatbuilding.

In Rolls-Royce’s contemporary design language, the lower line of the bodywork – known as the ‘waft line’ – borrows directly from yacht design. A defining feature of Phantom, Ghost, Cullinan and Spectre, it creates an uncomplicated sense of motion by reflecting the road passing beneath it, much as a yacht hull reflects the water as it cuts through it.

Launched in 2007, Phantom Drophead Coupé was designed to evoke a classic motor yacht at speed, with a dynamic rise in the waistline over the rear wheels, and graceful lines sweeping up towards the front. Completing the nautical theme, the tonneau cover, boot lining and rear passenger cabin were finished in bleached teak decking.

A decade later, the first Coachbuilt motor car of the modern era, ‘Sweptail’, was inspired by classic yachts in the commissioning client’s personal collection. It was followed in 2022 by the triptych of Boat Tail Coachbuild commissions, which, like their 20th Century predecessors, feature a rear deck inspired by classic yachts, with extensive use of wood and a sculptural, hull-like form.

Most recently, Spectre – the marque’s electric super coupé – continues this lineage. Its design was informed by J-class racing yachts, with a vertical bow line leading the eye rearwards to the sweeping fastback form.


ON COMMON GROUND

The present-day Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood is located close to Chichester Harbour, the largest recreational boating harbour in Europe. A designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, its tidal waters flow through a direct channel connection at the harbour mouth into the eastern Solent, and onward into the Solent itself – one of the world’s most important maritime and yachting centres, and home to one of the most active sailing communities anywhere.

Cowes, at the very heart of the Solent, is the birthplace of organised international yacht racing and international sailing culture; it is also home to Cowes Week, one of the longest-running regular sailing regattas in the world. The world’s oldest international sailing trophy, the America’s Cup, originated from a race that began in the Solent. Many other competitive offshore sailing races also either begin or are culturally rooted there, including the Fastnet Race and the Round the Island Race​, which both start and finish off Cowes. In addition, the round-the-world sailing competition, known today as the Ocean Race, originally started and finished in Portsmouth.

The decision to establish the modern Home of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars at Goodwood was shaped in part by its proximity to one of the world’s most concentrated centres of maritime craft skills. Across the Solent region, generations of specialist knowledge endure through bespoke boat builders, naval architects and master shipwrights.

• An overview of coachbuilding at Rolls-Royce from the 1900s to the present day
• Virtually all Rolls-Royce motor cars were coachbuilt until the 1950s
• Tradition all but died out with the introduction of monocoque construction
• Contemporary renaissance sparked by Rolls-Royce in 2017 with Sweptail
• New standards of innovation, excellence and ambition set by Boat Tail and Droptail
• An established part of the marque’s offer, with the new extension at the Home of Rolls-Royce adding further capacity and capability

INTRODUCTION

This Press Kit provides an overview of the history of coachbuilding at Rolls-Royce, the marque’s contemporary capabilities and notable examples of Coachbuild motor cars past and present. For more detailed information about Sweptail, Boat Tail and Droptail and the materials and techniques used in their manufacture, please refer to the specific product Press Releases.

Coachbuilding is the art and science of creating bespoke bodywork on a pre-assembled chassis, a craft that predates the motor car itself. At one time all but extinguished by mass production, coachbuilding today lives on at the Home of Rolls-Royce, drawing on more than a century of experience and the marque’s unique Bespoke capabilities.

Today, Rolls-Royce Coachbuild allows a small, select group of clients to collaborate fully with the Rolls-Royce team in creating a genuinely unique, utterly personal motor car unlike any other. Coachbuild enables them to specify their motor car’s actual physical form, with body panels hand-sculpted by specialist craftspeople at the Home of Rolls-Royce. Coachbuild also opens up new possibilities in materials, methods, engineering and technology, free of the restrictions of conventional series production.

Every Coachbuild project is a true one-off, undertaken on the strict understanding that it will never be replicated. These creations are far more than motor cars; they are authentic works of automotive art that represent a highly expressive and enduring legacy for their owners.


THE GENESIS OF COACHBUILDING

Rolls-Royce was founded in an era when car manufacturers generally produced ‘rolling chassis’, which were sent to specialist coachbuilders to be fitted with bodywork to the client’s specification. Some of these coachbuilders had simply switched from making horse-drawn vehicles; others had begun capitalising on the new opportunities the motor car presented.

These pre-Edwardian car bodies were built in much the same way as their horse-drawn predecessors. It quickly became apparent that, when applied to motor cars, their traditional materials and methods were unequal to the speeds of 30 to 40 miles per hour they were now being subjected to. The art of coachbuilding would have to adapt to the new reality.


COACHBUILDING AND ROLLS-ROYCE: A BRIEF HISTORY

As the 1920s dawned, mass-market car makers increasingly brought body construction in-house, where engineers could address emerging issues such as vibration and torsional stress. Luxury marques like Rolls-Royce, however, continued to outsource coachwork to specialist houses for several more decades.

Until the 1930s, most coachbuilders remained true to long-established practice, which involved assembling a wooden frame, usually in ash, onto which aluminium or steel body panels were typically nailed, tacked or screwed. As materials improved and motor cars’ speeds increased, frames were increasingly made from metal tubing or angle-iron.

This traditional craft was eventually replaced by semi-monocoque construction, with subframes for the mechanical components. In the case of Rolls-Royce, this occurred in October 1965 with the introduction of Silver Shadow. Contrary to popular belief, this did not mark the end of coachbuilding at Rolls-Royce. The Phantom VI, built on a separate chassis, remained in production, albeit in small numbers, until 1993, with coachwork supplied by Rolls-Royce subsidiary H. J. Mulliner, Park Ward Ltd.


SOVEREIGNTY OF DESIGN

Although a coachbuilt Rolls-Royce could, in theory, be any shape the client desired, in practice, there were constraints. Rolls-Royce motor cars were designed on proven technical principles that were, to Henry Royce at least, unarguable and inviolable. By insisting on fixed dimensions for the bulkhead behind the radiator, he was able to ensure the bodywork maintained the essential proportions that visually identified it as a ‘true’ Rolls-Royce.

Those proportions remain essential to the marque’s design language. Every Rolls-Royce motor car maintains the 2:1 ratio of body height to wheel diameter first established with the Silver Ghost in 1907. The body shape is defined by three fluid lines running the length of the motor car: the ‘waft line’ that gives the car its sense of movement; the ‘waist line’ that lends it purpose and presence; and the silhouette, which expresses its individual character. It is also graced with the Pantheon grille, crowned with the Spirit of Ecstasy figurine.

Coachbuild clients and designers enjoy considerable creative freedom within these fundamental parameters.


GREAT COACHBUILT ROLLS-ROYCE MOTOR CARS OF THE PAST

40/50HP Phantom I Brougham De Ville (1926)

The great coachbuilders paid as much attention to the interior as the exterior of the cars they created. Among the key elements were the instrument dials, which frequently transcended merely displaying essential information to become miniature works of art in their own right.

In 1926, the 40/50HP Phantom I Brougham De Ville, known as ‘The Phantom of Love’ was built by Charles Clark & Son Ltd of Wolverhampton for Clarence Warren Gasque, an American businessman of French ancestry living in London, as a gift for his heiress wife, Maude. Gasque commissioned an interior to recreate the Rococo ambience of a salon in the Palace of Versailles, with polished satinwood veneer panelling, Aubusson tapestries and a painted ceiling inspired by a sedan chair owned by Marie Antoinette. It also included a remarkable French ormolu clock, mounted on the partition between the front and rear cabins – an extraordinary detail that represents the pinnacle of the instrument maker’s art.

17EX (1928)

By 1925, Henry Royce was concerned that the weight and size of some of the coachwork fitted to Rolls-Royce chassis was affecting the motor cars’ performance – a fact its competitors gleefully seized upon. In response, Henry Royce built an experimental Phantom with an open, lightweight, highly streamlined body. Dubbed 10EX, this was the foundation for a series of motor cars that provided crucial new insights into overcoming air resistance and represented a giant leap forward in automotive design.

The fifth in the series, 17EX, was completed in January 1928. It was capable of speeds in excess of 90 miles per hour and, because Royce was adamant that even his experimental motor cars should look as good as any that bore his name, was finished in blue to the marque’s exacting standards.

The colour blue has long been associated with dependability, stability and calm; it is also highly visible at speed, as demonstrated by the record-breaking cars and boats of Royce’s good friend, Sir Malcolm Campbell.

Phantom II Continental Drophead Coupé (1934)

Co-creation has always been at the heart of coachbuilding. Having commissioned a design for their perfect motor car, the customer worked with the designers and manufacturing specialists to produce a final design that was technically achievable. The coachwork would then be completed to the customer’s satisfaction.

This 1934 Phantom II Continental Drophead Coupé, designed by A. F. McNeil and built in London by Gurney Nutting & Co., is considered one of the most exotic and beautifully balanced examples of boat tail coachwork ever created. The sweeping concave curves at the rear rise upwards to the razor-edged varnished rear deck. A design that has stood the test of time well, it remains a fine example of sporting elegance.

As a historical aside, McNeil’s protégé and successor, John Blatchley, was responsible for two of the most successful Rolls-Royce models of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, the Silver Cloud and Silver Shadow.

Phantom VI limousine (1972)

The Phantom VI was the last Rolls-Royce model to be constructed with a separate chassis, and was thus the swansong of the coachbuilder’s art. This example was designed and built by H. J. Mulliner, Park Ward Ltd, then a wholly-owned subsidiary of Rolls-Royce. Much like a Goodwood era Private commission, it was based on the production model, but included numerous additional features specified by the customer. Indeed, so lavish and comprehensive were the enhancements that the marque produced a special promotional brochure for prospective patrons based on this motor car, highlighting the scope of its bespoke capabilities.

In addition to flower vases, a state-of-the-art sound and television system and a refrigerator for cooling wines and picnic food, the car was equipped with burled walnut picnic tables. Stored in the luggage compartment, these could be fixed to the front wings for alfresco dining; driver and passenger perched on a pair of ‘toadstool’ seats clipped to the front overriders.


CONTEMPORARY COACHBUILDING AT THE HOME OF ROLLS-ROYCE

Bespoke has been central to the marque’s offering and experience since production began at Goodwood in 2003. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars constantly seeks to create personal and deeply meaningful luxury products that reflect its clients’ ambitions and personal codes of luxury. Rolls-Royce’s unparalleled Bespoke capabilities enable clients to bring these desires to life through the commission of beautiful, handcrafted and truly individual Rolls-Royce motor cars.

A small group of exceptional individuals wished to elevate this remarkable, deeply personal experience even further and move beyond the canvas of existing Rolls-Royce products. Recognising this demand, and drawing on more than a century of experience, as well as its unique Bespoke capabilities developed in the modern era, the marque has defined a new coachbuilding movement.

The renaissance of contemporary coachbuilding began in 2017 with ‘Sweptail’, a bold two-door coupé created in response to a client’s wish to reprise the art of coachbuilding in partnership with Rolls-Royce. With its sharply tapered outline and full-length glass roof, it can be characterised as the Extrovert. It was followed by the unveiling of Boat Tail in 2021, a highly social open-top that amplified its clients’ love of hosting – a motor car that unashamedly represents the Hedonist.

Droptail, introduced in 2023, marked the third chapter in this remarkable story. For Droptail, the focus was placed on creating an intimate and cosseting interior, which would also serve as an unprecedented canvas for highly bespoke wood craft. Droptail captures the charm and embrace of two-seat motoring – it truly is the Romantic.


GOODWOOD-ERA COACHBUILT MOTOR CARS

Sweptail (2017)

In 2013, Rolls-Royce was commissioned to create a coachbuilt two-seater coupé featuring a large panoramic glass roof, inspired by the beautiful coachbuilt motor cars from the marque’s golden era in the 1920s and 1930s.

The first fully coachbuilt Rolls-Royce of the modern Goodwood era, Sweptail’s defining feature is its raked rear profile, with the roof-line tapering in a sweeping gesture to a ‘bullet-tip’ that houses the centre brake light. The coachbuilt bodywork wraps under the motor car with no visible boundary to the surfaces, like the hull of a racing yacht. The underside of the motor car describes a progressive upward arc at the rear departure angle, producing the swept tail that gives the car its name.

With its clean lines and grandeur, and contemporary, minimalist handcrafted interior, Sweptail caused an international sensation when it was revealed in 2017. Four years in the making, it is now regarded as a true modern classic and the world’s greatest two-seater intercontinental tourer.

Boat Tail (2021-2022)

During the 20th century, a number of Rolls-Royce motor cars were built with a beautiful and distinctive body shape known as the Boat Tail. The nautical design was inspired by the great J-Class racing yachts that contested the sport’s ultimate prize, the America’s Cup, in the 1930s. In 2021, Rolls-Royce revived the Boat Tail design with the second fully coachbuilt commission of the modern Goodwood era. Boat Tail is entirely hand-built, with the body panels fashioned from single sheets of aluminium.

Three Boat Tails were completed, each unique to its commissioning client. The first two were unveiled at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in 2021 and 2022. At the request of its owner, the third was never exhibited in public, and no official images have ever been released.

Boat Tail (First Chapter) (2021) The first Boat Tail was commissioned by longstanding Rolls-Royce clients, and drew inspiration from a 1932 Rolls-Royce Boat Tail they had lovingly restored as part of their extensive private collection. The motor car is finished in a rich, complex blue embedded with metallic and crystal flakes. The rear deck is swathed in Caleidolegno veneer normally reserved for interior surfaces and specially adapted for exterior use, inlaid with brushed stainless steel pinstripes. At the press of a button, the deck opens in a sweeping butterfly motion to reveal an intricate Hosting Suite, complete with cocktail tables, interlocking stools made by Italian furniture house Promemoria, and even a parasol to shelter from the sun. A unique double refrigerator houses the clients’ preferred vintages of Armand de Brignac champagne.

The interior is finished in leather in two shades of blue with a soft metallic sheen applied to the surface. The centrepiece of the fascia is a pair of unique BOVET 1822 reversible timepieces commissioned by the client; a hand-crafted aluminium and leather case in the glove compartment contains a cherished Montblanc pen. The instrument panel dials are finished with guilloché, an intricate decorative technique more commonly seen in fine jewellery and watchmaking.

Boat Tail (Second Chapter) (2022)

The second Boat Tail to be completed was commissioned by a client whose family business grew from his father’s origins in the pearling industry. At the start of the commissioning process, the client presented Rolls-Royce Coachbuild designers with four pearl shells: these inspired the exterior colour, which was then one of the most complex Bespoke finishes ever created by Rolls-Royce. A shimmering blend of oyster and soft rose with large white and bronze mica flakes adding a pearlescent quality, it changes subtly under different light conditions. The contrasting cognac-coloured bonnet contains fine bronze and gold-coloured aluminium mica flakes under a crystal and iced matt clear coat.

The rear deck, which houses Boat Tail’s unique ‘butterfly-design’ hosting suite, is made from Royal Walnut veneer, inlaid with rose gold-plated pinstripes. The interior is finished in cognac and oyster-coloured leathers and Royal Walnut veneer, with rose gold and mother-of-pearl accents throughout.

The centrepiece of the dashboard is a timepiece made from mother-of-pearl; the same material appears on the control switches and instrument dials.

Droptail (2023-2024)

Droptail represents a renaissance of the roadster body type, which breaks free from the four-seat convention previously associated with Rolls-Royce. In capturing this spirit, designers studied the 1912 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost ‘Sluggard’, the 1930 Rolls-Royce Phantom Brewster New York Roadster and the 1925 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Piccadilly.

Droptail has two very distinct characters: a lithe, open-top roadster; and with the carbon-fibre roof installed, a dramatic coupé. Since each client wished to use their motor car around the world in multiple climates, the roof incorporates electrochromic glass that adjusts the amount of light entering the interior. In a technique reserved exclusively for Droptail, the body is a rigid monocoque in which steel is used for the load-bearing front wing and door sections, and carbon fibre from the B-pillar rearwards: the rear quarter panels are the largest carbon fibre panels ever created for a Rolls-Royce motor car.

La Rose Noire Droptail (2023)

The first to be unveiled was La Rose Noire Droptail, inspired by the Black Baccara rose, an intense, velvet-like flower that originates in France. The exterior is finished in the lustrous and complex True Love red, a completely new paint process perfected over 150 iterations; like the Black Baccara rose, it appears to change colour depending on the viewpoint.

The interior features the most complex parquetry ever created at Rolls-Royce, with an abstract depiction of falling rose petals formed using 1,603 Black Sycamore veneer triangles, each cut, sanded and precisely positioned by hand.

The fascia incorporates an integrated one-off timepiece by Audemars Piguet, specially commissioned by the client. The 43mm Royal Oak Concept Split-Seconds Chronograph GMT Large Date is removable, so it can be attached to a strap and worn. The motor car also includes a unique Champagne Chest finished in rose-petal parquetry.

Amethyst Droptail (2023)

Inspired by the eponymous gem – the birthstone of the commissioning clients’ son –Amethyst Droptail is finished in a soft purple main body colour with a delicate silver undertone. Named Globe Amaranth in tribute to a flower native to the clients’ home region, fine flecks of powdered aluminium reflect the light, creating a subtle iridescent effect. The deep purple Amethyst contrast paint on the upper coachwork contains red, blue and violet mica flakes to give a subtle metallic sheen. Inside, the primary Amethyst leather is finished with a subtle pearlescent lacquer.

Amethyst Droptail features the most extensive wooden surface area in Rolls-Royce history, extending from the fascia and doors to the shawl panel, cantilevered ‘plinth’ centre armrest and onto the rear deck. The deck was made using a new veneering process developed specifically for this project: the protective coatings, also unique to Amethyst Droptail, have been granted their own patent.

The fascia is graced with a unique timepiece commissioned by the client from the renowned Swiss haute horlogerie maison, Vacheron Constantin. Handmade in Geneva, the timepiece, named ‘Les Cabinotiers Armillary Tourbillon’, has an intricate hand-wound movement and is securely housed in a specially designed holder, enabling it to be removed and stored separately from the motor car if desired.

Arcadia Droptail (2024)

This commission takes its name from the mythical realm of Arcadia, depicted in Ancient Greek mythology as ‘Heaven on Earth’ – a land renowned for its extraordinary natural beauty and perfect harmony.

Arcadia Droptail is finished in a calm, natural duotone white, which appears as a solid colour at first glance, with aluminium and glass particles creating depth and shimmer when the light strikes it. In a key departure from the other Droptails, the carbon fibre used to construct the lower sections of Droptail is painted in the solid Bespoke silver colour rather than left fully or partially exposed. The wood elements are made from Santos Straight Grain, which has one of the finest grain types of all the woods used by Rolls-Royce. Despite its delicacy, it appears throughout Droptail, including the aerodynamically functional rear deck section, which is made up of 76 separate pieces.

The leather interior is finished in two entirely Bespoke hues, named after the client and reserved exclusively for their use. The main leather colour is a Bespoke White, continuing the exterior paint theme, while the contrast leather is a Bespoke tan colour that complements the veneer.

The fascia incorporates the most complex Rolls-Royce clock face ever created. Developed by Rolls-Royce Coachbuild designers and craftspeople, it incorporates an exquisite geometric guilloché pattern in raw metal with 119 facets, and partly polished, partly brushed hands and 12-hour markers or chaplets, each just 0.1mm thick.


THE FUTURE OF COACHBUILDING AT ROLLS-ROYCE

As clients’ desire for extraordinary expressions of contemporary Rolls-Royce coachbuilding continues to grow, Rolls-Royce is building for an even more ambitious future.

The marque’s site extension at the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood, which is scheduled for completion in 2029, will provide additional space and state-of-the-art facilities for Bespoke and the marque’s Coachbuild division, enabling more and increasingly complex commissions to be undertaken.

• One of the most famous, instantly recognisable emblems associated with the marque
• Design first registered as the ‘official’ Rolls-Royce mascot in 1911
• Origins and inspiration still a matter of conjecture, centred around two main theories
• Private Collections have been inspired by and have featured unique incarnations of the Spirit of Ecstasy during the contemporary Goodwood era
• ‘The Whisper’ and other Spirit of Ecstasy figurines are on permanent display at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu

INTRODUCTION

This press kit provides an overview of the Spirit of Ecstasy – the enduring emblem of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars since 1911. It traces her origins, evolution and continuing relevance within the marque’s cultural and creative narrative. For information about Phantom, Ghost, Cullinan and Spectre – including Extended and Black Badge variants – and the materials and techniques used in their manufacture, please refer to the specific product press kits.

MORE THAN A FIGUREHEAD

The Spirit of Ecstasy mascot has a unique place at the heart of Rolls-Royce. Her origins are the stuff of legend and myth as well as recorded fact, with some details still veiled in mystery and intrigue. She is widely recognised, respected and admired, with a poise and grace that have secured her enduring recognition. To clients and enthusiasts around the world, she personifies ambition, achievement, excellence and success, just as she has since she first took her place on the prow of a Rolls-Royce motor car more than a century ago.

Like Rolls-Royce and its products, the Spirit of Ecstasy has changed over time. At various points in her long life, she has adopted different stances, sometimes stood slightly taller or shorter, and allowed the wind to sculpt her flowing garments in subtly altered forms. Yet she is also truly ageless: today, she more closely resembles the original drawings made in 1911 by her creator, the illustrator and sculptor Charles Sykes, than she has ever done.

For Rolls-Royce, she is far more than a mascot or symbol. She provides a tangible connection to the company’s heritage through her richly layered story, involving many of the foundational characters in Rolls-Royce’s own history, including the company’s first managing director, Claude Johnson. She inspires greatness; every motor car handmade at Goodwood has to be worthy of her presence.

Perhaps most of all, since, she is believed to be based on the vivacious, assertive and complex Eleanor Thornton, serving as a reminder of the essential human dimension to what Rolls-Royce is and does. Every Rolls-Royce motor car is created by hand for an individual customer; a reflection of their unique personality, and the realisation of their dreams, desires and vision.

ORIGINS OF AN ICON

Today, the ability to commission highly individualised Bespoke details for their motor car remains central to the marque’s relationship with its clients. But in fact, this merely continues a desire for personalisation that emerged in the marque’s very earliest days.

By 1910, just six years after the marque’s formation, it was already an established custom among owners to decorate their radiator grilles with specially commissioned mascots. To the chagrin of General Managing Director, Claude Johnson, these were often in the form of cartoonish animals or comical characters. He therefore decided to create an ‘official’ mascot that would protect the company’s products from what he decried as these ‘unsightly’ additions.

Among Johnson’s wide social circle was the motoring pioneer Lord Montagu of Beaulieu. As founder and editor of The Car Illustrated magazine, his lordship employed an illustrator, Charles Sykes, many of whose wonderful designs for advertisements and magazine covers are conserved at London’s world-famous Victoria and Albert Museum (the V&A).

Sykes was also an accomplished sculptor. Around that time – the precise date remains a mystery – Sykes had produced a mascot for Lord Montagu’s Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost: an aluminium statuette of a young woman in fluttering robes, which he named ‘The Whisper’. This original piece, together with other Spirit of Ecstasy figurines, is now on permanent display at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu.

Impressed and inspired, Johnson asked Sykes to create a new mascot for Rolls-Royce. In one version of the story, upon receiving Johnson’s commission, Sykes subtly reinterpreted ‘The Whisper’ to create what became known as the Spirit of Ecstasy. An alternative view is that on a trip to Paris, Johnson had been impressed by the artistry of the Grecian marble statue of The Winged Victory of Samothrace, Goddess of Victory, sculpted in 190BC and exhibited in the Palais du Louvre since 1883. Some authorities have suggested that it was from this ancient Hellenic masterpiece that Johnson asked Sykes to draw his inspiration.

The Spirit of Ecstasy’s final form lends credence to both theories. She appears as an ethereal young woman leaning forward eagerly, her arms stretched back behind her, with flowing robes appearing to give her wings. Her serene expression offers no clues to the mysteries that still surround her.

WHERE MYTH MEETS REALITY

One of the most enduring of those mysteries was whether the Spirit of Ecstasy was in fact modelled on a real person. It was long suspected, and has now been confirmed, that Sykes’ inspiration for ‘The Whisper’ was a young woman named Eleanor Thornton, who played a crucial, complex and somewhat controversial role in the Rolls-Royce origin story.

Born in 1880, little is known of her early life. She first appears in the early 20th century as assistant to Claude Johnson, then in his pre-Rolls-Royce incarnation as General Secretary of the Automobile Club of Great Britain & Ireland (later the Royal Automobile Club, or RAC). During this time, she rented rooms in an artists’ colony in Chelsea, where she acted as an out-of-hours life model for her fellow residents, one of whom was Charles Sykes. She became his favourite muse and posed for him on many occasions over the years that followed.

Their stories became even more closely entwined when Johnson introduced Thornton to his motoring comrade, and Sykes’ boss, Lord Montagu, who was instantly captivated by her vivacity, confidence and beauty. Bonds of friendship notwithstanding, Montagu promptly poached her as his own assistant, and almost immediately, they embarked on a long, heartfelt love affair.

It was while Sykes and Thornton were working together for Montagu at The Car Illustrated magazine that Sykes produced ‘The Whisper’. Whether the mascot was a token of appreciation from Sykes to his friend and employer, or made at Thornton’s instigation as a gift for her lover, is where the mystery lingers. Whatever the truth, Montagu displayed it on every Rolls-Royce motor car he owned until his death in 1929. It was, perhaps, the only way he could acknowledge his sincere and enduring love for Eleanor, who died in 1915, and which, owing to its potential for scandal, had always remained a closely guarded secret.

THE MARK OF EXCELLENCE

The design was registered as the company’s intellectual property in 1911 and became both a defining feature of the Rolls-Royce brand and one of the most famous and recognisable emblems in the world. In 1920, the Spirit of Ecstasy was entered into L’Auto’s ‘Concours des Bouchons de Radiateurs’ at the Paris Salon – a contest to identify the finest motor car mascot of its day. Charles Sykes was awarded Premier Prix, the gold medal. This recognition helped solidify the sculpture’s reputation in the early years of automotive culture and elevated both the artist and the emerging icon internationally.

Even then, however, she was not immediately or universally accepted. In the 1970s, some countries attempted to ban mascots on safety grounds. In Switzerland, for example, customers weren’t allowed to display her at all, and on receiving their motor cars found her placed in the glove compartment. Rolls-Royce’s typically elegant and ingenious solution was to mount the mascot on a spring-loaded base, allowing her to sink into the radiator out of harm’s way at the merest touch. This retraction mechanism has evolved into a smooth, graceful movement known as ‘the rise’ and is a feature on every Rolls-Royce motor car hand-built at Goodwood.

As the marque’s most important and recognisable emblem, the Spirit of Ecstasy is offered to patrons in carefully selected finishes: solid silver, 24-carat gold-plated and black carbon fibre.

SPIRIT OF INNOVATION

As they were in the beginning, the Spirit of Ecstasy figurine is made by ‘lost wax casting’, a practice that dates back over 5,000 years. Amazingly, Charles Sykes himself, assisted by his daughter Josephine, personally cast, inscribed and finished the Spirit of Ecstasy mascots right up until 1939.

