Rolls-Royce Spectre Series II has recently made its public debut on European roads in Stockholm, Sweden.

First unveiled in June 2026, the latest evolution of the marque’s all-electric super-coupé introduces an enhanced Bespoke offering with a new Gradient Two-Tone finish and Duality Twill and Placed Perforation interior treatments available on Spectre for the first time. Further engineering enhancements include a range increase of up to 18%, to 628 kilometres (390 miles, WLTP), and a reduction in charging times of up to 14%. Maximum torque has increased to 1,015 Nm, while Black Badge Spectre Series II delivers up to 1,100 Nm in Spirited Mode.

Stockholm is internationally recognised for its storied cultural identity, architecture and innovation. The Nordic region has an established luxury retail presence and a strong design heritage, reflecting an appreciation for craftsmanship and design. The region’s importance to the marque is further demonstrated by the recent inauguration of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Copenhagen, ahead of the opening of its new showroom in 2027.

Please see below for further background information:
Spectre Series II Launch Release

CO2 EMISSIONS & CONSUMPTION

Spectre Series II: WLTP: Power consumption: 2.9-3.1 mi/kWh, 21.7-20.2 kWh/100km. Electric range: 362-390 miles, 582-628 km. CO2 emissions: 0 g/km. Pass-By Noise: 65 dB(A).

Black Badge Spectre Series II: WLTP: Power consumption: 2.9-3.1 mi/kWh / 21.8-20.2 kWh/100km. Electric range: 359-390 mi / 578-628 km. CO2 emissions 0 g/km.

Values are based on the new WLTP measurement procedure. These figures may not reflect real-life driving results, which may depend upon factors including the battery charge level (if applicable), accessories fitted (post-registration), weather conditions, driving style and vehicle load. Further information: www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com/en_GB/information/fb-dat-wltp.html

• UK public debut of Spectre Series II, introducing new opportunities for Bespoke expression alongside greater power and extended range
• Contemporary expressions of the Rolls-Royce portfolio showcased through a collection of distinctive Bespoke commissions
• Black Badge Spectre Series II, the most powerful Rolls-Royce ever created, set to take on the fabled Hillclimb in the Festival Supercar Run
  
  

“This year’s Festival of Speed motor cars reflect the breadth of the contemporary Rolls-Royce portfolio, from the UK public debut of Spectre Series II to a series of distinctive Bespoke commissions across Phantom Extended, Ghost Extended and Cullinan. Presented a stone’s throw from the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood, these motor cars demonstrate how design, engineering and Bespoke craftsmanship continue to evolve across every expression of the marque. We look forward to welcoming clients, Dealer Partners, media and visitors to experience these remarkable models throughout the event.”
John Beckley, Regional Director, United Kingdom, Europe and Central Asia

Held adjacent to the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood, the Festival of Speed offers a unique opportunity to experience the marque’s motor cars close to the only place in the world where they are designed, engineered and handcrafted.

Presented in the Stable Yard, this year’s collection showcases contemporary expressions of the Rolls-Royce portfolio. From the UK public debut of Spectre Series II to a series of distinctive Bespoke commissions, the display demonstrates how craftsmanship, material innovation and design individuality are expressed across the marque.

The motor cars on display this year are:


SPECTRE SERIES II: UK PUBLIC DEBUT

Launched in June this year, Spectre Series II is an evolution of this landmark motor car. Since its launch in 2022, Spectre has become one of the most significant and celebrated Rolls-Royce motor cars of the modern era, widely praised for its timeless design, serene performance and effortless driving characteristics. Spectre Series II builds on this success with greater power, extended range and new opportunities for Bespoke expression, introducing fresh applications of material craft and interior artistry.

Making its UK public debut at the Festival of Speed, this contemporary expression of Spectre Series II is finished in two-tone Dark Emerald with Black Diamond, complemented by a Mandarin coachline and brake callipers that provide a vibrant contrast to the exterior hue.

Inside the example on display, Placed Perforation, now available for the first time on Spectre Series II, transforms the leather itself into a canvas. This new Bespoke expression reveals a hidden artwork through precisely engineered perforation patterns, inspired by the shifting silhouettes cast by clouds in moonlight. Cashmere Grey and Black are the primary interior colours, whilst Mandarin seat piping, monogrammed headrests and coloured stitching provide a vibrant contrast throughout the cabin and reflect the exterior Mandarin details.

A new Illuminated Fascia artwork also features in Spectre Series II. Comprising 8,108 individual illuminations, its flowing wave pattern draws inspiration from the shifting mist that settles over the South Downs beyond the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood.

BLACK BADGE SPECTRE SERIES II: A BOLD NEW PALETTE

A dynamic interpretation of a Black Badge Spectre Series II, finished in Ethereal Blue, with striking red brake callipers, demonstrates a bold new palette for Black Badge. This new exterior finish is inspired by maritime environments, and the vivid hue emphasises an exclusive suite of Iced Black exterior details – intensifying the already assertive aesthetic of Rolls-Royce’s subversive alter ego.

The interior cabin showcases Duality Twill, now available for the first time on Spectre. This contemporary rayon fabric made from bamboo was inspired by the extensive bamboo grove in Le Jardin des Méditerranées on the Côte d’Azur, which neighbours Sir Henry Royce’s former winter home, Villa Mimosa . For this commission, Duality Twill is showcased in Sage, a cool verdant green, creating a soft luminosity to this motor car’s cabin. Arctic White on the seat piping and monogrammed headrests adds a bright contrast to the interior.

PHANTOM REGATTA: INSPIRED BY MARITIME CRAFTSMANSHIP

This one-of-one Phantom Extended commission pays tribute to the racing yachts of the English south coast and to the regattas they contest each summer on the Solent – including the world-renowned Cowes Week. These stretches of water, together with neighbouring Chichester Harbour, are visible from the Goodwood Estate. They are also bound to the marque’s co-founder, Sir Henry Royce, whose beloved home, Elmstead, is located in the coastal village of West Wittering, just eight miles away from the marque’s present-day headquarters.

The exterior of the motor car is finished in Regatta Blue, a deep marine tone, over a lower body of English White, applied as a hand-laid two-tone treatment that recalls the line where a yacht’s hull meets the water.

The interior colourway evokes a yacht under full sail: deep blue water below, with white canvas above. The front is appointed in Navy Blue leather; the rear suite is finished in Grace White, suggesting sailcloth and wake. Seat and door piping, contrast stitching and the steering wheel are presented in both tones, and the RR monograms are embroidered in Turchese, the same turquoise found in clear inshore water.

The veneer is Piano Milori paired with Open Pore Royal Walnut, hand-finished in satin to the Waterfall, rear doors and picnic table tops. Completing the picnic tables alone required around 120 hours of precision craftwork. They are finished as a yacht deck, each composed of 16 ‘planks’ of Royal Walnut, cut from the same section of wood to ensure uniformity in the grain pattern. The ‘planks’ were laid by hand from the centre outwards, mirroring the grain to achieve a bookmatched effect. Between them, in the manner of deck caulking, runs a thin length of Black Bolivar wood. It is just two millimetres wide and cut as one piece to avoid any visible joins.

At the heart of the commission is a hand-painted Gallery artwork named Watercolour, created by one of the marque’s in-house artists using specially developed paints on an open-pore wooden substrate. To capture the movement of waves and open water, the artist created a new blending technique, refined over two weeks across numerous test panels as colours and application methods were trialled and adjusted to match their vision for a faithful interpretation of the sea.

The motor car keeps one detail hidden. Each Eyeball Vent is engraved with a set of geographic coordinates, visible only when the vent is tilted forward. The passenger-side vent includes the coordinates of Goodwood House, 50°52’12”N 00°44’24”W; the driver-side vent carries those of the Home of Rolls-Royce, 50°51’13”N 00°44’40”W. The two points sit within a mile of one another, and together they fix Phantom Extended Regatta to the place from which it came.

GHOST SAVILE ROW: A CELEBRATION OF BESPOKE TAILORING AND PERSONAL STYLE

Rolls-Royce and Savile Row have long shared a commitment to Bespoke. The term itself is closely associated with Savile Row, where cloth was traditionally described as being ‘bespoken’, or spoken for, by an individual client. For Rolls-Royce, alongside its design and engineering disciplines, Bespoke is at the heart of the marque today – an art and craft in which Rolls-Royce Motor Cars leads the world.

This one-of-one Ghost Extended commission is inspired by the art and craft of tailoring, for which Savile Row is renowned around the world. Conceived as a motor car dressed in elegant Savile Row suiting, the two-tone Midnight Sapphire over English White exterior is influenced by the quintessential combination of a navy suit paired with a crisp white dress shirt. A unique Silver Featureline references the refined contrast of polished cufflinks or a dress watch against a jacket cuff.

Inside, Navy, Arctic White and Selby Grey continue the theme. The seats feature a Bespoke vertical run-stitch in Selby Grey referencing traditional pinstripes. This stitching has been carefully aligned to the seat geometry in a manner comparable to pattern placement in bespoke garments.

The centre seam of each seat back meets the vertical embroidery of the Arctic White insert above. Set against the Navy Blue leather, the insert evokes a pressed white pocket square carefully placed in the breast pocket of a jacket. Each of the four inserts incorporates more than 16,000 stitches and embroidered tone-on-tone in two directions, like the warp and weft of woven cloth.

The fascia, steering-wheel spoke and door uppers are dressed in tactile Open Pore White Wood veneer, complemented by Black Wood to the centre console.

Lowering the rear armrest reveals a Bespoke embroidered artwork, inspired by the colourful linings of bespoke jackets and the bold graphics of luxury fashion houses. Bespoke Illuminated Treadplates also feature this pattern, extending the theme throughout the motor car. A Bespoke umbrella, finished in Navy, Arctic White and Selby Grey, adds an elegant final touch.

The commission’s boldest detail remains hidden until revealed. Lowering the rear centre armrest reveals a Bespoke embroidery, hidden like the colourful lining of a tailored jacket. The design is a plan view of the square trees, and the shadows they cast, in the courtyard at the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood. The artwork is the most demanding single-frame embroidery ever created by Rolls-Royce. The piece comprises seven colours, takes nine hours to construct and includes 250,000 stitches and nearly two kilometres – 1,830 metres – of thread. Brought to life in bold, graphic colour and the confident motifs of London’s great fashion houses, it brings a moment of private exuberance to the interior suite.

CULLINAN BOHEMIAN SUNSET: INSPIRED BY THE SKY AT DUSK

Created by designers at the Home of Rolls-Royce, Cullinan Bohemian Sunset draws inspiration from the changing colours of the sky at dusk. It is presented in Iced Silver Haze with a Mandarin coachline and Mandarin wheel-centre pinstripe.

Inside, the interplay of muted tones and vibrant accents continues with Bespoke Chevron Perforation to Seashell leather and Chevron embroidery in Navy and Mandarin. Overhead, a Bespoke Starlight Headliner transitions from orange to blue, mirroring the changing colours of the sky that inspired the commission.

BEYOND THE STABLE YARD, TO THE HILLCIMB

Beyond the Stable Yard display, Black Badge Spectre Series II will be a central highlight of the Festival Supercar Run. As the most powerful Rolls-Royce ever created, delivering 500 kW of power through Infinity Mode and up to 1,100 Nm of torque in Spirited Mode, it brings together the effortless performance of electric propulsion with the bold character of the marque’s alter ego.

• Rolls-Royce Motor Cars presents the Black Badge Ghost Tourist Trophy, inspired by The Hon. Charles Stewart Rolls’ victory in the 1906 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy
• Bespoke commission displayed on the Isle of Man in the 120th anniversary year of Rolls’ triumph
• Recalls the Light 20 H.P. Rolls-Royce driven by Rolls and his riding mechanic, Eric Platford, featuring Bespoke details rooted in the history of the race
• Black Badge Ghost gives contemporary form to Rolls’ restless appetite for risk, speed and mechanical possibility

“Charles Rolls lived with an extraordinary sense of adventure. As a racing driver, balloonist, aviation pioneer, engineer and innovator, he helped define the courage and curiosity that still shape Rolls-Royce Motor Cars today. His victory in the 1906 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy was not simply a sporting achievement: it was a test of judgement, nerve and faith in a finely prepared motor car. The Black Badge Ghost Tourist Trophy honours that spirit, recalling both the motor car he drove and the character that made his achievement so significant.”
John Beckley, Regional Director, United Kingdom, Europe and Central Eastern Asia, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

“Charles Rolls was a high-voltage Edwardian: experimental, audacious and moving faster than the world around him. His victory in the 1906 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy demonstrated both courage and discipline – a demanding course, limited fuel, a finely prepared motor car and an absolute belief in what machines could make possible. The Black Badge Ghost Tourist Trophy carries that spirit with restraint. Every Bespoke detail is rooted in the race, yet the overall expression is contemporary, quietly assured and deeply controlled.”
Alistair Barkley, Designer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has presented the Black Badge Ghost Tourist Trophy on the Isle of Man, marking 120 years since Charles Rolls’ victory in the 1906 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy.

The commission takes its inspiration from the Light 20 H.P. Rolls-Royce driven by Rolls and his riding mechanic, Eric Platford. Held over four laps of the Isle of Man course, the Tourist Trophy tested touring motor cars in the most exacting terms: speed had to be balanced with endurance, mechanical sympathy and carefully judged fuel use.

The event took place on the Highroads Course, which was shortened to 40.38 miles. Rolls started fourth and was leading by the end of the opening lap. By the final lap, he had built a 10-minute advantage – a remarkable margin in a race governed by restraint as much as pace. He and Platford completed four laps of the course in 4 hours, 6 minutes, and 0.06 seconds, at an average speed of 39.4 mph. There was just one pint and one ounce of fuel remaining in the 20 H.P. at the end of the race; it is this level of precision, aptitude and attention to detail shown by Rolls and Platford that continues to define Rolls-Royce Motor Cars today.

Charles Rolls was independent in thought, technically fluent and restless in pursuit of what machines could make possible. It was his restless quest for the new and the extraordinary which drew him to the exhilaration of early motor racing, ballooning and aviation. In Black Badge Ghost, that restlessness finds a contemporary form – assertive in character, exacting in detail and disciplined in execution.

The Black Badge Ghost Tourist Trophy carries the memory of the race through quiet, precise Bespoke details – each one connected to the Island, the course, the winning motor car or the man behind the achievement.


THE COLOUR OF VICTORY

The exterior of the commission is finished in Dark Emerald, selected to recall the green hue of the Light 20 H.P. Rolls-Royce driven by Rolls in the 1906 Tourist Trophy. A single Tan Coachline provides a restrained contrast, accompanied by a hand-painted Coachline motif featuring the number 4 in Arctic White. The number references Rolls’ starting position for the race, and the four laps of the course he completed in just over four hours.


A PRIVATE ARCHIVE

Inside, the Black and Tan palette creates an atmosphere of controlled intensity. Black leather and Black Badge Technical Fibre give the cabin a darker, contemporary edge, softened by Tan leather, stitching and seat piping, and the warmth of Mocassin lambswool.

The rear Waterfall carries an embroidered outline of the Isle of Man Short Highroads Course, placing the landscape of the victory within the intimacy of the cabin. Further references are concealed within the central ‘eyeball’ air vents, where engravings record details from the race-winning motor car and the event itself, including the registration number AX157, chassis number 26350B, race date 27.09.1906, and start and finish line coordinates, 54˚09’27.1” N 4°29’ 54.7” W.

Bespoke Illuminated Treadplates fitted to all four door sills also reference chassis number 26350B. Together, these elements form a discreet private archive within the Black Badge Ghost Tourist Trophy.

• Rolls-Royce presents Spectre Series II and Black Badge Spectre Series II: a landmark motor car, further elevated with greater power, extended range and an enhanced Bespoke offering
• Re-engineered technology extends range by up to 18% (390 miles/628km WLTP) and reduces charging times by up to 14%
• Black Badge Spectre Series II becomes the most powerful Rolls-Royce ever created, delivering 500kW of power through Infinity Mode and up to 1100Nm torque in Spirited Mode
• Bespoke possibilities expanded to support increasingly ambitious commissions
• Iced Black exterior detailing introduced for Black Badge Spectre Series II
• New clock design draws on aviation instruments, housed within a Clock Cabinet vitrine
• New Bespoke interior offering: Duality Twill and Placed Perforation now available for Spectre

“Spectre is a landmark motor car for Rolls-Royce – conceived by our engineers, designers and craftspeople, informed by our clients and acclaimed the world over. It amplifies the qualities our clients value most: silence, effortlessness and abundant power, confirming that Rolls-Royce is perfectly suited to electrification. This motor car’s extraordinary reception around the world has also established Spectre as one of the most compelling canvases for Bespoke in our contemporary product portfolio, inspiring clients to pursue ever more individual and ambitious commissions. With Spectre Series II, we extend those possibilities even further. This refinement of a modern masterpiece is made in the spirit of our co-founder, Sir Henry Royce, who said: ‘Small things make perfection, but perfection is no small thing’.”
Chris Brownridge, Chief Executive, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

“Spectre has consistently been recognised as one of the most elegant automotive forms of the modern era. Clients frequently cite its design as one of the defining reasons for their commission, and it will undoubtedly take its place in future collections of remarkable motor cars. In expanding the palette of materials and crafts introduced for Spectre Series II, we respond directly to our clients’ desire to approach Spectre with even more creative ambition, as they explore its possibilities as a canvas on which to tell their story.”
Domagoj Dukec, Director of Design, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars


Rolls-Royce announces Spectre Series II, introducing a suite of technical and creative enhancements to the marque’s landmark super-coupé.

Since its introduction in 2022, Spectre has become one of the most significant and celebrated Rolls-Royce motor cars of the modern era, widely praised for its timeless design, serene performance and effortless driving character. Spectre Series II builds on this success. Engineering updates unlock up to 18% more range (390 total miles, WLTP), alongside higher torque of 1,015 Nm increased to 1,100 in Spirited Mode and up to 14% reduction in charging times. Newly crafted interior illuminations, an expanded palette of exquisite materials, and striking exterior treatments further elevate Spectre’s interior possibilities. These changes sharpen Spectre’s character while preserving the qualities that have already established it as a future classic.