In preparation for the launch of Phantom VII in 2003, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars rejuvenated the Spirit of Ecstasy by introducing the modern investment casting process.

The first step was to digitally ‘map’ the original Spirit of Ecstasy, manipulating and enhancing individual details to create a perfect three-dimensional computerised image. To ensure even the finest details were precisely replicated, the injection mould was formed by skilled craftsmen using cutters measuring just 0.2 mm in size. This cast tool was used to produce a highly accurate wax model of the figurine, which was then coated in ceramic. After this coating had dried, the wax was melted away, leaving a perfect mould from which the new cast would be taken.

Each figurine is made by filling the mould with molten stainless steel, at a temperature of 1,600°C. Once the steel has cooled, the mould is opened to reveal the Spirit of Ecstasy in its finished form. The final transformation takes place in the Finishing Department, using a process called peening. The casting is blasted by millions of stainless-steel balls, just 0.04 mm in diameter, which help to polish the surface without being abrasive. After machining, a final mirror polish and stringent quality assurance checks, the completed figurine takes her rightful place above the iconic Rolls-Royce grille.

LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE

In 2020, as part of a wider update of the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars brand identity, a new abstract graphic element informed by the Spirit of Ecstasy was developed. Known as ‘The Expression’, this two-dimensional interpretation encapsulates the qualities of the Spirit of Ecstasy in a contemporary visual form for use across the marque’s corporate identity and reflects the company’s vision as a modern House of Luxury.

Rolls-Royce reimagined its iconic Spirit of Ecstasy figurine in 2022, to grace the bonnet of its first all-electric motor car, Spectre, 111 years to the day since the Spirit of Ecstasy was first registered as intellectual property of Rolls-Royce on 6 February 1911.

The figurine was remodelled to feature a lower, more dynamic stance that brought her much closer to the drawings made by her original creator, Charles Sykes, in the early years of the 20th century.

This version of the Spirit of Ecstasy stands 8.27cm tall, compared to the previous 9.5cm. Her robes, which flow behind her in the slipstream – often but erroneously characterised as ‘wings’ – are subtly reshaped to make them more aerodynamic and realistic. Rather than standing with her feet together and tilting at the waist, she is 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 performance as the most aerodynamic Rolls-Royce ever created, with a drag coefficient of just 0.25 cd.

CELEBRATING IN STYLE

In the modern era, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has celebrated landmarks in both its own history and that of the Spirit of Ecstasy through Private Collections, events and unique editions of the figurine itself. Notable expressions include:

• Phantom Centenary Private Collection (2025): Marking the 100th anniversary of its pinnacle product, Phantom, the Private Collection is the most intricate and technologically ambitious ever undertaken by the designers, engineers, production specialists and craftspeople of the marque’s Bespoke Collective. Each motor car is crowned with a unique reimagining of the Spirit of Ecstasy, based on the first figurine ever fitted to a Phantom. Cast in solid 18-carat gold for strength, then plated in 24-carat gold for a flawless, tarnish-resistant finish, the piece was tested by the London Assay Office and awarded a full UK hallmark together with a specially developed ‘Phantom Centenary’ mark. The base of the figurine is finished with hand-poured white vitreous enamel delicately inscribed with the collection’s name.
  
  
• Phantom Scintilla Private Collection (2024): Inspired by the Spirit of Ecstasy’s grace, dynamism and ethereal beauty, and limited to just 10 models, the interior of each motor car is filled with design elements, textures and a continuous graphic inspired by the Spirit of Ecstasy’s expressive, dynamic form. Claude Johnson’s original brief for a Rolls-Royce mascot is displayed on an embossed plate concealed in the glove compartment. These words, written in 1910, also capture the essence of Phantom Scintilla: ‘Speed with silence, the absence of vibration, the mysterious harnessing of great energy, and a beautiful living organism of superb grace’. For Scintilla, the Spirit of Ecstasy figurine is also rendered in a ceramic finish – alluding to the figurine’s origins and the aforementioned Classical Grecian sculpture, The Winged Victory of Samothrace.
  
  
• The Spirit of Ecstasy Centenary Private Collection (2011): Celebrating the mascot’s 100th anniversary and limited to just 100 Bespoke Phantom models, the Private Collection featured exclusive body colours, leather combinations, wood veneers and interior details. Each motor car features a specially commissioned Spirit of Ecstasy in solid silver, with six hallmarks (including two designed specifically for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars) on a black-gold-plated illuminated base.

A CONTINUING LEGACY

Today, the Spirit of Ecstasy remains the marque’s defining symbol, advancing with each new chapter while preserving the quiet authority that has distinguished her since 1911. As tastes, technologies and cultures continue to evolve, she endures as a constant expression of the marque’s values – a steady presence that guides the future while remaining true to the heritage that shaped her.

• Rolls-Royce reflects on its bold heritage of powerful and beautiful coupé motor cars
• Chronicles Rolls-Royce coachbuilt two-door bodies from the earliest chassis
• Details Goodwood-era revival of the coupé with 100EX, 101EX and Phantom variants
• Highlights Wraith’s transformational influence on the Rolls-Royce brand
• Details Dawn’s impact as a modern expression of the classic drophead coupé
• Celebrates Spectre as the marque’s first ultra-luxury electric super coupé and continuation of a rich legacy

INTRODUCTION

This Press Kit explores the significance of the coupé in Rolls-Royce history – a body style associated with power, presence and proportion. From the earliest coachbuilt two-door motor cars commissioned on rolling chassis, through the return of fixed-head and drophead coupés in the Goodwood era, to Spectre – the world’s first ultra-luxury electric super coupé – it traces how this form has evolved alongside advances in technology and craftsmanship.


THE COUPÉ ORIGIN STORY

The term ‘coupé’ comes from the French word coupé, meaning ‘cut’. Originally applied to horse-drawn carriages in the 18th century, it was adopted in the early days of motoring to describe a two-door motor car with the driver and up to two passengers in an enclosure with a single bench seat.

Those pioneering days saw a rapid proliferation of automobile body styles, with an expansive variety of terminology in use. To bring order, in 1916, the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) formally classified coupés into two primary categories. It defined a coupé as a fully enclosed motor car operated from the inside with seats for two or three and sometimes a rear-facing fourth seat. If the motor car had a folding top, it was properly called a Coupelet – a name now lost to time.


COUPÉS AND COACHBUILDERS

Until the mid-20th century, clients would purchase their motor car as a rolling chassis, then commission a coachbuilder of their choice to create a body to their exact specifications. The coachbuilder assembled a skeletal wooden frame, usually in ash, onto which aluminium or steel body panels were then pinned or welded.

This traditional construction method allowed for near-limitless design possibilities, with each body being as much a work of art as a feat of engineering. The process was entirely bespoke, with clients working hand-in-glove with designers and artisans to create designs tailored to their personal requirements.

During the 1920s and 1930s, British luxury marques introduced the terms ‘fixed-head coupé’ (FHC) and ‘drophead coupé’ (DHC). A fixed-head coupé featured a solid, non-removable roof; a drophead coupé had a mechanical canvas roof that opened and closed.

In Britain, firms such as Park Ward, H. J. Mulliner, Hooper, James Young, Vanden Plas and Freestone & Webb became legendary for their work on both types, all of which had two doors. This period saw stylists working alongside engineers, and the coupé acquired the graceful, athletic form we still associate with the concept today. That legacy continues to influence automotive design, with fixed-head and drophead coupé coachwork remaining highly prized by collectors and enthusiasts alike.

Some of the most valuable and celebrated Rolls-Royce motor cars ever created take the form of coupés; from the streamlined 1934-bodied ‘round-door’ Jonckheere Phantom I and the elegant 1939 Vanvooren Phantom III, to the theatrical 1957 Freestone & Webb ‘Honeymoon Express’ Silver Cloud and the timeless 2017 Sweptail, these motor cars affirm the coupé body style as the space in which Rolls-Royce has explored some of its boldest ideas.


COACHBUILT ROLLS-ROYCE COUPÉS

Rolls-Royce chassis – particularly the shorter wheelbase models – had been fitted with two- and four-seater coachwork with two doors (or, in the case of early Silver Ghosts, no doors) from the beginning. The style evolved through the 1920s from short, upright passenger compartments, often with external ‘dicky’ seats at the rear, to more stylish flowing coachwork that would come to define today’s coupés.

In the 1940s and 1950s, the drophead coupé was a popular alternative to Rolls-Royce’s new Standard Steel-bodied motor cars. While these factory-built bodies brought greater consistency, this shift in construction increasingly made true custom coachbuilding technically complex and economically unviable. By the early 1960s, most of the traditional coachbuilders had gone, with Rolls-Royce one of a small number of brands still producing rolling chassis on which a coachbuilder could create bespoke bodywork.

Against this backdrop, coachbuilders H.J. Mulliner and Park Ward merged and were subsumed into Rolls-Royce as a wholly owned division. Alongside James Young, the new entity offered drophead and fixed-head coupé designs built on the marque’s Silver Cloud chassis. Following the introduction of the SY (Silver Shadow) range of monocoque motor cars, Rolls-Royce continued to produce fixed-head and drophead coupés, in the guise of the Corniche two-door saloon and Corniche convertible.

The Corniche two-door saloon was discontinued in 1981. The convertible remained in production until 1987, despite the launch of the new Corniche II in 1986, which was itself replaced by Corniche III in 1989. The model’s last iteration, Corniche IV, was introduced in 1992, with the final run of 25 motor cars designated Corniche S. These were graced with numerous mechanical enhancements, including a Garrett T4 turbocharger that boosted engine power by 50%, making them the fastest, best-handling Corniches ever made. They were easily identifiable by their alloy wheels and red ‘RR’ badges.

With this final first chapter complete, the end of Corniche convertible production in 1995 also marked the conclusion of a line of Rolls-Royce coupés dating back to the marque’s inception. Yet, the legacy these motor cars left behind was indelible, as was the constellation of clients who chose them. Sammy Davis Jr., Elizabeth Taylor and Tony Curtis were among proud Rolls-Royce coupé owners, cementing the marque’s association with glamour, power and presence.


ROLLS-ROYCE COUPÉS IN THE GOODWOOD ERA

Production may have ended, but client demand for fixed-head and drophead Rolls-Royce coupés never ceased. Reviving these body styles was made possible by the innovative technology and construction techniques brought in with the first Rolls-Royce motor car produced at Goodwood, Phantom VII.

Phantom VII was constructed on an aluminium spaceframe with a modular, scalable design. This allowed designers to adapt the original four-door saloon into two-door fixed-head and drophead variants without compromise.

Creating a new two-door, four-seater drophead coupé derived from an existing model was very much in keeping with Rolls-Royce tradition and precedent. However, earlier motor cars’ rigidity had often been compromised, resulting in inferior handling as well as rattles and shakes – issues unacceptable for Rolls-Royce’s renaissance. The design team knew that Phantom’s aluminium spaceframe would provide the necessary torsional strength, so work began on an experimental model, which, following long-established Rolls-Royce practice, was codenamed 100EX – EX standing for ‘Experimental’.


100EX AND PHANTOM DROPHEAD COUPÉ

Chief designer Ian Cameron’s vision was for a full four-seater convertible with two coach doors, less formal than Phantom and more performance-oriented. His inspiration was Royce’s 1920s experimental motor car 16EX, which Royce himself described as “a motor car with fizz”. Exceptionally lightweight and aerodynamic for its time, Royce built it to demonstrate that greater horsepower and reduced bodyweight could increase performance.

Rolls-Royce unveiled 100EX at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2004. Arriving just 15 months after the start of production of Phantom VII, it was a remarkable technical achievement, and a fitting way to help commemorate the marque’s centenary year.

In true coupé style, 100EX’s spaceframe was 165mm (6.5in) shorter and 71mm (3in) lower than the more formal Phantom’s. Instead of Phantom’s 6.75-litre V12 engine, it was fitted with an indulgent 9-litre V16, 64-valve naturally aspirated unit. Most obviously, it was an open-top, four-seater, two-door drophead.

The exterior design, intended to evoke a classic motor yacht at speed, featured a dynamic rise in the waistline over the rear wheels, and graceful lines sweeping up towards the front. Completing the nautical theme, the tonneau cover, boot lining and rear passenger cabin were finished in teak decking.

The rear tapered into a boat-tail style that would inspire a suite of Coachbuild masterpieces almost two decades later. The split ‘Countryman’ boot featured a separate lower tailgate which, when opened, provided a completely flat surface with inlaid fibre matting, ideal for picnics or as an elevated viewing platform.

The tailored roof was made from an innovative fabric incorporating fine metallic threads, and lined with a cashmere and wool blend. The folding mechanism was carefully designed so the roof could be concealed in an extremely small storage area, minimising intrusion into the luggage and passenger spaces.

Everything the designers and engineers learned with 100EX found its final, stunning expression in the Phantom Drophead Coupé. Launched in 2007, this is now one of the rarest and most desirable models of the Goodwood era. In production, it adopted Rolls-Royce’s hallmark 6.75-litre V12 engine.


101EX AND PHANTOM COUPÉ

Two years later, a new experimental car, 101EX, made its debut, also at the Geneva Motor Show. This was a full four-seater coupé with twin coach doors, a lower roofline and shallower glass area than Phantom VII. The Pantheon grille was discreetly reclined and extended back across a brushed aluminium bonnet and windscreen surround.

Built on the same aluminium spaceframe, 101EX was 240mm shorter than Phantom VII: this, combined with bodywork constructed from carbon fibre composite and the proven 6.75-litre V12 engine, gave it a more performance- and driver-focused character.

The interior featured the first example of what would become a permanent feature of the Rolls-Royce design canon: the Starlight Headliner. Comprising hundreds of fibre-optic ‘stars’, it proved an instant sensation and is now a fixture in virtually every Rolls-Royce motor car, with its own almost unlimited potential for Bespoke individualisation.

Like its predecessor, 101EX would find lasting fame as a series production car – the legendary Phantom Coupé, launched in 2008, and rarer even than its Drophead sibling.

Both Phantom Coupé and Phantom Drophead Coupé were foundational to Rolls-Royce Motor Cars’ development as a true luxury brand. They introduced the world to the full possibilities of Bespoke, informed by the marque’s growing understanding of the wider luxury market and consumers, and the idea of a Rolls-Royce as canvas for deep, Bespoke individualisation.


WRAITH

In 2013, Rolls-Royce introduced Wraith – an imposing fastback coupé in the Gran Turismo mould. More performance-focused than its predecessors, Phantom and Ghost, Wraith fundamentally altered perceptions of Rolls-Royce and brought new, younger clients to the brand for the first time.

Wraith’s dramatic silhouette signalled its dynamic capabilities, which were further amplified in 2016 with the introduction of its Black Badge alter ego, offering some of the highest levels of performance ever achieved by a Rolls-Royce motor car. In 2023, Rolls-Royce marked the end of production with Wraith Black Badge Black Arrow, a Bespoke Collection comprising just 12 examples.


DAWN

In September 2015, Rolls-Royce unveiled Dawn online, introducing an entirely new kind of super-luxury convertible. More than simply a beautiful motor car, it was designed to evoke the romance and glamour of the great dropheads of the past, while offering a social, approachable and contemporary expression of open-top touring to a new generation of clients.

Convertibles are typically designed in a 2+2 configuration with full-size seating for the driver and front passenger, and two smaller rear seats for occasional passengers. The lack of rear-seat space, and particularly legroom, reduces the car’s comfort and practicality, so Dawn was presented as a full four-seater with comfortable, individual seating for all occupants, in line with the SAE’s Coupelet typology.

The roof, made from fabric, cashmere and high-performance acoustic composites, was operated by an intricate mechanism dubbed the ‘Silent Ballet’ for its precision, elegance and noiseless operation. With the roof closed, Dawn equalled Wraith for noise-isolating performance.

As with Wraith, Dawn was given a Black Badge expression in 2017, with the 6.6-litre, 563bhp twin-turbo V12 engine tuned to deliver an extra 30bhp and boost torque to 840Nm. Like Wraith, Dawn finally ceased production in 2023.


SWEPTAIL

In 2013, Rolls-Royce was commissioned by a client to create a fully coachbuilt two-seater coupé with a panoramic glass roof, drawing inspiration from the great bespoke motor cars of the 1920s and 1930s. Conceived as a modern interpretation of the classic Rolls-Royce coupé, Sweptail was designed around purity of line, proportion and audacious presence.

The first Coachbuild Rolls-Royce of the Goodwood era, Sweptail is defined by its raked rear profile, with the roofline tapering in a single, continuous gesture to a distinctive ‘bullet-tip’ housing the centre brake light. The coachbuilt coupé bodywork wraps under the motor car with no visible boundary to the surfaces, like the hull of a racing yacht. The underside reveals a progressive upward arc at the rear departure angle, producing the swept tail that gives the motor car its name.

Revealed in 2017 after four years of development, Sweptail was immediately recognised as a landmark in contemporary coachbuilding. With its two-seat configuration, fastback silhouette and restrained, handcrafted interior, it is now regarded as a true modern masterpiece and the world’s greatest intercontinental touring coupé.


SPECTRE

In 2023, Rolls-Royce introduced Spectre, bringing the marque’s defining qualities of effortlessness, presence and refinement into an electric future. With Spectre, an entirely new class of motor car was created: the ultra-luxury electric super coupé. A generously proportioned, visually striking two-door fastback, Spectre is the spiritual successor to the Phantom Coupé. Its interior provides a perfect canvas for Bespoke personalisation, complemented by a unique illuminated fascia and the first Starlight Doors ever specified in a production Rolls-Royce. Spectre’s Black Badge alter ego was introduced in 2025 and inherited Wraith’s crown as the most powerful Rolls-Royce in history.

Crucially, Spectre is a Rolls-Royce first and an electric car second: no concessions or compromises in terms of interior space, comfort, performance or ride quality have been made. Indeed, all have been refined and augmented by the car’s underpinning architecture and engineering.

This Press Kit provides an overview of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars’ unique, immensely rich heritage, from the first meeting in May 1904 between its founders, Sir Henry Royce and The Hon. Charles Stewart Rolls, to its contemporary activities at the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood. Please note, this is not a comprehensive history of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars; instead of a strict chronology, it presents the marque’s heritage as a series of discrete eras, each defined by a significant technological shift, or a distinctive focus to the marque’s interests and products at that time.

To ensure brevity and avoid duplication, this document contains links to more detailed information on specific individuals, events, products and other aspects of Rolls-Royce heritage, including the ‘Makers of the Marque’ and ‘Models of the Marque’ series prepared for the marque’s 120th anniversary in 2024.



THE FOUNDERS

The life and career of Sir Henry Royce (27 March 1863 - 22 April 1933) is the classic rags-to-riches tale. From impoverished origins and with minimal formal education, he became a giant of 20th Century mechanical engineering. With his meticulous, enquiring mind and relentless pursuit of perfection in every aspect of his life, he was responsible for designs and technology that helped shape the world we live in now.

A highly-driven – some might say obsessive – man, Sir Henry Royce had a relentless tendency towards overwork, to the extent of seriously affecting his health, resulting in a life-threatening illness in 1902. After a recurrence in 1911, he built a house at Le Canadel in the south of France, where he spent the winters for the rest of his life; for the remainder of the year, he lived in several properties in the South of England. In 1917, he moved to his beloved ‘Elmstead’ in West Wittering, just a few miles from today’s Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood.

From the company’s foundation until his death in 1933, Royce personally created the initial concept for every mechanical item in every Rolls-Royce motor car. An instinctive, intuitive engineer, he had an uncanny ability to assess components purely by eye. He firmly believed that if something looked right, it probably was, and he was almost invariably proved correct.

The Hon. Charles Stewart Rolls (27 August 1877 - 12 July 1910) was Sir Henry Royce’s opposite in almost every respect: aristocratic, well-connected and Cambridge-educated, his family wealth enabled him to indulge his twin passions for motor racing and aviation, becoming a leading pioneer in both fields. A founding member of the Royal Aero Club, he made over 170 flights as a balloonist; in 1910, he became the first pilot in history to fly a powered aircraft across the English Channel and back, non-stop.

In January 1902, he opened one of Britain’s first car dealerships, C. S. Rolls & Co., in Fulham, West London. A skilled engineer and enthusiast who understood motor cars intimately, he was also an astute businessman, with extensive connections in politics, industry, the media and the aristocracy, including royalty. It was his energy, acumen and racing successes that helped establish Rolls-Royce as the world’s pre-eminent luxury motor car maker.

In 1910, less than two months after his triumphant double Channel crossing, Rolls became the first Briton to lose his life in a powered aircraft when his Wright Flyer crashed during a competition at Bournemouth. He was just 32. It’s easy to forget that on his death, he and Henry Royce had worked together for a mere six years; it is tempting to wonder regretfully just how much more he, and they, might have accomplished.



THE ORIGIN ERA

Royce and Rolls were introduced by Henry Edmunds (20 March 1853 - 18 November 1927), who knew the former as a friend and business associate in Manchester, and the latter as a fellow member of the Automobile Club of Great Britain & Ireland (later the Royal Automobile Club, or RAC).

Edmunds had been enormously impressed by Royce’s 10H.P. car, having driven it in the 1904 ‘Side Slip Trials’. He also knew Rolls was desperately looking for a high-quality, British-made car to sell in his thriving London dealership. He duly arranged a meeting and earned his place in history when, on 4 May 1904 at the Midland Hotel in Manchester, he announced: “Henry, may I introduce The Honourable Charles Rolls.”

On returning to London, Rolls told his business partner, Claude Goodman Johnson (24 October 1864 - 11 April 1926), that he had found ‘the greatest motor engineer in the world’ and would sell all the cars Royce could make. Their new venture was formally incorporated as Rolls-Royce Limited on 15 March 1906.

In his role as the company’s first commercial managing director, Johnson had a profound influence that is still evident today. He had an extraordinary gift for marketing and public relations. As well as devising the names for famous models, including Silver Ghost and Phantom, he commissioned what would become the world’s most recognisable, enduring and desirable mascot – the Spirit of Ecstasy. The famous figurine was created by sculptor and illustrator Charles Robinson Sykes (18 December 1875 - 6 June 1950), and is widely believed to be inspired by Eleanor Thornton (15 April 1880 - 30 December 1915), who was assistant to their mutual employer, the magazine publisher and motoring enthusiast The Hon. John Douglas-Scott-Montagu, 2nd Baron Montagu of Beaulieu (10 June 1866 - 30 March 1929).



THE COACHBUILD ERA

Until 1949, Rolls-Royce motor cars were produced only as ‘rolling chassis’, equipped with an engine and drivetrain, on which a specialist coachbuilder then built bodywork to the customer’s specification. The rolling chassis did, however, include the bulkhead (the panel separating the engine compartment from the passenger cabin) and the radiator, which determined, at least in part, the finished motor car’s overall proportions.

Today, Rolls-Royce motor cars are still regarded as ‘the best cars in the world’ – an accolade first granted to the 40/50 H.P., better known by the name Claude Johnson conferred upon an early example, Silver Ghost. First sold in 1907, it was enormously successful, with almost 8,000 examples built in the UK and US over an 18-year period. That so many remain in full working order – and, indeed, regularly perform the same feats they achieved more than a century ago – is a lasting monument to Sir Henry Royce’s engineering genius.

In 1922, Royce produced his new 20 H.P. model. Known simply as ‘The Twenty’, it was the first Rolls-Royce designed expressly to be owner-driven rather than chauffeured. It was a huge technical leap forward: its straight six-cylinder engine would provide the template for Rolls-Royce engines right up to Silver Cloud in the 1950s.

Three years later, Rolls-Royce unveiled its first motor car to bear the fabled Phantom nameplate. Then, as now, it was intended to be the most magnificent, desirable and, above all, effortless motor car in the world – the ultimate expression of automotive excellence. The first ‘New Phantom’ would be followed by six further generations of body-on-chassis models, concluding with Phantom VI.



THE COMPETITIVE ERA

From the outset, Claude Johnson saw the immense promotional opportunities afforded by the gruelling, high-profile reliability trials that were the benchmark for early 20th Century motoring endeavours. In 1907, 40/50 H.P. chassis number 60551 – the original Silver Ghost– took a convincing victory in the Scottish Reliability Trial, covering some 2,000 miles without a single ‘failure to proceed’. To underline the motor car’s reliability, Johnson immediately arranged for it to be driven back and forth between London and Edinburgh continuously (except on Sundays), amassing nearly 15,000 miles – the first 4,000 of which he drove himself – and setting a new world endurance record.

In 1911, Rolls-Royce entered a new version of the Silver Ghost in an RAC-ratified London-Edinburgh reliability trial, a return run of almost 800 miles between the two capitals; to add to the challenge, the motor cars were locked in top gear from start to finish. Chassis number 1701 recorded an average speed of 19.59 mph, returning a then-unheard-of fuel efficiency of over 24 mpg; it achieved 78.26 mph on a half-mile speed test conducted soon afterwards and went on to become the first Rolls-Royce motor car in history to exceed 100 mph.

Perhaps Rolls-Royce’s greatest motorsport successes came in 1913. On 15 June, two Silver Ghosts contested the inaugural Spanish Grand Prix, a three-lap, 192-mile course taking in two formidable passes in the rugged Guadarrama mountains, northwest of Madrid. The race was won by the splendidly named Don Carlos de Salamanca y Hurtado de Zaldivar, later Marqués of Salamanca, who was Rolls-Royce’s agent in Madrid; third place went to Rolls-Royce test-driver Eric Platford (25 February 1883 - 20 November 1938), who had been responsible for many of the marque’s previous trials successes.

A week later, a Rolls-Royce Works Team of three Silver Ghosts, plus one privately-owned car prepared to the same standards, were on the start line for the 1913 Alpine Trial. Held over eight days and covering 2,600km, it started and finished in Vienna and included some of the highest mountain passes in Europe. The Silver Ghosts swept the board, taking the first four places overall in an event that saw only 31 of the 46 starters reach the finish. Although the Alpine Trials continued until 1973, Rolls-Royce never again entered a Works Team; but it did not need to; the title of ‘the best car in the world’ had been won – and would never be relinquished.



THE TRANSITION ERA

Rolls-Royce’s automotive and aerospace activities were formally split into separate divisions in the late 1930s by Ernest Hives (21 April 1886 – 24 April 1965), whose remarkable career would take him from working as The Hon. Charles Stewart Rolls’ personal chauffeur to Chairman of the company. From 1939 to 1945, the marque concentrated entirely on aero engine production; when peace returned, it faced an entirely changed commercial landscape.

In 1946, Rolls-Royce launched Silver Wraith, the first of its new ‘Rationalised Range’ that shared common parts, a new engine that could be offered in straight-four, six- or eight-cylinder variants, and a single chassis that could be configured in variable dimensions. Like all its predecessors, Silver Wraith was a rolling chassis, but in 1949, the company produced its first complete Rolls-Royce motor car – Silver Dawn. This marked a profound change for the marque, reflecting the realities of the post-war market but also giving it greater control than ever before over the design of its motor cars.