CONSIDERED REFINEMENT, SILENT POWER

While Spectre's range and performance already exceeded client expectations, engineers at Goodwood have recalibrated the motor car’s drivetrain to deliver even greater immediacy and control for Series II, further strengthening Black Badge Spectre’s standing as the most powerful Rolls-Royce in history. Power output now reaches 442 kW whilst torque rises to 1,015 Nm. In Black Badge Spectre Series II, Infinity Mode unlocks 500 kW of power, while Spirited Mode summons up to 1,100 Nm torque.

Thanks to re-engineered battery cell technology Spectre Series II’s potential driving distance is increased by up to 18% to 390 miles (WLTP) and charging times have been reduced by up to 14%. This reinforces the marque’s commitment to both electric serenity and uncompromised capability.


SPECTRE: A DEFINING CANVAS FOR BESPOKE

Spectre has emerged as one of the most compelling canvases for Bespoke in Rolls-Royce’s contemporary portfolio, with some clients requesting more than 20 individual and personal Bespoke elements in their motor car. Demand for Bespoke commissions on Spectre is surpassed only by Phantom. In addition to the near-limitless opportunities for Bespoke through the marque’s Private Offices, Spectre Series II introduces a new suite of crafted elements, materials and finishes as a response to clients’ increasing desire for highly ambitious and expressive commissions.


GRADIENT TWO-TONE: A NEW ORIENTATION

Spectre Series II marks the debut of a new, highly complex exterior treatment: Gradient Two-Tone paint. In contrast to the marque’s signature horizontal divide, this striking application sees colour transition from one end of the motor car to the other, inviting the eye to travel across the super-coupé’s sheer surfaces in an entirely new way.

Creating this finish required more than six months of development, during which Rolls-Royce specialists coded and calibrated the marque’s paint application systems, while simultaneously refining the paint chemistry to meet the exacting standards of its surface finish experts. This extraordinary new finish requires up to four days to complete per motor car; clients may select from a curated palette of four colourways, each applied over a black base to heighten the perception of depth and visual transition.


EXTERIOR COMPOSURE, REINFORCED

The super-coupé’s celebrated fastback profile, clean surfacing and split headlamp signature are retained for Spectre Series II, underlining the marque’s confidence in this initial, widely acclaimed design. Since launch, Spectre has been widely praised as one of the most elegant automotive forms of the era and now stands alongside Phantom Coupé and other revered Goodwood-era models in the marque’s collector canon. Of the numerous international accolades Spectre has received, its timeless design is consistently celebrated by judging panels, while clients have embraced Spectre as a true modern masterpiece. To accentuate Spectre’s form and surfacing, a new solid exterior finish, named Ethereal Blue, has been developed for Spectre Series II.


SCULPTED WHEEL DESIGN

A new 23-inch forged alloy wheel design introduces a highly faceted multi-spoke treatment that captures and reflects light from every angle. The wheel is forged with exceptionally sharp 2.5 mm radii, allowing the surfaces to retain their crisp diamond-like definition even after polishing. Each wheel is hand-finished for up to six hours to achieve this precise faceting and is available in two finishes: part-polished and fully polished.


INTERIOR EXPRESSION AND MATERIAL INNOVATION

Responding to the exceptional creative ambition of Spectre clients, Spectre Series II significantly expands the interior palette, offering new materials, treatments and crafted details of remarkable depth and variety. Among them is Duality Twill – a contemporary interior rayon fabric made from bamboo, now available within Spectre for the first time. This material was inspired by the extensive bamboo grove in Le Jardin des Méditerranées on the Côte d'Azur, which neighbours Sir Henry Royce’s former winter home, Villa Mimosa.

The twill textile is embroidered with an artistic ‘Duality’ graphic. Based on an abstract interpretation of the two interlinked letter R initials of the marque’s founders, the design reflects a nautical influence, reminiscent of the interweaving rope lines found on sailing yachts – another subtle allusion to the French Riviera.

A Duality Twill interior on Spectre Series II can incorporate up to 2.6 million stitches, 10 miles of thread, requiring up to 25 total hours to construct. The twill textile is available in Lilac, Chocolate, Black and a newly introduced Sage: a cool, verdant green that introduces a soft luminosity to Spectre Series II’s interior suite. Clients can select from more than 50 different colours of thread for the embroidered elements, either contrasting with or complementing the base layer.

Placed Perforation leather is also available for Spectre Series II, where precision-cut patterns are created to reveal unique artworks. For its debut, designers created a pattern inspired by the shifting silhouettes cast by clouds in moonlight. Spanning the shoulder and headrest areas of the front and rear seats, it comprises 78,138 perforations in three different sizes: 0.8 mm, 1.0 mm and 1.2 mm. If the perforations are extended to the illuminated door option, the pattern subtly disperses as it approaches each light source, creating a soft, atmospheric diffusion effect reminiscent of starlight emerging through shifting night skies.

A new distinctive high gloss Brindled Walnut veneer reflects the marque’s deeply considered approach to material craft. The finish is created by combining walnut sourced from non-fruiting trees – which would ordinarily be burned – with residual eucalyptus fibres from fine paper production, forming a richly layered ‘tiger stripe’ pattern. These elements are first compressed and then precisely cut into veneer sheets.

The finish is sealed with a lacquer infused with a fine powder of glass flakes, before a final clearcoat is applied. This layered process creates the impression that the shimmering particles are suspended beneath the surface, adding a sense of depth and movement to the veneer.

The Interior Panel and Clock Gallery now span the entire width of the fascia, joined by a new Illuminated Fascia artwork. Its directional wave pattern is composed of 8,108 individual pixel-like illuminations that appear to flow across the surface, reinforcing Spectre Series II’s strong horizontal character. The design draws inspiration from the shifting mist that settles over the woodlands of the South Downs, which rise beyond the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood.

A new timepiece has also been introduced. Its design takes inspiration from precision aviation instruments, which prioritise absolute legibility. The dial features cast metal hands and a pared-back graphic treatment that reflects the motor car’s contemporary character. As well as housing a new timepiece, the unique inset vitrine showcases an up-lit Spirit of Ecstasy figurine crafted from solid stainless steel.


A BOLD NEW PALETTE FOR BLACK BADGE

For Black Badge Spectre Series II, a suite of new design enhancements further dramatise the marque’s alter ego, amplifying its intense and uncompromising character.

A new Iced Black Exterior Detailing offer has been developed, transforming almost all of the motor car’s brightwork with a matte finish. The treatment is applied to the grille surround, sideframe finishers, bumper inserts, ‘Double R’ Badge of Honour side surround, door handles and the Spirit of Ecstasy. The effect is achieved using a specially developed matte clear coat, creating a refined, satin-like finish. Notably, the vanes of the Pantheon Grille remain polished – a decision taken by Rolls-Royce designers to preserve the motor car’s identity.

A new wheelset has also been developed to create an even more imposing visual character for Black Badge. The open-spoke design places emphasis on the motor car’s powerful braking hardware while a polished outer ring – pushed to the very edge of the wheel – accentuates the diameter of the seven-spoke structure. A subtle sparkle effect is achieved through fine glass flakes embedded within the finish. This bold new design is also available in Iced Matte Black – the first time a Black Badge wheel has been offered in this finish – created using a specialised high-temperature curing process.


SPECTRE AND ITS CLIENTS

At the heart of Spectre’s success is its founding philosophy. It was conceived as a Rolls-Royce first – defined by silence, effortlessness and presence – brought to life through electric power. In doing so, it delivers an experience completely in tune with the marque’s values, confirming Rolls-Royce’s authority in shaping the future of super-luxury motoring.

This approach has clearly resonated with clients. In 2025, Spectre retained its position as the marque's second best-selling model globally.

To inform the development of Spectre Series II, Rolls-Royce specialists mapped how clients live with their Spectre. Typically the second Rolls-Royce in a seven-car garage, Spectre is nonetheless driven extensively. While the average annual mileage of around 4,000 miles (6,500 km) remains consistent with other two-door Rolls-Royce motor cars, such as Wraith, Dawn, and Phantom Coupé, Spectre is increasingly used for personal driving enjoyment, charged almost exclusively at home, and most often driven solo – affirming its identity as a true driver’s Rolls-Royce.

Spectre’s effortless usability has seen many clients embrace it as a daily motor car. One European client has travelled more than 30,000 miles (50,000 km) in the two years since taking delivery – more than three times the average annual mileage typically recorded by a Rolls-Royce.

In the United States, one well-known collector based in Los Angeles has also made Spectre a daily companion. One particular pleasure of their ownership, they have told the marque, is the short journey from their residence at the top of a hill to their garage below – a drive in which the motor car arrives with more range than it started, thanks to regenerative braking.

Spectre’s peerless driving experience is an important expression of this motor car’s success though not the only one. It is equally recognised by clients as a long-term emotional asset and a unique canvas for Bespoke individualisation. For example, Spectre has been reimagined as a tribute to a client-couple’s lifelong relationship, symbolised by a Bespoke Starlight Headliner configured with the constellations as they were on the day they first met; a celebration, through exquisite marquetry, of a cherished family dog, named Bailey; an extension of a client’s home, directly mirroring the hues and textures of their living space; and a continuation of a notable haute joaillerie collection, drawing inspiration from a colour associated with their favourite designer. A client in Korea has taken the act of commissioning further still by creating a gallery space within their residence in which to display their Spectre as a work of art.

These insights reflect the emotional breadth, creative depth and driving pleasure clients now associate with this landmark motor car, all of which shaped the subtle refinements introduced for Spectre Series II.


SPECTRE SERIES II: INTEGRITY, ENHANCED

Spectre’s evolution for Series II is a powerful affirmation of the motor car’s design integrity and engineering permanence. It emerges within a new era of commissioning shaped by deeper collaboration through the marque’s expanding global Private Office network, and a broader creative repertoire than ever before. It respects the instincts of those who recognised Spectre’s significance from the outset and offers new opportunities for expression to those who commission it next.

• Rolls-Royce celebrates triple anniversary of three Goodwood-era Experimental motor cars
• 101EX, 102EX and 103EX record 20, 15 and 10 years respectively in 2026
• Essential proving grounds for battery electric technology and Bespoke individualisation
• Part of a through-line of EX motor cars extending back to 1EX in 1919

“Throughout its history, Rolls-Royce has created Experimental, or EX, motor cars, as part of its product development process. But an EX motor car is not a concept created to ‘test the waters’: it is fully realised, drivable, and informed by our deep understanding of our clients’ needs and desires. Each of the three EX cars marking their anniversary this year has made an immense contribution to the development of Goodwood-era models such as the legendary Phantom Coupé, Spectre and the coachbuilt Sweptail, as well as introducing the world to Bespoke through expressions like our signature Starlight Headliner. In their innovation, creativity, dynamism and engineering accomplishment, they perfectly translate the technical brilliance of Sir Henry Royce and the pioneering vision of Charles Rolls into the modern age.”
Bernhard Dressler, Director of Engineering, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars


In 2026, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars marks a special triple anniversary; three groundbreaking Experimental – or EX – motor cars, built during the Goodwood-era, are recording 20, 15 and 10 years since their respective unveilings.

Each of these motor cars played a foundational role in establishing Rolls-Royce’s contemporary design language, technology, engineering hallmarks and commitment to Bespoke individualisation. Unlike conventional concept cars, which are used to ask the market what it wants, EX motor cars are developed to answer specific needs and desires, identified through Rolls-Royce’s deep understanding of its clients and a clear view of what comes next. They allow Rolls-Royce’s engineers to evaluate innovative technologies, advanced production methods, and bold new material palettes.

The three Goodwood-era EX cars are part of a through-line going back to 1EX, which Henry Royce built in 1919. When Royce found his new Phantom II, launched in 1929, too large and heavy for his own use, his designers produced a lightweight Experimental version, 26EX, on an adapted short chassis. It proved ideal for high-speed, long-distance touring on Europe’s smooth, straight roads, and entered production as the now rare and highly prized Phantom II Continental. During the early-to-mid 1930s, Rolls-Royce built 30EX and nine further experimental cars under the codename Spectre as part of the V12 engine development programme that would enter production in 1936 as Phantom III. Drawing inspiration from those experimental Phantom III motor cars, the name Spectre was later revived for the marque’s first battery electric motor car, unveiled in 2022. The last of the pre-Goodwood EX motor cars, 45EX, was built in 1957.


101EX, UNVEILED IN 2006 – 20 YEARS AGO

101EX made its debut at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show. A full four-seat coupé with twin coach doors, it was built on the same aluminium spaceframe as Phantom VII, but is 240 mm shorter. Combined with bodywork constructed from carbon fibre composite, and power from a 6.75-litre V12 engine, it was designed to have a more performance- and driver-focused character than its larger sibling. It also has a lower roofline and shallower glass area; the Pantheon grille is discreetly reclined and extended back across a brushed aluminium bonnet and windscreen surround.

The interior features the first-ever Starlight Headliner. Comprising hundreds of fibre-optic ‘stars’, it proved an instant sensation and is now a fundamental element of almost every Rolls-Royce motor car, with its own almost unlimited potential for Bespoke individualisation. Like its predecessor – 100EX, unveiled in 2004 – 101EX would find lasting fame as a series production car; the legendary Phantom Coupé, launched in 2008.

Phantom Coupé, together with the closely related Phantom Drophead Coupé, was foundational to Rolls-Royce Motor Cars’ development as a modern House of Luxury. They introduced the world to the full possibilities of Bespoke, informed by the company’s growing understanding of the wider luxury market, and the idea of a Rolls-Royce as a canvas for deep, Bespoke individualisation. 101EX also gave designers and engineers vital insights into materials and construction techniques that would inform the development of the first Coachbuild project of the modern era: Sweptail, presented in 2017.


102EX, UNVEILED IN 2011 – 15 YEARS AGO

102EX has a unique place in history as the first battery electric vehicle (BEV) ever built by Rolls-Royce. Also known as the Phantom Experimental Electric (EE), it was created as a one-off, working test bed for alternative drive-train technologies, and thus represented the first tangible step on the road that would lead to the advent of Spectre, more than a decade later.

One of the most significant engineering challenges was converting everything that runs directly off the engine in a standard motor car, from power steering and ABS to heating and audio, to battery power. 102EX had what was then the largest capacity battery fitted to a motor car anywhere in the world: its wireless induction charging system was also a world first.

Following its Geneva debut, 102EX embarked on a year-long ‘world tour’ of client, media and public events, culminating in a landmark appearance at the prestigious Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. This gave owners, VIPs, media and enthusiasts the opportunity to discover Rolls-Royce’s emerging drivetrain technology and share their experiences and impressions; this information proved crucial to engineers’ understanding of the potential and practicalities of BEVs. 102EX’s international odyssey would later be eclipsed by the 2.5 million kilometres Spectre accumulated in some of the world’s most hostile climates and challenging terrain for its own pre-launch testing.


103EX, UNVEILED IN 2016 – 10 YEARS AGO

In 2016, the marque commissioned a special ‘Vision’ motor car named 103EX, which would define the future of luxury. Hand-built using the most advanced materials, and powered by a zero emissions powertrain, it revealed a future in which Rolls-Royce offered clients a completely personal, effortless and autonomous experience.

The passenger cabin, known as ‘The Grand Sanctuary’, surrounds occupants with precious and contemporary materials carefully chosen to create a feeling of lightness, simplicity and effortless elegance. The seats are replaced with an opulent sofa, which, thanks to artful lighting, appears to ‘float’ within the cocoon of the cabin.

At 5.9 metres long and 1.6 metres high – the same dimensions as Phantom Extended – 103EX guarantees a Grand Arrival for its owner. For the first time, the Spirit of Ecstasy was made in glass and illuminated from below.

As well as an all-electric powertrain, 103EX includes a digital assistant called ‘Eleanor’. The choice of name was inspired by Eleanor Thornton, who was believed to have been sculptor Charles Sykes’ muse for the original Spirit of Ecstasy mascot. Within the Vision motor car, Eleanor was conceived to enable fully autonomous driving while also facilitating a seamless digital interface between motor car and owner. This forward-looking concept anticipated aspects of today’s Whispers app, which provides clients with a curated digital connection to Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.


UNITED BY HERITAGE

Although these three motor cars are very different in conception and execution, they share a single, highly exclusive, distinguishing feature.

The use of the Rolls-Royce Badge of Honour, with its overlaid double ‘R’ for the founders’ second initials, can be traced back to the earliest days of the brand, with the first examples appearing on Rolls-Royce 10 H.P. motor cars in 1905. The first badges featured the ‘RR’ symbol in red on a silver background, but in 1931, the process began to change the lettering to black – a style that has remained ever since.

However, the original-style red badge has periodically resurfaced over the decades – albeit rarely and on a highly restricted basis. In 1979, to mark the company’s 75th anniversary, Rolls-Royce fitted red badges to all 212 examples of the Silver Shadow II Anniversary model, together with a single Camargue and the sole Silver Wraith II. Red badges were also specified for the final series of 25 Corniches, the turbocharged Corniche S.

This practice continues today, with red badges occasionally assigned to carefully selected motor cars. Most notably, they have also been fitted to all the Goodwood-era EX models – including the three celebrating their anniversaries this year. This shared feature underlines their historic importance to Rolls-Royce, preserving a through-line of innovation, experimentation and challenging of convention that can be traced back to the marque’s foundation.

• Four Cullinan motor cars celebrate the material palette and design codes of yachting
• Each features a hand-painted fascia inspired by the wake of a tender at speed
• Unique Starlight Headliners chart the prevailing winds of the Mediterranean Sea
• Intricate marquetry compass motif comprises more than 40 individual pieces
• Reflects Rolls-Royce’s links to yachting, including C.S. Rolls’ family yacht, Santa Maria

“Yachting is a world inhabited by many of our clients, and one we’ve come to know intimately. These highly Bespoke Cullinan motor cars celebrate the deep connection between that culture and Rolls-Royce: a relationship that began with our founder, Charles Rolls, and continues to this day. From shared design values with racing vessels to collaborations with marine designers for clients who wish to pair their motor car with their yacht, maritime craft has long informed our approach. In these four Bespoke commissions, that long-standing association is expressed through meticulous marine-inspired details and authentic materials, true to the spirit of adventure that defines Cullinan and the world of yachting alike.”
Martina Starke, Head of Bespoke Design, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

Rolls-Royce presents Cullinan Yachting: four Private Commissions celebrating the aesthetics, materials and spirit of contemporary yachting. Each motor car is defined by one of the cardinal points of the compass – North, South, East or West – a subtle thematic thread expressed through both interior and exterior details.