Over the following decades, Rolls-Royce would continue to offer some models, notably Phantom, as rolling chassis; the last coachbuilt Rolls-Royce of the pre-Goodwood era was Phantom VI, built between 1968 and 1993. Its discontinuation effectively ended the tradition of coachbuilding, until it was revived at Goodwood in 2017 with ‘Sweptail’.

Increasingly, the marque favoured monocoque construction, where the body and floorpan are integrated into a single ‘unibody’, with the suspension and other mechanical components carried on front and rear subframes. The first model to be offered as a complete car only was the Silver Shadow, launched in 1965.

In 1971, Rolls-Royce split its motor car and aero engine activities into two separate entities – a distinction that remains to this day. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BMW Group, and entirely unrelated to the aero engine manufacturer, Rolls-Royce plc.



THE GOODWOOD ERA

In July 1998, BMW Group acquired the Rolls-Royce brand. Starting from a blank sheet of paper, it announced its intention to create a new company, build a new factory in Britain, and launch a new car, all by 1 January 2003. It was an enormously ambitious undertaking, described at the time as ‘the last great adventure in automotive history’.

At 00:01 on New Year’s Day 2003, the first Phantom VII was handed over to its new owner, marking the official start of production at the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood; the marque’s new corporate headquarters and Global Centre of Luxury Manufacturing Excellence were officially open for business.

Over its 13-year lifespan, Phantom VII cemented Rolls-Royce as the world’s foremost superluxury motor car manufacturer, and its own place as the marque’s pinnacle product. Over the next two decades, Rolls-Royce launched a series of new models, beginning in 2010 with Ghost. This was followed by the fastback coupé Wraith(2013), the drophead Dawn (2016) and the ‘Rolls-Royce of SUVs’ Cullinan (2018), together with their respective Black Badge variants. Spectre (2022) became the first-ever electric series Rolls-Royce motor car, followed by its Black Badge variant in 2024.

In 2017, Rolls-Royce ushered in a new era of contemporary coachbuilding with ‘Sweptail’. Further Coachbuild commissions came in 2021 with the three Boat Tail masterpieces; in 2024, Rolls-Royce presented Droptail, its first true two-seater in more than 50 years.

As of 2025, the product portfolio comprises Phantom VIII Series II, Ghost Series II, Black Badge Ghost Series II, Cullinan Series II, Black Badge Cullinan Series II, Spectre and Black Badge Spectre.

Every model embodies Rolls-Royce’s design DNA and philosophy, incorporating proportions and dimensions first defined by Sir Henry Royce himself. The marque is keenly aware that the motor cars it builds today can trace their lineage directly back to 1904, and that heritage is an important part of the design process. The launch of Black Badge in 2016 rekindled the spirit of endeavour that began with Charles Rolls’ early exploits in motor racing and aviation, and the numerous speed records set on land, water and in the air with machines powered by Rolls-Royce engines. In 2022, Spectre fulfilled Rolls’ prophecy, made in a magazine article more than a century before, that electricity’s clean, immediate and noiseless power would one day prove the perfect means of propulsion for the motor car. And in 2025, the marque crowned a year of celebrations to mark the 100th anniversary of Phantom with the unveiling of the Phantom Centenary Private Collection, commemorating the people, places and events that shaped its pinnacle product in exquisite material and extraordinary works of Bespoke craftsmanship.

More than 2,500 individuals are now employed at the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood – including many highly-skilled manufacturing and craft specialists – as well as around 7,500 people in the company’s wider UK supply chain. In 2023, an independent study by the London School of Economics (LSE) demonstrated that Rolls-Royce Motor Cars contributes around half a billion pounds to the UK economy every year, as a leading representative of ‘UK PLC’.



THE NEXT ERA

In 2024, Rolls-Royce announced a landmark investment exceeding £300 million to extend the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood. Representing the single largest investment since the plant opened in 2003 (when 300 people produced one motor car each day), this transformation creates the space for ever more ambitious Bespoke and Coachbuild projects, ensuring that Goodwood remains the only place in the world where Rolls-Royce motor cars are designed and hand-built.

It is both an act of growth and a declaration of intent; to carry forward the spirit first set in motion by Charles Rolls, who urged the world to dream and to dare, and Henry Royce, who insisted that greatness must always be refined, never assumed. More than a century on, their vision is not a memory but a mandate — a living philosophy that continues to shape objects and experiences which inspire, astonish and endure, reminding the world that the pursuit of perfection is infinite, and that the truest measure of heritage is how powerfully it shapes the future.

The Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood in West Sussex is the only place in the world where Rolls-Royce motor cars – Spectre, Cullinan, Ghost (their Black Badge counterparts) Phantom, and Coachbuild masterpieces – are designed and built by hand. No two motor cars are entirely alike – every Rolls-Royce is hand-crafted to the client’s individual taste. It takes more than 600 hours to build a Rolls-Royce motor car. Complex commissions can take up to four years to develop and construct. These cherished and enduring motor cars will go on to form part of celebrated collections and frequently stay within the same family for generations. Indeed, around two-thirds of all Rolls‑Royce motor cars ever built are still on the road.

Within the Home of Rolls-Royce, world-class craftspeople bring a wealth of experience, skill, creativity and attention to detail to their work. These artisans, together with the marque’s Bespoke designers and engineers, form what is known as the Bespoke Collective. This talented and passionate group of people is constantly pushing boundaries in their quest for perfection, bringing clients’ dreams to life. They are guided by the famous maxim of the marque’s co-founder, Sir Henry Royce: ‘Strive for perfection in everything you do. Take the best that exists and make it better. When it does not exist, design it.’ In doing so, they create something deeply personal, meaningful and emotionally resonant for each client.



EXTERIOR SURFACE CENTRE

Every Rolls-Royce begins its journey in the Exterior Surface Centre, where the signature Rolls-Royce paint finish is created. Clients can choose from a palette of 44,000 exterior colours and if they prefer a hue that does not exist within that range, the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective can develop a new Bespoke colour that will then be reserved for the client’s exclusive use.

Rolls-Royce specialists have previously colour-matched clients’ favourite flowers, a beloved pet’s eyes, precious jewels and antique items to name only a few sources of inspiration. The Bespoke Collective has also developed unique iridescent finishes inspired by the aurora borealis, the farthest reaches of space, specific oceans and colours that capture the flora and fauna of destinations around the world, which have a personal meaning to the commissioning client. Specially developed Bespoke colours often influence how clients curate their other precious possessions: for example, some clients have requested that their yachts and private jets are colour-matched to their Rolls-Royce.

Depending on the complexity of the paint, the finish may require up to 20 individual layers of lacquer. To achieve the signature piano finish, a Rolls-Royce is hand-polished to brilliance over four hours. The selected paint colour can also be complemented with a crystal lacquer with iridescent shimmer, adding depth and lustre to the colour.

Clients can commission unique artworks on the bonnet or a coachline, hand-applied by a skilled team of artisans. A coachline is applied by hand using a fine brush made from natural materials. The coachline is precisely 3mm wide on Phantom, Cullinan and Ghost, and 4mm wide on Spectre due to its particular proportions. The exterior can be complemented with a unique coachline motif – a small artwork such as a flower, a family crest or a geometric pattern.



INTERIOR TRIM CENTRE: EXQUISITE CRAFT

Clients are able to commission not only leather, but fabric interiors as well, recalling the early years of Rolls-Royce, where passenger seats were upholstered with various precious textiles. Many of the processes used today blend cutting-edge precision machinery with the skilled hands and experienced eyes of Rolls-Royce craftspeople.

Leather

Each hide that arrives at Rolls-Royce is examined by hand and eye under high-intensity lighting to reveal imperfections. Areas deemed unsuitable for use are marked with chalk. The marked hide is placed under a cutting machine where an outline of each part required to construct the interior is laser projected onto the material and then cut. A special algorithm was developed to analyse the chalked areas and generate a pattern excluding the marked areas. Artisans manually adjust and further perfect the cutting pattern to maximise the use of leather, excluding the marked areas.

Each leather part is thinned or ‘skived’ to reduce its thickness from around 1.5 millimetres to 0.6 millimetres, enabling a smaller, neater seam. Leather parts are sewn by skilled craftspeople by hand using high-precision sewing machines, and are completed with contrast stitching or piping, depending on the client’s request. Finally, the leather parts are fitted to a component – a task which can only be done by hand, due to the curves and contours of these parts.

Perforated Leather

Clients can request that leather seats include Placed Perforation – artworks created through tiny perforations in the leather which vary in size to create the perception of depth, allowing detailed and seemingly three-dimensional graphics to be achieved. This innovative, contemporary craft technique was first developed for a Bespoke commission before being made more widely available with Cullinan Series II and Ghost Series II in 2024, when designers developed a pattern inspired by the shapes and shadows of the clouds over the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood. It comprises up to 107,000 0.8- and 1.2-millimetre perforations.

Clients can also commission a Bespoke Placed Perforation motif, which is then reserved for their exclusive use.

Exploration of Textiles

In its Goodwood era, Rolls-Royce began exploring the use of textiles in 2015 during the development of Phantom Serenity, which used embroidered silk for the interior. Since then, a number of materials have been used, including rayon fabric made from bamboo, silk blends and even glass organza.

For Cullinan Series II and Ghost Series II, a fabric interior is now available as a prêt-à-porter offer. For these motor cars, Rolls-Royce specialists developed a rayon fabric made from bamboo named Duality Twill. It is embroidered with an artistic ‘Duality’ graphic, based on an abstract interpretation of the two interlinked R initials of the marque’s founders. A Duality Twill interior can incorporate up to 2.2 million stitches requiring 11 miles of thread, and is the product of 20 hours of construction. To ensure uniformity in the pattern, each piece is individually crafted before being cut using a specially developed laser that seals the material’s edge and mitigates individual threads becoming loose. Once all panels are carefully positioned and stitched together to create a seamless whole, they are used to upholster the seating. The base twill textile is available in three colours – Lilac, Chocolate and Black – and the thread is available in 51 different hues, allowing clients to tailor their design according to their personal preference, creating a bold contrasting effect or a subtle monochrome.

Bespoke Embroidery and Hand-painting

Clients are offered near-limitless opportunities to create complex works of art using their interior as a canvas. From their initials applied to the headrests to million-stitch embroideries, embroidery depicting the surface of the moon, Bespoke embossed graphics, hand-painted artworks using leather as a canvas and even three-dimensional embroidery, the possibilities are limited only by the client’s imagination.



INTERIOR SURFACE CENTRE

For many years, the Interior Surface Centre was known simply as the Woodshop. Its current designation reflects the major changes that this department has undergone in recent years. Wood remains its primary medium, but the specialist craftspeople are also skilled in working with carbon fibre, metal and a diverse range of lacquered, painted and embellished ‘hard’ surface finishes.

Veneers

The visible wood elements in a Rolls-Royce motor car are made using veneers – thin sheets of wood that are bonded to a substructure. All veneer parts used in any single motor car come from the same tree, with colours, patterns and grains that give the motor car its own unique ‘fingerprint’ that cannot be precisely replicated again. This also ensures all wood parts age consistently – an important consideration, as many Rolls-Royce motor cars are lovingly handed down through the generations.

Clients can select from around 30 different wood types, with different stains, overlays, and treatments offering a wide range of additional effects. Clients can also ask Rolls-Royce to source a different tree species, which may have a particular personal resonance to them, so long as the species is not restricted or endangered.

On arrival at the Home of Rolls-Royce, all veneers are transferred to the richly scented Humidor, where they are stored for a minimum of three days at a constant 23°C and 75% humidity. Humidity is essential to prevent the wood from cracking and to keep it flexible enough to take the complex forms for which Rolls-Royce wood components are renowned.

Almost every veneer part begins life in the Veneer Preparation area, where specialists align the grains and patterns to create a single, perfect line running through the motor car. Straight-grained woods like Royal Walnut (Juglans nigra) are matched in a chevron pattern at a precise 55° angle. Complex patterned woods such as Burr Walnut (Juglans regia) are laid so they form a book-matched mirror image, with the edges trimmed and sanded by hand for a precise fit. The matched veneer pieces are then bonded and pressed into larger sheets, from which all the parts for the motor car are precision-cut using a laser.

Each veneered part is made up of several layers, interleaved with bonded sheets and joined under heat and pressure to create a multi-layered surface with the strength and integrity to allow further work. The veneer is bonded in a heavy press to a carrier part, made of cast aluminium or composite material. All veneers are tested at high and low temperatures to ensure they will remain stable once installed in the finished motor car, regardless of the operating conditions.

The part then reaches Veneer Finessing, where skilled craftspeople eliminate any blemishes in the veneer. They do this by cutting tiny, precisely colour-matched slivers of the same veneer used in the part itself with a scalpel, then bond them in place of the blemish and seal them with a hot plate.

After Veneer Finessing, all parts are manually sanded using an orbital sander. Knowing how much of the wood surface to remove is a matter of experience and requires a good eye and a steady hand. Delicate features like apertures for instruments are hand-sanded with sandpaper.

Before progressing to the lacquering stage, each piece receives its final inspection. A highly experienced craftsperson applies a wash-over that temporarily imitates the final lacquered finish, enabling them to find any remaining imperfections on the surface. Everything is examined by eye: there is no technology involved. If any defects emerge, the part will be sent back to Veneer Finessing for further work.

In the final process, multiple layers of lacquer (each only 0.3mm thick) are applied to the veneered parts. Each layer is allowed to dry for around 20 minutes, although this will vary depending on temperature, atmospheric pressure and other factors. With all the layers applied, the part will show a slight ‘orange peel’ effect on the surface. To eliminate this, the part is sanded back and then polished to a deep, mirror shine. Open-pore finishes, where the grain and texture are exposed to create a tactile sensation, are finished with a specially developed matte sealant.

To expand the possibilities for individualisation even further, the Interior Surface Centre team is constantly working on the development of design veneers, which are hand-crafted using natural wood, often combined with other materials. These innovative veneers can incorporate and create unique designs, such as wave patterns achieved by using specialised pressing techniques, or by including metals, like copper. The current design veneer palette includes Obsidian Ayous, Linea Silver Birch and Dark Amber, with several more in development.

These veneers are made by layering and pressing natural veneer sheets into a solid block of wood at high pressure, before cutting it into thin layers, each 0.5mm thick, which are then used to create the Rolls-Royce interior parts.

Carbon Fibre

For Black Badge motor cars, Rolls-Royce has developed technical carbon finishes that add to the bold identity of this family of motor cars. Thin leaves woven from resin-coated carbon fibre and contrasting metal-coated thread laid in a diamond pattern are applied by hand to the components in perfect alignment, creating a three-dimensional effect. To secure this veneer, each component is cured for one hour under pressure at 100°C. This is then sand-blasted to create a keyed surface for six layers of lacquer, which is hand-sanded and polished before being incorporated into the motor car.

Bespoke

The Interior Surface Centre has brought many significant Bespoke commissions to life using specialised and traditional techniques including marquetry (the art of creating a picture using wood inlay), parquetry (which creates geometrical patterns), sandblasting, staining, painting, and infusion with precious materials. Requests include parquetry that depicts rose petals falling to the ground (a commission wherein 1,603 individual wood pieces were used), marquetry comprising over 320 lasered and hand-placed pieces, complex painting that mimics the patterns of cracked ice, elaborate mother-of-pear inlay, steel and gold plating inlays, paying homage to Italian Riviera, emerald embellishment to the fascia and even an exact replication of a client’s child’s footprint applied to the dashboard.



CELESTIAL INTERPLAY: THE STARLIGHT HEADLINER

The Starlight Headliner is a spellbinding Bespoke feature, iconic and exclusive to Rolls-Royce. The ‘stars’ are optical fibres, each inserted by hand into an individually hand-placed perforation. Between 800 and 1,600 ‘stars’ are fitted, depending on the design and model of motor car. Fibre optic strands are delicately placed at varying depths and at different angles. This allows light to escape in multiple directions and at different intensities, faithfully replicating the night sky.

The constellation of each Starlight Headliner is created by hand. Clients can commission a personalised design with specific constellations to mark significant occasions such as birthdays or anniversaries: by carefully placing each ‘star’, Bespoke specialists can replicate the night sky over a specific location at a precise moment. Some clients have requested maps, monograms and other designs. The Starlight Headliner can be completed with a Shooting Star or a twinkling effect.

Typically, a Starlight Headliner takes nine hours to create, but a personalised pattern can take more than 17 hours to hand-craft.



GALLERY CLEAN ROOM

Phantom offers an unprecedented opportunity to exhibit works of art within the motor car itself – a space called the Gallery. Unique to Phantom, it represents an uninterrupted glass enclosure that spans the full width of the motor car’s fascia. To install these artworks, the Gallery Clean Room has been built, ensuring a sterile environment in which pieces are safely and meticulously assembled and fitted.

Only two associates are permitted to enter at any one time. To avoid contamination, cosmetics, hair products and deodorant are not permitted; medical-grade, lint-free surgical clothing must also be worn at all times. Non-powdered latex gloves have been sourced specifically to ensure moisture generated from perspiration is completely contained within the glove. All Galleries undergo an ultra-violet light examination before final assembly.

While many Gallery commissions remain confidential, Rolls-Royce has created and installed a multitude of unique works of art that showcase the boundless potential of the Gallery and the unique skill of the Bespoke Collective. These include: handwoven and hand-painted silk compositions; marquetry masterpieces made from thousands of individually set pieces of veneer; complex leather embroideries comprising over 90,000 individual stitches; artworks inspired by the Spirit of Ecstasy, capturing the movement of silk under water, in solid milled aluminium; a three-dimensional orchid design made from silk; hand-painted artwork created by a Rolls-Royce artisan reinterpreting the dragon form; and solid aluminium compositions with finely-grained ceramic finish, and many more.



EPILOGUE

Rolls-Royce’s unwavering commitment to craft is reflected in the marque’s ongoing investment in highly skilled artisans, innovative designers and engineers, exquisite materials and advanced manufacturing tools and facilities. Furthermore, the marque has secured planning permission for a significant extension to the Home at Goodwood, West Sussex, with the express aim of creating more space for Bespoke craft and technologies to grow.

In bringing its clients’ increasingly complex and diverse Bespoke visions and dreams to life, the marque secures its status as a true House of Luxury that will resonate with the world’s most distinguished super-luxury clientele for generations to come.

This Press Kit provides an overview of the current Ghost model family, its design philosophy and position within the Rolls-Royce product portfolio. The original launch release for Ghost is available on PressClub, where you can also find information about previous generations, variants and models, including Ghost Extended and Black Badge Ghost .


BACKGROUND

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars launched the first Ghost in 2009 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. More compact than the marque’s pinnacle product, Phantom, it was created for a new group of clients who desired a more modest, minimalist expression of Rolls-Royce perfection in design, engineering and craftsmanship. The Ghost Extended variant followed in 2011. An updated Series II Ghost was unveiled at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show, with the first Black Badge Ghost making its debut two years later.

Over the course of its 10-year lifecycle, the first-generation Ghost became the most successful product in the company’s history, enabling Rolls-Royce to scale up production, invest in its capabilities and establish itself as a truly global luxury brand. Production ended in 2019, an event commemorated in the Ghost Zenith Collection.

The present Ghost, built on the same Architecture of Luxury spaceframe as Phantom, Cullinan and Spectre, was launched in 2020: the line-up also includes Ghost Extended and Black Badge Ghost, launched in 2021.


GHOST PHILOSOPHY AND POSITIONING

Ghost is a study in reduction, minimalism and simplicity. Its purity provides the ideal blank canvas for Bespoke commissions, with clients able to exercise their ambitious creativity and express their personal tastes almost entirely free of technical and aesthetic constraints.

That purity presents possibility. It creates potential as boundless as the owner’s imagination, emboldening them to bring colour, energy and vibrancy to their commission and to allow beautiful materials, expert craftsmanship and exquisite details speak for themselves, subtle and unadorned.


A NEW APPROACH TO LUXURY

Ghost’s design reflects a marked shift in clients’ attitudes to luxury that has occurred since its first incarnation. Today’s luxury consumers consciously reject extravagance and ostentation: their tastes are defined by reduction, simplicity and substance, and the intelligent, considered selection and unobtrusive application of exceptional materials and craftsmanship. Every element of Ghost therefore has relevance, purpose and integrity. This philosophy is the antithesis of ‘premium mediocrity’, a term coined by the fashion industry for otherwise unremarkable products that rely on contrivance, superficial details and meaningless aesthetic artifice to create an illusion of luxury.

Ghost is also designed for a younger client cohort, often self-made and invariably self-confident and self-reliant, who tend to be self-drivers by default, and thus take a keen interest in their motor car’s driving experience and dynamics.


THE CURRENT GHOST MODEL

Ghost is perfect in its simplicity; but creating this purity of expression was one of the marque’s greatest-ever technical challenges. It incorporates state-of-the-art equipment and functions including:

• LED and laser headlights with more than 600m of illuminated range, plus vision assist
• Alertness assistant
• Four-camera system with panoramic view, all-round visibility and helicopter view
• Active cruise control
• Collision, cross-traffic, lane departure and lane change warnings
• Industry-leading 7x3 high-resolution head-up display (HUD)
• On-board Wi-Fi hotspot
• Self-park system
• Bespoke navigation and entertainment systems.

ENGINEERING

Proprietary Architecture of Luxury

Ghost is built on the marque’s proprietary Architecture of Luxury spaceframe, as used in its flagship Phantom, Cullinan SUV and all-electric Spectre. The aluminium spaceframe’s flexibility and scalability creates an acoustically superior, highly rigid and dynamic platform, based around four fixed points, one at each corner of the motor car. The moveable aluminium bulkhead, floor, crossmembers and sill panels are positioned specifically to make Ghost as enjoyable to drive as it is to be driven in. Pushing two of the cast suspension mounting assemblies to the very front and placing the 6.75-litre V12 behind the front axle, gives an optimum 50/50 weight distribution.

Ghost has all-wheel drive, all-wheel steering and a Planar Suspension System specifically designed to enhance the marque’s hallmark ‘magic carpet ride’.

All-aluminium bodyshell

Ghost’s metal superstructure is 100% aluminium, rendered as one clean, expansive piece, flowing seamlessly from the A-pillar, over the roof and down to the rear of the motor car. To eliminate shut lines and body seams, four craftspeople hand-weld the body together simultaneously; Ghost is also fitted with 100% aluminium, laser-welded doors. As well as reducing the motor car’s overall weight, aluminium offers a remarkable 40,000Nm/deg stiffness, and a lower acoustic impedance than steel, improving cabin ambience.

6.75-Litre Twin-Turbocharged V12

Ghost’s bespoke V12 engine ensures dynamic performance, delivering 563bhp/420kW and 850Nm/627lb ft of torque, with maximum torque available from 1600rpm – just 600rpm above tick-over. The air intake system incorporates large ports designed to reduce engine noise in the interior.

Planar Suspension System

The Planar Suspension System is the result of 10 collective years of testing and development, creating a sense of ‘flight on land’ never achieved in a motor car before. Created through physical engineering developments, and sophisticated scanning and software technology, it incorporates a world-first Upper Wishbone Damper unit, reserved exclusively for Rolls-Royce and never previously applied in a production motor car. Located above the front suspension assembly, this assists the continuously variable, electronically controlled shock absorbers and self-levelling high-volume air strut assemblies, creating a stable, effortless ride.

The marque’s Flagbearer system uses cameras to read the road ahead and adjust the suspension proactively rather than reactively at up to 100km/h. This allows Ghost to anticipate and react to the most demanding road surfaces. It operates in concert with the Satellite Aided Transmission system, which draws GPS data to pre-select the optimum gear for upcoming corners, all managed by the planar software system.

The five-link rear axle benefits from self-levelling high-volume air suspension technology and rear-wheel steering.

Effortless Doors

Rolls-Royce clients have enjoyed self-closing doors since the first Goodwood Phantom. In Ghost, clients open the rear door with one pull of the interior handle, then allow it to return to its resting position while they check for potential hazards. They then pull and hold it for full power assistance on opening. Once the door is opened sufficiently, they simply release the handle, which engages a door brake. The door can be closed completely automatically at the push of a button on the exterior handle.

If clients prefer to close the door manually, the operation is power assisted. On-board longitudinal and transverse sensors, as well as G-force sensors fitted to each door, allow the same speed of operation regardless of hill or driveway angles.

Micro-Environment Purification System (MEPS)

Ghost benefits from a Micro-Environment Purification System (MEPS), incorporating a full suite of hardware and software. They include highly sensitive Impurity Detection Sensors that automatically switch fresh air intakes to Recirculation Mode if unacceptable levels of airborne contaminants are present. This channels all cabin air through a nanofleece filter, which is capable of removing nearly all ultra-fine particles from the Rolls-Royce’s micro-environment in less than two minutes.


ACOUSTICS

Ghost applies the marque’s Formula for Serenity, designed to produce a calm, serene and near-noiseless interior environment.

The first element of this formula is the Architecture of Luxury. Its aluminium construction has a higher acoustic impedance than steel, and comprises complex forms, rather than flat, resonant surfaces. The bulkhead and floor sections are double-skinned and filled with composite damping felts to reduce road noise intrusion. In total, Ghost incorporates 100kg of acoustic material in the doors, roof, between the double-glazed windows, inside the tyres and throughout the underpinning architecture.

During development, every component was interrogated and, where necessary, re-engineered to eliminate unacceptable noise. For example, the inside of the air conditioning ducting is polished to reduce wind noise; the diameter of the prop shaft was adjusted and its rigidity increased to improve acoustics.

The development process also revealed that a completely silent interior is actually rather disorienting for occupants. Ghost therefore exhibits a ‘whisper’ – a soft undertone experienced as a single, subtle note. This is achieved by tuning each component so it shares a common resonant frequency. Again, this requires specific engineering solutions, such as damping units in the seat frames, and ports under the rear parcel shelf that allow low-frequency sounds produced in the 507-litre boot cavity at motorway speed to escape.


EXTERIOR

Ghost is defined by minimalism and purity, underpinned by great substance. Sharp bow lines intersect with an angular light signature, creating an assertive yet beautiful front end. Twenty LEDS set under the top of the radiator grille subtly illuminate the vanes: the backs of the vanes are brushed, making them less reflective and creating a restrained glow effect. The Spirit of Ecstasy is not surrounded by panel lines but rather stands within her own unbroken ‘lake’.

The hand-welded aluminium body appears as one fluid whole, uninterrupted by shut lines, with a single straight stroke in the flanks emphasising the motor car’s length. The lower ‘waft line’ borrows from boat design and uses reflection to lighten the surfacing and create a pure sense of motion. The subtly arched roof line and rear end follow this sense of movement and resolve in a taper. The near-square rear light graphic, an established tenet of contemporary Rolls-Royce design, has a slight forward tilt and appears as an ‘island’ within the painted surface.

In the deliberately neutral upper section, the windows are equally proportioned, balancing Ghost as both a driver-oriented and chauffeur-driven car.


INTERIOR

The interior aesthetic pursues the same minimalist principles as the exterior. Free of busy details and superficial adornment, it creates a relaxing refuge and maximises the impact of Bespoke colour personalisation.

Producing an environment defined by reduction, simplicity and elegance is an extremely complex endeavour, since even the very finest materials will, when left unembellished, invite close scrutiny. The leather used in each of Ghost’s 338 individual panels, however small and unobtrusive, is subject to the automotive industry’s most exhaustive quality control checks: the stitching is minimal and forms long, perfectly straight lines, again inviting minute inspection.

Ghost features specially developed wood veneers in open-pore finish, which showcase the materials in their naked form. Obsidian Ayous is inspired by the rich mix of colours found in igneous rock, while Dark Amber introduces subtle glamour with fine aluminium particles integrated into the dark wood. The wood is left exposed as long, single-veneer leaves, punctuated only by cold-to-the-touch solid metal air vents.


BESPOKE FEATURES

Illuminated Fascia

Ghost’s Illuminated Fascia subtly echoes the Starlight Headliner, which itself has become as much a part of Rolls-Royce iconography as the Spirit of Ecstasy, Pantheon Grille and ‘Double R’ monogram.

Developed over two years and more than 10,000 collective hours, the fascia includes an ethereal glowing Ghost nameplate surrounded by more than 850 ‘stars’. The illumination comes from 152 LEDs mounted above and beneath the fascia, each meticulously colour-matched to the clock and instrument dial lighting. The Ghost wordmark is lit by a 2mm thick light guide, featuring more than 90,000 laser-etched dots across the surface. This not only disperses the light evenly but creates a twinkling effect as the eye moves across the fascia.

Located on the passenger side of the dashboard, the constellation and wordmark are completely invisible when the interior lights are not in operation. This is achieved using three layers of composite materials. The first, a piano-black substrate, is laser-etched to allow light to shine through the wordmark and star cluster. This is overlaid with a layer of dark-tinted lacquer, hiding the lettering when not in use. Finally, the fascia is sealed with a layer of subtly tinted lacquer before being hand polished to achieve a perfectly uniform, 0.5mm thick high-gloss finish, matching other high-gloss accents incorporated into the interior.

Bespoke Audio

As well as creating a serene internal environment, Rolls-Royce’s pursuit of acoustic perfection creates a magnificent sound stage for Ghost’s Bespoke Audio system, which is engineered into the motor car’s very fabric. A resonance chamber into the body’s sill section essentially transforms the motor car into a subwoofer: exciter speakers bonded to the Starlight Headliner turn the ceiling into a single large speaker. A powerful 1300W amplifier drives 18 individual loudspeakers: state-of-the-art optimisation technology and high-precision magnesium-ceramic compound cones provide outstanding frequency response. Two active microphones detect anomalous frequencies, then trigger the amplifiers to counteract them, ensuing a pure and perfectly balanced listening experience.


PERFECTION, EVOLVED

The only components in the current Ghost model to be carried over from its predecessor are the Spirit of Ecstasy mascot and the beloved umbrellas concealed in the doors: everything else was designed, crafted and engineered from the ground up. It distils the Rolls-Royce brand values into a beautiful, minimalist, yet highly complex product that is perfectly in harmony with clients’ evolving needs, and precisely in tune with the times.

This Press Kit provides an overview of Spectre, its design philosophy and position within the Rolls-Royce product portfolio. The original launch press release is available on Press Club , where you can also find pre-launch information about Rolls-Royce’s electric experimental models and heritage.

Background

In 1900, motoring pioneer The Hon Charles Stewart Rolls made a bold prediction in a magazine article: “The electric car is perfectly noiseless and clean. There is no smell or vibration. They should become very useful when fixed charging stations can be arranged,” he declared. Those words, written four years before his historic first meeting with Henry Royce, were to prove prophetic; but it was more than a century later that his vision was finally realised by the company they co-founded.

In September 2021, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars confirmed it had begun testing of the first model in its history to be conceived and engineered from the beginning as an electric car. That testing programme extended to more than 2.5 million kilometres in every extreme of terrain and temperature, simulating over 400 years of normal use. A year later, in October 2022, Spectre was unveiled to the world: an audacious promise kept, and a monumental technical undertaking completed.

As the first fully-electric Rolls-Royce ever made, Spectre proves that battery-electric technology has entirely come of age, and can be successfully deployed at the very apex of automotive excellence, luxury and performance. It also represents an epochal technological and intellectual shift for the marque: by the end of 2030, its entire product portfolio will be fully electric; Rolls-Royce will never again produce a new model with an internal combustion engine.

Spectre has created an entirely new class of motor car: the ultra-luxury electric super coupé. The all-electric powertrain takes the signature Rolls-Royce experience – instant torque, silent running and the sense of one imperceptible gear – and enhances it for a new generation of clients. Its ‘Decentralised Intelligence’ system enables free and direct exchange of information between thousands of individual vehicle functions, further elevating the marque’s celebrated ‘magic carpet ride’. And in its contemporary yet timeless aesthetic, it takes the brand’s design language and Bespoke capabilities into a new, electric age.

Spectre philosophy and positioning

Spectre is the Rolls-Royce that changes everything – the world’s first ultra-luxury electric super coupé, ushering in the marque’s bold new all-electric future. Crucially, it is a Rolls-Royce first and an electric car second: no concessions or compromises in terms of interior space, comfort, performance or ride quality have been made– indeed, all have been refined and augmented by the car’s underpinning architecture and engineering.

A generously proportioned, visually striking two-door fastback, Spectre is the spiritual successor to the fabled Phantom Coupé. Its intimate interior provides a perfect canvas for Bespoke personalisation, complemented by a unique illuminated fascia and the first Starlight Doors ever specified in a production Rolls-Royce.

No two Spectre clients are exactly alike, but they generally share a keen appreciation of fine materials and craftsmanship, and a marked preference for uncluttered, minimalist design free of ostentation and superfluity. Often younger, self-made and self-confident people, many Spectre clients embrace contemporary ideas around sustainability, authenticity, conscientiousness and longevity. As one of the world’s most desirable luxury goods, Spectre is an extension of the people who commission it, reflecting their individual personalities and values, as well as symbolising their achievements.


ENGINEERING

‘Rolls-Royce 3.0’

The first Goodwood-era Rolls-Royce, launched in 2003, was Phantom. Underpinned by its own Bespoke architecture, this was Rolls-Royce 1.0. For its successor, the marque created the ‘Architecture of Luxury’ (see below) - an all-aluminium spaceframe that also provides the foundations for Cullinan and Ghost - representing Rolls-Royce 2.0. With its fully-electric powertrain and Decentralised Intelligence, Spectre marks the start of Rolls-Royce 3.0, and a new era for super-luxury motoring.

All-aluminium Architecture of Luxury

Spectre is the fourth series Rolls-Royce to be built on the Architecture of Luxury platform, which is unique and proprietary to Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. In a farsighted move reminiscent of Charles Rolls’ famous prophecy, it was deliberately conceived from the outset to accommodate an electric powertrain as and when the technology became available.

It comprises an all-aluminium spaceframe that is infinitely scalable and modifiable around four fixed points, one at each corner of the motor car. This inherent flexibility allows Rolls-Royce to adjust the bulkhead, floor, crossmembers and sill panels in a way most appropriate to each individual product.

With Spectre, Rolls-Royce engineers unlocked previously unexplored potential in the concept. The sophisticated extruded aluminium sections and integration of the battery into the structure make Spectre’s spaceframe 30% stiffer than in any previous Rolls-Royce. The architecture also allowed engineers to place the floor halfway between the sill structures rather than above or underneath them.

A channel for wiring and climate control pipework runs between the battery and the floor, with the battery mounted underneath, producing a perfectly smooth underfloor profile. This allows a low seating position, while moving the bulkhead location deepens the dashboard to create a truly cocooning passenger cabin. This sensation is amplified by Spectre’s dramatically raked windscreen, which also contributes to the car’s exceptional aerodynamics (see below).

The battery’s position gives it a highly beneficial secondary function: fully integrated into the motor car’s architecture, it acts as 700kg of additional acoustic insulation.  

All-electric drivetrain

With Spectre, Rolls-Royce committed to an uncompromised electric future by specifying an all-electric drivetrain rather than a hybrid solution. It is fitted with two Separately Excited Synchronous Motors (SSMs). The front electric motor produces 190kW / 365 Nm, with the rear motor delivering 360kW / 710 Nm. In performance terms, this equates to an internal combustion engine of 430kW (584 hp) with 900Nm of torque. In terms of acceleration, Spectre achieves 0-60mph in 4.4 seconds (0-100km/h in 4.5 seconds).

In establishing an appropriate range for Spectre, the marque first engaged with clients, to understand their requirements. The confirmed range of 530km (329 miles) WLTP goes beyond these requirements, confirming that Spectre fits perfectly into the lifestyle of Rolls-Royce clients, who have an average of more than seven cars in their garage to choose from for any occasion, and who drive an average of 5,100km in their current Rolls-Royce per year.

Charge time from 10-80% is 34 minutes using a 195 kW (DC) fast charger: this will also produce sufficient charge for 100km in around nine minutes.

Spectre is equipped with Active Lane Centring and Adaptive Cruise Control simultaneously.

Battery

Spectre has a 102kWh lithium-ion battery, made using cobalt and lithium from strictly controlled sources in Australia, Morocco and Argentina: the battery cells are produced using 100% green electricity. It has been extensively tested in temperatures ranging from -40°C to +50°C: Spectre’s on-board thermal management system maintains an optimum operating temperature at all times.

Braking Recuperation

Spectre has a braking recuperation function that the driver can configure by pushing a button marked ‘B’ on the Column Shifter. By activating ‘Brake Mode’, braking recuperation is increased, enabling so-called single-pedal driving and even allowing the car to come to a complete stop if desired. The default setting on starting is low recuperation, mimicking the automatic driving style of an internal combustion engine Rolls-Royce.

Digital Engineering

Spectre is the most connected Rolls-Royce in history, with three times as many sender-receiver signals as any previous model. Indeed, engineers describe it as ‘Rolls-Royce in ultra-high definition’ on account of the speed and accuracy of its responses to road and weather conditions. Each of the car’s thousands of drivetrain and chassis characteristics were exhaustively tested and refined during its 2.5-million-kilometre testing programme.

Through a software architecture known as Decentralised Intelligence, data is processed closer to its source rather than being handled in its entirety by a single central processing unit. To achieve this, each of the 141,200 sender-receiver variables has its own dedicated handmade control; in nearly all cases, several additional sub-variables account for variations in climate, ground speed, road type, vehicle status and driving style. This enables the car to respond more quickly to driver inputs and changing road conditions.

Planar Suspension System

Spectre's suspension is an evolution of the Planar System originally launched on Ghost. Engineers describe it as ‘an orchestra of systems’, which combines specially developed hardware and Spectre’s high-speed processing capabilities to deliver the marque’s hallmark ‘magic carpet ride’.

Spectre’s 30% greater torsional rigidity negates the need for the upper wishbone damper used in Ghost. On straight roads, the system can automatically decouple Spectre’s anti-roll bars, allowing each wheel to act independently. This prevents the rocking motion that occurs when one side of a vehicle hits an undulation in the road, and dramatically reduces high-frequency disturbances caused by smaller, repeated surface defects.

When the system detects a corner, it recouples the components and stiffens the damper, and prepares to activate the four-wheel steering system to ensure effortless entry and exit. During cornering, individual sensors monitor almost 20 different steering, braking, power delivery and suspension parameters, and adjust them automatically to maintain perfect tracking and stability.

SPIRIT – Digital Architecture of Luxury

SPIRIT is a completely redesigned digital architecture that connects the Spectre owner with their car more closely than ever before. As well as managing the motor car’s functions, SPIRIT is seamlessly integrated into the marque’s Whispers app, allowing owners to interact with their car remotely.

For the first time, clients are able to extend their Bespoke commission into the digital realm; for example, by selecting the colour of the instrument dials to complement the car’s interior palette or exterior finish.

Effortless Doors

At almost 1.5 metres in length, Spectre’s laser-welded pillarless coach doors are the largest ever fitted to a Rolls-Royce. Made from 100% aluminium to reduce weight without compromising rigidity and strength, they are equipped with a specially developed iteration of the Effortless Doors power-assisted system specified on every Rolls-Royce from Phantom onwards. As originally developed for the current Ghost model, Spectre’s Effortless Doors operate on opening as well as closing.

A single pull of the interior handle opens the door to ‘comfort position’, allowing the occupant to check for hazards or obstructions. They then pull and hold the handle to activate full power assistance. When the door has opened sufficiently, they simply release the handle, which engages the door brake. The door can be closed automatically by pushing of a button on the external handle, or manually with power assistance. On-board longitudinal and transverse sensors, as well as G-force sensors fitted to each door, allow the same speed of operation regardless of hill or driveway angles.

In a feature unique to Spectre, the driver’s door closes automatically when the driver presses the brake pedal.


EXTERIOR

Spectre’s design draws inspiration from worlds far beyond automotive, including haute couture, modernist sculpture, nautical design, tailoring and contemporary art. In particular, the design takes cues from the clarity and precision of line and intelligent use of reflection in modern racing yacht styling.

Spectre’s Pantheon grille is the widest ever fitted to a Rolls-Royce. The polished stainless-steel vanes are smooth and flush-fitting, and softly illuminated with 22 LEDs lighting up the sandblasted rear surface, creating a subtle three-dimensional signature at night.

The Spirit of Ecstasy figurine was specially created for Spectre. With a lower stance and more aerodynamic profile, perfected over 830 hours of design modelling and wind-tunnel testing, it contributes to the motor car’s drag coefficient of just 0.25cd, making Spectre the most aerodynamic Rolls-Royce ever built.

The split headlights have been a signature Rolls-Royce feature for many years, and are a direct visual reference to Spectre’s illustrious forebear, Phantom Coupé.

The sharp, vertical bow line draws the eye rearward to Spectre’s fastback, which is inspired by both classic motor cars and racing yachts. The seamless roofline contributes significantly to Spectre’s exceptional aerodynamics.

The lower ‘waft line’ is the visual representation of the fabled Rolls-Royce ‘magic carpet ride’; Spectre’s coachwork gently tucks into the sill, lightening the surfacing and creating a sense of motion by reflecting the road passing beneath it, much like the hull of a racing yacht reflects the water as it cuts through it.

Following the roofline back, the tail lamps are set into the largest single body panel ever produced for a Rolls-Royce, which extends from the A-pillar to the luggage compartment. In anticipation of a variety of Bespoke exterior colour commissions, the rear lamps are colourless for neutrality.

To match Spectre’s generous proportions, it is the first production Rolls-Royce two-door coupé to be equipped with 23-inch wheels in almost 100 years.


INTERIOR

Spectre’s interior contains a wealth of technologically advanced Bespoke features. For the first time on a series production Rolls-Royce, these include Starlight Doors, which incorporate 4,796 softly illuminated ‘stars’. If they wish, customers can alternatively choose a backdrop of Canadel panelling, hand-crafted from a range of exquisite wood.

The ethereal, celestial theme continues with Spectre’s Illuminated Fascia. Developed over the course of two years and more than 10,000 collective hours, it incorporates the Spectre nameplate surrounded by a cluster of over 5,500 stars. Located on the passenger side of the dashboard, the illuminations are completely invisible when the motor car is not in operation.

Inspired by British tailoring, the all-new front seat design has lapel sections that can be rendered in contrasting or matching colours to the main base.

As with all Rolls-Royce motor cars, Spectre’s interior suite offers clients near-infinite Bespoke possibilities.


THE ROLLS-ROYCE THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING

Spectre is perfectly in tune with contemporary sensibilities, while also setting the direction for the future of the marque. As Charles Rolls himself foresaw, it is the motor car Rolls-Royce has been driving towards since it was founded – an elevated expression of effortlessness, power and historical endurance. A Rolls-Royce first and an electric car second, Spectre has been boldly conceived, meticulously engineered, exhaustively tested and spectacularly realised, and represents an unequivocal statement of intent, signalling to the world what Rolls-Royce stands for now and in the decades to come.


EXECUTIVE QUOTES

“Spectre possesses all the qualities that have secured the Rolls-Royce legend. This incredible motor car, conceived from the very beginning as our first fully-electric model, is silent, powerful and demonstrates how perfectly Rolls-Royce is suited to electrification. Spectre’s all-electric powertrain will assure the marque’s sustained success and relevance while dramatically increasing the definition of each characteristic that makes a Rolls-Royce a Rolls-Royce.

“At Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, perfection is about more than making the very best products. It is a culture, an attitude and our guiding philosophy. Indeed, it is our founding father Sir Henry Royce who said, ‘strive for perfection in everything you do’. Spectre has been conceived within this culture. It is perfectly in tune with the sensibilities of our time. It states the direction for the future of our marque and perfectly answers a call from the most discerning individuals in the world to elevate the electric motor car experience, because Spectre is a Rolls-Royce first and an electric car second.

“This is the start of a bold new chapter for our marque, our extraordinary clients and the luxury industry. For this reason, I believe Spectre is the most perfect product that Rolls-Royce has ever produced.”
Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

“It is a highlight of my professional life to have developed Rolls-Royce Spectre, the car which propels Rolls-Royce into its bold, electric future. Such a remarkable car requires a remarkable testing programme and I am enormously proud that Spectre has now completed what has been the most arduous schedule ever conceived for a Rolls-Royce motor car. Indeed, it is where automotive manufacturers finish testing that so much of our work begins in fulfilling the requirements of the super-luxury consumer. This has been an extraordinary undertaking from a team of dedicated and highly skilled engineers that span both traditional technical disciplines and exciting emerging technologies. Rolls-Royce Spectre brings the future of this great marque into the present.”
Dr. Mihiar Ayoubi, Director of Engineering, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

“We have designed Spectre as a true Rolls-Royce, with a strikingly modern yet timeless aesthetic, which brings our marque’s design language and Bespoke capabilities into a new, electric era. Working closely with our engineering colleagues and drawing inspiration from many spheres, including haute couture, modernist sculpture and nautical design, we have succeeded in creating a dramatic, highly emotional super coupé. In particular, the design takes cues from the clarity and precision of line and intelligent use of reflection in modern sailboat styling. Within the luxurious and welcoming cabin, Spectre’s cosseting interior wraps itself around those inside the car, whilst enchanting Bespoke features surprise and delight, showcasing the very outstanding skill and artistry of our world-renowned designers and craftspeople.”
Anders Warming, Director of Design, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

“The electric car is perfectly noiseless and clean. There is no smell or vibration. They should become very useful when fixed charging stations can be arranged.”
The Hon. Charles Stewart Rolls, Co-Founder, Rolls-Royce, 1900

- ENDS -


ROLLS-ROYCE SPECTRE TECHNICAL DATA

• Muse, the Rolls-Royce Art Programme commences inaugural Spirit of Ecstasy Challenge
• Spirit of Ecstasy Challenge invites emerging designers to create unique works, inspired by Rolls-Royce and Spirit of Ecstasy
• Esteemed jury of design experts to select three finalists to create works in the medium of textile

 

“The Spirit of Ecstasy Challenge is the second commissioning initiative of Muse, the Rolls-Royce Art Programme. While the Dream Commission supports artists working with moving-image art, the Spirit of Ecstasy Challenge embraces the diverse skill and creativity that exists within the world of design.

"Through the Spirit of Ecstasy Challenge, Rolls-Royce harbours a desire to expand technical and conceptual boundaries, leaving a legacy of creative achievement with the Spirit of Ecstasy as its point of reference. This reflects the very essence of who we are at the House of Rolls-Royce – we have an enduring commitment to craftsmanship, rarity, conscientiousness, and of course, a constant striving for perfection. I hope to see this translated into the creations of the three Spirit of Ecstasy Challenge finalists.”
Anders Warming , Director of Design, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars


Muse, the Rolls-Royce Art Programme, today announces the commencement of the inaugural Spirit of Ecstasy Challenge. As a biennial initiative, the Spirit of Ecstasy Challenge invites emerging design visionaries to create unique works inspired by Rolls-Royce and the Spirit of Ecstasy, the sculptural figurine that adorns the bonnet of every Rolls-Royce motor car. The Spirit of Ecstasy symbolises excellence, innovation and creativity, and is the ideal muse for this new, future focused design initiative.

An esteemed jury of design experts will select three designers to participate in the first ever Spirit of Ecstasy Challenge. The jury members include, Anders Warming, Director of Design, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars; Yoon Ahn, Director of Jewellery at Dior Men and Founder of Ambush; Tim Marlow, Chief Executive and Director at the Design Museum, London; and Sumayya Vally, Founder and Principal at Counterspace Studio, Johannesburg.

The Challenge invites emerging designers to experiment and expand the boundaries of materials that are key to Rolls-Royce craftsmanship, bringing together design, materials and craft into a dynamic dialogue. Celebrating tradition and innovation, each biennial Challenge will focus on a different medium and related field of practice – the selected medium for 2022 is textile. The chosen finalists will be announced in March 2022.

In 2021, a long list of emerging creative talents were nominated by an international committee of figures from the design world: Glenn Adamson, US-based curator, writer and former museum director; Anne Marr, Programme Director of Jewellery, Textiles and Materials at Central St Martins, London; Nana Ocran, Founding Editor of People's Stories Project, who works between the UK and Ghana; and Mizuki Takahashi, Executive Director and Chief Curator of the Centre for Heritage, Arts and Textile, Hong Kong.

Designers nominated for the Challenge were invited to create a proposal that would surprise, delight, and inspire. Entrants were also asked to consider their culture and heritage, the local and the global environment in which their creation will exist, sustainability and the technological impact of their creation.

The three finalists will be invited to the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, West Sussex, where they will meet the marque’s master craftspeople, before completing their creations. The final works will be unveiled later this year before proceeding on a global tour – including to Rolls-Royce showrooms – where they will be admired by art, design and luxury enthusiasts alike.

The Spirit of Ecstasy jury issued a combined statement: “ The Spirit of Ecstasy Challenge creates a wonderful platform for dialogue and the exchange of inspiration and ideas among creators and visionaries, and offers us ways of deepening and broadening our realm of understanding of textile-based artistic forms and languages of expression. We salute Rolls-Royce for the platform they give to emerging talent and look forward to seeing the works created for the initiative come to life. It will shine a light on craftsmanship, which is something that Rolls-Royce champions and demonstrates to the highest level.”

Alongside the commencement of the Spirit of Ecstasy Challenge, Rolls-Royce has today unveiled a redesign of the figurine to grace the bonnet of its new all-electric Spectre. Originally designed by Charles Sykes in 1911, the Spirit of Ecstasy figurine has become an instantly recognisable symbol of British luxury. Her lower, more dynamic stance for Spectre will bring her much closer to Sykes’ original drawings from the early 20^th Century.

To stay up-to-date follow @rollsroycemuse.

A LIFE LESS ORDINARY

The Hon Charles Stewart Rolls lived through a pivotal period of history, as the Victorian era gave way to the brave new world of the 20^th-century. And as his story reveals, he was at the very heart of changes and developments that would shape the modern world.

His short but highly eventful life epitomised the adventurous spirit of the age. A pioneering racing driver, balloonist and aviator, in 1910 he became the first pilot to fly across the English Channel and back non-stop – a feat that won him a personal message of congratulations from King George V and a tribute from one newspaper as ‘the greatest hero of the day’.

But his aristocratic background, swashbuckling style and instinctive genius for publicity and salesmanship tend to obscure another side of his character. Far more than a mere daredevil, playboy or privileged dilletante, Rolls was a serious, highly talented engineer and innovator in his own right.

Perhaps the fact that he died so young, in a flying accident aged only 32, helps explain why he is often somewhat overshadowed by the famously perfectionist and workaholic Henry Royce. Yet his daring, love of the new, fascination with possibilities, and desire always to go further and better than anyone else had ever dared to try, remain powerful, animating forces at the heart of the company that bears his name today.

NOBLE ORIGINS

Charles Rolls was born on 27 August 1877, the third son of Lord and Lady Llangattock. Though his registered birthplace was at 35 Hill Street, off Berkeley Square in London, his heart was always at the family’s ancestral home, The Hendre, in Monmouthshire, on the border of Wales and England.

His aptitude and enthusiasm for engineering were evident from childhood. When he was nine, he rigged up an electric bell between his bedroom and the stables at The Hendre. A few years later, he also planned and supervised the installation of electricity in the main house; in an early demonstration of the powers of persuasion that would later make him world-famous, he induced his father to pay for it.

DRIVEN TO SUCCEED

Rolls' passion for motor cars was equally precocious. In 1896, aged just 18, he travelled to Paris and bought his first car, a 3¾ HP Peugeot Phaeton. As an engineering student at Trinity College, Cambridge, his inveterate tinkering with imported European cars earned him the unflattering, but probably accurate, sobriquet ‘Dirty Rolls’ from his fellow undergraduates.

After gaining his degree in Mechanical & Applied Science, the seemingly fearless and relentlessly competitive Rolls quickly made a name for himself as a racing driver. In his first race – the 1899 Paris to Boulogne – he finished fourth in the tourist class, driving an 8 HP Panhard & Levassor. Four years later, he competed in the fateful race from Paris to Madrid, in which 34 drivers and spectators perished: in the same year, he set an unofficial land speed record of almost 83mph in his 80 HP Mors.

A TRUE HIGH-FLYER

Rolls had also been captivated by flying from its inception. He was a founding member of the Royal Aero Club, initially as a balloonist, making over 170 flights and winning the Aero Club de France Gold Medal in 1906 for the longest sustained time aloft. On his first flight in a powered airship, the Ville de Paris, in 1907, he described the experience as ‘something worth living for; it was the conquest of the air’.

In the spring of 1909, when the Wright brothers came to England from America as guests of the Royal Aero Club, Rolls acted as their official host. A year later, he became only the second person in Britain to be awarded an aeroplane pilot’s licence; and it was in a Wright Flyer that he became both the first Englishman to fly an aeroplane across the English Channel, and the first aviator ever to fly non-stop from England to France and back again.

AN HISTORIC MEETING…

On 4 May 1904, Rolls travelled from London to the Midland Hotel in Manchester, England. There he was introduced by Henry Edmunds, a fellow member of the Automobile Club, to an engineer named Henry Royce. Upon returning to London, Rolls told his business partner, Claude Johnson, that he had found ‘the greatest motor engineer in the world’. Rolls agreed to sell all the cars Royce could make.

A shrewd businessman, Rolls recognised the power of marketing and public relations. In his role as Technical Managing Director, he used his extensive connections in politics, the media and even royalty to promote Rolls-Royce and its motor cars. He famously enjoyed demonstrating the refinement of the legendary Silver Ghost by balancing a brimming glass of water on the running engine and watching people’s reaction as not a drop was spilled.

…AND A TRAGIC END

On 12 July 1910, less than two months after his triumphant double Channel crossing, Rolls was taking part in a competition at Bournemouth when the tail-piece broke off his Wright Flyer. The aircraft plunged to the ground from a height of 100 feet, crashing close to the crowded grandstand in a tangle of spars and canvas. Rolls sustained a fractured skull and was pronounced dead at the scene. He was only the twelfth person in history to be killed in a flying accident, and the first Briton to lose his life in a powered aircraft. He was only 32.