All four commissions feature marine-grade teak detailing, hand-painted nautical fascias, Mediterranean wind-pattern Starlight Headliners, and distinctive exterior finishes. Together, they reflect Rolls-Royce’s longstanding relationship with the world of maritime craft – from Charles Rolls’ own family yacht to contemporary client collaborations with leading yacht designers.


HAND-PAINTED FLOURISHES: AWASH WITH COLOUR

Hand-painted elements are an increasingly sought-after form of Bespoke expression, with Rolls-Royce now employing full-time artisans dedicated to this specialised craft. In each of the Cullinan Yachting motor cars, the fascia and picnic tables include artworks that capture the trailing wake of a tender at speed, bound for a yacht at anchor. The direction of the wake reflects the orientation of each commission – North, South, East or West – ensuring each motor car is a true one-of-one.

Development of the composition required two months of experimentation, refining paint hue combinations, application techniques and lacquering processes. To achieve the lifelike wave effect, pigment is airbrushed onto the wet lacquer before being shaped by hand with a fine brush. By directing air across the surface and manually guiding the paint, the artist achieves a natural sense of movement.

The painted composition sits within a broader treatment spanning the full width of the motor car. The fascia is finished in a Bespoke paint named Piano Milori Sparkle: a rich, metallic blue that evokes the deep, crystalline tones of the Côte d’Azur.

Beyond the fascia, Open Pore Teak is used throughout the interior, including the rear Waterfall, rear centre console lid and door panels. Commonly found on yacht decks, this material was selected for its maritime authenticity, natural tactility and understated visual warmth.

On the rear Waterfall, a marquetry compass motif anchors the theme. Each design comprises more than 40 individual pieces of veneer in Sycamore, Teak, Ash and Black Bolivar, precisely cut and assembled by hand.


BESPOKE INTERIOR: A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY

The interior is finished in Arctic White and Navy Blue leather, with contrast stitching, piping and headrest monograms in Navy. The seat inserts feature a Bespoke rigging pattern, hand-stitched in diagonal bands using Rolls-Royce’s signature thread. Created by an artisan with a personal connection to the Royal Navy, and trained in yarn, weave and embroidery construction, the piece has been carefully orchestrated to echo the twining of rope, where multiple strands are twisted together to create strength. The direction of each stitch reflects this structural composition, elegantly translating the craft of nautical ropework into embroidery. A rope motif also appears on the illuminated treadplates, visible when opening the coach doors.


STARLIGHT HEADLINER: STEER BY THE STARS

Each Cullinan Yachting is fitted with a unique Starlight Headliner, combining static and animated hand-placed fibre-optic ‘stars’ in patterns inspired by Mediterranean wind maps. The shifting air currents – charted and interpreted by the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective of designers, craftspeople and engineers – are rendered in subtle motion across the roof of the interior suite.


FOUR DIRECTIONS, FOUR IDENTITIES

The exterior finish of each Cullinan Yachting reflects the cardinal point of the compass it is named after. North is presented in Crystal over Light Blue, evoking the colder waters of higher latitudes; South captures warmer climes in a deep, serene Crystal over Arabian Blue IV; East is rendered in Dark Silk Teal, suggesting the calm and mystery of deep water; while West appears in Sapphire Gunmetal, echoing a storm-lit ocean sky. The motor cars are finished with a hand-painted compass motif on the front wings, in which the corresponding directional point is highlighted in red, complemented by a hand-applied Twin Coachline in Phoenix Red and Arctic White.

Each commission is resolved with 22-inch Fully Polished alloy wheels, subtly recalling the mirror-polished brightwork and deck fittings of contemporary yachts.


ROLLS-ROYCE’S YACHTING LEGACY: MORE THAN A CENTURY OF CONNECTION

The connections between Rolls-Royce and the world of yachting are deep and longstanding. In Rolls-Royce's design language, the lower line of the bodywork – known as the ‘waft line’ – borrows directly from yacht design, creating 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.

Many heritage motor cars, together with Goodwood-era series models including Phantom Drophead Coupé and Spectre, as well as the contemporary coachbuilt Boat Tail commissions, have incorporated design cues and material influences from racing yachts. A particularly potent reference-point is the peerless J-class, built in the 1930s to compete in the prestigious America’s Cup. With their elegant proportions, long overhangs, sweeping lines and large sail plans, these classic high-performance vessels combined beauty with breathtaking speed, and are still revered as floating works of art.

There is also a more direct, personal link between the marque and the maritime world. Long before he met Henry Royce, 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. After graduating from Cambridge in 1898, the youthful Rolls briefly served as her Third Engineer in what was one of his earliest engineering roles, before fulfilling his true vocation as a pioneer of both motoring and aviation.

Logbooks and records from the late 19th and early 20th centuries show Santa Maria taking the family on frequent cruises from Shoreham, less than 30 miles from the Home of Rolls-Royce, on the south coast of England to the Mediterranean, where her ports of call included Naples, Malta, Algiers and Côte d'Azur. The latter – still a favoured destination and home port for many Rolls-Royce clients who are also yacht owners – provides the creative focal point for Cullinan Yachting.

• 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 a year of global celebrations marking Phantom's centenary
• Debut of Phantom Centenary Private Collection: the most complex and technologically ambitious Collection yet
• Phantom client commissions for 2025 delivery reflect anniversary’s significance
• Famous historical Phantom owners from the worlds of art and music honoured
• Site extension at Goodwood creates new Bespoke possibilities for future Phantoms
  
  

“For Rolls-Royce, 2025 has revolved around the centenary of our pinnacle product, Phantom. This was a once-in-a-generation opportunity to honour the stories that built this nameplate’s legend — from the incredible motor cars themselves, the zenith of effortless motoring in their respective eras, to the towering figures in music, art, business and statecraft who have chosen a Phantom of their own. We marked this extraordinary occasion with landmark commissions and exceptional global celebrations that reflect the spirit and stature of our marque today, perfectly setting the tone for Phantom’s next 100 years.”
Chris Brownridge, Chief Executive, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars


Throughout 2025, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has celebrated the centenary of its pinnacle product and the most famous nameplate in luxury history: Phantom. These celebrations focused on the people, places and events that shaped Phantom’s incredible story, and how this extraordinary motor car has both reflected and influenced the world around it.

Designed by Sir Henry Royce, the original ‘New Phantom’ made its debut in 1925. Over the next 100 years and throughout eight generations, Phantom has always been the grandest, most impressive and effortlessly refined motor car built by the marque: a century of unassailable luxury and engineering excellence.

The centenary year has featured appearances by all eight generations of Phantom at celebratory events across the globe, culminating in the unveiling of the Phantom Centenary Private Collection, Rolls-Royce’s own Bespoke tribute to its most storied model.

Clients around the world also chose to take delivery of their Bespoke Phantoms in 2025 – in many cases beginning the journey years in advance, in anticipation of the anniversary – ensuring their motor cars would not only become part of their personal legacy, but also take a once-in-a-lifetime place in the ongoing story of this remarkable nameplate. To mark this milestone, every Rolls-Royce Phantom hand-crafted at the Home of Rolls-Royce this year was completed with a special centenary chassis plaque.

Rolls-Royce takes this opportunity to reflect on Phantom’s legacy, revisiting the stories and moments shared among clients, the media, and the wider world throughout this centenary year.


PHANTOM CENTENARY PRIVATE COLLECTION: A BESPOKE TRIBUTE 

Rolls-Royce honoured 100 years of the Phantom nameplate with the Phantom Centenary Private Collection. Limited to just 25 examples, this Private Collection combines traditional and highly innovative craft techniques to explore a century of stories: pivotal figures, notable clients, significant models, journeys, places and moments that defined Phantom’s first 100 years.

Its iridescent two-tone exterior, finished in Super Champagne Crystal over Arctic White and Black – crowned with a solid gold Spirit of Ecstasy – recalls the elegance of Phantom’s early Hollywood era. Inside, exquisitely crafted Bespoke features tell the story of Phantom’s legend. The Anthology Gallery is composed of sculpted words selected from 100 years of media acclaim. The rear seats are finished in high-resolution printed and embroidered fabric, meticulously developed with a couture atelier over a year.

The Starlight Headliner captures historic moments and references in 440,000 stitches. The sculptural doors feature the marque’s most intricate woodwork to date, combining 3D marquetry, 3D ink layering and 24-carat gold leafing. The result is the most complex and technologically ambitious Private Collection to date – a defining statement, 100 years in the making.


CELEBRATING PHANTOM’S PLACE IN MUSIC BY BRINGING A LEGEND TO LIFE

In 2025, Rolls-Royce celebrated the legendary figures in music who chose Phantom, both as a symbol of success and a source of creative inspiration. From Marlene Dietrich and Liberace to Elvis Presley, Sir Elton John, Pharrell Williams and Curtis ‘50 Cent’ Jackson, these artists helped shape, and were drawn to, Phantom’s magnetic presence.

Perhaps the most memorable tale from Phantom’s musical mythology is Keith Moon’s infamous 21st birthday party, when The Who’s drummer reportedly drove his Rolls-Royce into a swimming pool. Though witnesses have only a hazy recollection of what really happened, a Rolls-Royce submerged in a pool became the ultimate symbol of rock ‘n’ roll indulgence.

To mark Phantom’s centenary, Rolls-Royce brought the myth to life by submerging a Phantom Extended body shell –  a retired prototype destined for recycling — in the Art Deco Tinside Lido in Plymouth, England.

The location also has Beatles heritage: on 12 September 1967, The Beatles visited while filming The Magical Mystery Tour. That same year, John Lennon debuted his yellow, hand-painted Phantom V, forever linking the nameplate with music history.


REFLECTING ON PHANTOM’S CONNECTION TO A CENTURY OF ART

As part of the centenary celebrations, Rolls-Royce reflected on Phantom’s long-standing connection to the art world. In one of the most surreal arrivals in history, Salvador Dalí once filled a friend’s Phantom with 500kg of cauliflowers, then flung open the door upon arrival at the Sorbonne in Paris, sending the brassicas cascading to the ground. This moment – which itself will celebrate its 70th anniversary on 26 December, 2025 – was commemorated by the marque, along with reflections of other Phantom owners who led the creative conversation, including Andy Warhol, who was so compelled by Phantom that he acquired a 1937 model on the spot after seeing it parked outside a Zurich antiques shop in 1972.


COMMISSIONS INSPIRED BY AN UNFORGETTABLE LEGACY

Aware of the historical significance of 2025, clients around the world placed Bespoke commissions for delivery in Phantom’s centenary year — in many cases beginning that journey years in advance. These Phantoms stand among the most ambitious ever created by the marque’s Bespoke Collective and resident designers in the Private Offices of Shanghai, Dubai, Seoul and New York, and the original at the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood, West Sussex.


PHANTOM YEAR OF THE DRAGON

Commissioned by a Chinese client to mark the Year of the Dragon, this one-of-one Phantom Extended is a contemporary tribute to one of China’s foundational legends. At its centre is a spectacular marquetry Gallery depicting two dragons swirling through clouds, guarding a central pearl represented by a Bespoke clock.

The dragons also appear on the Bespoke Starlight Headliner as 768 red and 576 white fibre-optic ‘stars’, each individually hand-placed.


PHANTOM CHERRY BLOSSOM

Inspired by the Japanese tradition of Hanami, Phantom Cherry Blossom is a tribute to the fleeting beauty of springtime Sakura blooms. Commissioned by a Japanese client, the rear cabin of this Phantom Extended includes the marque’s first use of sculptural 3D embroidery, with cherry petals formed from layered, self-supporting thread structures. The Starlight Headliner is also exquisitely embroidered with cascading cherry branches, completing an interior comprising over 250,000 stitches.


PHANTOM DENTELLE  

Phantom Dentelle is a one‑of‑one tribute to couture lace, using embroidery to translate the material’s delicate, three-dimensional textures into the Gallery and rear Waterfall section. The interior features more than 230,000 stitches across eight embroidery techniques, combining Rose Gold, Oatmeal and Sunrise threads to evoke pearls and floral filigree.


PHANTOM CHINESE MURAL ART

One of a trio of Bespoke motor cars commissioned through Private Office Shanghai, in tribute to the ancient mural paintings of Dunhuang, China. The Phantom Extended, features a Gallery with a landscape painting on black leather, rendered in an adapted Chinese technique of reduction block printing.

The Silken Spirit motif, inspired by imperial silk and the Spirit of Ecstasy, appears in the hand-painted Coachline, interior embroidery, wood inlays and on illuminated treadplates.


A WORLD STAGE FOR PHANTOM

Throughout its centenary year, Phantom was celebrated on a truly global stage, with commemorative events held across five continents. From prestigious concours to exclusive gatherings, these moments reflected the power of Phantom’s legacy in every sense.

The centenary journey began at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in Italy, followed by the Goodwood Festival of Speed and Goodwood Revival in the UK, where five historic Phantoms – including the celebrated Phantom I ‘Brougham De Ville’, or ‘Phantom of Love’ – graced the Aerodrome Lawn. In Spain, all eight generations of Phantom were showcased at the beautiful Torre Loizaga in Bilbao.

A celebratory drive across Scandinavia and the Baltics saw members of the 20-Ghost Club journey more than 2,000 kilometres from Helsinki – where the cavalcade was waved off by a Phantom VIII – through Nordic landscapes in 26 pre-War Rolls-Royces, including three examples of Phantom I. The oldest participating motor car dated from 1927.

Celebrations continued in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic, where Phantom’s cultural role was marked at the city’s renowned film festival. In Warsaw, Poland, Rolls-Royce hosted a jazz evening featuring renowned vocalist Stacey Kent, while in Baku, Azerbaijan, an exclusive cultural club paid tribute to Phantom’s deep-rooted musical connections and its appearance in song lyrics across musical styles and generations.

In North America, Phantom’s centenary was honoured with a dedicated class at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, where eight generations of Phantom were united for this occasion. This milestone was celebrated at gatherings in Colorado Springs for the Rolls-Royce Owners' Club Annual Meet, the Las Vegas Concours d’Elegance, and the grand opening of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Oakville in Canada.

In Asia, Rolls-Royce hosted a standout event at Azabudai Hills, Tokyo, showcasing a selection of rare Phantoms – from Phantom II Continental to Phantom Oribe, designed in collaboration with Hermès for a Japanese collector. 100 Years of Phantom was celebrated in Singapore with a contemporary culinary journey, and in Shanghai, five generations of Phantom were honoured at a showcase for Chinese clients and friends of the marque.

Across the Middle East, the Phantom Centenary made landmark appearances at the National Museum of Qatar and at private events in Dubai, Riyadh, Manama, and Abu Dhabi. These showcases included historic and modern Bespoke Phantoms such as the Phantom Drophead Coupé Zenith, Phantom Scintilla Private Collection, replete with an 869,500-stitch interior, and Phantom Centenary Private Collection.


PHANTOM’S BESPOKE FUTURE 

In a year defined by Phantom’s legacy, Rolls-Royce also looked to its future. At the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood, construction progressed on a landmark £300 million extension to house advanced equipment and capabilities dedicated to Bespoke. This expansion enhances every element of the marque’s creative and technical process, creating space for bold new ideas, materials and artisanal techniques. Phantom, as the marque’s pinnacle product and most expansive canvas, will continue to be where these innovations are brought to life on the grandest scale, today and into its next century.

CHARLES ROBINSON SYKES: 18 DECEMBER 1875 - 6 JUNE 1950

• Rolls-Royce remembers Charles Sykes, born 150 years ago on 18 December 1875
• A gifted artist and sculptor, best known for creating the Spirit of Ecstasy mascot
• The marque’s original creative soul, who introduced artistry as a defining element of Rolls-Royce
• Many works held in the collection of the world-renowned V&A Museum, London

“Charles Rolls, with his competitive spirit and daredevil attitude to life, was the heart of Rolls-Royce. Henry Royce, the meticulous and driven engineer, was its mind. But the figure with the strongest claim to be its first soul is Charles Robinson Sykes. Best known as the sculptor who created the Spirit of Ecstasy, Sykes was a multifaceted and prolific artist whose work is still held in high regard 150 years after his birth. He was the first of the marque’s foundational figures to bring artistry and creativity to Rolls-Royce, a legacy that endures today in our ever more ambitious and elaborate Bespoke and Coachbuild work. That his most famous piece represents only a fraction of a rich, varied body of work speaks to the breadth of his talent.”
Andrew Ball, Head of Corporate Relations, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars celebrates the 150^th anniversary of the birth of one of the most important individuals in the marque’s foundation story: Charles Robinson Sykes. A gifted artist, illustrator and sculptor, Sykes was best known for creating the Spirit of Ecstasy mascot, which has gracefully guided Rolls-Royce motor cars since 1911. Today, his work is recognised as the moment artistry and emotional expression first became part of the marque’s identity – a contribution that shaped the creative spirit still evident in every Rolls-Royce motor car.

To commemorate this anniversary, Rolls-Royce explores his life and lasting influence on the marque.

Charles Robinson Sykes was born on 18 December 1875 in Brotton, a mining village near Saltburn, in what is now North Yorkshire, England. Encouraged by his father and uncle, both talented amateur artists, he decided to pursue a professional career, and began his artistic training at Rutherford Art College in Newcastle. In 1898, he won a scholarship to the Royal College of Art in London, where he studied drawing, painting and sculpture. After graduating, he remained in the capital, where he quickly established himself as a multitalented artist.