Charles Rolls combined a fine technical mind with a bold, adventurous spirit; small wonder that aviation and motoring held such powerful, almost magical attractions for him. He was a true pioneer in both fields, instrumental in the development of aeroplanes and motor cars with his record-breaking feats. That he achieved so much in so short a life is extraordinary and inspiring. More than a century on, his imagination and courage are still very much alive at the Home of Rolls-Royce.

• Recreation Module presents unique Bespoke opportunity in pinnacle SUV
• Automatic drawer reveals 48 litres of space primed for Bespoke commissions
• Highly popular Viewing Suite incorporates two effortlessly deployed leather chairs
• Subversive King of the Night commission reflects versatility of Recreation Module

EFFORTLESS EVERYWHERE
Rolls-Royce Cullinan, the world’s pre-eminent super-luxury SUV, promises the intrepid owner an unrivalled blend of comfort and capability surmised as ‘Effortless, Everywhere’.  In addition to conveying its occupants to their destination in absolute serenity, off road or on road, Cullinan offers two unique Bespoke features to ensure that, on arrival, clients are equipped with everything required for their adventure.

The first is the Recreation Module, a motorised drawer cassette designed to fit securely and invisibly into the luggage compartment floor of Cullinan. At the touch of a button, the Recreation Module slides open to reveal equipment, accessories and paraphernalia personally selected by the motor car’s commissioning client, each item ensconced in its own individually tailored container. The Recreation Module can be trimmed to match or contrast with the car’s interior and exterior colourway according to the commissioning client’s preference.

THE LUXURY OF VERSATILITY
The Recreation Module provides 48 litres of space that can be configured precisely to accommodate the customer’s requirements. Furthermore, the entire assembly can be removed and stored separately, allowing customers to create Recreation Modules for specific hobbies and applications, from fly fishing, rock climbing, snowboarding or parascending to kite-boarding or base-jumping. For example, a Cullinan client could devise three individual Recreation Modules for shooting, skiing and photography equipment, then select and install the appropriate unit prior to departure.

While the Recreation Module adds enormously to Cullinan’s versatility and individuality, it does so without compromising the car’s spacious 2,245 mm loading length and boot capacity of up to 1,930 litres.

KING OF THE NIGHT
In late 2019, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars commissioned photographer Mark Riccioni to create a series of innovative and subversive images featuring Black Badge Cullinan, under the cover of darkness, among the distinctive automotive subcultures of Greater Los Angeles. To support the project, the marque developed a personalised Urban Photography Recreation Module, incorporating specialist equipment including a DJI Mavic Mini drone, 12.9-inch Apple iPad Pro and 16-inch Apple MacBook Pro for image capture and editing on location. The Bespoke Collective of Designers, Engineers and Craftspeople also found room for Riccioni’s Sennheiser PXC550 MkII noise-cancelling headphones, Persol PO3225-S sunglasses and outerwear from streetwear brand Supreme.

HOSTING SERVICE
To accommodate hosting in even the most rugged locations, the marque developed a permanent Bespoke feature for Cullinan named the Hosting Service. This remarkable marriage of design, craftsmanship and engineering offers a range of accoutrements to create the perfect beverage while enjoying the world’s most breathtaking vistas. Suited to hosting up to eight adults, the Hosting Service comes complete with glassware and the utensils for creating a fresh cocktail or a classic gin and tonic for passengers. Elegant highball glasses are adorned with discreet Rolls-Royce monograms whilst wooden chopping boards are made of the highest quality American walnut. Additionally, space is provisioned for a light snack service.

THE BEST SEAT IN THE HOUSE
As well as the Recreation Module, the rear compartment can accommodate a second Bespoke feature, unique to Cullinan, that customers can specify to enhance their explorations. With the tailgate open, a touch of a button deploys the Viewing Suite – two rear-facing sociably arranged seats either side of a retractable cocktail table. The Viewing Suite provides the perfect place in which to relax and reflect on the day’s events. Truly the best seat in the house.

• Transforms character of a Rolls-Royce at the touch of a button
• Low Mode augments steep descent by shifting gears 25% faster
• For Black Badge Low Mode enables gear shifts 50% faster and a bolder aural character

ROLLS-ROYCE LOW MODE

The Rolls-Royce driving experience is characterised by the feeling of one imperceptible and endless gear. However, there are occasions when the driver requires more immediacy or a different dynamic profile in response to terrain and conditions. For these moments, Rolls-Royce has engineered ‘Low Mode’.

On pressing a button conveniently located on the inside of the gear lever, the transmission will shift gears up to 25% faster. This delivers more immediate acceleration and amplifies the effect of engine braking. The result of increased RPM in lower gear when faced with steep gradients is a greater sense of control of the car’s speed, particularly in descents.

ROLLS-ROYCE BLACK BADGE LOW MODE

Black Badge represents an amplification of the Rolls-Royce driving experience in response to demand for more urgency to match a bolder, darker, more engineering-led aesthetic.

Once the Low button is depressed, the full potential of Black Badge is unleashed, amplifying a purposeful character within the motor car. It achieves this by holding gears longer when accelerating, and when braking downshifts are made faster to ensure the full spectrum of power is made available from the Black Badge’s characteristic V12.

Rolls-Royce has engineered a highly responsive suite of technologies to create an experience that responds to the intent of the driver. This means, when the throttle is depressed to 90% with ‘Low Mode’ engaged, gearshift speeds are increased by 50%, delivering power with more immediacy.

AURAL CHARACTER

Every Rolls-Royce represents a profound collaboration between brand and customer. In Black Badge’s conception this was extended from the design atelier to the engineering studio. This bold, new sub-set of clients demanded a more prominent expression of the engine’s aural character.

Rolls-Royce’s engineers worked exhaustively in the knowledge that this meant so much more than simply more noise. This approach – the result of more than two years of careful tuning – yielded a baritone sound that perfectly communicates the character of Black Badge as a subversive statement without betraying the sovereignty of the Rolls-Royce experience.

For clients who wish to enjoy the full Black Badge soundscape when stationary, the exhaust flaps remain open in ‘Park’ and ‘Neutral’ when ‘Low Mode’ is selected, allowing them to showcase the aural character of the car through enthusiastic depression of the throttle pedal.

• Privacy Suite offers peerless acoustic and visual security for passengers
• Electrochromatic glass enables instant and total rear suite isolation
• Intercom allows on-demand communication with chauffeur
• Highly connected entertainment via two 12-inch monitors featuring screen mirroring

THE LUXURY OF PRIVACY

In this highly connected digital age, privacy is an increasingly scarce luxury. Indeed, its rarity has elevated completely assured seclusion to a high luxury product. In this spirit, Rolls-Royce Phantom clients – powerbrokers, titans of business and entrepreneurs – were drawn to the marque to create a space that affords them effortless privacy and unparalleled indulgence.

The response was Phantom Privacy Suite. A discreet sanctuary in which world-changing decisions can be considered or historical agreements negotiated with the comfort of complete confidentiality. Enabled using advanced technologies and executed with the exceptional material quality and artisanal finesse expected of the marque, Privacy Suite has subsequently become the standard bearer for those wishing to operate without the threat of intrusion in an increasingly exposed world.

THE LUXURY OF TECHNOLOGY

Phantom Privacy Suite draws on the fundamental link between luxury and technology at Rolls-Royce, enabled by the marque’s Bespoke Collective of designers, engineers and craftspeople. The integration of electrochromatic glass allows the front and rear cabins to be visually separated at the touch of a button. Rear passengers are granted the ability to see through the glass and on to the road ahead, or instantly transform the glass to opaque for absolute privacy. Further powered privacy curtains and rear privacy glass close the loop, ensuring that there is no line of sight to the rear suite.

Privacy Suite uses additional acoustic damping to increase the sound isolation in Phantom, already considered to be the world’s most silent motor car. To deliver the highest possible levels of acoustic insulation, a frequency-specific compound inhibits the transmission of conversations in the rear cabin to the front. To communicate with the client’s chauffeur, the marque’s engineers integrated an intercom system, controlled by the rear passenger at the push of a button. Should the chauffeur need to speak with the rear passenger, they are able to ‘call’ occupants in the Privacy Suite, who can choose to answer or reject the communication.

In addition, a large aperture controlled solely by the rear passenger allows documents or other objects to be passed easily between the front and rear. When open, the aperture is discretely illuminated to ensure passengers are satisfied with the nature of the documents or objects before they are received.

CONNECTIVITY FOR ENTERTAINMENT AND OPERATIONS

A rear theatre entertainment system is also integrated into the Privacy Suite, allowing passengers to review presentations, review live news items or simply control their music library. Two high-definition 12-inch monitors are linked to the Phantom’s suite of fully connected software; an HDMI port allows passengers to mirror the screens of their personal devices and a USB port can be used to store audio files to the on-board 20GB hard drive. This complex execution of craftsmanship and technology is effortlessly controlled from the rear centre console and, combined with the starlight headliner and clock, creates an unmatched and highly secure ambience for passengers.

Reflecting the minimalist philosophy that underpins new Ghost, highlights of this transformative motor car are listed in short form below. Full details are available at thenewghost.com


The most technologically advanced Rolls-Royce yet 

Succeeds the most successful product in the marque’s 116-year history 

Reflects ‘Post Opulent’ design philosophy, rejecting superficial expressions of wealth 

Built on rigid aluminium Rolls-Royce spaceframe architecture 

All-wheel drive and all-wheel steering for unprecedented poise and surefootedness 

World first Planar suspension system significantly increases agility and effortlessness 

Equipped with hallmark 6.75-litre twin-turbo V12 engine, delivering 571PS and 850nm 

For effortless egress, doors now electrically open as well as close 

Interior components tuned to specific resonant frequency to create a sense of serenity 

Down lit Pantheon grille discreetly illuminates Rolls-Royce iconography 

Illuminated Fascia debuts featuring Ghost nameplate surrounded by more than 850 stars 

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has commissioned a highly technical Clean Room at its manufacturing facility at Goodwood, West Sussex. Similar facilities exist in microchip manufacturing plants and in pharmaceutical and medical equipment production facilities.

The primary purpose of the Clean Room is to provide a sterile environment within which delicate and highly bespoke items can be assembled.

The eighth generation of Rolls-Royce Phantom brings with it an unprecedented opportunity to exhibit works of art and design within the motor car itself, in an area named, the Gallery. The Gallery is formed of an uninterrupted piece of glass which spans the width of Phantom’s fascia, behind which a recess presents an illuminated stage, an area for patrons to embrace the unique storytelling characteristic of the marque.

At the conception of the Gallery, a requirement for clean manufacturing was identified and extensive research was conducted in order to create a Bespoke Rolls-Royce Clean Room at the marque’s headquarters in Goodwood, West Sussex – itself a Global Centre of Luxury Manufacturing Excellence. The lifespan of Phantom is remarkable, with over two-thirds of all Rolls-Royces created over the marque’s 116-year history still in road-worthy condition. It is therefore essential that the Gallery can stand the test of time by preserving precious and personal items for as long as the motor car itself.

Experts from the Home of Rolls-Royce visited pharmaceutical and microprocessor Clean Rooms to fully understand these complex manufacturing laboratories and learn of the procedures and requirements necessary to create a medical grade, particle free, sterile enclosure. Even a minute speck of dust would detract from the aesthetic perfection of the Gallery. The assembly therefore requires meticulous attention to detail.

The Gallery Clean Room contains four medical grade, positively pressurised spaces. A highly technical sensor continually measures the particulate concentration of each space. Any particulates measuring above 0.001 of a micron are detected, a staggering statistic considering a human hair is between 50-100 microns in diameter. This process enables continual assessment and the opportunity to identify areas for improvement. If contamination is detected, the Gallery Clean Room associates are able to identify exactly when and where the contamination took place, in order to improve future assembly. Planning and quality engineers monitor daily the particle count inside the Gallery Clean Room to ensure that no deep cleans that might interrupt daily production are required.

A complex filtration system is built into the ceiling of the Gallery Clean Room to continually remove unwanted particles from the re-circulating air. This system is, for aesthetic reasons, covered in a wooden veneer – this is, after all, situated at the Home of Rolls-Royce.

There are only five associates at the Home of Rolls-Royce trained to operate in the Gallery Clean Room, with only two permitted to enter at any one time. These associates must comply with strict guidelines to prevent possible contamination. No cosmetics, hair products or deodorant may be used.

The first enclosure is charged with sanitisation. It is here that associates prepare to enter the body of the Gallery Clean Room by dressing, top-down, to reduce the risk of hair and other imperfections soiling clothing. Medical-grade, lint free surgical clothing must be worn at all times, including a hairnet, a sterile mask, surgical overalls and overshoes. Associates must have previously cleaned their hands using deionised water, preventing possible contamination from soap and regular water. Bespoke non-powdered latex gloves have been developed specifically for Rolls-Royce to ensure moisture generated due to perspiration in this highly pressured environment is contained 100% within the glove.

Alongside the Gallery Clean Room is the Logistics Enclosure, where art and engineering first meet. The artwork enters the chamber wrapped in a protective film, inside two hermetically sealed containers. The outer package is discarded, the inner package is cleaned in preparation for entering the next laboratory. Componentry enters here in an identical format.

The Preparation Room is the next stage of this intricate journey. Entry is via an airlock, with each room becoming further pressurised to create a compression chamber. The increasing atmospheric pressure ensures that air only flows out of the facility. The artwork is delicately removed from its packaging and cleaned on a specially created machine, or ‘extract bench’. Here, any dust particles are extracted whilst the associate uses ultra-violet light and a powerful magnifying glass to identify any imperfections. No foreign objects are allowed to enter this space, even paper is forbidden.

The final enclosure is the Operation Centre, in which the micro-assembly takes place. This space is as atmospherically pure as humanly possible, with only one Phantom Gallery, and one Rolls-Royce Associate, permitted entry at a time. This room is deep cleaned each week in a process that takes up to eight hours. Any componentry entering the space must also have been through an intensive cleaning process. All metal elements, no matter how small, must be sanitised in an ultrasonic cleaner at 70 degrees for a period of 52 minutes. Further ultra-violet light examinations take place before the final assembly and the artwork is finally sealed within Phantom’s Gallery.

The Rolls-Royce Dawn was created to deliver the world’s most social, seductive open-top motoring experience for four people. In doing so, it attracted a new type of client to the marque – successful, young and dynamic men and women drawn to Dawn’s contemporary aesthetic and compelled by its owner/driver appeal.

To add yet more aesthetic appeal to this remarkable motor car, the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective of designers, engineers and craftspeople created a removable Aero Cowling. Introduced in 2018, this modern and meticulously constructed piece converts the aesthetic of Dawn into a two-seat roadster-style motor car with an extended tonneau cover sitting atop the two rear seats. By creating a higher-shouldered silhouette, Aero Cowling alters Dawn’s persona and heightens its sense of dynamic intent.

The Aero Cowling, which can be fitted and removed at a client’s discretion, encloses the rear seats beneath a beautifully hand-made cover, with two cowls rising from the leading edge of the tonneau area, to a point just behind each front seat headrest. The form of the cowls was precisely sculpted to funnel air gracefully over the cabin, so to enhance driver comfort.

Each cowl is equipped with a pair of lockable leather-lined storage compartments for personal effects, while the cover itself is made of carbon fibre and aluminium. This choice of materials makes Aero Cowling incredibly light yet strong. The lids of the cowls are swathed in finest Rolls-Royce leather, perfectly matching the interior of the car as commissioned by the owner.

A remarkable Bespoke canvas

The Aero Cowling is not designed to simply transform the appearance of the Dawn, but to complement it. Bespoke canvases for colour and detail atop the cowl lids allow for a harmonious flow of colour between motor car and tonneau.

Originally presented at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show, the first Dawn Aero Cowling was matched perfectly with the Cassiopeia Silver and Casden Tan colour scheme of the motor car it adorned. The central spine was finished in exposed carbon fibre, showcasing its lightweight structure, with a weave book-matched to a contemporary chevron graphic. This intricately detailed spine harmoniously ran down the centre of the car, through the centre console and onto the dashboard.

Since its launch, Aero Cowling has enhanced many Bespoke commissions. One of the first was the Bayside Dawn Aero Cowling, commissioned by a customer in Yokohama, Japan, to pay tribute to his seafaring home city. It matched cutting-edge technical fibre with open-pore teak Canadel panelling, drawing inspiration from yacht decking. The Aero Cowling’s colourway evoked blue seas and white sails in the finest traditions of Yokohama Bay.

Most recently, Aero Cowling adorned Dawn Silver Bullet, revealed in early 2020. Inspired by rare, glamorous and rakish roadsters of the 1920s, this motor car’s tonneau was finished with an ultra-metallic silver-painted central spine and a vapour-blasted titanium windbreak, etched with the Silver Bullet nameplate and silhouette.

Aero Cowling is able to amplify a more striking aesthetic as well as elegantly contribute to its form. Arguably, its boldest appearance was part of the marque’s 2019 Pebble Beach Collection where it was incorporated into a Dawn Black Badge finished in striking Coral. This new pastel colour carried over to the Aero Cowling itself, creating an appearance reminiscent of the Speedster two-seater body style so closely associated with the USA’s western seaboard.

When developing the latest generation of pinnacle luxury products, Rolls-Royce’s Bespoke Collective of designers, engineers and craftspeople demanded the freedom to create products on their own terms: to continue defining true luxury without expecting a single component to deliver an experience it was not intended to.

Rolls-Royce’s proprietary spaceframe chassis architecture met these demands. Its flexibility and, most importantly, scalability, freed designers to serve the aesthetic demands required to create pinnacle luxury motor cars, allowing them to proportion key areas such as the dashboard-to-axle ratio and front and rear overhangs on their own terms. They were set free from the confines of existing production platforms. Additionally, its aluminium construction delivered engineers and craftspeople an acoustically superior, rigid canvas onto which they would create new benchmarks in the experience of luxury mobility.

These quantum leaps were made with one purpose: to better service the most demanding consumer group in the world; the Rolls-Royce client.

Developed for luxury
Sir Henry Royce began his automotive career by building an improved version of a 10hp two-cylinder Decauville – the first car he bought when his eponymous electrical company found success. When Charles Rolls first encountered, and ultimately drove Royce’s machine, he knew immediately that he had found a British car that could outshine any Continental competition. He agreed to sell all of the cars that Royce could build.

In the first two years of the marque’s existence, Rolls-Royce produced ten cars. In 2019, the company delivered 5,152, the highest annual total in its history, to customers in over 50 countries. Rolls-Royce has innovated for almost a century to set the benchmark and satisfy the most discerning patrons of luxury. At the heart of its latest innovations is the Rolls-Royce Architecture.

Rolls-Royce announced the development of the new aluminium spaceframe in 2015. Eschewing the received wisdom of the mainstream automotive industry, this decision represented a departure from the notion of mass brands sharing a platform with one basic set of underpinnings from which they would create numerous models. Furthermore, it revolutionised the super-luxury motor car as we know it, allowing an unerring focus on the creation of the most luxurious and silent means of travel in the world.

Rolls-Royce Architecture, also known as the Architecture of Luxury, defines the next generation of Rolls-Royce motor cars, enabling them to deliver incomparable ride quality, acoustic characteristics, passenger comfort, exterior presence, and interior space. The platform comprises an aluminium spaceframe that can be scaled and adapted for a diverse range of luxury products.

Visionary Engineering
Rolls-Royce Architecture has been designed and engineered from the ground up to be scalable for a range of different Rolls-Royce models. Additionally, its innate flexibility means it can be adapted from one model to the next to accommodate a range of different power and drivetrain layouts.

It is simplest to understand Rolls-Royce Architecture as four fixed points at each corner of the motor car. The distance between these points is defined at the discretion of the marque’s designers and engineers: bulkhead, floor, crossmember and sill panels are all able to be stretched and shrunk to accommodate the product, be it a Phantom, Cullinan or highly Bespoke Coachbuilt commission.

Aluminium was selected for Rolls-Royce Architecture due to its lightweight qualities and higher acoustic impedance compared with steel, reducing external noise entering the cabin. Its construction further optimises the material’s acoustic properties, with engineers eschewing traditional methods; instead introducing extrusions and complex internal structures to both improve the rigidity of the motor car and eliminate flat, resonant surfaces.

The largest ever cast aluminium joints in a body-in-white, combined with double-skinned bulkhead and floor sections, better insulates sound. This delivers two key benefits: the isolation of external noise and the optimisation of sound characteristics inside the cabin.

Engineers are also able to ‘tune’ the acoustic performance of Rolls-Royce’s famed proprietary Bespoke Audio system at the architectural stage. Exceptional low frequency performance is engineered into the very fabric of modern Rolls-Royces as the architecture incorporates a resonance chamber built into the body’s sill section; the frequency response of the Bespoke Audio speaker component, which varies from model to model, defines the chamber’s size and shape. In essence, the motor car itself is a mighty subwoofer.

Uncompromising, unrivalled luxury
While a global testing programme of motor cars underpinned by the marque’s architecture began in 2014, Rolls-Royce’s proprietary spaceframe did not feature in a production model until 2017 with the launch of the eighth-generation Rolls-Royce Phantom. This motor car was met with critical acclaim and continues to be defined by the marque’s clients, as well as experts in the media, as ‘the best car in the world’.

Demonstrating the flexibility of Rolls-Royce Architecture, it was adapted for heavy all-terrain use and applied to Rolls-Royce’s transformative SUV, Cullinan. The component parts of the base architecture were reconfigured into a spaceframe that was higher and shorter with minimal overhangs to aid with steep departure and approach angles. Additionally, engineers would benefit from its exceptional body stiffness to improve traction and handling on rough terrain while offering the remarkable on- and off-road ride comfort expected by the marque’s clients.

Rolls-Royce Architecture allowed the design team to imbue Cullinan with proportions that are faithful to the marque’s aesthetic pedigree. They were also able to deploy the architecture’s flexibility in a more subtle fashion. By slightly increasing the inner sill height so the door closed below it, the sill is protected from dirt and provides a ‘clean’ egress from the motor car. Those exiting a Cullinan that had recently been used to its full off-road potential could do so without fear that they would mark their trousers, skirts or dresses.

The future of Rolls-Royce Architecture
The marque’s proprietary aluminium spaceframe will underpin all future Rolls-Royce motor cars. Its flexibility, scalability and unique construction will safeguard the marque’s unique position as the ultimate arbiter of super-luxury transportation and the world’s leading luxury house.

Starlight Headliner has become as much a part of Rolls-Royce iconography as the Spirit of Ecstasy, Pantheon Grille and ‘Double R’ monogram. However, in the spirit of the marque’s dedication to fulfilling the wishes of its patrons, it began as a Bespoke request. A Rolls-Royce client was suffering from Photophobia, an extreme sensitivity to light, and was only able to enjoy reading his daily newspaper under the starlight on his rural ranch. He requested that the marque develop a similar ambience in his Rolls-Royce.

The client took delivery of his Phantom in 2006, which was equipped with 800 stars. Such was the response to this innovation, Rolls-Royce requested the permission of the commissioning patron to fulfil the wishes of clients who wanted a Starlight Headliner of their own. The Bespoke Collective of designers, engineers and craftspeople restlessly developed this remarkable technology, extending it to the entire length of the roof and varying the intensity of light emitted by each star to better reflect the night’s sky.

The constellation of each Starlight Headliner is completely unique to the owner. Typically, it takes nine hours to craft, but a personalised pattern needs its own template, which can take as long as a week to complete. Two Rolls-Royce craftspeople marry their skills to create this extraordinary feature. It’s the perfect alliance of traditional craftsmanship and contemporary technology.

First, the leather is perforated with 1,400 to 1,600 holes, each carefully counted. Fibre optic threads, which are hand-trimmed at different angles to achieve a twinkling effect, are set into these holes by hand. The craftsperson then ensures that the fibres are perfectly seated on the visible leather surface, ready to shine.

With such skilled craftspeople creating the Starlight Headliner, they can take on any personalised aesthetic, depicting constellations exactly as they were on any day in modern history, manifold colours, graphics, shooting stars and even illuminated wood veneer. One owner requested that the lights to be configured in the shape of his coat of arms, another asked for the configuration to represent the Ursa Major and Minor constellations. While for another customer the Rolls-Royce monogram was created to illuminate separately from the rest of the stars.

As one press review put it: ‘Could all this be accomplished by a robot? Probably, but it’s not. Instead, Rolls-Royce hires dexterous, detail-obsessed individuals from the textile realm and others. The tangible result is a totally different take on heavenly creationism that’s still almost impossible to comprehend.”

An application of glass runs uninterrupted across the fascia of the New Rolls-Royce Phantom, providing an unprecedented opportunity to present artwork, within your motor car. An understanding that the marque’s patrons are increasingly collectors of fine and contemporary art has led the Rolls-Royce Design Team, fronted by Design Director, Giles Taylor, to create a space behind this glass, in which patrons can commission and curate art, a space aptly named, ‘The Gallery’.

“As patrons increasingly commission a Rolls-Royce for its aesthetic power, they trust in the knowledge that only the finest materials fashioned at the hands of a collective of skilled artisans will produce a motor car that transcends its primary role as a means of conveyance, to become a meaningful and substantive expression of art, design and engineering excellence. ‘The Gallery’ is an innovation that furthers Rolls-Royce’s unparalleled Bespoke capabilities. Patrons are now invited to commission artworks for their own personal Gallery within Phantom, in essence, bringing art, within art.” Torsten Müller Ötvös, Chief Executive, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, said.

Rolls-Royce’s standing as creator of the most celebrated objects in the world is informed by an intimate understanding that true luxury is personal. This philosophy has driven the marque’s collective of designers, artisans and engineers to constantly evolve the canvas from which patrons of luxury can express their tastes and lifestyle requirements.

An intrinsic part of the Rolls-Royce Design team’s responsibility is to understand and immerse themselves in a world of luxury far beyond automotive horizons. Drawing inspiration from the worlds of fashion, art and design, the collective continually examines the work of experts in their fields, furthering skills and knowledge in order to push the boundaries beyond the limitations car designers are usually confined to.

In conceiving ‘The Gallery’, the design team has done just this. ‘The Gallery’ is a space in which to curate and to commission, to exhibit, admire and reflect. A pure application of glass runs uninterrupted across the fascia of the greatest luxury item in the world, an innovation that furthers Rolls-Royce’s unparalleled Bespoke vision and mastery of materials and craft.

“The reduced and symmetrically balanced line-work of Phantom’s instrument panel frames a generous and beautifully simple application of glass. It runs, uninterrupted, across the fascia, emphasising a sense of width. Positioned front and centre, it is the focal point of the interior of New Phantom, providing a perfect stage for artworks. This treatment of glass enables an unprecedented opportunity for the protection and presentation of works of art, which is why, we have rather aptly named it, ‘The Gallery’.” Giles Taylor, Director of Design, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, said.

From a simple application of wood or metal, to a more complex use of materials not normally viable in an automotive context and enhanced by incorporating relief, ‘The Gallery’ extends the patron’s experience of curation with the marque to a new realm.

In this spirit, Alex Innes, Rolls-Royce Bespoke Designer and Creative Lead Designer of ‘The Gallery’ Artist Commissions, has invited artists and master artisans from around the world to interpret ‘The Gallery’.