His skill as a draughtsman is evident in the large collection of his drawings, paintings and cartoons held in the collection of the world-renowned V&A Museum, London. These include beautifully detailed designs for horse-racing trophies, vases and bowls, and atmospheric illustrations for magazine covers and advertisements, produced under the pseudonym ‘Rilette’. His talent for sculpture was formally recognised when his bronze, A Bacchante, was exhibited to considerable acclaim at the Royal Academy of Arts (RA) in London and the Paris Salon.

In 1902, Sykes was commissioned by a magazine publisher to produce some sketches. Unable to pay in cash, the client introduced him to John Montagu, later 2nd Baron Montagu of Beaulieu, who at that time was attempting to launch his own glossy weekly magazine, The Car Illustrated.

With Sykes providing ‘Illustrated’ elements from cover artwork to fashion drawings, the magazine flourished. It was one of the first to print images in full colour, and Sykes took full advantage of the new creative opportunities this offered him. He had a particular interest in Greek mythology, and often introduced classical references into his work.

Sykes’s artwork soon caught the attention of Claude Johnson, known simply as ‘CJ’, the first commercial managing director of Rolls-Royce. He commissioned six original Sykes oils for the company’s 1910-11 Catalogue, depicting Rolls-Royce motor cars arriving at venues and occasions befitting the marque’s aristocratic patrons. These images framed Rolls-Royces not simply as engineering achievements, but as a source of elegance and experience – an early expression of what was to follow. The marque also bought the copyright to other works showing Rolls-Royces driving at dusk, arriving at the top of a steep hill and effortlessly overcoming a snowstorm – real concerns for drivers of the day.

Soon afterwards, Sykes took on what would be his most famous and enduring commission: an official Rolls-Royce mascot. The company described the winged figurine as “a graceful little goddess”, in which Sykes perfectly captured, “the spirit of ecstasy, who has selected road travel as her supreme delight and alighted on the prow of a Rolls-Royce car to revel in the freshness of the air, and the musical sound of her fluttering draperies”. Through this work, Sykes introduced a new dimension to the marque – the idea that a motor car could possess not only technical excellence, but also grace, elegance and serenity.

In creating the figurine, Sykes played a crucial role in establishing Rolls-Royce’s defining characteristics. From the daredevil racing driver, pioneering balloonist and record-breaking aviator Charles Rolls, the marque acquired its spirit of endeavour, always seeking to set new standards for performance, comfort and excellence. And if Rolls was the company’s heart, then Henry Royce – analytical, meticulous, restless, innovative – was its mind; the intellectual foundation of everything it produced.

Sykes was the company’s soul; he brought artistry and creativity to the brand, which finds their expression today in ever more elaborate and ambitious Bespoke and Coachbuild commissions. And through his paintings and the Spirit of Ecstasy, he played a defining role in shaping the mystique and mythology that still surrounds Rolls-Royce to this day.

Charles Sykes died in 1950; though best remembered for his contribution to Rolls-Royce, he enjoyed a long, varied and successful artistic career, leaving a substantial, diverse and delightful body of work that is still highly regarded 150 years after his birth.

• First-ever Bespoke Rolls-Royce inspired by vintage video game culture
• Features ‘Pixel Blaster’ Starlight Headliner and ‘Laser Base’ Illuminated Fascia
• Interior and exterior details based on Bespoke 8-bit ‘Cheeky Alien’ motif
• Arcade-style artwork hand-painted on Technical Fibre interior surfaces
• Hidden retro gaming-inspired details turn the motor car into a game of its own

“The unique privilege of working within Rolls-Royce Bespoke Design is the extraordinary breadth of ideas we’re asked to bring to life. This brief was particularly exciting. Over the course of a month, we immersed ourselves in the 8-bit aesthetic that defined late 70s and early 80s gaming – from the games themselves and archive imagery of arcade halls, to original promotional and cabinet artwork. As well as capturing the distinctive colour palette, mood and atmosphere of this rich source material, we wanted the client to feel that the motor car itself was an immersive experience – and that every time they stepped inside, it would recreate the same thrill they felt when they pressed ‘start’ on an arcade machine for the very first time.”
Joshua McCandless, Bespoke Designer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

Rolls-Royce unveils Black Badge Ghost Gamer: a Bespoke commission inspired by the 8-bit universe of vintage video games. Created for a client with a deep passion for early arcade culture, this nostalgic motor car incorporates intricately crafted references to the dawn of gaming. Coded with details including a hand-painted ‘Cheeky Alien’ exterior Coachline motif, ‘Player One’ seat embroidery, ‘Pixel Blaster’ Starlight Headliner, a unique ‘Laser Base’ Illuminated Fascia, and a hidden cache of joystick-era Easter eggs, the discovery of every feature turns the motor car itself into a stunningly crafted game.


INSERT COIN: A NEW GENERATION OF COLLECTABLES

Black Badge Ghost Gamer is the first-ever Bespoke Rolls-Royce commission to be inspired by arcade gaming culture – a rapidly emerging space in the contemporary collectables landscape, defined by early video games, vintage consoles, and early media formats. Several Rolls-Royce clients are actively engaged in this growing market – their interest driven not only by accelerating value, but a nostalgic personal connection, and a desire to preserve the artefacts of the late 1970s and 1980s.

It is this mindset that inspired Black Badge Ghost Gamer: a motor car that reimagines the 8-bit aesthetics of vintage video games through stunningly immersive Bespoke features. The marque’s designers also placed each detail in such a way that discovering every element, which ranges from bold and expansive to hidden-until-found, becomes an immersive game of its own.


PRESS START: BESPOKE EXTERIOR PAINT

Black Badge Ghost Gamer is presented in a striking two-tone finish, with the main body in Salamanca Blue and the upper body in deep-shimmer Crystal over Diamond Black – a theme that echoes the super-metallic, neon-lit aesthetic of classic arcade hardware.

Rolls-Royce designers worked closely with the client to develop a unique motif to codify the commission. Nicknamed the ‘Cheeky Alien’, it appears as a hand-painted green Coachline motif alongside a pink 8-bit explosion design on one side of the motor car, and yellow and blue on the other. Created from 89 individual ‘pixels’ – each just 3mm by 3mm – it recalls the bitmapped graphics of early video games.

The retro-futurist theme continues with the Illuminated Pantheon Grille. Completing the exterior, black brake callipers complement the 22” seven-spoke forged Black Badge wheels.


READY PLAYER ONE: BESPOKE INTERIOR SUITE

The Black and Casden Tan interior suite of Black Badge Ghost Gamer is a richly layered and tactile homage to the early digital age, and where the game truly begins. Each detail has been designed and crafted to reward exploration, echoing the logic and visual language of a late 1970s video game arcade.

The seats feature Bespoke embroideries, with ‘Player 1’ and ‘Player 2’ in the front and ‘Player 3’ and ‘Player 4’ in the rear, rendered in an 8-bit-style font. The colours used in the stitching take inspiration from the electric, flickering hues displayed on vintage arcade monitors. This is contrasted with block-colour ‘Cheeky Alien’ embroideries on each headrest. Like the Coachline motifs, the artwork is made up of individual ‘pixels’ – 89 in total per design – creating a richly tactile graphic.

The area between the rear seats, named the Waterfall, is finished in Black Badge Technical Fibre and embellished with another tribute to early gaming iconography: two inlaid stainless steel ‘flying saucer’ spaceships hover above a hand-painted lunar scene with a starscape backdrop; a design inspired by the artwork on early arcade game cabinets.

Crafting this remarkable battle scene required more than two weeks of intensive development, with multiple paint iterations refined to create the final, period-perfect hues. The final artwork was brought to life using a combination of Black and Mandarin paint: a Black background, Mandarin highlights, and blended mid-tones created by mixing the two. The design was then applied entirely by hand using a mix of traditional brushwork, a specialised sponge technique to create texture and depth, and subtle blending with an airbrush.

To add extra celestial intrigue, a subtle silver sparkle has been added to the lacquer of all the Technical Fibre surfaces. Some of these surfaces also include hidden ‘Easter eggs’ – the rear picnic table has a metal ‘Cheeky Alien’ inlay on the upper surface; the 8-bit motif is also engraved on the hidden side of the front black chrome ‘eyeball’ air vent.


HIGH SCORE: ‘PIXEL BLASTER’ STARLIGHT HEADLINER AND ‘LASER BASE’ ILLUMINATED FASCIA

Every hallmark Rolls-Royce illumination is reimagined for this commission, each serving as a tribute to the visual cues of early gaming. The Illuminated Fascia – a feature that debuted on Ghost – is subtly reworked to evoke the ‘Laser Base’ backdrops of many early games. It includes a gunship composed of 85 individual stars, while the constellations themselves are adjusted so the ship appears to surge through the starfield.

Black Badge Ghost Gamer is crowned with a ‘Pixel Blaster’ Starlight Headliner. A formation of 80 bitmapped battlecruisers spans the canopy, each crafted using hand-placed fibre-optic lights. The marque’s signature Shooting Star function has been reprogrammed to simulate laser fire, and beams of light pulse from the ships across the ceiling, adding nostalgic drama to the night sky.

The commission is completed with Bespoke Illuminated Treadplates, visible when the doors are open. Engraved in the same 8-bit graphic lettering as the seat embroidery, they display classic arcade-game prompts: ‘PRESS START’, ‘LOADING…’, ‘LEVEL UP’ and ‘INSERT COIN’.

Delivered to a tech entrepreneur, this commission shows how Black Badge responds to the passions, tastes and cultural codes of a new generation of collectors – who dare to play differently.

• Landmark Private Collection of 25 motor cars honours Phantom’s centenary
• The most complex and technologically ambitious Private Collection to date
• A century of stories: interior celebrates pivotal figures, notable clients, significant models, journeys, places and moments that defined Phantom’s first 100 years
• Rear seats in high-resolution printed fabric, developed with a fashion atelier, completed with 160,000 stitches
• Laser-etched front seats depict hand-sketched linework inspired by Phantom’s heritage
• Most intricate Rolls-Royce woodwork ever introduces three Rolls-Royce firsts: 3D marquetry, 3D ink layering, and 24-carat gold leafing
• Spirit of Ecstasy in solid gold, hallmarked and enamelled, based on 1925 casting
• Bespoke Gallery recalls pages of a book with abstracted text formed in aluminium

“The Rolls-Royce Phantom Centenary Private Collection is our tribute to 100 years of the world’s most revered luxury item. This uncompromising work of art uses the meticulously engineered Phantom VIII as the canvas to tell the story of Phantom’s remarkable life and the people who shaped it – from the visionaries within Rolls-Royce to the owners who helped create its legend. For a century, the Phantom nameplate has expressed the pinnacle of Rolls-Royce’s abilities. To honour that legacy, this extraordinarily ambitious Private Collection introduces new techniques and is the result of over 40,000 hours of work, culminating in a motor car which reaffirms Phantom’s status as a symbol of ambition, artistic possibility, and historical gravitas.”
Chris Brownridge, Chief Executive, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

“Having the privilege to pay a Bespoke tribute to the Phantom nameplate is a once-in-a-generation opportunity. Seizing on the significance of this moment, a record number of designers spent a year immersed in the motor car’s rich history, uncovering the stories that shaped its legend. Their research was distilled into 77 hand-sketched motifs, each capturing a defining moment in Phantom’s journey and expressed with levels of detail we have never attempted before. The result is a true collective work of art that celebrates the skill, ambition and imagination of everyone at the Home of Rolls-Royce, and the profound respect the marque’s creatives have for this extraordinary motor car.”
Martina Starke, Head of Bespoke Design, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

“Phantom Centenary is the most intricate and technologically ambitious Private Collection ever undertaken by the designers, engineers, production specialists and craftspeople of our Bespoke Collective. Developed over three years, this project uses new techniques to blend metal, wood, paint, fabric, leather, and embroidery into a single, stunning composition. The surfaces read like a book revealing 100 years of Phantom’s history, rich with symbolic references for clients to admire and decipher over many years to come.”
Phil Fabre de la Grange, Head of Bespoke, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars


For 100 years, Phantom has been recognised as the ultimate symbol of success and discernment, chosen by the world’s most influential figures. As this legendary nameplate celebrates its 100th anniversary, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars pays tribute with the Phantom Centenary Private Collection, limited to 25 examples.

The Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective of designers, engineers and artisans poured their skill and imagination into what has become their magnum opus. They immersed themselves in Phantom’s world, studying the spirit and identity of each generation from the 1920s to today. They explored defining owners, pivotal figures within Rolls-Royce, the places where Phantom was conceived and built, and the events that defined its times.  These influences, first captured as 77 hand-sketched motifs, are woven into the Phantom Centenary Private Collection through stunningly crafted archival references, creating a statement that honours Phantom’s past, defines its present, and projects the principles that will shape the nameplate’s next 100 years and beyond.

Each historic moment is brought to life through advanced artisanal techniques, many conceived specially for this rare and collectable tribute. Inside, couturier-designed textiles, sketch-like embroidery, laser-etched leather, and groundbreaking woodcraft – including 3D marquetry, gilding, and 3D ink layering – tell Phantom’s story in stunning, intricate detail. Outside, the grille is crowned with a unique Spirit of Ecstasy figurine, reinterpreted from the very first to grace a Phantom, and presented in solid gold to mark this milestone.


EXTERIOR: AN ELEGANT, BESPOKE STATEMENT

Evoking the timeless elegance of a black-and-white film star, the Phantom Centenary Private Collection’s exterior recalls the golden age of Hollywood, when Phantom graced premieres, carried screen icons, and became a symbol of the era’s glamour. The motor car is finished in a Bespoke two-tone paint, its long-sided application a nod to the flowing silhouette of 1930s Phantoms. The side body is presented in Super Champagne Crystal over Arctic White, with the upper body in Super Champagne Crystal over Black. The specially developed finish gives the exterior an extraordinary metallic shimmer, achieved by infusing the clear coat with iridescent particles of crushed glass. For this celebratory Private Collection, Rolls-Royce paint specialists replaced the clear flakes with champagne-coloured particles and doubled the quantity to create spellbinding depth.

This timeless treatment is crowned with a unique reimagining of the Spirit of Ecstasy. Using the first Spirit of Ecstasy ever fitted to a Phantom as their reference, designers created an homage to this landmark figurine, cast in solid 18-carat gold for strength, then plated in 24-carat gold for a flawless, tarnish-resistant finish. The piece was then presented to the London Assay Office for testing and hallmarking, where it received a full UK hallmark accompanied by 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.  For the first time, the ‘RR’ Badge of Honour – positioned on the front, rear, and each side of the motor car – is presented in 24-carat gold and white enamel.

Resolving the exterior is a set of Phantom disc wheels, each engraved with 25 lines – honouring the 25 motor cars within the collection and, together, making 100 lines to celebrate the centenary year.


INTERIOR: IMMERSED IN THE PHANTOM LEGEND

A century of Phantom’s stories elegantly unfold across the many canvases of the Private Collection’s interior, through magnificent archival references – some immediately recognisable, others revealed over time.

In homage to Phantoms of the past, Phantom Centenary’s interior combines textiles and leather, recalling the marque’s foundational years when the chauffeur’s front seat was finished in hardwearing leather and the rear cabin in luxurious fabrics. This contrast is a subtle reminder that Phantom has always balanced both authority at the wheel and absolute serenity in the passenger suite.


REAR SEATS: TAILORING EXCELLENCE

The rear seats of Phantom Centenary are inspired by the famed 1926 ‘Phantom of Love’, commissioned with handwoven Aubusson tapestries. The artwork on the seats unfolds across three distinct layers of storytelling. The first is the background, rendered in high-resolution print, showing places and artefacts from Phantom’s history – from the marque’s original Conduit Street premises in London to Henry Royce’s oil paintings of Southern France. The second layer, also printed in high resolution, portrays great Phantoms of the past in finely drawn detail. The third and uppermost layer is formed of embroideries, abstractly representing seven significant owners from every generation of Phantom.

This complex fabric was developed over 12 months in partnership with a fashion atelier, marking its first commission beyond the world of haute couture. To meet Rolls-Royce’s exacting longevity, tactility and aesthetic standards, the high-resolution printing process was perfected with specially adapted inks and techniques devised exclusively for the Phantom Centenary Private Collection.

The high-resolution printed fabric is completed with embroideries, designed to have a uniquely hand-drawn quality. Described by the Bespoke Collective as “sketching with thread”, this embroidery process captures the expression of a pencil line in textile form. To outline and define each image, artisans applied Golden Sands thread in sketch-like, irregular stitches, creating the illusion of lines floating lightly above the surface. Texture and depth were added with Seashell thread, applied in high-density stitches. Across the full composition, this intricate craftwork amounts to more than 160,000 stitches.

The finished artwork spans 45 individual panels, each precisely aligned and fitted around the curvatures of the seats at the Home of Rolls-Royce: a process inspired by Savile Row tailoring techniques. The result is the most intricate seat composition ever created by Rolls-Royce.

“Conceived as a contemporary interpretation of a handwoven tapestry, the rear seats tell Phantom’s story through carefully curated details, captured in textiles and embroidery.  Every embroidered element was digitally re-drawn by artisans who selected specific stitch application for every stroke. For example, in the horse motif, we used spaced stitches to recreate the hair texture, then dense stitching to define the muscle. These fine details required extraordinary precision to get right: one motif went through 24 iterations before we were satisfied. This reflects the deep personal pride we felt in creating a fitting tribute to the Phantom nameplate, and the responsibility we all share in carrying its legacy forward.”
Celina Mettang, Bespoke Colour and Material Designer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars


FRONT SEATS: A DESIGN STATEMENT IN THE DRIVER'S QUARTERS

The leather on the front seats features laser-etched artwork based on hand drawings by a Bespoke designer, evoking the draftsman’s craft. Among the motifs are symbolic details that elegantly carry the extraordinary weight of Phantom’s 100-year legacy, from a rabbit design – a nod to “Roger Rabbit,” the codename for the relaunch of Rolls-Royce in 2003 – to a seagull, the codename for the 1923 Phantom I prototype.


ANTHOLOGY GALLERY: A STORY OF DISTINCTION TOLD OVER 100 YEARS

The centrepiece of the Phantom Centenary Private Collection is the Anthology Gallery. This dramatic composition 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.

The sculpture is subtly lit by shifting illuminations that recall the shimmer of falling fireworks. The brushed edges of each fin create a play of reflections, changing with the viewer’s moving perspective.


WOODWORK: A SCULPTURAL STATEMENT

The Private Collection features the most intricate woodwork ever created for a Rolls-Royce. Developed over a year and rendered in stained Blackwood, the door panels depict Phantom’s most significant and formative journeys. Within each composition, geographical maps, winding routes, sweeping landscapes, floral elements, and depictions of experimental motor cars intersect to form an artwork alive with Phantom’s heritage.

The rear doors portray the coastline of Le Rayol-Canadel-sur-Mer, where Sir Henry Royce spent his winters. The right-hand side front door shows the landscape of West Wittering, home to his summer residence, just eight miles from today’s Home of Rolls-Royce. The left-hand side front door recalls the epic 4,500-mile journey of the first-ever Goodwood-era Phantom, which crossed the Australian continent from Perth.

Each composition combines 3D multi-directional marquetry, laser etching, 3D ink layering and gold-leafing to create dimension and texture. Etched motifs, which include maps, landscapes, flowers and trees, are applied onto the wood at three different depths using a laser. The roads representing these journeys gleam in 24-carat gold, crafted from squares of gold leaf just 0.1 micrometres thick. Each road is painstakingly crafted, cut and placed.

The rear doors also incorporate depictions of flora native to Southern France – pine, cypress, ferns and palm – while a section of the rear passenger door recreates one of Sir Henry Royce’s original oil paintings of the region, translated from canvas to wood. The exact locations of Royce’s homes – Villa Mimosa in the South of France and Elmstead in West Wittering – are marked with a single gold-leaf dot just 2.76 mm in diameter.

“We drew on an extraordinary range of sources – original texts, diaries, photographs and paintings – to create a composition that weaves together many threads of Phantom’s story. New technology developed for this project, including 3D ink layering, allowed us to add details at a scale never before possible – some just 0.13 mm in height – from a boat sailing across the sea to location names on a map. It’s a privilege to have the time and technology to realise moments in Phantom’s history with the detail and precision the nameplate deserves.”
Katrin Lehmann, Bespoke Colour and Material Designer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

The wooden surfaces on the doors transform into masterfully embroidered leather panels. The 24-carat gold ‘roads’ continue as golden thread embroidery; details of the maps and landscapes are stitched in black, echoing the etched details on the veneered section of the doors.

The woodwork is completed with depictions of the original 1925 Phantom I and the current Phantom VIII, individually etched on the rear picnic tables. The models are mirrored in embroidery on the leather-finished backs of the picnic tables – another gesture uniting past and present.

The Piano Black veneer is infused with gold dust, echoing the central rotary dial, also plated with 24-carat gold.


A GOLDEN LEGACY

The magnificent engineering masterpiece that is the 6.75-litre V12 engine is celebrated with a specially designed cover, finished in Arctic White. The cover has been detailed with 24-carat gold, honouring the effortless power that has helped define Phantom’s modern legend and success.


PHANTOM'S STORY IN STARLIGHT

A subtly animated and embroidered Starlight Headliner captures moments from Phantom’s history in 440,000 stitches.  Its design includes references to the mulberry tree under which Henry Royce was photographed in his garden at West Wittering, seated with two close colleagues: Charles L. Jenner, the marque’s Chief Engine Draftsman, and Ernest Hives, the head of Rolls-Royce’s experimental department. Drawing on this moment, the Bespoke Collective sought to create an atmosphere of inspiration so that clients seated beneath the Starlight Headliner might experience, as Royce once did, their own flashes of imagination and possibility.

The scene unfolds to include the distinctive square-crowned trees in the courtyard of the marque’s Goodwood headquarters. The honeybees – a reference to the 250,000 residents of the Rolls-Royce Apiary – are in full flight, perhaps towards the Phantom Rose, grown exclusively on the grounds of the Home of Rolls-Royce. Interwoven within the constellations are quiet tributes to great Phantoms of the past – among them a bird motif representing Sir Malcolm Campbell’s Phantom II, known as the ‘Bluebird’. Hidden amongst the mulberry leaves is a reference to the locking mechanism on the vault door at ‘The Bank’ – the secret 1990s design studio where the first Phantom of the Goodwood era was drafted.


AN UNFORGETTABLE HERITAGE, IN MOTION

For the designers, engineers and artisans who created the Phantom Centenary Private Collection, this motor car was a once-in-a-generation responsibility. What has been achieved reflects the same spirit that gave rise to Phantom itself: the marque’s relentless pursuit of excellence and ambition to craft the best motor car in the world.

• Rolls-Royce presents Spectre Bailey – an enchanting one-of-one commission inspired by the clients’ beloved pet
• Features lifelike marquetry, depicting Bailey’s portrait on the rear Waterfall and comprising more than 180 pieces of veneer
• Bailey's paw print presented in marquetry on the passenger panel and Coachline motif
• Created for longstanding Rolls-Royce clients based in the United States
• Curated through Private Office New York, an invitation-only space for Bespoke commissioning

“We are lifelong car enthusiasts, yes, but we are also lifelong animal lovers, and our dog Bailey is a cherished member of our family. When we started our Rolls-Royce Spectre commission, we saw the opportunity to create something beautiful which would remind us of him for decades to come. Working with the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective, we were surprised at every turn with their wonderful ideas – the wood inlay, or the paw prints on the sill – which added so much to the experience. Spectre Bailey is everything we hoped for and more; it’s a joyful tribute to our loyal companion.”
Commissioning Clients, Rolls-Royce Spectre Bailey

“For Rolls-Royce, one of the great joys of a Bespoke commission is becoming immersed in the client’s world and the unique story behind their vision. This is perfectly captured by Spectre Bailey, a charming commission that reaffirms that inspiration can come from anywhere. Our team was absolutely delighted to collaborate with our long-standing clients to bring this concept to life in a playful yet timeless manner, reflecting the special place Bailey holds in their hearts.”
Phil Fabre de la Grange, Head of Bespoke, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars introduces Spectre Bailey, a charming tribute to the commissioning clients’ beloved dog, a Labrador-Golden Retriever mix, and the joyful life they share. Created for a long-standing Rolls-Royce client couple based in the United States, Spectre Bailey demonstrates the power of Bespoke in creating a truly memorable motor car with enduring personal meaning.


BESPOKE PAINT FOR SPECTRE BAILEY: A COAT OF CHARACTER

For Spectre Bailey, paint specialists at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood developed an iridescent two-tone finish, combining paint colours reserved exclusively for the commissioning clients. The main body is finished in Crystal Fusion over Beautiful Bailey, a hue inspired by the soft fur on Bailey’s ear; the upper section gleams in Crystal Fusion, a dynamic, iridescent finish that shifts subtly with the light. The shoulder Coachline features an exact reproduction of Bailey’s paw print, hand-painted in Rose Gold to match the Spirit of Ecstasy figurine.


INTERIOR SUITE: UNIQUE FROM NOSE TO TAIL

The interior of Spectre Bailey is presented in Moccasin and Crème Light leather, beautifully complemented by Dark Spice and Casden Tan accents, reminiscent of Bailey’s fur colour. The wood surfaces are finished in High Gloss Royal Walnut veneer.

The centrepiece of the interior is a lifelike marquetry portrait of Bailey, positioned on the Waterfall between the rear seats. The intricate composition took more than four months to complete and comprises more than 180 pieces of veneer. To capture the warmth and texture of Bailey’s coat, the artisan explored a rich spectrum of natural veneers, experimenting with grain direction, tone, and texture. Each sheet was chosen for its natural hue and pattern, with no staining or artificial treatment. Bailey’s tongue alone was crafted using four veneers never previously employed by Rolls-Royce – Purple Heart, Tulipwood, Louro Faia, and Pear – selected for their subtle colour variations. In total, nine veneers were used, representing 22 natural shades, to create a portrait of remarkable warmth and realism.

On the passenger side of the dashboard, a smaller marquetry motif offers another tribute to Bailey, depicting a precise recreation of his paw print. This design also appears as an engraving on the surround of the Bespoke Rose Gold treadplates on the door sills, revealed in a moment of quiet delight when the doors are opened.


SPECTRE BAILEY: A LASTING TRIBUTE TO A LOYAL FRIEND

Spectre Bailey is a joyful expression of devotion, handcrafted with precision, quiet whimsy and affection. It’s a motor car that celebrates a beloved companion, and the boundless possibilities of Bespoke.

• Rolls-Royce presents Cullinan Cosmos: a one-of-one commission inspired by space
• First Rolls-Royce in history to feature a fully hand-painted Starlight Headliner
• Starlight Headliner developed over 160 hours by an in-house Rolls-Royce artist
• Bespoke detailing based on a specially created Star Cluster motif
• Cullinan Cosmos commissioned through Private Office Dubai

 
“We wanted to create something our family would remember forever: a Rolls-Royce that captures the essence of the cosmos and shows that no dream is out of reach.”
Commissioning Client, Cullinan Cosmos

“Space travel is an enduring fascination for the commissioning clients of this extraordinary one-of-one motor car. For the Bespoke Collective, this project also explored new frontiers, with our first-ever hand-painted Starlight Headliner. Bold in its conception and spectacular in its realisation, this commission demonstrates how Rolls-Royce brings clients’ otherworldly visions to life with drama, depth, and absolute precision.”
Phil Fabre de la Grange, Head of Bespoke, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars


Rolls-Royce presents Cullinan Cosmos: a one-of-one commission that celebrates the drama of outer space. Commissioned by a family who shares a fascination for the universe with their four-year-old son, this theme was brought to life through a constellation of Bespoke details. At its centre is a Rolls-Royce first – a hand-painted Starlight Headliner painstakingly developed by one of the marque’s in-house artists over 160 hours.


EXTERIOR PALETTE: OUTER LIMITS
Cullinan Cosmos is finished in shimmering Arabescato Pearl, recalling the soft lustre of moonlight across a midnight sky. The exterior is completed with a hand-painted twin coachline in Charles Blue and an Illuminated Spirit of Ecstasy that glows like a distant star by night.


INTERIOR SUITE: EXPLORING INNER SPACE
The interior of Cullinan Cosmos offers a calm, meditative environment, inspired by the stillness and wonder of deep space. The reclining seats are finished in Charles Blue and Grace White leather with matching Grace White contrast stitching and piping. Piano White veneers add a crisp, technical edge that subtly echoes the high-gloss surfaces of satellite casings.

The commissioning clients worked with Rolls-Royce designers to create a unique Star Cluster motif, which appears as Bespoke embroidery on the door panels and headrests, and as a hand-painted artwork on the front passenger fascia.


HAND-PAINTED STARLIGHT HEADLINER: NEW HORIZONS
Cullinan Cosmos features the first fully hand-painted Starlight Headliner ever created for a Rolls-Royce motor car. Developed over 160 hours and painted entirely freehand by one of the marque’s in-house artists, it depicts an ethereal interpretation of the Milky Way – the hazy band of stars and cosmic mist visible in the night sky – colour-graded to complement the Bespoke interior palette.

To create the luminous cloud formations, the artist used more than 20 successive applications of acrylic paint, building depth and dimension with a variety of brushes. To achieve the mist effect, the artist turned to an unexpected tool – a makeup brush – to allow the lightest layer of pigments to dry delicately on contact.

The shimmering field of painted ‘stars’ was formed using a combination of fine, pointed brushes and a speckling technique, giving the final composition an organic, celestial quality. Only once the painting on the Starlight Headliner was completed and sealed were the fibre-optic perforations individually punched and positioned by hand to complement the contours of the artwork.

Cullinan Cosmos was commissioned through Private Office Dubai, one of a number of Rolls-Royce’s international Private Offices created to bring the full capabilities of the Bespoke Collective closer to the brand’s most visionary clients.

Cullinan Cosmos was delivered to the commissioning family in time for a special occasion – ready to transform every journey into a voyage through the stars.

• Rolls-Royce Motor Cars presents Spectre Inspired by Primavera
• A Bespoke series inspired by the transient beauty of springtime
• Includes three expressions celebrating different aspects of the season
• Features Blackwood interior panels, engraved with a cherry blossom motif
• Delicate hand-painted floral coachline motif
• New 23-inch wheel design, inspired by a flower in bloom

“Spring is a moment of celebration in cultures around the world. It is associated with youth and romance, the return of light and warmth after the darkness of winter. Its joyous transformation is swift and fleeting, which makes it all the more precious. In Spectre Inspired by Primavera, we captured the emotions this moment brings for clients to enjoy all year round. There is a wonderful contrast at the heart of this Bespoke series: the transience of the season, expressed through the permanence of a Rolls-Royce. Spectre Inspired by Primavera reflects the constant evolution of Rolls-Royce Bespoke, which is shaped by the ever-changing imaginations of our clients.”

Martina Starke, Head of Bespoke Design, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is delighted to announce Spectre Inspired by Primavera, a poetic exploration of spring expressed through a series of highly Bespoke motor cars. Named after the Italian word for spring, Spectre Inspired by Primavera features carefully curated Bespoke details that evoke the feeling of the season: delicate, uplifting, and alive with promise.

The Spectre Inspired by Primavera Bespoke series includes three distinct expressions –Evanescent, Reverie and Blossom. Each offers a different interpretation of the season, available to commission until the beginning of next year, with deliveries commencing ahead of spring 2026.


SPECTRE INSPIRED BY PRIMAVERA: A POETIC EXPRESSION OF THE SEASON

Presented in three different colourways, each motor car features a cherry blossom motif – an evocative emblem of spring. These floral elements were individually hand-sketched by a Rolls‑Royce Bespoke designer before being digitised and translated into exterior and interior features.

On the exterior, each motor car is distinguished by a hand-painted Coachline motif depicting a cherry branch in bloom. A new, intricate 23-inch alloy wheel design also debuts for this series, evoking a flower in bloom. Its directional form reminds petals gradually opening to meet the spring light – a subtle reference to nature’s vitality.

Cherry blossom continues inside: on the Illuminated Treadplates, which also bear the Spectre Inspired by Primavera name, and on the headrests, where a sculptural, silhouette-based stitch embroidery technique captures the appearance of petals.

The highlight of each motor car is a uniquely tactile detail: a Blackwood fascia and centre console etched with an expansive, blossoming cherry bough motif. This effect was achieved by experimenting with 37 different laser densities to create a balanced contrast against the polished wood surface, followed by the development of a special sanding process that preserves the detail without diminishing the finish.

Inspired by springtime’s changing constellations in the Northern Hemisphere, bringing the bright stars in Boötes, Leo and Virgo – known collectively as the ‘Spring Triangle’ – into view, each motor car features Starlight Doors, which include 4,796 hand-placed illuminations, and an Illuminated Fascia, depicting an abstract constellation of more than 5,500 individual ‘stars’ alongside the Spectre wordmark.


EVANESCENT: LUMINOUS BEAUTY

The ephemeral nature of spring and its beauty give Spectre Inspired by Primavera ‘Evanescent’ its name. The motor car’s design draws from the unruly beauty of wildflowers, which fill the fields, woods and hedgerows with their vibrant colours and myriad forms.

The motor car’s Crystal over Arctic White finish is complemented by a coachline, cherry blossom motif, pinstripe wheel centres and brake callipers in Turchese – a vivid accent that continues inside, paired with Grace White leather. A fine line of piping in Chartreuse adds a flash of contrast.


REVERIE: NATURE'S AWAKENING

Spectre Inspired by Primavera ‘Reverie’ explores the spiritual significance of spring, with its connections to new beginnings, vitality and a reawakening. In keeping with its name, this serene interpretation of Spectre cocoons its occupants in a dream-like atmosphere of absolute peace and serenity.

The exterior is finished in Duck Egg Blue with a Coachline and cherry blossom motif hand-painted in Forge Yellow to match the brake callipers and pinstripe wheel centres. The interior is a study in purity, combining Grace White and Charles Blue leather with vibrant Forge Yellow accents.


BLOSSOM: SEASON'S RENEWAL

Spring is a season of fleeting brilliance – a dazzling moment between dormancy and full bloom, when nature briefly reveals its most vivid and delicate forms.

Spectre Inspired by Primavera ‘Blossom’ captures this spirit through its Velvet Orchid Metallic exterior, a deep, expressive colour that evokes the richness and rarity of early spring blooms. A shoulder Coachline and floral motif, alongside brake callipers and pinstripe wheel centres in Forge Yellow, introduce graceful flashes of sunlight and energy.

Inside, the cabin pairs Grace White leather with rich Peony Pink accents, while Forge Yellow piping brings a final flourish of seasonal vibrancy.

Spectre Inspired by Primavera is a tribute to spring’s fleeting beauty and the emotions it evokes: preserved forever in the permanence of a Rolls-Royce commission.

• Rolls-Royce celebrates the enduring links between Phantom and the world of music
• Spanning every era of modern music, from jazz and rock to rap and R&B
• Embraced by artists from Marlene Dietrich to Sir Elton John, John Lennon and 50 Cent
• Explores Phantom as a canvas for personal expression and an icon of icons
• Click here to view Rolls-Royce I Behind The Scenes: Diving into Rock ‘n’ Roll Legend

“From the Golden Age of Hollywood to the rise of hip-hop, over the last 100 years, music artists have used Phantom to project their identity and challenge convention. Their motor cars often became icons in their own right, with a lasting place in the history of modern music. This enduring connection reminds us that Rolls-Royce and the extraordinary people who are part of the marque’s story are united by one ambition: to make their presence felt.”
Chris Brownridge, Chief Executive, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

The connection between Rolls-Royce and the world of popular music is almost as old as the recording industry itself. Long before icons like John Lennon, Elvis Presley and Pharrell Williams wrote themselves into Phantom’s story, artists including Duke Ellington, Fred Astaire, Count Basie, Ravi Shankar, Edith Piaf and Sam Cooke all travelled by Rolls-Royce, recognising the brand as the definitive symbol of success and artistry. Personalities for whom the term ‘music mogul’ was created, including Brian Epstein, Berry Gordy and Ahmet Ertegun, were also among the marque’s most notable owners. Across genres, geographies and generations, Rolls-Royce remains the ultimate reward for creative brilliance and a canvas for personal expression.