The result? A collection of unique and artistic creations, free from the constraints of automotive design, to inspire the marque’s patrons, in a way that only Rolls-Royce can.

Thorsten Franck
Digital Soul
A truly Bespoke commission, Thorsten Franck’s Rolls-Royce Phantom Gallery, Digital Soul, is an artistic interpretation of its Patron’s DNA. Thorsten, from Munich, Germany, is a product designer who acts as a conduit between computer-generated design, additive manufacturing and hand-craftsmanship.  

Thorsten’s fusion of human endeavour with technology results in a work which juxtaposes the pre-disposed expectations of additive manufacturing and computer generated design by creating an alluring and visually complex fascia for New Phantom, adapting the use of technology to render an artwork as unique as a fingerprint.

Alex Innes, Rolls-Royce Bespoke Designer and Creative Lead Designer for ‘The Gallery’ artist commissions, identified a unique skill in Thorsten Franck; the ability to transcend product design, creating  work which not only embodies the characteristics of contemporary art, but which enters the realms of jewellery, sculpture and architecture; a discipline made possible only by the use of cutting-edge technology
Thorsten Franck begins by capturing the patron’s character in a unique algorithm. This data is then transcribed using the art of 3D printing, forming the largest piece of 3D printed stainless steel featured in a production car, made possible only by this use of additive manufacturing.

Here, traditional artisanal craft blends exquisitely with tomorrow’s production methods. More than one day of polishing produced a work worthy of being plated in nearly 50g of 24 carat gold. The work interacts with the changing light of the day, reflecting brilliance whilst casting shadows. The visual characteristics of gold ensure each observer’s experience will be a personal one dictated by their physical position in Phantom and the strength of the sun’s rays or soft glow of the up-lit stage lights on the gold, set within ‘The Gallery’.

Alex Innes, commented, “Thorsten Franck was selected for his ability to meld craft with technology, bringing with him a new medium of generated craft which is made possible only by the use of technology. Thorsten’s work furthers the expectations of the use of technology by creating a precious luxury item as Bespoke as the Phantom in which it resides. His progressive depiction of an owners’ unique DNA is both avant-garde in its design and compelling in its beauty.”

Thorsten Franck said of the commission, “Additive manufacturing is often viewed as a convenience or solution. My work embraces this technology and manipulates it to produce a unique work of art that could not be created by man alone. I have mapped an algorithm to interpret your soul. The visual aesthetics of gold change throughout the day by reflecting the light; there is life in this sculpture.”

Porzellan Manufaktur Nymphenburg
Immortal Beauty
A truly individual rose, conceived and bred exclusively for Rolls-Royce in the English countryside by award-winning Harkness Roses, was flown to the Nymphenburg Palace in Bavaria, Southern Germany, to awaiting master artisans from world-renowned porcelain manufacturer Nymphenburg. Here, the rose was examined in its varying stages, from bud to lush flower in full bloom, and crafted freely by hand in the finest of porcelain for the elegant sanctuary of ‘The Gallery’.

Founded in 1747, Nymphenburg porcelain graces the greatest residences and collections of the world’s most prominent families. These extraordinary pieces are collected and coveted in the knowledge that their craftspeople have been afforded nearly 300 years to perfect their art.

For this collaboration, a new porcelain formula was developed in the manufactory in Munich, Germany. The development process alone lasted three months in order to create porcelain as fine as the petal of the rose itself. The range of roses depicted shows the varying stages of the life of this rose, with some of the most elaborate blossoms consisting of up to 80 individual elements freely shaped by hand.

The delicate aesthetic is accented in a contemporary way by the marriage of black and white, a pairing uniquely perfected for this artwork. Until now, the processing of white and black porcelain paste has been strictly separated in the manufactory’s production process, as even the smallest residue of black paste on a craftsperson’s tools, invisible to the naked eye, leads to impurities that only become visible after firing. Black porcelain had previously been held for the preserve of casting, meaning the black paste had to be developed to ensure it was as malleable as its white counterpart. For this unique design, white and black paste has been created in parallel, in the same soft state, at the workstation of Anton Hörl, a master craftsman for Nymphenburg for over 40 years.

But each individual blossom only acquires its final appearance when it is fired. Since the porcelain changes during the firing process, and also shrinks by 17 per cent, individual firing supports have had to be made.  Also made from porcelain, these supported the blossoms and leaves, preventing the draw of gravity. The white and black bisque porcelain has been fired in a single process for the first time, requiring the expert knowledge of the Nyphenburg kiln foremen, who have developed a process with different firing curves, which achieve an optimal result in just one firing process.

Anton Hörl, Master Porcelain Maker, Nymphenburg, commented, “Nature is simply perfect and imitating it is a challenge. We as artists have to ensure that our emulation does nature justice. I wanted to feel the tension of each individual blossom. The observer must be able to recognise not only the variety, but also its unique character.”

The rose, bred for Rolls-Royce by Philip Harkness of Harkness Roses, was developed for its strength, resilience and intricate bloom. The flower is large, opening from a plump rounded bud into a large cupped bloom. The rose is strong with an admirable resistance to disease.

Sina Maria Eggl, Rolls-Royce Bespoke Designer, said, “Our search for the quintessential English rose led us to award-winning Harkness Roses. Here we collaboratively bred a rose worthy of its newly found immortal being. Nymphenburg and Rolls-Royce engaged in an artistic dialogue, allowing an advancement of existing methods of manufacture and shifting the limits of what’s possible.”

Rose breeder Philip Harkness of Harkness Roses, added, “A rose has the ability to captivate you on many levels. It is a thing of beauty, it can stimulate the senses with wonderful perfume, the soft touch of the petals or the rasping pain from a thorn. It touches our emotions, signifies love and appears in some of our finest poetry. How can a simple flower live up to this expectation? The new rose that Rolls-Royce has commissioned makes easy work of the task. Observe the glory of the bloom. There can be few more enjoyable experiences, thanks to the unending generosity and diversity of nature captured in one single rose.”

Helen Amy Murray
Whispered Muse
British artist Helen Amy Murray reinterprets an icon. On visiting the Home of Rolls-Royce, Helen encountered the figurine of the Spirit of Ecstasy which led her to an exploration of the line drawings of its creator, sculptor and illustrator Charles Sykes. The Spirit of Ecstasy, based on Sykes’ original bronze statue ‘The Whisper’, has graced the prow of every Rolls-Royce motor car since 1911 and in doing so, has become a muse to artists around the world for over 100 years.

Helen is an artist with a natural affinity with fabric. Her work masterfully sculpts textiles, most frequently leather, suede and their faux counterparts, into unique three-dimensional decorative surfaces and compelling works of art. With a wide portfolio ranging from large-scale wall hangings to unique pieces of furniture, Helen’s work captivates in its sculpted textural form.

With a Masters Degree in Textile Design from London’s Central St Martins, Rolls-Royce Bespoke Colour and Trim Designer, Cherica Haye, was perfectly placed to collaborate with Helen. Together, they experimented, developed and refined various iterations of this Gallery’s design.

Helen has skilfully created a work for New Phantom’s Gallery with a dual illusion. On first glance, a serene landscape emerges from a delicate organic form. The sculpted silk appliqué provides a mesmerising aesthetic with a linear style, from which, on closer examination, a subtle draped female form appears, the wing of the elusive Spirit of Ecstasy. Even then, she appears shrouded in mystery, with the design only hinting at her form through the delicate silhouette of the line of her neck that emerges from the edge of ‘The Gallery’.

By creating different planes to the design through directional sculpting, Helen has created individual contours, beautiful in their own right, that fuse together to form a larger cohesive figural form.

Helen Amy Murray, artist, said of the design, “I was inspired by the ethereal quality of the illustrations of The Spirit of Ecstasy by Charles Sykes. They led me to incorporate the female form into my work; I wanted my Gallery commission to look soft and organic. The subtle spacing of lines brings the draped figure into perspective.”

Cherica Haye, Rolls-Royce Bespoke Colour and Trim Designer commented, “The Spirit of Ecstasy extends her graceful wing to enrapture her passengers and convey them to a serene sanctuary, where the whisper of flight imbues calmness and tranquillity in Helen Amy Murray’s Phantom Gallery. A true connection can be felt between Helen’s materials and the subject, enhancing the graceful ambience of the Phantom’s calm interior.”

Based Upon
A Moment in Time
“The sweet spot of luxury is a beautiful crafted object, but somehow at the core of the object, is something that is personal to the client.” Ian Abel, Co-founder, Based Upon.

It is a resonant understanding of this belief that led Rolls-Royce to Based Upon, a collective of artists located in the heart of London’s East End. A desire to commission an item so personal it becomes a treasured legacy, surpassing superficial material acquisition to become true luxury, is epitomised in A Moment in Time. The work beguiles, speaking of the perceived control on time that Phantom commands. Time stands still as you encounter the presence of the motor car.

Considered storytelling is at the heart of Based Upon’s ethos.  The collective journeys the world uncovering rich narratives to inform works ranging from public sculpture to finely crafted surface applications for private residences, which have aesthetics at the fore, blurring the lines of function and meaning.

Personal significance lies at the core of both Based Upon and Rolls-Royce’s endeavour. The former, with tales of the patron interwoven to the heart of its being, the latter, an item which transcends its original role, to become an aesthetic representation of personal endeavour.

On exploring the foundations of the world’s most celebrated brand, Based Upon uncovered a marque that was founded on experimentation, bold excitement and a desire to accomplish feats that were deemed impossible. “This, excited us”, commented Ian Abell, Based Upon’s co-founder.  “When you get a brand like Rolls-Royce that has a brand value that’s so heavy and so weighty in the consciousness of design, of luxury, of Britain, of innovation, combined with The Gallery’s specific brief and parameters of project, we got excited with that.”

“The spirit of Rolls-Royce, namely, speed with silence, absence of vibration, the mysterious harnessing of great energy, and a beautiful living organism of superb grace…”, the prose of Claude Johnson, Managing Director of Rolls-Royce at the time of the Hon. Charles Rolls and Sir Henry Royce. Based Upon sought to encapsulate this spirit which is still found at the heart of the marque today, alive in the Spirit of Ecstasy as she graces the prow of each motor car made at the Home of Rolls-Royce.

This led to Based Upon’s interpretation of New Phantom’s Gallery. Lex Welch, Co-founder of Based Upon, commented, “We tried to capture a moment as though the Spirit of Ecstasy’s shawl was allowed to drape over the car at high speed, capturing that moment that leaves time standing still, as the Spirit of Ecstasy trails all in her wake.”

The creation of A Moment in Time is as remarkable as its muse. A swath of silk was pulled through a tank of water, weighted and suspended, controlling this moment. Captured on camera, the resulting fluid form was then analysed by the Rolls-Royce Design team and the artists of Based Upon, before being remastered in clay. A malleable wax sculpture was then reworked to optimise the impact of ‘The Gallery’s’ space. This final interpretation was machined from a solid billet of aluminium, polished to accentuate the curvature of the alluded fabric.

Alex Innes, Rolls-Royce Bespoke Designer, said of the collaboration, “Based Upon incorporate the essence of true luxury into every element of their work. From the research and development, to materials and execution, theirs is a perfect art of intellect and skill, melded with an abundance of creativity. Their interpretation of ‘The Gallery’ is a truly emotive adaptation of the presence of Phantom.”

Richard Fox 
Astrum
Phantom has been the canvas for some of the most opulent expressions of true luxury in recent years. From handwoven, hand-embroidered and hand-painted silk, to elaborate depictions of cityscapes made from thousands of individually set pieces of marquetry, Phantom embodies the Bespoke wishes of patrons like no other.

British Designer and Goldsmith, Richard Fox, has himself been part of Phantom’s rich history. The allure of gemstones and the desire of Phantom’s patrons to furnish their interior cabin with precious metals and captivating stones has led Richard Fox to embellish many personal Rolls-Royce commissions with precious and semi-precious jewels including diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, rubies and Tanzanite.

Astrum, meaning star, constellation, glory, immortality and Heaven, was a concept produced by Alex Innes of Rolls-Royce Bespoke Design and Richard Fox of Fox Silver for New Phantom’s Gallery.

Inspiration was sought from artists who had explored the starburst formation in both the natural and man-made world. Sea urchins and plants, explosions and skyscapes, all had influence on Astrum’s final design.

A star burst emanates from a centrally placed single brilliant cut diamond, encased in platinum. Each solid silver spear, filed, soldered, shaped and hand-polished, has been created to carry pear-cut amethysts, evoking a precious jewel-like quality to the artwork. The backing has been engraved with a guilloche effect, a technique found in the finest of jewellery, formed to incorporate the curvature of the dashboard and to provide visual depth to ‘The Gallery’. A rich amethyst lacquer, named Violet de Nuit, is used to reflect and intensify the colour of the stones carried at the ends of the spears.

The clock, viewed by many patrons as the jewel of the interior, carries an additional guilloche design in sterling silver with the same amethyst tint complementing that of the main body of work. Fine wires have been laser-welded to the spears, positioned so the stones stand proudly against the resplendent backdrop.

Alex Innes, Rolls-Royce Bespoke Designer, said of the commission, “Richard Fox’s work can be found in some of our recent most highly Bespoke iterations of Phantom. It is fitting therefore that he has turned his hand to ‘The Gallery’, a space in which patrons are invited to commission unique works of art, to bring objet d’art to the centre stage of their New Phantom.”

Richard Fox MDes RCA commented, “The Gallery offers patrons of Phantom an unparalleled level of Bespoke opportunities. The use of natural gemstones and a brilliant cut diamond will bring movement to ‘The Gallery’, as light refracts, accentuating the depth of the design. This work brings an entirely new interpretation of diamonds to the dashboard.”

Nature Squared
Iridescent Opulence
Wings of flight transcend the worldly stage to cosset Phantom’s occupants in rich, iridescent, sumptuous luxury.

Swiss-based Nature Squared creates beautiful things for beautiful spaces. Applying heritage artistic crafts to ethically sourced and sustainable natural materials, Nature Squared embrace technical innovation to transform nature’s beauty. In a move that echo’s the views of Rolls-Royce, Nature Squared embraces artisanal skills which are the antithesis of mass production. Their work can be found in the upper echelons of many industries where a desire to be surrounded by objects of outstanding natural beauty prevails.

Alex Innes, Rolls-Royce Bespoke Designer and Creative Lead Designer of the artistic Gallery commissions, commented, “Nature Squared is an established materials specialist which creates astoundingly beautiful finishes using the latest technology to transform sustainable natural materials. A desire to redefine expectations of the use of these natural sources leads Nature Squared to an unrivalled realm with luxury at its core.”

For their Phantom Gallery commission, Nature Squared was inspired to work with items that have until now been impossible to incorporate into a motor car. Feathers, which exude luxury, are a bold and progressive aesthetic to incorporate into an automotive context. Extensive research was carried out to identify a sustainable species of bird with a rich dense plumage which would provide an opulent and decadent interior to adorn Phantom’s Gallery. Over 3,000 tail feathers were selected for their iridescence, individually shaped to accentuate the sheen and rich hue of the natural feathers and hand-sewn onto an open pore fabric in a design that originates from the heart of ‘The Gallery’, the clock.  Additive manufacturing was used to emulate the musculature of a natural wing to bring life to the creation, creating an atmospheric artwork that brings both movement and fragility to this Gallery.

The clock alone is a work to be revered. Continuing their exploration of organic materials, the centrepiece is inlaid with ethically and sustainably sourced Jade green abalone, which emphasises the lustrous texture of the feathers.

Martin Ehrath, Head of Research and Development for Nature Squared, commented, “The inky iridescence and sumptuous texture of the feathers provide a sense of true luxury. Phantom’s clock has been softly cossetted by feathers, their fragility protected by ‘The Gallery’s’ glass fascia. The timeless beauty and elegant grace of this Gallery is preserved in the sanctity of Phantom’s interior.”

Liang Yuanwei
Autumn Palette 
Liang Yuanwei is a widely acclaimed and internationally exhibited Chinese artist. In her commission for the New Phantom, she ponders the Autumnal tones of the English countryside that surround the Home of Rolls-Royce in West Sussex, which she encountered during her time with the marque. The atmospheric countryside of England, with fertile soil and abundant vegetation and differing layers of colours from green to yellow, even red, are redolent in her artwork for ‘The Gallery’.

Liang Yuanwei said of the commission, “My artwork for ‘The Gallery’ is reflective of the impression that I get from the marque, having seen the human and natural environment of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars’ headquarters.  I wanted to capture the atmosphere and reproduce it. That feeling is sophisticated, a sophistication that envelops you.”

Liang Yuanwei applies paint so thickly that it appears almost sculpted, carving floral and geometric patterns whose fissures are filled with additional layers of paint to create a finish resembling silk or satin. Her work masterfully captures the impression and texture of fabric through her application of paint. Here, from seemingly random strokes applied from left to right, come exquisite forms. In a serene and meditative scene, the closer you observe, the more you find.

Alex Innes, Rolls-Royce Bespoke Designer commented, “The landscape in which artists present their work is evolving. Liang Yuanwei embraces the opportunity presented by the New Phantom Gallery to create a mesmerising painting that is reminiscent of the countryside surrounding the Home of Rolls-Royce.”

“I saw that it was possible to combine my artistic vision with the vision of Rolls-Royce. I have found a common ground between my own creative system and what I feel is the culture of Rolls-Royce. My work references this. commented Liang Yuanwei.

She continued, “Like painting, the many aesthetic details of a car represent the brand's values ​​and heritage. In each historical era, a brand must choose a particular direction over other options. This choice represents its view of the world in that era. Over time, a brand’s culture is passed on to the present. Some things persist, some things elapse, some things are abandoned, and some things evolve. This is the way of inheritance with a sense of responsibility, like the detailed strokes of a painting. This is also the approach to my work.”

“Today, Rolls-Royce, the world’s leading luxury brand, has defined the future of luxury mobility. The Grand Arrival of the Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100 boldly points to a bright future for our marque where our patrons’ individual demands for complete and authentic personalisation will be met through an exquisite fusion of technology, design and hallmark Rolls-Royce craftsmanship.” 
Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

“With the Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100 we were mindful not to dwell on the past. We wanted to be as innovative as possible and at the same time transcend the design history of the marque”. 
Giles Taylor, Director of Design, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

In a spectacular event at London’s Roundhouse today, the Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100 was presented. The car defines the future of luxury mobility. Codenamed 103EX, it is the marque’s first ever pure ‘Vision Vehicle’.

The Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100 presents an intriguing and aesthetically dynamic vision of the future of luxury mobility – a completely personal, effortless and autonomous Rolls-Royce experience, wrapped in a design that ensures a ‘Grand Sanctuary’ for its occupants, and a ‘Grand Arrival’.

The Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100 anticipates the mobility demands of the luxury customer of the future. Brought to life by Rolls-Royce after many months of study and consultation with current patrons of the brand, the car represents their clearly expressed desire for an assurance that the marque’s plans for the future of luxury personal mobility will continue to embody the key attributes that have made Rolls-Royce the preferred marque of the most discerning and powerful patrons in the world for over a Century.

With the Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100, the brand provides just such an assurance to its valued customers – present and future. It makes a bold and definitive statement of confidence in a future where Rolls-Royce rejects the notion of anonymous, utilitarian and bland future modes of mobility. Through an intimate understanding of its customers’ thinking and their demands in the future, Rolls-Royce presents an exciting and highly appealing vision of effortless, autonomous, spacious and beautiful luxury mobility, as personal as each individual customer.  

Background
This ‘Vision Vehicle’ is one of four announced by the BMW Group in Munich on 7 March 2016, as it launched its centenary celebrations – THE NEXT 100 YEARS. In addition to being the centenary of the BMW Group, 2016 also represents a seminal moment in the history of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

For Rolls-Royce, the end of production of the seventh generation Phantom – considered by aficionados to be "the best car in the world" – represents the completion of the first phase of the Rolls-Royce brand’s renaissance under BMW Group custodianship. The success of Phantom, Ghost, Wraith and now Dawn serves as the foundation for a bold new chapter.

This highly successful era for the world’s most celebrated luxury brand has been driven by a restless commitment to always looking forward.

In this spirit, the Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100 is presented – a truly revolutionary, highly authentic exploration of the future of luxury mobility. It provides a fully authentic look into the potential demands and desires of the wealthy connoisseur of the future.

The Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100 – a vision of the future of luxury mobility
In creating the Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100, the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars design team, led by Director of Design Giles Taylor, asked themselves the question, “How can we recast luxury for the next 100 years?” Within that question the team found that they had to address two further questions: “What will a Rolls-Royce owner expect of his or her Rolls-Royce in the coming decades?” and “How do we at Rolls-Royce today envision how we meet those expectations?”. These questions allowed the team to dream of the staggering possibilities for Rolls-Royce’s future.

Rolls-Royce intimately understands its patrons and their likely desires and motivations in the future. It understands that true luxury is deeply personal and that the hallmarks of every Rolls-Royce past and present are key to its future. The designers therefore distilled four key tenets that not only underpin the elegant solution that is the Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100, but epitomise the future of luxury mobility as a whole:

• The Personal Vision
• The Effortless Journey
• The Grand Sanctuary
• The Grand Arrival

 
In presenting the Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100, the marque has rejected the common notion that the future of personal transport is a utilitarian and functional one. Rolls-Royce has stepped bravely into the future to propose a no-compromise, fully autonomous, coachbuilt, personalised vision to those customers who wish for an emotional attachment to their car. This reasoning led them to the first key tenet: The Personal Vision.

The Personal Vision
The Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100, as presented in London on Thursday 16 June 2016, is but one example of a number of possible personal visions of a Rolls-Royce of the future. Indeed, in an evolution of the Rolls-Royce Bespoke experience of today, the customers’ taste will influence the exact design of his or her Rolls-Royce and how it will be configured.

In the spirit of the great coachbuilt cars of the past, Rolls-Royce will create the chassis of the future, hand-built from the most advanced materials and powered by a zero emissions powertrain. Advanced manufacturing technologies will enable customers to involve themselves even more in the design of the shape, size and silhouette of their personal Rolls-Royce vision. The future customer will commission his or her own concept. Rolls‑Royce will design and manufacture this personal vision of each customer and make every Rolls-Royce a unique Bespoke masterpiece.

In short, the Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100 utilises envisioned advances in technology to herald the return to authentic coachbuilding.

The Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100 is the vision of the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars design team, led by Director of Design Giles Taylor. Their deep understanding of the Rolls-Royce customer of the future and the world in which they will live led them to conceive of a motor car that would serve and augment its patron’s lifestyle in every way.

“The Rolls-Royce patron will continue to be a famous figure in the future,” explains Taylor. I envision that the Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100 will play a key role in these people’s lives, guiding and conveying them effortlessly through their life’s journey in an exquisite sanctuary where they can reflect in peace ahead of arriving in the grandest style.”

The Effortless Journey, the Grand Sanctuary and the Grand Arrival. The next three tenets and hallmarks of the Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100.

The Effortless Journey
For the 105 years since her creation in 1911, the Spirit of Ecstasy, modelled by sculptor and artist Charles Sykes, on Eleanor Thornton, has silently guided every Rolls-Royce and its owner through the momentous events of their lives. She has stood as an elegant presence at some of history’s most notable events.

Today, the ‘Voice of Eleanor’ inhabits the Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100, delivering the dream of an effortless future to her owners. Digitally connected to every aspect of her owners’ lives and her surrounding environment, ‘Eleanor’ becomes their virtual assistant and chauffeur, freeing them of all effort and encumbrance. Imbued with her own artificial intelligence, she works intuitively to advise her owners on itineraries, schedules and options before they leave their residence, reminding about appointments and tasks and making suggestions to ease any anticipated impediments.

She ‘brings’ the car around when her passengers are ready to travel and, whilst conveying her charges to their next destination, helpfully but discreetly makes suggestions and recommendations, briefing them ahead of their arrival so they are ready to ‘perform’. And ever vigilant, ‘Eleanor’ safely delivers her passengers to their destination, having already predicted the situation and surroundings that await them.

This Effortless Journey is enhanced by the hallmark Rolls-Royce ‘magic carpet ride’ delivered through a blend of a futuristic, powerful, zero-emission drivetrain and advanced suspension that sees the vehicle almost skim across the road surface. As a V12 combustion engine is most unlikely to exist in the future, one can only surmise how this Rolls-Royce will be powered. A hint may appear in the Grand Sanctuary that is the interior of the Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100.

The Grand Sanctuary
“Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance.” Coco Chanel
Already prepared by ‘Eleanor’ for the next journey in their event-filled lives, our owners are met by the Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100 which awaits their departure. Entering the Grand Sanctuary, our passengers step in unbowed, with consummate grace and dignity, as with the state carriages of old, taking their place on the best seat in the house. Cocooned in the futuristic but handcrafted lounge atmosphere, the coach door and clamshell canopy glide closed to envelop them in uninterrupted silence and luxury.

As one would expect from a Rolls-Royce, the environment of the Grand Sanctuary is crafted from the most precious and contemporary of materials. What is unexpected is the feeling of lightness and simplicity, an effortless elegance.

True to this spirit, the cabin is encircled by the most modern handcrafted fine-line Macassar wood panelling, sweeping across the interior from the coach door, continuing around behind the generous OLED screen and up beside the second passenger to the side of the sofa. This ensures a continuous, beautifully clean and sculptural surface when the screen is extinguished.

The centrepiece of the cabin is the beautiful sofa. The best seat in the house, it is an exquisite, futuristic interpretation of modern furniture design. Clothed in the most opulent fabrics, it gives the impression of floating within the cocoon of the cabin thanks to the artful use of lighting and modern materials.

Inspired by the early regal Rolls-Royces, but also by the ground-breaking work executed on the 2015 Phantom Serenity, the designers used the symbol of ultimate elegance – silk – to clothe the sofa. This most natural and sensual of materials is combined with wool to create a beautifully textured, ivory-coloured luxurious throne upon which our passengers are conveyed, and from which they command.

A final sensual touchpoint within the cabin is the finest one-off deep-pile ivory wool carpet woven especially in London, which our passengers can enjoy as they luxuriate in the ample space created by the removal of the chauffeur.

This sense of space is accentuated as our passengers’ view from their seats is uninterrupted by a cockpit or steering wheel which are now superfluous. From their powerful position within the Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100, “All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players…”.

Should they choose to drop their eyes from that world stage for a moment and ask ‘Eleanor’ for visual cues, she will provide them on the transparent OLED screen that dominates the front wall of the cabin. Here our passengers can view information regarding their journey, their destination and the people they are expecting to meet. Or they may simply choose to retreat from the outside world and be entertained by their favourite show for a while.

Or they may just contemplate the finely crafted analogue clock that hovers in a central position above the screen, which serves both as a reminder of Sir Henry Royce’s humble beginnings as an electrical pioneer making electric dynamos, and of time as the ultimate luxury.

“Rolls-Royce design today is the epitome of elegance,” Taylor comments, “and this elegance is achieved through simplicity of design under which lies the technology that makes our patrons experience effortless.”