Of all models, Phantom – the pinnacle of the marque – is the Rolls-Royce most closely associated with the world of music. Over eight generations and 100 years – a centenary the nameplate celebrates in 2025 – this extraordinary motor car has been consistently chosen by some of the most creative and influential figures in musical history. Phantom’s appeal to these individuals endures; it retains its status as the world’s pre-eminent luxury product, comprised of the very best in engineering excellence, fine materials and exquisite, highly skilled craftsmanship. It also offers its owner the freedom to define their identity – a quality that has helped many Phantoms owned by musical luminaries achieve legendary status in their own right.


MARLENE DIETRICH: FALLING IN LOVE AGAIN

Most actors travel to Hollywood in search of stardom. Marlene Dietrich arrived already part of the constellation. Fresh from her breakout role in The Blue Angel, and having introduced the world to what would become her signature song, Falling in Love Again, she travelled to California in 1930 to begin filming Morocco. Her welcome was as dramatic as her screen presence: at Paramount Studios, she was greeted not only with flowers, but with the gift of a green Rolls-Royce Phantom I. Morocco earned Dietrich an Academy Award nomination – and her Phantom also took its share of the spotlight, appearing in the film’s closing scenes and publicity images.


ELVIS PRESLEY: ALL SHOOK UP

In 1956, a self-titled album by a promising young singer named Elvis Presley became the first rock ‘n’ roll album to top the Billboard chart, where it remained for 10 weeks. In 1963, at the height of his fame, ‘The King’ bought a Midnight Blue Phantom V with a host of Bespoke features. In what may have been an early version of in-car karaoke, the features included a microphone, a writing pad in the rear armrest – ready for flashes of inspiration – along with a mirror and clothes brush to ensure Elvis was always ready to make an entrance. In a charming domestic detail, the original mirror-polished paint famously attracted the attention of Elvis’s mother’s chickens, which would peck at their reflection in the coachwork. The motor car was refinished in a lighter Silver Blue that did not show the chips.


JOHN LENNON: LOVE ME DO

In December 1964, John Lennon rewarded himself for The Beatles’ A Hard Day’s Night by commissioning a Phantom V. The motor car was entirely black, including the windows, bumpers and hub caps; it also boasted a cocktail cabinet and a television, as well as a refrigerator in the boot. However, like Elvis’s Phantom V, Lennon’s would also undergo a complete transformation. In May 1967, just before Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band was released, the motor car was resprayed yellow, then hand-painted with swirls of red, orange, green and blue, with floral side panels and Lennon’s star sign, Libra, completing the motor car’s new persona.

For the younger generation, Lennon’s Phantom perfectly captured the mood of the carefree ‘Summer of Love’ that year. To their elders, it was an outrage, memorably summed up by a woman who, on seeing the Phantom driving down London’s Piccadilly, shouted, “How dare you do that to a Rolls-Royce!” before swatting at the paintwork with her umbrella. When the motor car was sold in 1985, it reached $2,299,000, almost 10 times the reserve price. It was both the most expensive piece of rock ‘n’ roll memorabilia at the time, and the highest price ever achieved for a motor car sold by auction.

This Phantom is arguably the most famous Rolls-Royce connected with Lennon, but he owned another. Lennon purchased a white Rolls-Royce Phantom V in 1968 to coincide with the launch of the White Album and to mark a new phase of his life with Yoko Ono. This was characterised by his wearing white clothes, decorating the interior and exterior of his Berkshire home in bright white, and pursuing a distinctly minimalist aesthetic.

Originally commissioned in a two-tone black-over-green by Wing Commander Paddy Barthropp, a wartime Spitfire pilot turned chauffeur, Lennon individualised this motor car in line with his personal style at the time. He paid £12,000 – equivalent to the price of a sizeable house at the time – to have the motor car transformed to white inside and out, and had it fitted with a sunroof, Philips turntable, 8-track player, telephone and television. It would later appear in the Beatles film Let It Be, as well as Performance, which starred Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger. In September 1969, Lennon sold the car to Allen Klein, founder of ABKCO Records and The Beatles’ manager at the time, for a reported $50,000.


LIBERACE: I’LL BE SEEING YOU

Another musical iconoclast was Władziu Valentino Liberace. Flamboyant and multi-talented, Liberace was the world’s highest-paid entertainer in the 1950s and ‘60s thanks to his TV shows and long residencies in Las Vegas. Among the extravagances that earned him the soubriquet ‘Mr Showmanship’ was a 1961 Phantom V covered in tiny mirror pieces that he would use to drive on stage during his long-running residency at the Las Vegas Hilton. The motor car appeared in the award-winning Liberace biopic, Behind the Candelabra, in which Michael Douglas recreated its short but famous journey.


SIR ELTON JOHN: A RIDE FOR THE ROCKETMAN

Liberace’s playing style influenced a generation of performers, including a budding pianist named Reginald Dwight, today known as Sir Elton John, who would later take inspiration from his hero by owning several Phantoms. In 1973, en route to a concert in Manchester in his white Phantom VI, Sir Elton saw a newer example in a showroom window. He instructed his chauffeur to stop, bought the car, and used it to complete his journey to the venue.

Later, he would update the Phantom with black paintwork, a black leather interior, tinted windows, a television, a video player, and even a fax machine. The most significant addition, however, was a bespoke audio system that was so powerful that the back windscreen had to be strengthened to prevent it from shattering when the volume was turned up.

Sir Elton also owned a Phantom V, for which he commissioned a striking pink-and-white exterior paint finish and matching interior. Following a tour of the USSR, where he was paid in coal, rather than cash, Sir Elton was unable to pay his musicians. Instead, he gave the Phantom to his percussionist, Ray Cooper, in lieu of a cash fee. Cooper later used the motor car to pick up a young Damon Albarn from school, who went on to find stardom of his own with Blur. History came full circle in 2020, when Albarn and his virtual band, Gorillaz, recorded The Pink Phantom, with Sir Elton appearing as a guest vocalist.


KEITH MOON: WON’T GET FOOLED AGAIN?

Legend has it that, while celebrating his 21st birthday, the gifted but fatefully self-destructive drummer of The Who, Keith Moon, plunged his Rolls-Royce into the swimming pool at the Holiday Inn in Flint, Michigan, creating one of rock ‘n’ roll’s most enduring legends.

Accounts of what really happened that night differ wildly. In an interview with Rolling Stone in 1972, Moon stated the motor car was a Lincoln Continental belonging to another hotel guest; he said he let off the handbrake and rolled the car into the pool. Other party guests maintain that no motor car ended up in the pool at all. Whether a car ended up in the pool or not, the myth is so potent that it has become the definitive image of rock ‘n’ roll indulgence – and as such, the car in the pool could only be a Rolls-Royce.

To mark Phantom’s centenary and the motor car’s place in rock ‘n’ roll mythology, Rolls-Royce brought legend to life by submerging an Extended body shell – a retired prototype destined for recycling – in a swimming pool. The chosen location was Tinside Lido in Plymouth, England, a celebrated Art Deco landmark next to the English Channel. Linked to John Lennon, one of Phantom’s most famous clients, the Lido served as a backdrop to a photograph of The Beatles taken on 12 September 1967 during their visit whilst filming for The Magical Mystery Tour. That same year, Lennon unveiled his yellow, hand-painted Phantom V, further cementing the nameplate’s place in music legend.


HIP-HOP STAR

Since moving to Goodwood, where production began in 2003, Rolls-Royce has only strengthened its ties with contemporary music. By 2016, it had become the most name-checked brand in song lyrics, driven in part by the meteoric rise of hip-hop. The genre was a cultural powerhouse by the 1990s, and a household staple at the turn of the century, coinciding with Rolls-Royce’s Goodwood renaissance and the launch of Phantom VII in 2003.

A year later, Pharrell Williams and Calvin ‘Snoop Dogg’ Broadus Jr, would famously feature a Phantom VII in the 2004 music video for Drop It Like It’s Hot, which would top the US Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks and commence Phantom’s lasting connection with the genre’s most influential artists. Curtis ‘50 Cent’ Jackson appeared in the TV series Entourage in a Phantom VII Drophead Coupé – a scene that would go on to become a widely shared meme; Tha Carter II by Dwayne ‘Lil Wayne’ Carter is one of many albums to feature Phantom on its cover. The genre has also played a key role in popularising one of the marque’s most distinctive features: Starlight Headliner. The phrase ‘stars in the roof’ – and its variations – recurs in rap lyrics and has become a suitably poetic shorthand for Rolls-Royce ownership.


ENCORE: PHANTOM’S LASTING LEGACY

Phantom has maintained a constant, evolving presence in the story of modern music. In each era, it has offered artists and innovators a means of self-expression, aspiration and identity. As Phantom enters its second century, it continues to symbolise success, individuality, and the power of human imagination.

Click here to view Rolls-Royce I Behind The Scenes: Diving into Rock ‘n’ Roll Legend.

• Rolls-Royce celebrates Phantom’s century-long presence in the art world
• How Phantom was connected to leading artists, and how it became art itself
• Art for every Phantom: Charles Sykes and the Spirit of Ecstasy mascot

“For 100 years, the Rolls-Royce Phantom has moved in the same circles as the world’s leading artists. As a symbol of self-expression, Phantom has often featured in incidents of creative significance – many of them defining moments of the last decade. As we mark Phantom’s centenary, it is the perfect time to reflect on this motor car’s endlessly intriguing legacy and the artistic personalities who played a role in shaping its story.”
Chris Brownridge, Chief Executive, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

Rolls-Royce has been associated with the greatest names in contemporary art since its foundation. Masters including Salvador Dalí, Andy Warhol, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Christian ‘Bébé’ Bérard and Cecil Beaton all travelled by Rolls-Royce. Dame Laura Knight, the first woman elected to full membership of the Royal Academy of Arts, even used a Rolls-Royce as a mobile studio, painting from its interior at racecourses such as Epsom and Ascot. The world’s most notable collectors, too, were drawn to the brand, among them Jacquelyn de Rothschild, Peggy Guggenheim and Nelson Rockefeller.

However, it is Phantom, the marque’s pinnacle product which celebrates its centenary in 2025, that is most closely linked to the art world. Over eight generations and 100 years, this motor car has been owned by some of the most famous creatives in modern history. Phantom itself has been exhibited in galleries around the world as an artwork in its own right – from institutional collections, such as London’s Saatchi Gallery and the Smithsonian Design Museum in New York, to countless independent galleries and exhibition spaces.

This enduring connection between Phantom and the art world reflects a long tradition of creative exchange. Over the years, Phantom has attracted the most vivid artistic imaginations, giving rise to encounters that are as unexpected as they are unforgettable.


SALVADOR DALÍ, THE CAULIFLOWER, AND THE FROZEN PHANTOM

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

After a wild ride through the streets of Paris in his brassica-laden motor car, Dalí pulled up outside the university and flung open the Phantom’s doors, sending the cauliflowers cascading to the cold December ground. How many of the 2,000-strong audience now remember his exposition on ‘Phenomenological Aspects of the Paranoiac Critical Method’ is debatable, but his arrival before the lecture became legendary.

To honour this defiantly surreal performance, Rolls-Royce has commissioned a contemporary artist to create an original artwork inspired by this gloriously eccentric, cauliflower-filled Phantom moment.

This memorable moment was not the only time Dalí immortalised Phantom. An artwork he produced for a 1934 illustrated book titled Les Chants de Maldoror (The Songs of Maldoror) incorporated a surreal interpretation of Phantom. In this piece, Dalí depicts the motor car stranded in a bleak, icy landscape, seemingly frozen in desolation. The image is both elegant and eerie, epitomising Dalí’s knack for juxtaposing opulence with the absurd.


ANDY WARHOL AND MORE THAN 15 MINUTES OF FAME

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".

Seen by many as Dalí’s natural successor, Warhol became one of the most influential artists of the 20^th century. Unlike his mentor, however, he actually owned a Phantom; a 1937 model that had been converted into a shooting brake in 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.

In tribute to Pop Art’s lasting impact, Rolls-Royce has commissioned a contemporary artist to reimagine Phantom in the style that propelled this bold style from Studio 54 into the cultural mainstream.


AN ARTWORK FOR EVERY PHANTOM: CHARLES SYKES AND THE SPIRIT OF ECSTASY

This tradition of artistic collaboration and connection with the world’s most famous and provocative creatives dates back to Rolls-Royce’s earliest days, when a fine artist would sculpt the brand’s most enduring symbol.

Since 1911, Rolls-Royce motor cars have been graced with the most famous and evocative mascot in the world: the Spirit of Ecstasy. This defining feature of the brand’s iconography was originally created by talented and prolific artist Charles Robinson Sykes.

Following a scholarship at the Royal College of Art in London, in 1902 he was hired by The Hon. John Douglas-Scott-Montagu, 2nd Baron Montagu of Beaulieu, to provide the illustrated elements of his magazine, The Car Illustrated. Later, Montagu asked Sykes to create a series of paintings depicting his Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts. These images caught the attention of Claude ‘CJ’ Johnson, the marque’s first commercial managing director, who commissioned six Sykes oils showing Rolls-Royces arriving at locations including the opera, the golf links, and the salmon stream, for the company’s 1910-11 catalogue.

Soon afterwards – and despite Sir Henry Royce’s antipathy to the concept – CJ had decided Rolls-Royce needed an official mascot. He commissioned Sykes to create a sculpture inspired by the imposing Greek statue The Winged Victory of Samothrace, which he had admired at the Louvre in Paris. Sykes captured its impact, but created a more ethereal figure that better expressed his experience of travelling in a Rolls-Royce. Indeed, his daughter Jo recalled that he was "very impressed with the smoothness and speed of the car and imagined that even so delicate a thing as a fairy could ride on the bonnet without losing her balance".

Whatever Sykes’ primary inspiration had been, CJ was delighted with the new mascot and appointed Sykes as sole supplier in 1911. From then on, Sykes personally supervised his production team, with his daughter Jo succeeding him in 1928. Until Rolls-Royce took production in-house in 1948, every Phantom owner may therefore have unknowingly owned a Sykes original.

Though now best remembered for his work with Rolls-Royce, Sykes enjoyed a successful career as an artist. His work remains highly regarded and is held in several institutional collections, including the British Museum and the V&A in London.


PHANTOM: A CANVAS AND A CATALYST

As Phantom enters its second century, its artistic legacy feels more relevant than ever. For creatives and collectors, it remains both a canvas and a catalyst that offers visionary thinkers something rare: a form of expression that is personal, timeless, and charged with purpose.

• Rolls-Royce presents three Chinese Mural Art Bespoke commissions
• Unique details take cues from Dunhuang cave paintings dating back over 1,000 years
• Trio comprises Phantom Extended, Black Badge Cullinan, and Black Badge Spectre
• Phantom Extended features hand-painted Gallery artwork, inspired by the mural art
• Available through Rolls-Royce Private Office Shanghai

 
"The mural art of the Dunhuang Mogao Caves is one of the most powerful symbols of our cultural heritage here in China. These artworks, created across dynasties, reflect the abstract ideals that have shaped our country’s civilisation. Inspired by their colours, forms and symbolism, we reimagined these themes through hand-painted elements and carefully curated Bespoke features – a meaningful tribute that reflects Rolls-Royce’s creative dialogue with China in a youthful and contemporary manner.”
Shuai Feng, Bespoke Designer, Private Office Shanghai

Rolls-Royce presents three Bespoke motor cars inspired by the ancient mural paintings of Dunhuang, China. This extraordinary expression of cross-cultural artistry was commissioned through Private Office Shanghai, an invitation-only space in which the marque welcomes clients seeking to commission highly complex and deeply personal motor cars. The trio includes Phantom Extended, Black Badge Cullinan, and Black Badge Spectre.

All three motor cars feature new Bespoke exterior colours reserved exclusively for Private Office Shanghai clients, each inspired by local landscapes, art and cultural themes. These commissions also share a recurring design motif named Silken Spirit: conceived by Private Office Shanghai Bespoke Designer, Shuai Feng, the artwork is inspired by the Spirit of Ecstasy and the flowing forms of imperial silk. The most detailed expression of the collection appears in the hand-painted Gallery artwork in Phantom Extended.


HONOURING A MARVEL

Over a thousand years ago, artists and craftspeople carved and painted the walls of a network of sacred caves in the mountains near Dunhuang, on the edge of the Gobi Desert. These sanctuaries house one of the world’s greatest collections of mural art, shaped by their unique position at the cultural crossroads of the ancient Silk Road. Today, they are honoured in a modern tribute from the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective.


PHANTOM EXTENDED

Phantom Extended is presented in a two-tone finish. The main body is finished in Ningye Purple, a colour inspired by the deep violet skies above the remote stretches of the Great Wall of China, and named after a poetic description of the hue from an 800 AD Tang Dynasty verse. The upper body is rendered in contrasting English White. A Silken Spirit motif is hand-painted on the C-pillar in Ningye Purple and completes the Grace White coachline.

The motif continues into the cabin, where it is depicted in a Bespoke Starlight Headliner with 1,344 hand-placed fibre-optic ‘stars’ and 192 ‘shooting stars’. 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 mural art.

“To bring this sense of depth and rhythm to the Gallery, I adapted a Chinese technique known as reduction block printing, where the artwork is gradually pressed onto a canvas using the same block of wood, re-crafted between paint layers. Once each layer is applied, the block is carefully re-carved to add depth and detail with the subsequent colour. Reinterpreting this method by hand, I used a fine sable brush in place of carved wood, painting every single colour individually and consecutively, allowing the image to emerge across the surface. Tiny areas of unpainted leather are deliberately left exposed, creating the illusion of carved block printing.”
Chloe Dowsett, Bespoke Artist, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

The seating is finished in Black and Cashmere Grey leathers – a colourway that is reversed for the front seats, creating two unique ambiences within the motor car. The front and rear doors also feature expansive Canadel wood panelling in Piano Black and Cashmere Grey respectively. The rear door panels incorporate the Silken Spirit motif inlaid in stainless steel, and the symbol also appears on the rear waterfall section between the two rear seats.