The Grand Arrival
Certain truths are constant over time. One of these truths is how the powerful have always understood the symbols through which they express their standing. From the lavish chariots of the Roman Emperors to the individually hand built state carriages and cars of Monarchy – such as the coachbuilt Rolls-Royce Phantom IV used during Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation – such fine vehicles have been designed to project the importance of the individual inside to those waiting outside.

Waiting with bated breath for a grand arrival, the crowds were never anything but impressed by the stately arrival of their idol. In the future, Rolls-Royce believes that its powerful patrons will wish to continue projecting their power and status in such a manner.

This truth is reflected in the most dramatic aspect of the Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100 – its iconic, imposing and futuristic presence which ensures a Grand Arrival for its occupants. Yet whilst it powerfully expresses the future of luxury, it remains constant to the iconic tropes of any true Rolls-Royce: The Spirit of Ecstasy, the Pantheon grille, the long bonnet and the iconic proportions of the entire vehicle.

The very size of the Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100 announces the importance of its precious cargo. At 5.9 meters long and 1.6 metres high, it mirrors the perfect dimensions of today’s Phantom Extended Wheelbase, whilst the ever constant Spirit of Ecstasy grows in stature, harking back to the regal Phantoms of the 1920s. Hand-crafted by the finest European glassmakers of today, she lights the way to the future of luxury. She is poised atop the re-imagined, yet still iconic, Pantheon grille with the red Double-R badge of an experimental Rolls-Royce.

From these timeless icons of Rolls-Royce design flow the graceful, sweeping lines and expressive surfaces that combine to create a completely futuristic vision of a possible Rolls-Royce exterior.

The polished metal of the grille flows up over the nose, around the base of the Spirit of Ecstasy and along the top of the suspended laser-headlight hoops, before narrowing to shoot down the side of the vehicle’s long bonnet, as a dividing line between upper and lower sections of the car. Not stopping at the extremes of the bonnet, this beautiful metal feature creates a beautiful ‘horseshoe’ as it flows along the top edge of the coach door, describes a parabola up and over the pronounced rear shoulder, encircling the rear of the glass canopy and back down the other flank.

This dividing line accentuates the car’s two-tone design scheme. The upper section is entirely comprised of dark glass. It flows fluidly as a daring fastback, creating a glass canopy over the occupants that provides privacy whilst allowing them to contemplate the majesty of the stars in the firmament above as they glide through the night; a window on the world ahead before resolving itself into the bonnet of the car.

The lower section is more dramatic in its design and in what it achieves. Draped in a silk-like ‘Crystal Water’ colour scheme, its surfacing achieves a lightness that belies the vehicle’s size. This is automotive ‘Haute Couture’. From whatever angle the Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100 is viewed, it seems to float, whether at rest or in motion.

This lightness is achieved through the paring back of this vehicle to the essence of a Rolls-Royce by the Design team, who were freed from their current constraints by the new propulsion and coach-build technologies now available to them. So, for example, where an engine would once have occupied the entire under-bonnet area of the car, a luggage compartment is positioned just aft of the front wheels.

In conceiving this bold vision of the future of luxury, the designers remain steadfast in their commitment to imbuing every element of the Rolls-Royce experience with effortlessness. The luggage compartment therefore opens automatically following arrival and disembarkation, presenting two Grand Tourer cases. In the case of the Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100, the cases are fittingly personalised to CS Rolls and FH Royce.

The newly liberated Pantheon grille is now the unencumbered prow of the Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100. It is the front of a fully enclosed and smooth-bottomed hull that echoes the form language of 1920’s Rolls-Royces, with its ‘boat-tail’, and within which the entire accommodation area is located.

Constructed from light yet incredibly strong materials, the hull ‘floats’ above the road surface as it is suspended from the vehicle’s wheels via exposed arms and struts.

The 28-inch tall but narrow wheels upon which the car glides are each hand-built from 65 individual pieces of aluminium, and enclosed to deliver the impression of a futuristic catamaran.

Seen from the side, the coachwork delivers hallmark Rolls-Royce privacy to the occupants as it rises gracefully like a fine cloak over the shoulders at the rear of the car. However, this fine drapery flatters to deceive as this rear shoulder line also imparts an air of powerful but graceful forward motion, accentuated by the rising beltline that thrusts upwards in a manner reminiscent of the great pre-war Rolls-Royces.

Whilst this radical new design language also contributes to an effortless, unruffled journey thanks to improved air flow and reduced air resistance, its unquestioned drama delivers a grand arrival.

Rolls-Royce and the art of the Grand Arrival
In the era of the stately carriage, and even of the early coachbuilt limousine, one was guaranteed an arrival befitting one’s stature. As we have seen, the exterior design and adornment of such conveyances announced one’s importance, as did the luxurious appointment of the interior.

However, one other aspect of such vehicles contributed to their suitability for such occasions: their elevated position, suspended as they were on large wheels. Combined with the high ceiling typical of carriage or limousine, one could normally stand before stepping out in a graceful and dignified manner. Modern aerodynamic considerations meant that even modern limousines’ rooflines had to be lowered, thereby reducing headroom and requiring one to stoop slightly when alighting from one’s vehicle.

Unwilling to accept such stricture and compromise in the future, Giles Taylor and his team set to work to reinstate the Grand Arrival as it should be.

The Grand Arrival of the Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100 is first signalled by the Spirit of Ecstasy and Pantheon grille illuminating to cast an ethereal, otherworldly glow from the front of the car. As this vision of the future gracefully sweeps up to its destination, the ethereal glow spreads from the trailing edge of the front wheel arch to the rear of the single coach door, signalling that something momentous is about to happen. As the Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100 gracefully comes to a halt, something magnificent occurs.

Hinged on the left of the vehicle, the glass canopy lifts to allow the occupant to stand whilst providing shelter from above and behind. Then, in one effortless movement, the single coach door sweeps open and a step emerges from below the running board. As a final flourish, a red light is projected, carpet-like, from the underside of the step as a welcome.

Thus, as in Botticelli’s ‘The Birth of Venus’, our guest is framed and ready to step gracefully into the limelight and greet their audience.

“The Grand Arrival gesture of the Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100 creates a stage for our important passengers as they arrive at their ultimate destination,” comments Taylor. “It is an expression of our intrinsic understanding of the possibilities for a true luxury brand and the desires of its customers.”

The Personal Vision, the Effortless Journey, the Grand Sanctuary and the Grand Arrival. Rolls-Royce’s vision of the next 100 years. Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100. A vision of the future of luxury.

Virtual Vision
Rolls-Royce has also harnessed the power of the virtual space to bring the experience of the Vision NEXT 100 closer to those unable to personally see the vehicle in London.

The Vision 360 CGI experience immerses the viewer in a journey from Goodwood, the Home of Rolls-Royce, through to vision of the future of luxury. Viewers can enjoy and explore the fine detail of Rolls-Royce 103EX, guided by the voice of the original Spirit of Ecstasy, Eleanor Thornton, on YouTube 360°.

“ Our new Rolls-Royce Dawn promises a striking, seductive encounter like no other Rolls-Royce to date, and begins a new age of open-top, super-luxury motoring. Dawn is a beautiful new motor car that offers the most uncompromised open-top motoring experience in the world. It will be the most social of super-luxury drophead motor cars for those who wish to bathe in the sunlight of the world’s most exclusive social hotspots. 

Quite simply, it is the sexiest Rolls-Royce ever built.

The name ‘Dawn’ perfectly suggests the fresh opportunities that every new day holds – an awakening, an opening up of one’s senses and a burst of sunshine. In its tentative, inchoate, anticipatory state, dawn is the world coming to light from the ethereal dark of the night. The early-day chill of dawn provides an erotic tingle on the skin, awakening the senses and passions as the day begins. 

Like Eleanor Thornton, thought by many to be the inspiration behind the Spirit of Ecstasy, the  Rolls-Royce Dawn will itself prove to be the muse that leads its owner to believe that at the start of the day, anything is possible.”

Torsten Mueller-Oetvoes, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars 

INTRODUCTION

“…Accept nothing nearly right or good enough.”

Compromise is not a word recognised in the Rolls-Royce lexicon. Indeed the company continues to live by the clarion cry of co-founder Sir Henry Royce to “Strive for perfection in everything you do. Take the best that exists and make it better. When it does not exist, design it. Accept nothing nearly right or good enough.”

The first part of this maxim – “Strive for perfection in everything you do” – guides the company’s every action particularly during the creation of a new motor car. The second – “Take the best that exists and make it better” – has been clearly evidenced in the success of both Phantom Series II and Ghost Series II as they were carefully updated in 2012 and 2014 respectively. And when Rolls-Royce judged that it was time for an authentic gentleman’s Gran Turismo to return to the world stage, it was guided by the third part of Sir Henry’s maxim: “When it does not exist, design it.” And thus, Wraith was born.

Now, the final part of this maxim has guided the Rolls-Royce design and engineering teams as they have worked to initiate a new age for open-top, super-luxury motoring. In a sector exclusively populated by the biggest of automotive compromises – the 2+2 seat configuration – Rolls-Royce has chosen to “accept nothing nearly right or good enough.”

And so, the new Rolls-Royce Dawn, the world’s only true modern four-seater super-luxury drophead, is born.

“It is always darkest just before the dawn”

In the most challenging times, the phrase “It is always darkest just before the dawn” – originally coined by English Restoration preacher Thomas Fuller – resonates as a beacon of hope. This early morning darkness, where apparitions such as phantoms, ghosts or wraiths have been imagined, and where one’s apprehensions lurk, is brushed aside by an energising burst of early morning sunlight as one awakens to a new dawn and the endless possibilities of a new day.

Such was the feeling in 1952 as the world was finally emerging from a period of economic austerity following protracted war. That year, the world looked forward in hope as the world’s first passenger jet , the British deHavilland Comet, made its first commercial flight; the Big Bang Theory of the creation of the Universe was first propounded, and Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne of the United Kingdom.

That very same year, the Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn drophead, which became the muse for the designers of the new Rolls-Royce Dawn, was finished by Rolls-Royce coachbuilders Park Ward and delivered to its first customer, Colonel W.A. Phillips in Canada.

A new beginning for Rolls-Royce at the time, the original Silver Dawn was the first Rolls-Royce to be offered with a factory-built body. However, the drophead Rolls-Royces that carried the name Silver Dawn continued to be coach-built for individual customers, ensuring their uniqueness and rarity, and embodied the optimism of the age as we began to enjoy life again and pursue La Dolce Vita.

This famous and rare Rolls-Royce name was only ever applied to 28 very special drophead bodies between 1950 and 1954.

Rolls-Royce’s new Dawn has taken inspiration from the Silver Dawn, whilst delivering a world first in super-luxury motoring – a cool, contemporary interpretation of what a super-luxury four-seater convertible motor car should be in 2015 – rare, refined and the most social super-luxury car there is.

Much like the 1952 Silver Dawn drophead, the new Rolls-Royce Dawn stands apart from its stable mates, featuring 80% unique body panels.

Indeed such attention has been paid to ensuring this amazing new dawn for super-luxury motoring delivers on its promise, even the tyres that connect the new Rolls-Royce Dawn to the roads it will glide over have been specially developed to deliver the pinnacle ‘magic carpet’ ride expected of every Rolls-Royce that leaves The Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood, England.

And, specific engineering and manufacturing attention has been paid to the creation of the Dawn’s roof. Unheard of anywhere in the modern motor industry until now, the roof of the Rolls-Royce Dawn delivers the silence of a Wraith when up and operates in almost complete silence in just over 20 seconds at a cruising speed of up to 50kph.

It is safe to say that the new Rolls-Royce Dawn is the quietest open top car ever made.

DESIGN

2+2 ≠ 4

“In the world of Rolls-Royce, day to day mathematical norms don’t always apply. That’s why I say in the case of the new Rolls-Royce Dawn, 2+2 does not equal 4.” 

Giles Taylor, Director of Design, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

Studying the open-top motor car sector, and specifically its high-value luxury niche, it became apparent to Rolls-Royce’s designers that customers were being short-changed. The myopic focus on one specific configuration – the 2+2 setup – was, in the view of Rolls-Royce, a compromise too far.

Commonly held, a 2+2 is a configuration with seating for the driver and one passenger in the front plus two smaller seats for occasional passengers or children in the rear. Space in the rear is most noticeably absent in terms of longitudinal leg-room, thereby reducing the comfort and practicality of the car. In the case of a convertible body type, this reduction in space is often the result of the manufacturer’s inability to package the convertible roof together with boot and rear passenger space. The result is a sector populated exclusively by open-top cars that Rolls-Royce would consider compromised and ‘anti-social’.

“At Rolls-Royce, we pride ourselves as creators of fine motor cars that also serve as social spaces,” comments Taylor. “The idea of creating a car like Dawn that can be used in comfort by only two adults on a day to day basis is anathema. In creating Dawn we have accepted no compromise to the comfort and luxury of four adults who want to travel together in the pinnacle of style.”

A striking, seductive encounter

“Dawn is a Rolls-Royce that feels completely at home on the Route Napoleon. It is a contemporary homage to a life on the Côte d’Azur. The car is a contemporary take on the ‘Casino’ lifestyle. Perhaps seen as cavalier in character it is intended to attract people who relish both freedom and sophistication,” comments Giles Taylor, Director of Design.

“At Rolls-Royce Motor Cars we design without compromise, and this uncompromising approach brings new challenges with each new motor car,” continues Taylor. “In the case of the new Rolls-Royce Dawn, we have designed it from the road up to deliver a striking, seductive encounter.”

The new Rolls-Royce Dawn greets the observer with a striking yet elegant exterior design with classic Rolls-Royce appearance and presence. It is the most vibrant Rolls-Royce yet with charming and alluring qualities that bring a new level of finesse, sophistication and refinement in a drophead coupé – a serene yet exhilarating sense of uncompromised freedom.

It offers a new level of effortlessness and a relaxed sensory experience with an underlying exhilaration and dynamism. All this without a single compromise to comfort and space. This new Rolls-Royce embodies dynamic and social qualities that will attract a broader, younger and more socially-aware audience around the world.

Contrary to media speculation, the new Rolls-Royce Dawn is not a Wraith drophead. 80% of the exterior body panels of the new Dawn are newly designed to accommodate an evolution of Rolls-Royce’s design language and to encapsulate highly contemporary, four-seat super-luxury drophead architecture.

The aim was clear. To do what no other car manufacturer had achieved so far – make a car that looks as beautiful with its roof up as with it down. One could almost say that the result of the design team’s restless endeavours has been to make the new Rolls-Royce Dawn two cars in one.

Exterior design

The Rolls-Royce Dawn maintains timeless Rolls-Royce design principles – 2:1 wheel height to body height, a long bonnet, short front overhang, a long rear overhang, an elegant tapering rear graphic and a high shoulder line.

All this tradition is delivered in a beautiful and thoroughly contemporary design. Like an athlete, Rolls-Royce Dawn appears poised, taught and ready to go. The latent acceleration and tension in the surfaces are increased through completely new panels which evince curvature that creates a tighter surface and a more powerful silhouette which hints at what lies beneath.

Dawn’s powerful and striking front end gives it a sensuous yet edgy, almost masculine look whilst the bold sweeping shoulder line becomes more sensuous as it flows over the swell of the rear wheels, accommodating a wider track. A tapered ‘wake channel’ on the bonnet, emanating from the Spirit of Ecstasy’s wings, evokes the sight of a jet’s vapour trail, hinting at the car’s dynamism. With its high shoulder line, massive C-pillar and horizontally narrow side window aperture, when viewed from side-on and roof up, the car looks akin to a low-slung ‘hot rod’.

At the front, the grille is recessed by approximately 45mm whilst the lower front bumper has been extended 53mm compared to Wraith. This has been done to focus the eye on the jet air intake face and to make the car feel focused, even when standing still. The grille design helps accelerate the tension of the car towards the rear shoulders, again emphasising the unique elegance of Dawn.

The grille and bumper focus attention on the horizontal lines of the car rather than the traditional vertical lines of the other members of the Rolls-Royce family. The bumper now incorporates the number plate surround and a new focused lower air dam. The mesh in the lower valance is recessed and black in colour, helping create a sense of depth which supplements the depth in the grille. Also, chrome ‘blades’ act to plant the car while also complementing the horizontal lines and accelerating the flow of the eye around the car thus increasing the impression of power and width.

When viewing the Rolls-Royce Dawn in side profile, one’s eye is instantly drawn to the elegant profile of the car. The soft top shape is completely harmonious and homogenous without the ugly concave areas or sharp struts seen in other manufacturers’ soft tops. In addition, new 21” polished and 21’’ and 20” painted wheels ensure Dawn remains a perfectly executed, contemporary expression of Rolls-Royce luxury.

The rear end of the car, having swelled over the feminine ‘hips’ of Dawn, tapers in towards the rear, echoing the elegant design of early ‘boat tail’ Rolls-Royce drophead coupés and indeed the beautiful motor launches of the early 20th Century that inspired them.

The silent lowering of the soft top transforms the Rolls-Royce Dawn, delivering a true Dawn moment. In hero specification of Midnight Sapphire exterior and Mandarin leather interior, night becomes day as rays of sunshine burst forth, bringing the inside out, joining this social space with the wider world of possibilities.

Roof down, the sexiness of the Rolls-Royce Dawn is even more apparent. From the side the steep rake of the windscreen, the swage line that flows over the rear haunches plus the high beltline that rises along the profile give the impression of effortless swiftness. The very same rising beltline wraps around the rear passenger cabin akin to the collar of a jacket pulled up to protect the neck.

The stainless steel waist line finisher that wraps around the cabin encompasses the deck that covers the soft top when stowed, and integrates the high-level brake light. This beautiful metal feature works in harmony with the stainless steel door handles, polished wheels, visible exhausts and front and rear bumper jewellery, to create a priceless look and feel.

The deck itself is an amazing work of modern craftsmanship. Clothed in open-pore Canadel panelling that traces the horse-shoe shape of the rear cabin, it demonstrates the great advances that the craftspeople in the Woodshop at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood have made in wood crafting technology and techniques.

The wood on the deck, chosen by the customer to suit their individual taste, flows down the ‘Waterfall’ between the rear seats, and around the cabin clothing the interior door panels and enticing the owner to enter Dawn.

Interior design

Once again Rolls-Royce’s unique coach doors come into their own in a drophead format. The coach doors are impressive and graceful. The doors complement the long front wings and relaxed waft line, creating a long body profile and a cosseted cabin.

Evocative of the classic sports car profile, they add considerably to the easy entry and egress of rear passengers from Dawn’s luxurious embrace. The rear passengers do not merely ‘get out’ of a Rolls-Royce Dawn, but rather stand and disembark as if from a Riva motor launch onto a glamorous private jetty in Monaco or on Lake Como.

Of course as one would expect of a Rolls-Royce, the coach doors also serve a more fundamental purpose than simply a means of access. Perhaps just as importantly, they also add significantly to the overall strength and stiffness of the body as they allow the construction of an uninterrupted A-pillar.

The first impression upon entering Dawn is of the four separate bucket seats set in the midst of a sumptuous and sartorial slingshot of wood and leather. The slingshot concept runs from the driver’s A-post towards the rear of the car, around the rear seats before returning to the passenger A-Pillar.

The slingshot form is reminiscent of a barchetta, pulled back, poised and ready to launch the occupants of the car to the horizon, even whilst stationary. This design complements the accelerated tension seen in the exterior of the car. The interior complements the exterior, a place of opulence, security and presence.

The Rolls-Royce Dawn offers four very individual, cosseting seats. The vehicle is a full four seater and so there is no compromise in comfort wherever you sit. The seats have been designed to help emphasise the energetic, yet elegant intent and sense of purpose of the car, complemented by an intersecting full length centre console. The upper seat back houses the seat belt harness, which together with the pillarless bodywork enhances and emphasises the slingshot of wood or leather with no breaks in the flow-lines. The wood on the surfaces of the trays are also book-matched down the centre console in a chevron pattern pointing forward providing an accelerated feel.

The instrument dials have also undergone subtle enhancements with individually applied polished metal chaplets around the dials evoking the precision design of hand-made, luxury wrist watches, whilst the matt chrome centres ‘float’ in the middle of each instrument. In addition, a new clock design featuring the new motor car’s name has been introduced.

ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY 

The Silent Ballet

Without question, the engineering highlight of the new Rolls-Royce Dawn is the new roof. To be a true Rolls-Royce, Dawn had to deliver the hushed driving experience associated with all Rolls-Royces. At the same time the only choice for a Rolls-Royce was a fabric roof for reasons of aesthetics, romance and brand appropriateness. There is nothing more romantic than driving a convertible in the rain at night and hearing the drops pattering on the roof. In conversation with its customers, Rolls-Royce realised that they felt the same way.

Working with a fabric roof configuration, the Rolls-Royce engineering team set themselves a challenging goal which they were unwilling to compromise on – to make the quietest convertible car in the world today. This quest for silence applied to all aspects of the engineering of the new roof and by extension the new motor car.

Firstly, the passengers’ on-board aural experience roof up and roof down while in motion had to be pure Rolls-Royce. The design of the roof had to be graceful, beautiful and sensuous whilst remaining one of the largest canopies to grace a convertible car.

Of particular note is how the canopy wraps around the rear seats and down over the window tops of Dawn thereby optically lowering the roofline of the car to contribute to its low-slung appearance.

Another point to note is the small size of the rear glass – a carefully-judged proportion which heightens the sense of a private sanctuary when motoring with the roof up.

Two key techniques were employed to ensure the roof not only appears beautiful and sensuous in its form, but also contributes to the silence of the car in its function. A perfectly smooth surface, combined with an innovative tailored ‘French Seam’ ensures that the air flow over the car with the roof up creates no noticeable wind noise. Inside, the Rolls-Royce Dawn is as silent as a Rolls-Royce Wraith – a first in convertible motoring.

Secondly, the actual opening and closing of the roof mechanism had to be both beautiful and unobtrusive at the same time. The engineering team even went so far as to invent a phrase for what they wished to achieve with the roof mechanism. The Silent Ballet.

And a Silent Ballet is what they achieved.

Operating in complete silence in just 22 seconds, and at cruising speeds of up to 50km/h this ‘Silent Ballet’ engages the majority of one’s senses as silence and seclusion are exchanged for the sounds, light and aromas of the outside world. As if opening an airlock, Dawn lifts the lid on the outside world and its cabin becomes a wider part of the owner’s social space.

Bespoke Audio 

For those not so worried about silence and more interested in sharing music and entertainment with their friends, Rolls-Royce’s Bespoke Audio system has been specially calibrated for the unique configuration of the Rolls-Royce Dawn. Finely tuned by expert Rolls-Royce audio engineers, Bespoke Audio is the most exhaustively designed automotive hi-fi system ever developed and has been minutely calibrated to compensate for the dual personality of Dawn.

Whether the roof is open or closed, Bespoke Audio ensures perfect acoustic balance and performance. Audio engineers were consulted throughout the design process of the car on the effect proposed changes may have had on the performance of the audio system – a practice unparalleled in the automotive world.

Sixteen individually-tuned speakers, with both theatre and studio settings, deliver a pure ‘larger than live’ sensation. Two bass speakers located in the boot complement seven tweeters meticulously placed throughout the cabin. The system utilises a highly sensitive microphone to constantly monitor ambient exterior noise, subtly adjusting the volume and tone settings accordingly to ensure the system delivers consistent perfection. The technology complements this, with frequency and phase correction for individual speakers eliminating potential loud and dead spots caused by outside influences.

Engineering a new Dawn for open-top motoring

In addition to the undisputed leaps forward made in the engineering of soft-top cars by the Rolls-Royce team, the new Rolls-Royce Dawn also introduces several other tailor-made engineering innovations.

The challenge in designing any convertible lies in retaining a high degree of torsional rigidity throughout the body while keeping weight down. Torsional rigidity is vital to minimise the scuttle shake associated with most convertible cars and to help maintain the car’s dynamic composure.

Extensive testing and research were carried out before the engineering team were completely satisfied. Tens of thousands of kilometres were driven over rough road surfaces to help identify and eliminate potential problems. The result is a chassis that makes the Rolls-Royce Dawn the most rigid four-seater convertible available today.

A newly designed suspension configuration takes care of the specific behaviour of this open top motor car in the areas of body stiffness and mass distribution, guaranteeing ultimate cruising comfort and the expected Rolls-Royce ‘magic carpet’ ride.

Fewer aerodynamic lifts in front and rear and a lower centre of gravity, in combination with newly designed air springs and active roll bars, deliver surprisingly agile handling capabilities for this super-luxury boulevardier.

The flared, sensuous rear flanks of the Dawn indicate a rear track that is 24mm wider compared to Ghost, giving Dawn a lower, sleeker profile. In addition, the car’s wide hip not only adds to the seductiveness of the car, its broad shoulders underline the masculine muscularity and strength of the vehicle, helped by the 180mm shorter wheelbase.

The heart of the Rolls-Royce Dawn driving experience

The beating heart and soul of any Rolls-Royce motor car is the beloved twin-turbo 6.6-litre V12 powertrain. With a power output of 563bhp or 420kW @ 5,250rpm and a torque rating of 780Nm or 575 lb ft @ 1,500rpm, Dawn’s driving experience is exceptional.

This experience is enhanced by dynamic accelerator pedal mapping which delivers up to 30% increased response at medium throttle.

Dawn maintains Rolls-Royce’s typical steering characteristics providing superb driver feedback thereby ensuring that the car is effortless but precise to drive, while also providing a great sense of safety, even at higher speeds, no matter if the top is up or down.

The result is that the new Dawn is Rolls-Royce’s most powerful full four-seat drophead motor car to date, and thanks to its advanced engineering is lighter and more fuel efficient than the majority of compromised 2+2 convertibles in the market.

Grip is provided by runflat tyres, metrically sized at 540mm (20 inches) in diameter. These tyres enable the Dawn to run on a deflated tyre for at least 100 miles/160km at speeds up to 50mph/80km/h before needing a replacement. A remarkable level of control still exists, even with a tyre fully deflated. Optional 21” wheels are also available, mounted on 10-spoke rims. The inclusion of runflat tyre technology removes the need for a spare wheel and jack, freeing up space in the luggage compartment.

Discreet technology for an effortless drive

In common with the entire Rolls-Royce family of fine motor cars, the new Dawn is at the very vanguard of automotive design and technology. Dawn presents drivers with a suite of discreet technologies that ensure their leisure time in the car is a super-luxurious effortless experience. Key is the discreet placement of the car’s technological functions. Dawn is therefore fitted with the Spirit of Ecstasy Rotary Controller, an intuitive, one-touch solution that allows the user effortless access to media and navigation functions.

For example, characters for navigation input or media searches can be finger-drawn onto its surface, echoing seamless smartphone functionality. A one-touch call button located conveniently on the steering wheel allows users to summon the car’s functions using simple voice commands. Both features remove the need for superfluous buttons and ensure absolute ease of use. For example, simply press the button and say the command: “Navigate to St. Tropez” and the car’s Satellite Navigation system will plot the fastest possible route.

This Spirit of Ecstasy Rotary Controller presents a touch pad (rather than a touch screen which might leave unsightly fingerprints at driver and passenger eye level), with the ability to write characters by finger, as well as the ability to scroll through function menus by turning the chrome dial and pressing down to select its functions.