BLACK BADGE CULLINAN

Black Badge Cullinan Series II is presented in Danqian Pink, a hue which extends to the centres of the 23-inch Black Badge forged wheels. Silken Spirit motifs on the twin Coachline and C-pillar are presented in Black.

The front seats are finished in Blushing Pink leather with Placed Perforation, which extends onto the front doors. The pattern is designed to evoke the shifting cloud formations above the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood and comprises 107,000 0.8- and 1.2-millimetre perforations.

In the rear, Navy leather with Blushing Pink piping and stitching is used to create a deeper, more immersive environment. The Silken Spirit graphic is inlaid in stainless steel on the Technical Fibre front fascia and the waterfall between the rear seats.

A Bespoke Starlight Headliner harmonises the front and rear colour themes. The Silken Spirit motif is rendered as an abstract illuminated graphic, which glows with a soft Blushing Pink light, complete with white shooting ‘stars’.


BLACK BADGE SPECTRE

This bold expression of Black Badge Spectre is presented in a dramatic Aero two-tone. The body is finished in Qingshan Blue – inspired by the mountain blues and verdant tones depicted in the Dunhuang murals – and the upper portion, together with Silken Spirit motifs on the C-pillar and Coachline, is presented in contrasting Diamond Black. The exterior is further dramatised by an Illuminated Grille, presented in Turchese.

The front seats are completed in Turchese and Black leathers, and the rear seats are presented in Black with contrast white stitching and piping. This unique ‘split’ extends to the leather centre console and lambswool carpets, which are Turchese and Black respectively.

The Silken Spirit motif appears on Turchese Illuminated Treadplates. Further illuminations include Starlight Doors and a Bespoke Starlight Headliner with 1,344 ‘stars’ and 192 ‘shooting stars’, each individually hand-placed.


LASTING LEGACY

The Chinese Mural Arts Bespoke Commissions represent a cultural dialogue between past and present, East and West, tradition and innovation. Through this trio, Rolls-Royce honours the relevance of ancient artistic legacies and the resonance of heritage as a source of inspiration for contemporary expressions of luxury. In doing so, they demonstrate the power of Bespoke in translating nuanced stories through design and craftsmanship, inviting future commissions that explore other cultural narratives with equal depth, care and imagination.

• Rolls-Royce presents one-of-one Phantom Dentelle
• Features original design themes drawn from handmade couture lace
• Gallery embroidery comprises more than 160,000 stitches layered across eight techniques
• Intricate lace-inspired artwork extends from the Gallery to rear seat embroidery
• Bespoke two-tone finish with a floral coachline motif and Rose Gold Spirit of Ecstasy
• Commission facilitated by Rolls-Royce’s dedicated Private Office Dubai

 
“We always say that inspiration for a motor car commission can be found anywhere, and after more than two decades, our clients constantly prove how true this is. This stunning Phantom Dentelle, commissioned through Private Office Dubai, is an homage to the exquisite handmade lace used in some of the world’s leading haute couture ateliers. Using the medium of embroidery, we translated this delicate material into our pinnacle product, which, in its uniqueness, beauty and craftsmanship, can be regarded as an authentic expression of haute couture.”
Michelle Lusby, Private Office Dubai Designer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

Rolls-Royce presents a one-of-one Phantom Dentelle, commissioned by a Middle Eastern client as a gift for their father. This deeply personal project was curated through the marque’s Private Office Dubai.

The inspiration for this subtle and elegant commission was a piece of couture lace. The fabric – delicate lace crafted using a rare ‘Leavers loom’ – featured three-dimensional floral elements and soft pearl-like details. Its intricate textures and gentle palette formed the creative foundation for both the interior and exterior treatment.

INTERIOR SUITE: EXQUISITE EMBROIDERY INSPIRED BY LACE
Unique to Phantom, the Gallery runs the full width of the motor car’s fascia and is specifically designed to display a Bespoke artwork. For this one-of-one Phantom, Bespoke designers created a floral composition inspired by couture lace. The embroidery layers multiple stitch techniques, thread densities and tonal blends – including Rose Gold, Sunrise and Oatmeal – to evoke the textures of petals, ferns and lacework.

A filigree lace-like base is formed using a triple-run stitch, creating a fine mesh structure. Over this, satin stitch shapes the floral elements with a soft, silk-like sheen, while raised accents echo the original pearl details, catching the light with subtle depth. In total, the piece comprises more than 160,000 stitches.

The Waterfall section between the rear seats continues the floral theme with a delicate embroidery echoing the botanical detail in the Gallery design and comprising around 70,000 stitches. The speaker grilles are finished in Rose Gold, subtly complementing the embroidery tones.

“The embroidery detailing in the Gallery and rear Waterfall is incredibly complex and designed to capture the soft lustre of pearls. It catches the light as you move around the motor car – or as the sunlight shifts while driving – like the shimmer of a couture gown under flashbulbs on the red carpet. It brings a remarkable sense of movement and theatre to something entirely still.”
Brienny Dudley, Interior Trim Centre, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

The interior is completed with Sunrise and Grace White leathers, embroidered ‘RR’ monograms on the front and rear headrests, and Piano White veneer.


EXTERIOR COACHWORK: A BESPOKE HUE AND HAND-PAINTED FLOURISH
Phantom Dentelle’s exterior is presented in a two-tone Bespoke finish. The lower body is finished in Crystal over Arctic White; the upper body in Crystal over Palais Nemasker Dawn – a colour reserved for the commissioning client’s exclusive use. The double coachline, rendered in Sunrise, resolves with a hand-painted motif depicting a leafy branch with pearl ‘berries’, reflecting the artwork theme inside.

The motor car rides on 22” Fully Polished Disc wheels with body-coloured centres and Arctic White centre pinstripes. The polished Pantheon Grille is crowned with the Spirit of Ecstasy in Rose Gold; the same precious metal is used for the Bespoke engraved treadplates. 


PHANTOM DENTELLE: A PRIVATE OFFICE DUBAI COMMISSION
Phantom Dentelle was personally commissioned by the client through Rolls-Royce Private Office Dubai. This invitation-only space brings the Home of Rolls-Royce to clients across the region.

At Private Office Dubai, clients have direct, personal access to a Rolls-Royce Bespoke designer and a Client Experience Manager, with whom they can view, discuss, and commission their Bespoke masterpiece in the seclusion and comfort afforded them by the Private Office.

Throughout 2025 Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is celebrating 100 years of its most famous nameplate – Phantom. To mark this auspicious milestone, every Rolls-Royce Phantom hand-crafted at the Home of Rolls-Royce this year will be completed with a special centenary chassis plaque. Rolls-Royce will also be honouring the occasion with a number of exciting activations throughout the year, including the announcement of special Bespoke commissions, attendance at key calendar events and exploring some of the fascinating stories that have built the Phantom legend in the worlds of music, film and art.

Please see below for the key dates in the calendar for Phantom’s centenary year:


JANUARY

OCTOBER

• 8 October: Shaping the World Through Bespoke – Phantom is the ultimate canvas for expression, as it has been for the last 100 years – this story explores some of the most extraordinary Phantom commissions in history.
• 22 October: A Defining Statement, 100 Years in the Making – as the Phantom nameplate celebrates its 100th anniversary, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars pays tribute with the Phantom Centenary Private Collection, limited to just 25 examples.

DECEMBER

• 18 December: Celebrating the Centenary of an Icon: A Year of Phantom Stories  – Rolls-Royce reflects on a year of global celebrations marking Phantom's centenary.

Imagery and B-Roll from the Black Badge Spectre Global Media Drive, hosted in Barcelona, Spain, in March 2025.

Please see below for further background information:

Black Badge Spectre Launch Release

• Rolls-Royce Motor Cars presents Black Badge Cullinan Daisy
• One-of-one Black Badge Cullinan Series II inspired by a client's favourite hiking trail
• Features wood sandblasting technique, which creates striking three-dimensional effect
• Daisy motif extends to Coachline, Bespoke umbrellas and Illuminated Treadplates
• Bespoke Starlight Headliner depicts Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Gemini and Taurus
• Completed with a Recreation Module for storing hiking equipment
  
  

“My love for the outdoors has been a driving force behind both my personal passions  and professional success. The inspiration for this commission came from a field of daisies on my favourite trail in the High Tatras mountains – a place I return to when I need to clear my thoughts.  I’m continuously amazed not only by the beauty but the resilience of this flower that seems to thrive in the face of nature's challenges. I envisioned Black Badge Cullinan Daisy as a symbol of perseverance – balancing strength with serenity".
Commissioning Client, Black Badge Cullinan Daisy

“This commission challenged us to explore how natural motifs can be translated through craft and materiality. From the delicately etched Blackwood to the daisy detail hidden inside the umbrellas, we told the client’s remarkable story through unexpected textures and an entirely new palette. Black Badge Cullinan Daisy is quietly confident, rich in symbolism, yet modern in execution. It also represents a different kind of Bespoke language where emotion is captured through restrained and thoughtful contrasts.”
Martina Starke, General Manager, Bespoke Design, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars presents its latest Bespoke commission, Black Badge Cullinan Daisy – a striking one-of-one Black Badge Cullinan Series II reflecting the commissioning client’s love of hiking and the outdoors. Drawing inspiration from a field of daisies on the client’s favourite trail in the High Tatras mountains, Black Badge Cullinan Daisy represents resilience and perseverance – much like a daisy that thrives in a variety of conditions. Commissioned by an individual who built their success in the outdoor and adventure equipment sector, Black Badge Cullinan Daisy symbolises their path to success.


EXTERIOR: BALANCING POTENCY AND RESILIENCE
The daisy flower appears as a Coachline motif, meticulously hand-painted to complement the single Coachline applied over the Powder Blue Exterior. The subtle colour palette provides a striking contrast to the darkened Black Badge Pantheon Grille, Spirit of Ecstasy and exterior brightwork.


INTERIOR SUITE: ELEGANCE AND COMPLEXITY
Inside, the daisy motif adorns the front fascia and the waterfall section between the rear seats. The design is meticulously applied to the Blackwood surface using a sandblasting technique. To create the design, the wood is subjected to a precision blasting process in which a stream of fine mineral particles is directed at the veneer, which delicately etches away microscopic layers of the surface. The interplay of light and shadow across the sculpted surface creates a three-dimensional effect, adding visual interest to the finished piece.

The Blackwood veneers are complemented by a subtle three-colour interior palette. The main leather hue is Fleet Blue, which extends to the Rotary Controls and B and C pillars. It is complemented by Selby Grey and Black leathers, with Fleet Blue seat piping and Selby Grey contrast stitching and headrest monograms. The interior is completed with Bespoke Illuminated Treadplates with a daisy design.


BESPOKE UMBRELLAS: FLOWERS IN THE RAIN
The daisy motif also graces the inside of the Bespoke umbrellas concealed in Cullinan’s rear Coach Doors. The playful pattern can only be seen on the interior of the umbrellas, recalling the ambience of a daisy field in full bloom on a rainy day.


BESPOKE STARLIGHT HEADLINER: A WINDOW INTO THE HEAVENS
Black Badge Cullinan Daisy is fitted with a Bespoke Starlight Headliner, capturing four of the great constellations that dominate the night sky in northern latitudes: Ursa Major, also known as the Great Bear, the Plough, and the Big Dipper; Ursa Minor, which includes Polaris, or the North Star; Gemini, clearly distinguished by the bright stars, Castor and Pollux; and Taurus, ‘the Bull’, identified by the red giant Aldebaran and the Pleiades star cluster.


RECREATION MODULE: ADVENTURES AWAIT 

Black Badge Cullinan Daisy is completed with a Recreation Module – an automatically-deployable storage compartment mounted on the luggage compartment floor, designed to house the client’s favourite hiking equipment.

• Rolls-Royce presents the Chess Set, designed to be enjoyed in clients’ homes
• Opens in a single theatrical motion, echoing the sense of occasion of a Rolls-Royce
• Features hidden drawers and sculptural, ceramic-coated magnetised pieces
• Crafted with meticulous attention to detail; the result of one year of design, engineering and experimentation
• Available with a choice of 13 leather colours
• Celebrates and elevates the strategy game enjoyed by many Rolls-Royce clients
  
  

“We are in the privileged position of knowing our clients personally. These relationships – and the unique insights they provide into our clients’ worlds, tastes, and preferences – inform everything we do at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. Knowing that many clients enjoy chess — often at an extremely high level — we were inspired to create our own Chess Set as a natural evolution of the sense of hosting and occasion that defines the Rolls-Royce experience. Incorporating materials and the meticulous craft techniques our clients know and love from their motor car, the Chess Set is a discreet, beautiful, and authentic extension of our brand into their homes. It serves as a contemporary work of art in its own right, as well as a practical, playable game.”
Nick Abrams, Accessories Designer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars presents the Rolls-Royce Chess Set, a contemporary expression of one of the world’s most revered games of strategy that transcends cultures and generations, echoing the spirit of hosting and shared experience that defines the marque’s other lifestyle offerings. The chess pieces are ceremoniously unveiled, capturing the same sense of occasion as the arrival of a Rolls-Royce motor car. Handcrafted using the marque’s signature materials and techniques, it offers numerous opportunities for individualisation.

HIDDEN DRAWERS AND MAGNETISED PIECES
The Chess Set was designed to capture a sense of movement: the leather-clad base rises gently from the centre, referencing the waft lines of the marque’s motor cars as it appears to float on its narrow footprint.

The playing board opens in a smooth, single theatrical motion to reveal a leather-lined holder that slowly elevates, presenting the magnetically held pieces – a movement reminiscent of the coach doors opening on a Rolls-Royce motor car. For an effortless experience, magnets hidden beneath the playing surface ensure the pieces remain perfectly aligned during play, lending each move a sense of precision and decisiveness. The design team experimented with six different types of magnets to identify the optimal strength that secures the pieces yet allows them to float effortlessly across the board. A discreet drawer on each side of the board, opened with a light touch, contains an additional queen to take the place of a piece that has been promoted during the game.

Both the generously sized board and the chess piece holder are framed with polished aluminium edges. A polished aluminium Spirit of Ecstasy emblem is discreetly affixed to the front and back of the Chess Set, signifying its provenance.

Each set is meticulously crafted by hand. The aluminium grid of the board is machine milled, then further refined by hand to achieve the precise definition of the corners – a delicate process, as the fine metal bends easily. The veneer squares are laser cut and then precisely placed on the board by hand. Each of the veneer pieces is crafted from the same log to achieve a consistent pattern in the natural grain, ensuring the wood will age uniformly over the years.

THE CHESS PIECES: MONOLITHIC FORMS
Every chess piece has been precision-crafted with faceted surfaces, transforming them into sculptural objects in their own right. To create the pieces, the marque’s designers studied the profile of traditional chess pieces, electing to extrude them downward into square bases. Each of the highly sculptural pieces is made of ceramic-coated aluminium, contains a hidden magnet and is crowned with a jewel-like polished stainless-steel head. The weight, solidity and cool-to-the-touch tactility of them are deliberately evocative of the solid-metal organ stops found in Rolls-Royce motor cars — a shared expression of material authenticity and satisfying mechanical engagement. The black chess pieces are given a satin finish, while the white pieces feature a subtle iridescent treatment.

EXQUISITE MATERIALS FROM THE ROLLS-ROYCE PALETTE
The Rolls-Royce Chess Set incorporates the same materials used to craft the interior of the marque’s motor cars. The playing board is available in an Open Pore veneer treatment combining Obsidian Ayous with Blackwood arranged to create a diamond pattern when viewed from above.

Elements of the Chess Set can be individualised to reflect the client’s personal style and the aesthetics of their home. Clients can select from 13 Rolls-Royce leather colours — Cashmere Grey, Phoenix Red, Charles Blue, Forge Yellow, Iceland Moss, Scivaro Grey, Arctic White, Havana, Tailored Purple, Mandarin, Peony Pink, Black, and Lime Green — allowing them to tailor both the exterior and the chess piece holder to their exact requirements.

The Rolls-Royce Chess Set is now available for commission in Rolls-Royce showrooms and Private Office boutiques.

• Rolls-Royce presents highly Bespoke Phantom ‘Cherry Blossom’ commission
• Inspired by ‘Hanami’, the Japanese tradition of viewing cherry blossoms in the spring
• Client sought to capture the beauty of this natural spectacle to share with their family
• Client’s vision realised through 250,000 stitches and six months of development
• Starlight Headliner recreates cherry blossom with exquisite embroidery
• First-ever application of sculptural 3D embroidery in a Rolls-Royce motor car
• Rolls-Royce Phantom nameplate celebrates its centenary in 2025

“Cherry blossoms are cherished in Japan as a symbol of the ephemeral nature of life and the beauty of transience. With this magnificent commission, we translate an internationally renowned moment into our pinnacle motor car, Phantom, with exquisite embroidery comprising more than 250,000 stitches. For the first time at Rolls-Royce, we have applied three-dimensional embroidery that gives the falling flower petals a tactile, sculptural quality. Developed using ancient Japanese stitching techniques, this motor car represents a deeply personal memory for the client and demonstrates the power of Bespoke in uniting individual meaning, heritage craftsmanship and modern artistry.”
Martina Starke, General Manager, Bespoke Design, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

As Sakura season arrives, blanketing various regions around the world in pink petals, Rolls‑Royce Motor Cars is proud to present Phantom Cherry Blossom. This magnificent one-of-one Phantom Extended commission is inspired by the fleeting beauty of the Sakura blooms and a Japanese client’s formative memories of this stunning natural spectacle.

In Japanese culture, cherry blossoms are a powerful symbol of nature’s rhythms, the arrival of spring and the beauty of impermanence. As Sakura blooms are short-lived, lasting only around a week, they serve as a poignant reminder to cherish the present and embrace life. This symbolism is deeply embedded in Japanese art, literature and philosophy.