The system recognises Latin and Arabic characters as well as Mandarin.

The Rotary Controller’s touch pad also allows ‘pull and pinch’ features, replicating intuitive smart phone functionality. These help the user pinpoint chosen areas on the screen or make them larger.

Information from the significantly updated Multimedia Interface and Navigation system is displayed beautifully on a new 10.25” high-definition screen, whilst hardware and software changes have improved processing speeds for faster route calculations.

An Automatic Cruise Control system helps to reduce constant small precision adjustments of distance and speed, reducing continuous creep, stop and start. The driver can now move along in city traffic in a confident and relaxed manner relying on the system to monitor conditions and react to changes in traffic patterns – for example when entering a new road or slip road.

New software for the radar and camera – located in the front bumper valance and centre upper windscreen respectively – provides faster system response times, including faster pre-conditioning of the brakes to expect emergency pressure.

Should the worst of circumstances arise, Dawn will deploy a concealed roll-over protection system from behind the rear head restraints in just a fraction of a second. A ratchet system then locks them in place. This roll-over protection system also encompasses the entire windscreen surround of the car.

Satellite Aided Transmission 

The Rolls-Royce Dawn’s effortless dynamism is augmented with the addition of Satellite Aided Transmission, a technology that made its global debut on Wraith in 2013.

Satellite Aided Transmission utilises GPS data to allow the car to see beyond what the driver sees, anticipating their next move based on location and driving style.

It uses this information to select the most appropriate gear from the Dawn’s 8-speed ZF gearbox to ensure the driver is able to appropriately exploit the power from the Rolls-Royce 6.6 litre twin-turbo V12, ensuring an effortless and seamless drive experience.

For example when approaching a sweeping bend, the car will predict how you wish to drive through it. When the driver lifts the accelerator it will hold the lower gear to ensure maximum power is available on accelerating through the exit of the corner.

Satellite Aided Transmission comes as standard on Dawn.

From dusk ‘til dawn – Illuminating technology shows the way 

The most recent developments in LED lighting technology have also been applied to the Rolls-Royce Dawn. The way this light is managed is significantly enhanced by adaptive technology. Electronically controlled reflectors move in the direction of travel in response to wheel turns to give a greater depth of vision when cornering and a whiter, brighter light ensures effortless and safe driving on dark roads whilst helping reduce driver tiredness.

In addition, automatic dipping of full-beam headlights has been replaced with revolutionary new glare-free technology. When a car approaches, light is deflected to ensure the oncoming driver is not dazzled. Dawn drivers therefore enjoy the safety benefits of constant full-beam visibility. A day-time running bar frames Dawn’s contemporary front light graphic, giving the car a distinctive signature whilst augmenting safety at the same time.

Night-time driving safety is boosted by the head-up display and heat detection system that detects both human and animal heat signatures, and issues an audible warning to the driver of possible danger.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

These figures are subject to final verification.

• Elegant fastback design hints at dynamic prowess of the most powerful Rolls-Royce ever: 624 bhp/465 kW, 800 Nm from 1,500 rpm : 0-60 mph in 4.4 seconds (0-62 in 4.6)
• Debut of Satellite Aided Transmission. A technology that uses GPS mapping data to ensure the correct gear is always pre-selected for the road terrain ahead
• Voice activated connectivity augments effortlessness – the ‘on-board valet’
• Canadel Panelling sweeps through a sumptuous, contemporary and yacht-like interior cabin

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars proudly presents the world debut of Wraith, the most powerful and dynamic Rolls-Royce in history. At its heart lie hallmark Rolls-Royce attributes of luxury, refinement and hand-craftsmanship, but the new model from the world’s pinnacle super-luxury marque also presents a unique character defined by power, style and drama. With just a hint of the noir.

“Today we launch the ultimate gentlemen’s gran turismo, a car that embodies the spirit of Charles Stewart Rolls,” commented Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. “The most powerful Rolls-Royce in history, Wraith promises the sense of adventure and speed that drove our founding forefather. But of course, Wraith’s starting point is luxury, refinement and quality, traits that remain as important to Rolls-Royce customers today as they were more than a century ago.”

Rolls-Royce Chairman and BMW Group board member Harald Krüger added the following: “The BMW Group today reconfirms its full commitment to the future of Rolls-Royce. Growth and a prosperous future lie ahead thanks to continued investment, careful brand stewardship and the launch of groundbreaking new models like Rolls-Royce Wraith, a magnificent addition to the product range.”

In profile, Wraith’s sweeping fastback design gives the car its unique character. Bold lines, tension in the panels and a raked rear screen evoke the image of a world class athlete poised in the starting blocks. Further expression of dynamic intent can be seen in Wraith’s deeply recessed grille, wide rear track and dramatic two-tone presentation.

Coach doors open to reveal a sumptuous interior complete with softest Phantom-grade leathers and expanses of wood called Canadel Panelling. Named after the famous cove in the South of France where Sir Henry Royce and his design and engineering teams spent their winters, this contemporary and tactile finish sweeps through the interior, cosseting four occupants in a space bathed in light and warmth.

The interior ambiance is complemented by Starlight Headliner, a Bespoke feature available beyond Phantom family cars for the first time. 1,340 fibre optic lamps are hand-woven into the roof lining to give the impression of a glittering, starry night sky.

Performance delivers on the promise of Wraith’s styling. Power delivery is effortless, but dramatic, thanks to a V12 engine married to 8-speed automatic ZF transmission. 624 bhp / 465kW is available to the driver while the 0-60 mph sprint is achieved in 4.4 seconds, compared with 563 bhp / 420kW and 0-60 in 4.7 seconds for Ghost.

From 1,500 rpm 800 Nm of torque is available (780 Nm for Ghost), while a wide rear track, shorter wheelbase and lower roof height further contribute to the most powerful, involving driving experience of any Rolls-Royce in history. The car’s suspension has also been tuned to minimise body roll and discreetly amplify feedback when cornering; while steering weight is heavier at high speeds and lighter at low speeds adding to the spirited drive.

However, Wraith is no GT bruiser. Agility improvements have been achieved with absolutely no compromise to the sensation of riding on a bed of air. Furthermore, the debut of Satellite Aided Transmission (SAT) technology takes the powertrain to a new level of effortless delivery, one that perfectly suits the Rolls-Royce brand.

Satellite Aided Transmission uses GPS data to see beyond what the driver sees; it anticipates his next move based on location and current driving style, then selects the most appropriate gear for the terrain ahead. Corners, motorway junctions and roundabouts are all anticipated in advance meaning Wraith is constantly poised to deliver on its promise of performance.

A more polished, effortless driving experience and even better response brings a new, more dynamic dimension to the famous Rolls-Royce trait, waftability.

For over a century a Rolls-Royce motor car has featured technologies designed to support occupants discreetly, delivering a peerless driving experience epitomised by the term ‘effortlessness’. In every Rolls-Royce these assist the driver when called upon, but are prepared to return without fuss to the background when no longer required.

Advances in mechanical and electrical technology deliver systems like head-up display, adaptive headlights and Wraith’s keyless opening boot. But improvements in connectivity have taken the human-machine interface to a new level of sophistication, a suite of aids that could be likened to a contemporary on-board valet.

Voice activation commands, for example, come with a one-touch call button located on the steering wheel. A destination no longer requires manual input from a navigation menu and route assistance begins immediately, on-screen and via audio guidance following a voice command such as “navigate to Piccadilly in London.”

Additional improvements in communications come in the design and functionality of the elegant Spirit of Ecstasy Rotary Controller. This allows navigation through on-screen functions using a touch pad that features pinch and pull functionality to echo smart phone usage. Letters can also be ‘drawn’ onto the pad by hand rather than by scrolling through a series of available characters on-screen.

In Europe, Wraith will be priced at c. €245k. Confirmation and further pricing details in all markets will be revealed later in the year.

First deliveries of Wraith will be made to customers in the final quarter of 2013.

-Ends-

INTRODUCTION

“Today, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars begins an exploration into alternative drive-trains, seeking clarity on which technology may be suitable to drive Rolls-Royce motor cars of the future. The alternative drive-train we choose must deliver an authentic Rolls-Royce experience. It must be a technology that is right for our customers, our brand and which sets us on a sound footing for a sustainable future. That is why this project is so important.” – CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars proudly presents 102EX, a car that represents one of the most significant initiatives taken by the company in recent years.  It is the world’s first battery electric vehicle for the ultra-luxury segment and continues a tradition of experimental cars running through the model generations.  

Rolls-Royce produces cars that represent the pinnacle in luxurious motoring for the world’s most discerning customers.  However, the company also recognises the need to look to the future and to plan for long-term sustainable growth. An investigation into alternative drive-train options is an important step in that process.

With 102EX, also to be known as the Phantom Experimental Electric (EE), it is the company’s intention to carefully test the opinions and reactions to alternative drive-train options of a range of stakeholders including owners, enthusiasts, members of the public and the media.

Throughout 2011 Phantom EE will serve as a working test bed, giving owners, VIPs, the media and enthusiasts the opportunity to experience an established alternative drive-train technology and to feed back their experiences, thoughts and concerns directly.

The bank of research gathered from a global drive programme that will include Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North America will be crucial to decisions affecting alternative drive-trains for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

There are no plans to build a production version of this car. Phantom EE’s role is as a test bed, designed to explore established BEV technologies, to pose as well as to answer questions.

Can Phantom EE deliver an acceptable range for customers without frequent re-charging? Is there confidence in its ability to operate in extreme conditions? Will reliability and quality be consistent with expectations of the world’s pinnacle automotive brand?

Phantom EE also poses more fundamental questions: Is an all-electric drive-train able to deliver an authentic Rolls-Royce experience for customers, an experience that truly befits the marque?

Whether all-electric or another alternative drive-train option is right for Rolls-Royce will become clearer when the test programme is complete at the end of the year.

102EX – PHANTOM EXPERIMENTAL ELECTRIC (EE)

Reinvention is part of being timeless and Phantom EE is the latest in a line of experimental vehicles from Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. It builds on a legacy which dates back to 1919 and 1EX.

Experimental models are used to test and evaluate new technologies and applications which could shape future Rolls-Royce products. Unlike a concept car, Rolls-Royce experimental models are always fully functioning, drivable vehicles using tangible materials such as wood, leather and metals rather than clay and foam or other concepts.

They present engineers and designers with the opportunity for real-world innovation and are used not only to showcase new components and engineering techniques but also to evaluate them.

The latest in this line of experimental projects began with a Rolls-Royce Phantom, a strikingly modern and immaculately proportioned car in which high technology and hand-craftsmanship combine to produce something extraordinary.

Phantom EE features the car’s ground-breaking aluminium spaceframe, so important to dynamic prowess, as well as the sense of calm and tranquillity enjoyed by occupants. However, the naturally aspirated 6.75-litre V12 petrol engine and 6-speed gearbox have been replaced by a lithium ion battery pack and two electric motors mounted on the rear sub-frame. These motors are connected to a single speed transmission with integrated differential.

Each motor is power rated to 145kW, giving Phantom EE a maximum power output of 290kW and torque of 800Nm available over a wide band.  This compares with 338kW for standard Phantom with maximum torque of 720Nm, delivered at 3,500rpm.

The Nickel Cobalt Manganese battery chemistry holds around 230Wh/kg,a high energy density which is important in achieving an acceptable range between re-charges. Pre-launch tests suggests Phantom EE should run to a range of up to 200km. Delivered on an effortless wave of torque, 0-60mph will be achieved in under eight seconds (5.7 seconds in standard Phantom), with top speed limited to 160kph.

This is the first application of the technology in a GKL++ segment (super luxury vehicles priced at more than €200,000) and the battery pack is thought to be the largest ever fitted to a road car.

Evaluation of technology is an important part of the test programme. However, more fundamentally the car will seek answers to questions posed of Rolls-Royce owners: what their needs might be for the future considering factors such as range, performance and re-charging infrastructure.

The feedback from customers – as well as media, stakeholders and enthusiasts via the website www.electricluxury.com - will prove essential in evaluating the appropriateness of battery electric technology for Rolls-Royce.

It will help inform a decision on whether all-electric, or another alternative drive-train technology, will be most appropriate for the world’s best cars of the future.

DESIGN

“It’s a credible design concept that perfectly complements the experimental nature of the car, exploring options in light, space and use of materials. Had we changed the overall aesthetic, the concept would have lost credibility; our audience would assume it was simply a styling exercise. The reality is that this is an experimental vehicle in its truest sense, challenging perceptions, emotions and values - as well as exploring alternative drive-train technology.” – Ian Cameron, Chief Designer Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

102EX bears the famous hallmarks of the Rolls-Royce Phantom on which it is based, such as hand craftsmanship, fine detailing and iconic design cues like the pantheon grille and the Spirit of Ecstasy which celebrates its centenary in 2011. However, at the core of its design is the essence of an experimental vehicle, establishing this car’s status as a test bed, while subtly alluding to its electric power plant.

The design creates a different aesthetic, experimenting with interior space and materials, as well as trims and illumination. These are framed around functional considerations for a battery electric Rolls-Royce - how the car is likely to be used and the changes that the technology brings in terms of interior space and exterior detailing. Naturally, these changes are executed in a way that affirms the car’s credentials as a Rolls-Royce.

ATLANTIC CHROME EXTERIOR

Our designers were challenged with creating a finish for Phantom EE which immediately signified a special car, distinguishing it from standard Phantom models in the absence of many overt design changes. Not an easy task, since all Phantom models are special – with customers benefitting from a range of bespoke paint options running to some 45,000 colours.

Extensive research however had revealed a highly reflective paint using ceramic nano particles. Under a microscope these mimic the impression of a silver metal, but are between 8,000 and 80,000 times smaller than the thickness of a hair or 1,000 times smaller than the size of a normal metallic paint particle. 

Test parts were produced and the design team were impressed with the results, knowing that the larger the object covered the better it would look. But they were under no illusions as to the task ahead.

In all sixteen coats of paint were needed, of which four were Atlantic Chrome, and many hours of time dedicated to ensuring a perfect end result. The finish is a striking one. Phantom EE commands the stage, with taut almost chiselled lines giving a wet impression to the car. This only grows in character as light conditions change.  

ILLUMINATED SPIRIT OF ECSTASY

As well as the launch of 102EX, 2011 marks another milestone in the history of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. On 6 February 1911, the design for Charles Sykes’ Spirit of Ecstasy was first registered, signalling the start of a 100 year period in which this famous icon has adorned the prow of Rolls-Royce cars, from the famous Silver Ghosts, Clouds and Shadows of the 20th Century to today’s hand-built Phantom and Ghost models.

Phantom EE’s Spirit of Ecstasy, sits atop the radiator grille above the red double-R badge applied to EX models. Made of Makrolon, rather than stainless steel, it will be bathed in blue LED light, hinting at the electric technology beneath the bonnet. This stunning image complements the keynote graphic of website – www.electricluxury.com – where Rolls-Royce Motor Cars will expand the debate on the question of electric luxury to the online community, taking views from enthusiasts, media and members of the public.  

INTERIOR DETAILING

Atlantic chrome-finished dashboard dials echo the exterior colour, providing a sense of interior-exterior balance and their analogue displays maintain the timeless architecture that every Phantom interior commands.

Other changes hint at further evolutionary designs applied to the car. For example, some dials have been subtly modified to provide information needed by the driver of an electric vehicle. The fuel gauge in particular has been replaced by an elegant battery charge indicator.

One of the most pleasing features of every Rolls-Royce Phantom interior is the power reserve dial located beside the speedometer. This reveals how much of the V12 engine’s power remains at a driver’s disposal. Phantom EE takes this concept a step further.

It features a regeneration symbol which takes the dial beyond the normal 100% line of standard Phantom. Depending on the momentum gathered, it conveys the degree of re-charge taking place as the vehicle is in motion.

EXTERIOR RE-CHARGING POINT

Re-charging is undertaken with a plug and five-pin socket which takes the place of the normal fuel filling mechanism for Phantom.The standard fuel filler cap has been replaced by a design featuring a clear window, displaying the RR logo and 102EX motif. The window frames rear-mounted, tricolour LEDs which present the car’s charging status.

On start up, the socket is bathed in blue light. This begins to flash as charging commences. When completely charged, the display turns green, then flashing green as the solenoid is disengaged. A potential fault in the system is indicated by either constant or flashing red light.

Charging can be halted via a switch located adjacent to the plug. The process can also be operated inside the vehicle using controls accessed beneath the centre console, for example when induction charging is taking place.

CENTRE CONSOLE DETAIL

A key identifier for Phantom EE is the design of the centre console charging and display, sited below the central arm rest. A simple switch is used to start and halt charging, while the display itself features a bright plate with an image of a battery, lit by LEDs.

Reflecting the lights applied to the exterior charging point, this image changes colour according to the charge status of the car. A blue-lit battery shows the vehicle is on standard charge, while pulsating blue indicates that inductive charging is taking place. Green indicates a fully charged battery while red notifies engineers of a potential fault in the system.

CORINOVA LEATHER

“At Rolls-Royce we pride ourselves in producing an authentic and natural product for customers, the quality of which is second to none. Seton Corinova is an experimental vegetable-tanned leather that allows us to celebrate more of the curves, creases and other features that are part and parcel of the life of the animal. It’s a more sympathetic process that stretches our understanding of Rolls-Royce interior expectations. Owners’ reactions will prove fascinating during the tour.” – Andrew Monachan, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars General Manager, Leathershop.

Interior wood veneers present Phantom owners with unique grains, patterns and detail adding weight to the fact that every model leaving Goodwood is as unique as the finger print of its owner. Phantom EE takes this concept a step further.

Its leather interior is derived from a natural vegetable tanning process christened Corinova. This gives life to the car, adding definition to the seats, floor and arm rests.

Most leather produced for automotive applications is chrome tanned. This is an important constituent that helps to stabilise animal hides and transfer collagen into leather fibres. The barrel-dyeing process used to colour Phantom interior leathers gives a rich, uniform pigmentation while maintaining the natural feel and softness.

An experimental leather, Corinova distinguishes itself by being entirely chrome free. It starts with a preparation of Glutardialehyde to prepare for tanning. Chestnut extract, sustainably sourced from Southern Europe and Tara powder from crushed fruit of the Tara bush in South America are used for drum-spun colouring. Fruits are harvested without damage to the plant and the product is finished with a combination of natural binders and high tech polymers.

The process lends itself only to certain earthy colours – in the case of Phantom EE a chestnut colour for seat covers and Quebracho Brown for other areas such as the floor and trunk lining, both of which are made of durable saddle leather.

As well as aesthetic differences, Corinova leather presents a number of practical benefits. It uses less paint finish than in standard chrome-tanned leather and creates less waste. It negates the use of petrol-refined products and with further development, it may be possible to use recycled Corinova leather in agriculture to aerate soil. 

Rolls-Royce fully expects perceptions to be challenged and first impressions will no doubt focus on appearance, as features that define the life of the animal are more clearly visible in areas like seats and armrests than in production Phantom interiors.  A change from the sumptuous finish applied to Phantom leather may imply a compromise to some owners, but others may welcome distinguishing features that stretch individualisation for Rolls-Royce Phantom models ever further. 

As well as gauging owner feedback, the leather will be tested for its durability and performance after several months on tour.

INTERIOR PANELS

The interior of Phantom EE represents a departure from the traditional wood sets that define the majority of cars delivered to customers, providing a unique finish to the car. It features a distinctive aluminised foil weave that lifts the environment of the interior, contrasting sharply with the darker natural leather within. As is the case with Corinova leather, the aim is to challenge traditional perceptions of what might constitute a Rolls-Royce interior design scheme.

BATTERY PACK

Phantom EE is thought to have the largest passenger car battery in the world. Peak current is 850A, delivered at 338V DC. Overall capacity is 71kWh.

The pack is comprised of large-format NCM pouch cells. NCM (Lithium-Nickel-Cobalt-Manganese-Oxide) is a variant of lithium-ion chemistry that has particularly high energy and power densities.

The Phantom EE battery pack houses five modules of cells, a 38-cell module, a 36-cell module, and three smaller ones of ten, eight and four arranged in various orientations within an irregular shaped unit. This resembles the overall shape of the original engine and gearbox. 

Each of the 96 cells was individually tested before assembly into modules to determine their characteristics and capacity. Sub-assemblies were further tested under load to verify that the power connections between each cell perform to specification.

The electronic sensing units for each group of cells were tested and calibrated prior to assembly and put through a rigorous temperature cycling regime designed to provoke failure of weak components.  The main electronic box, which contains the switching and control gear, was tested in isolation from the other components to verify correct operation.

Three separate charger units (3kW each) are fitted to the battery, which allow both single-phase (20 hours) or three-phase charging (8 hours); for a passenger car this is unique.  A fourth induction charger is also fitted to enable wireless charging, a technology being trialled in Phantom EE.

The battery pack would be expected to last over three years were it to be used every day. Part of the programme however will be to test this assumption in a real world environment and deliver a more robust answer to the question of battery lifespan.

INDUCTION CHARGING

Concerns about lack of available re-charging infrastructure in towns and cities are well documented and critics of electric motoring point to the additional inconvenience of trailing cables connected between power source and vehicles.

To present Rolls-Royce owners with a vision of a potential solution to these problems, Phantom EE is testing a technology called induction charging. This allows re-charging to take place without any physical connection, delivering greater convenience for owners and hinting at the potential for a network of remote charging facilities.

There are two main elements to induction charging; a transfer pad on the ground that delivers power from a mains source and an induction pad mounted under the car, beneath Phantom EE’s battery pack. Power frequencies are magnetically coupled across these power transfer pads.

The system is around 90 percent efficient when measured from mains supply to battery and it is tolerant to parking misalignment. For example, it is not essential to align the transmitter and Phantom receiver pads exactly for charging to take place. While pads are capable of transmitting power over gaps of up to 400mm, for Phantom EE the separation is in the region of 150mm.

The coupling circuits are tuned through the addi­tion of compensation capacitors. Pick-up coils in the receiver pad are magnetically coupled to the primary coil. Power transfer is achieved by tuning the pick-up coil to the operating frequency of the primary coil with a series or parallel capacitor.

The pick-up controller is an essential part of the technology because it takes power from the receiver pad and provides a controlled output to batteries. It is required to provide an output that remains independent of the load and the separation between pads. Without a controller, the voltage would rise as the gap decreases and fall as the load current increases.

The transmitter pad has been constructed to shield magnetic fields to prevent EMI egress to bystanders and the system operates well within internationally agreed limits.

ELECTRIC CARS AND THE FOUNDING FATHERS OF ROLLS-ROYCE

Charles Rolls, Henry Royce and Claude Johnson played their part in an electrical revolution that pre-empted the establishment of internal combustion as the dominant car engine technology.

Henry Royce had developed a career as an accomplished electrical engineer before turning his expert hands to car manufacturing.

His business F.H. Royce and Co, which began selling simple lights and bell sets in the 1890s, became prosperous through the design and delivery of dynamos, electric motors and industrial cranes. Royce’s many innovations include the patent for the bayonet bulb holder, a design that endures today.

One of Royce’s clients was Pritchett and Gold, a company based in Feltham in Middlesex. As well as manufacturing accumulators they had developed a two-seater electric car, at least one of which was powered by a Royce electric motor.

The Honourable Charles Rolls also toyed with electric motoring in the years before the two men met. He had negotiated for the selling rights of an electric brougham, through C.S Rolls and Co, in Conduit Street, London which latterly established exclusive rights to sell Rolls-Royce models.

It is likely that this car was part of the City and Suburban Electric Car Project, a joint venture of two men, Paris Singer and one Claude Johnson. The project had a short life and Johnson left to join the rapidly expanding business of Rolls, latterly taking the role of managing director of Rolls-Royce. He became known as ‘the hyphen in Rolls-Royce’, with a pivotal role in its success.

Charles Rolls was on record outlining the merits of electric drive-trains - as well as raising prescient concerns about range and re-charging. He regarded a model called the Columbia as the best of its type, commenting in Automobile Journal:

“ They are perfectly noiseless and clean. There is no smell or vibration and they should become very useful for town use when fixed charging stations can be arranged. But for country use I do not anticipate they will be very serviceable – at least not for many years to come.” 

Later, when the first exports of petrol powered Rolls-Royce models were made to America, some authorities refused to believe they were not electrically powered, thanks to their legendary near-silent running.

In the 21st Century silence remains a key signature for Rolls-Royce cars. Other attributes of all-electric drive-trains also allude to famous Rolls-Royce characteristics. Power at low speeds is one example.

Thanks to improvements in battery technology, it may be that the serviceability to which Rolls referred more than a century ago is now sufficiently developed to re-visit all-electric motoring as an option.

And to pose a 21st Century question of customers, enthusiasts and the media:

Electric luxury – can it be perfection or does it present an unacceptable compromise for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars?

www.electricluxury.com

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

No of doors/seats                                 4 / 5 (optionally 4)

Vehicle length                                       5840 mm / 229.9 in

Vehicle width                                        1990 mm / 78.3 in     

Vehicle height (unladen)                       1638 mm / 64.5 in     

Wheelbase                                           3570 mm / 140.6 in

Turning circle                                        13.8 m / 45.3 ft

Track, front                                           1687 mm / 66.4 in     

Track, rear                                             1671 mm / 65.8 in     

Width at shoulder height, front            1509 mm / 59.4 in     

Width at shoulder height, rear              1431 mm / 56.3 in

Leg room, front                                     1028 mm / 40.5 in

Leg room, rear                                      1109 mm / 43.7 in

Head room, front                                  1051 mm / 41.4 in

Head room, rear                                   979 mm / 38.5 in

Boot volume (DIN)                               460 ltr / 16.2 cu ft

Unladen weight (DIN)                           2,720 kg

Gross vehicle weight                             3,030 kg

Payload                                                 300 kg

Axle load limit, front                             1,473 kg

Axle load limit, rear                               1,548 kg

Maximum power output                       290 kW

Torque                                                  800 Nm

Battery:

Chemistry                                             NCM (Lithium-Nickel-Cobalt-Manganese-Oxide) li-ion

Number of cells                                    96 in pouch design

Capacity                                                71kWh

Battery pack weight                              640 kg

Peak current                                          330 kW at 850 Amps

Charge time (est)                                  20 hours single phase / 8 hours three-phase

Transmission type                                 Single speed 6:5:1 with integral differential

Steering type                                         EHPS Rack and pinion, speed-sensitive

                                                              variable-rate power assistance

Brakes

Front / diameter                                    Ventilated disc / 374 mm / 14.7 in

Rear / diameter                                     Ventilated disc / 370 mm / 14.6 in

Drag  Cd                                               0.37

Drag  Cd x A                                        1.041m2 / 11.2 ft2

Top speed                                             160 kph (governed)

Acceleration 0-60 mph                         Under 8 seconds

CO2 emissions                                      Nil

Tyre, front                                             Goodyear EMT 255/50 R21 106W

Tyre, rear                                              Goodyear EMT 285/45 R21 109W

Wheels (21 in alloy)

Wheel size, front                                  8 in x 21 in

Wheel size, rear                                    9.5 in x 21 in

12V Battery capacity / installed position          90+70 Ah / boot