Cherry blossoms are celebrated in the centuries-old tradition of ‘Hanami’, or 'flower viewing'. During Hanami, families and friends gather beneath the delicate pink blooms of cherry trees for picnics and celebrations, relishing the transient beauty of the season.

A client in Japan wished to capture their cherished Hanami memories, spanning both childhood and parenthood. They wished to create their highly Bespoke Phantom as a legacy and experience to be passed down through the generations in their family, evoking the same spirit as Hanami itself.


PHANTOM CHERRY BLOSSOM: A BESPOKE VISION BROUGHT TO LIFE

The design for Phantom Cherry Blossom was conceived three years ago, when Rolls-Royce artisans met the commissioning client in Japan to fully understand their vision. This elegant, exquisitely detailed motor car is a stunning example of Bespoke artistry, not only expressing the client’s personal ambition but also the peerless skill and commitment of the Bespoke Collective. Now delivered to its proud custodian in Japan, this one-of-a-kind masterpiece is a true reflection of their individuality and passion.


FLORAL SANCTUARY: EXPANSIVE 250,000-STITCH EMBROIDERY

Inside the motor car, intricate embroidery captures the sensation of sitting beneath a flowering tree during Hanami, just as the client envisioned. A Bespoke Starlight Headliner is adorned with an embroidered cherry bough, sprinkled with delicate white blossoms. The falling petal embroidery appears on the rear door panels and Privacy Suite partition between the front and rear passenger compartments. The design and development of this remarkable expression of contemporary craft spanned more than six months. The headliner required three weeks alone to embroider and exceeds 250,000 stitches.

As light plays across this expansive embroidery, it reveals the intricate detail and ingenuity required to bring it to life. The rich thread texture of the embroidered cherry tree is achieved using an offset tatami stitch, inspired by the ancient Japanese weave technique.

The embroidered branches appear to be intertwining, growing over and under one another. To achieve this effect, a single artisan meticulously aligned 11 individually embroidered frame sections to create a single, seamless graphic rising from the rear of the motor car and flowing forward over the rear passengers.

Finally, the headliner is embroidered with cherry blossom flowers, formed of individual satin-stitch petals designed to capture the light at different angles with a jewel-like quality. The petals can be seen throughout the rear cabin, falling onto the doors and division of the motor car’s Privacy Suite.


ROLLS-ROYCE FIRST: SCULPTURAL 3D EMBROIDERY

In a Rolls-Royce first, the interior is completed with three-dimensional cherry petal embroidery. These tactile, sculptural details grace the division, creating a striking contrast to the classic stitchwork of the falling cherry petals on the doors.

Creating these three-dimensional embroideries required specialists to pioneer a new technique, where the thread is layered upon itself to form a self-supporting structure. Each petal is then shaped and sculpted into its final form by hand before being stitched into place, individually positioned to complement the interior lighting and create soft shadow effects.


FLORAL INSPIRATION: AN ELEGANT BESPOKE STATEMENT

Extending the Hanami theme, a falling petal motif appears on the inner lining of the Bespoke umbrellas, concealed within the motor car’s doors. The exterior also features a subtle reference to the theme; the Crystal over Arctic White coachwork incorporates a distinctive hand-painted coachline that elegantly tapers midway along the rear passenger door and features a delicate cherry blossom motif – an elegant preview of the artistry within.

• Black Badge Spectre is the most powerful Rolls-Royce in history
• Development informed by hundreds of thousands of miles of anonymised Black Badge client driving data
• Early client demand prompted creation of a clandestine fleet of Black Badge Spectres
• New Infinity Mode changes driving character and summons 485 kW (659 PS) of power, delivered effortlessly
• Black Badge aesthetic denotes a more visceral Rolls-Royce driving experience: coloured canvas behind Illuminated Pantheon Grille, new Vapour Violet colour inspired by the neon lights of 1980s and 1990s club culture, Illuminated Black Badge Treadplates, Technical Fibre, Illuminated Fascia
• Spirited Mode, inspired by Rolls-Royce Merlin engine feature, unlocks landmark 1075 Nm of torque
• Black Badge is Rolls-Royce’s formidable alter ego, made for clients who fearlessly reject convention

“Black Badge Spectre is one of the clearest statements of power and purpose we have ever made. It has been created in the image of our boldest and most audacious clients, with meticulous attention to detail. From the beginning of Black Badge Spectre’s journey, the clients who requested this extraordinary motor car dared us to share their fearless spirit. In response, our engineers combined data science, qualitative feedback, and their own deep knowledge of the brand’s alter ego to craft an intense and uncompromising character, and the most powerful Rolls-Royce in history. Reflecting the Black Badge character, our designers and artisans realised their most dramatic and provocative vision with vivid details and exquisite contemporary crafts. The result is Black Badge Spectre: the alter ego of our brand, amplified.”
Chris Brownridge, Chief Executive, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

“The development of Black Badge Spectre began with our deep understanding of engineering the uncompromising nature of the Black Badge character, overlaid with the detailed analysis of client feedback and their driving style. Black Badge owners from around the world permitted our specialists to access their anonymised data, enabling us to create a new driving experience perfectly suited to – and validated by – the way our clients use their motor car. Following internal development, a small tranche of ‘secret’ Black Badge Spectres was built for a group of clients who requested the earliest possible access to this motor car. They emphatically approved of our engineering response, highlighting the powerful connection between Rolls-Royce and its clients.”
Dr Bernhard Dressler, Director of Engineering, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars unveils Black Badge Spectre – the marque’s alter ego, amplified. In addition to debuting bold exterior finishes, vivid interior details, and innovative opportunities for Bespoke, Black Badge Spectre can summon a four-figure torque output (1075 Nm), with a record 485 kW (659 PS) of power. This makes Black Badge Spectre the most powerful Rolls-Royce in history.

In every way, Black Badge Spectre is Rolls-Royce at its most potent and audacious – which perfectly captures the spirit of the bold individuals it has been created for, and who requested it. Black Badge clients are unique within Rolls-Royce – building their success on pushing boundaries and refusing to be defined by traditional codes of luxury. Their approach to luxury is no different. They accept nothing less than the most exquisitely crafted products and uncompromising experiences, but demand a dynamic edge and an unapologetic attitude that reflects their world, their story, and their daring.

The decision to craft such a potent motor car was driven by the extraordinary expectations of the marque’s Black Badge clients. Their rigorous demands required an equally formidable engineering response, built on Rolls-Royce’s profound understanding of what a Black Badge should be: effortlessly intense, immediate, and precise.

To ensure this philosophy accurately reflected how clients use their motor cars in the field, a group of Rolls-Royce owners granted engineers access to their anonymised driving data, allowing drivetrain specialists to quantitatively analyse their driving behaviour across hundreds of thousands of collective miles. This revealed that clients exploited maximum power in short pulses more than over extended periods. This insight provided powerful validation of the marque’s approach, perfectly matching the dramatic, intense character of the most powerful Rolls-Royce ever created – meticulously developed in the image of this bold client group.


HARNESSING FORMIDABLE POWER

For Black Badge Spectre, the concept of formidable bursts of power is taken to an extreme with two powertrain innovations. Although these functions are new for a Rolls-Royce motor car, they have a historical precedent. In aircraft powered by the legendary Rolls-Royce Merlin engine, including the Supermarine Spitfire, pilots could obtain a burst of additional power by pushing a switch on the throttle quadrant. While the robust Merlin engine was easily able to accommodate these temporary pulses, pilots were required to report the use of the function on landing as a precaution to flight engineers – a requirement that does not apply to Black Badge Spectre drivers today.

The first innovation is a unique Infinity Mode, a tribute to the Infinity symbol used to signify a Black Badge Rolls-Royce. Unlocked by pressing the Infinity ∞ button on the steering wheel, the full 485 kW (659 PS) of power is made available, providing a more direct throttle response to the driver. Once this mode is activated, the dials become more vibrant to match the change in the motor car’s character.

Black Badge Spectre also features Spirited Mode, which allows the driver to experience a burst of intense, instantaneous acceleration. When the motor car is stationary, the driver engages this function by fully depressing the brake and throttle at the same time, waiting for a haptic and visual response signalling the car is ready, before fully releasing the brake. This temporarily amplifies the torque output to a landmark 1075 Nm, unleashing a surge of force and propelling the motor car from 0-60mph in just 4.1 seconds.


BLACK BADGE CHASSIS ENGINEERING

Rolls-Royce chassis specialists have introduced a number of changes to inspire clients to wield the unprecedented power of Black Badge Spectre with confidence. The steering weight is increased and the roll stabilisation is adjusted to create more feedback from steering inputs and reduce body-roll during cornering. Enhanced dampers also increase body control, reducing ‘squatting’ under acceleration or deceleration. These revisions perfectly balance an enhanced sense of engagement with the effortless operation and fêted Magic Carpet Ride associated with Rolls-Royce motor cars.


A CLANDESTINE AGREEMENT

Our conversations with clients made it clear that they were eagerly anticipating this motor car’s arrival long before its official debut, compelled by the potential of Spectre reimagined through the bold, unwavering lens of Black Badge. In response to their frequent enquiries, Rolls-Royce granted a select group early access to this motor car on the condition that they would keep their ownership secret until the official unveiling – a discreet introduction that resonated with the rebellious spirit of these individuals. A small, highly exclusive fleet of clandestine Black Badge Spectres was commissioned for these individuals ahead of the motor car’s reveal. Their emphatically positive response to Black Badge Spectre, and the motor car’s daring treatment that had been developed in their image, provided powerful validation of the most potent Rolls-Royce in history.


A DARKENED AESTHETIC

Black Badge Spectre makes its global debut in a new Vapour Violet paint finish, a deep black-violet inspired by the neon ambience of 1980s and 1990s club culture – a celebrated reference among many Black Badge clients. A painted Iced Black bonnet has also been introduced, creating a bold contrast that can be paired with the marque’s palette of 44,000 ‘prêt-à-porter’ colours. Alternatively, clients can develop a Bespoke hue reserved for their exclusive use, in collaboration with Rolls-Royce Bespoke designers.

In addition to the existing shoulder and fender coachline options, clients are now able to commission a ‘waft’ coachline, located on the lower half of the super coupé. This accentuates a crisp design line on the lower third of the motor car, subtly emphasising its commanding form and generous proportions.

Black Badge Spectre also introduces a bold new 23-inch five-spoke forged aluminium wheel design. Available in a part-polished or all-black finish, the complex geometry subtly indicates the hidden technical complexity and potency of this motor car. Highlighting the increasingly broad geography of Black Badge clients, winter tyres are available for the new wheelset from launch.

As with all Black Badge models before it, Black Badge Spectre’s mirror-polished brightwork is presented in a signature dark finish, signalling its subversive, noire character. This includes the marque’s hallmark Pantheon Grille surround, Spirit of Ecstasy, and the double ‘R’ Badge of Honour, as well as the motor car’s door handles, expansive side window surround and bumper accents.


VIVID ILLUMINATIONS

Furthering its commitment to advanced, contemporary crafts, Rolls-Royce has developed a unique feature that enhances and intensifies Black Badge Spectre’s Illuminated Grille. A new Illuminated Grille backplate has been introduced for the motor car, which is offered in Tailored Purple, Charles Blue, Chartreuse, Forge Yellow and Turchese, allowing clients to extend their chosen colour onto this new canvas, or create a unique accent to complement a coachline or the interior. This vibrantly coloured illumination can extend into the interior with newly developed Illuminated Black Badge Treadplates, which are available in ten complementary colours.


A VIBRANT INNER SANCTUARY

From the moment you enter Black Badge Spectre, its rebellious character is immediately apparent through the bold interior treatment.

The unique pattern on the Illuminated Fascia, which is an abstract expression of the Spirit of Ecstasy, now incorporates the Infinity symbol used across the wider Black Badge family. A statement of infinite power, the emblem once marked historical water-speed records and is a hallmark trusted by adrenaline pioneers. The fascia comprises over 5,500 ‘stars’ of varying proportions and intensity, set in a Piano Black ‘sky’.

Framing this advanced craft feature is a richly complex Technical Fibre surface finish. This diamond-shaped weave uses carbon and fine metal thread on top of a black Bolivar wood base. The thread is laid by hand in a diamond pattern between layers of carbon fibre, creating a three-dimensional effect. Once cured, each interior piece is sandblasted, sealed with six layers of lacquer, and hand-polished to a flawless finish, adding striking depth and clarity.

The Black Badge Infinity symbol is further incorporated in the motor car, stitched into the leather ‘Waterfall’ section, which separates the rear seats.

Black Badge Spectre’s instrument dials can be curated with a choice of five colour themes: Vivid Grellow, Neon Nights, Cyan Fire, Ultraviolet and Synth Wave, allowing clients to harmonise the physical and digital surfaces within their motor car via the SPIRIT operating system. This digital architecture of luxury also grants access to remote charging and location information, and the marque’s exclusive digital members club, Whispers.


DRAMATIC BY DESIGN

Black Badge Spectre is a motor car born of fearless expression and focus, meticulously crafted in the image of the daring individuals it was made to serve. Its landmark power output, chassis technologies, and expansive potential for Bespoke open a vivid new chapter in the highly successful stories of Black Badge – the formidable alter ego of Rolls-Royce.

- ENDS -


INSIGHTS: THE SPECTRE CLIENT AND THEIR MOTOR CAR

Now in its second year of production, Rolls-Royce Spectre has established itself within the marque’s pantheon of super-luxury motor cars. With deliveries well underway, Rolls-Royce specialists have mapped key trends, revealing how clients use their Spectre and its role within their lives.

Typically, Spectre is a client’s second Rolls-Royce and forms part of a seven-car garage, allowing them to select a motor car to suit every occasion. Yet, despite its exclusivity, Spectre is being driven extensively highlighting the confidence and enthusiasm of its owners. One client in Dubai has already completed more than 8,000 miles in their Spectre in a single year. Another, a renowned British entrepreneur, regularly drives their motor car on a 300-mile round trip between their business headquarters in Suffolk and the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood to review various commissions. Perhaps the most extensively driven Spectre belongs to a client in Slovakia, who commutes nearly 250 miles to Prague and has covered more than 6,000 miles in the first six months of ownership. They take particular pleasure in the electric motor car experience – having swapped coffee stops at traditional fuel stations for an elevated pause at a renowned café with a fast charger.

On average, Spectre owners drive approximately 4,000 miles per year – a figure comparable to previous two-door Rolls-Royces, including Wraith, Dawn, and Spectre’s spiritual forebear, Phantom Coupé. This means clients technically only need to fully charge their motor car up to 20 times per year. The vast majority charge at home, reflecting the effortless nature of Spectre ownership. Spectre is also predominantly a driver’s car: nearly all journeys are taken by the owner alone, with only a quarter including a front passenger, reflecting the enjoyment of driving this uniquely potent and agile motor car for its own sake.

Beyond its day-to-day usage, Spectre’s dynamic capability is also shaping how clients interact with their motor cars. One client, based in Gstaad, Switzerland, was so compelled by Spectre’s agility on the mountain passes of the region that they ordered a second motor car for use on the Corniche roads of the French Riviera, close to another of their properties in Monaco. Notably, this route was among those used by the marque’s engineers during Spectre’s Lifestyle Analysis testing phase, enabling critical refinements to the suspension and drivetrain to ensure the motor car met client expectations in the very environments where they would drive it.

Demand for Spectre has exceeded expectations. In 2024, it was the second most-requested Rolls-Royce globally and the best-selling model in Europe. It also contained the second highest level of Bespoke content per motor car in the marque’s portfolio, reflecting its significance within Rolls-Royce’s contemporary offering. With Black Badge Spectre now making its debut, this extraordinary momentum is set to continue.

• Rolls-Royce presents Spectre Soulmate, a unique commission honouring a couple’s life journey
• Air vents engraved with significant dates marking key moments in couple’s life story
• Bespoke Starlight Headliner replicates the night sky as it was on the day their journey began
• Illuminated treadplates bear the couple’s names, celebrating their shared legacy
• Finished in a striking two-tone exterior, selected by their daughter

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars unveils Spectre Soulmate, a deeply personal Bespoke motor car that embodies the love, achievements, and shared journey of its commissioning couple.

Spectre Soulmate was designed to reflect the symbolism woven into the couple’s life and shared story. These details are referenced with an elegant blend of expressive statements and subtle references, discernible only to the commissioning couple.

The clients’ story is remarkable: they were born in the same hospital just three days apart – a serendipitous beginning to a lifelong bond. The special date, marking the beginning of their life journey together, is engraved on the air vent on the driver’s side. The passenger-side air vent is inscribed with the commission date and coordinates of the Home of Rolls‑Royce at Goodwood, England.

A Bespoke Starlight Headliner depicts the night sky as it appeared over Kuala Lumpur on the day their life story began, with running-stitch embroidery highlighting each constellation. Further celebrating their partnership, illuminated treadplates bear the couple’s names — his on the driver’s side, hers on the passenger’s.

The exterior of Spectre Soulmate is presented in a two-tone Dark Emerald finish, with an upper section in Black, accented by a single hand-painted Seashell coachline — a colour combination selected by the couple’s daughter, adding another layer of personal significance.

For the commissioning client, this commission marks the realisation of an ambition held for 45 years. Their admiration for Rolls-Royce began at the age of 10, when they exchanged letters with the marque’s Chief Executive — an early connection that ultimately led them to become a client of the brand.

Spectre Soulmate is a testament to the timeless nature of true partnership and the power of Bespoke to capture life’s most meaningful moments.

• Rolls-Royce unveils one-of-one Phantom Dragon, curated by the Private Office Shanghai
• Commission includes modern yet sensitive interpretations of Chinese dragon motifs
• Dragon-inspired marquetry in the Gallery comprises 297 individual pieces
• Unique Starlight Headliner abstractly captures two dragons engaging with a pearl
• Underscores the value of Rolls-Royce’s presence in East Asia and understanding of crucial market
• Marks the beginning of celebrations in the centenary year of Phantom
  
  

" One of the Rolls-Royce brand’s signature strengths is creating products that sensitively and respectfully integrate iconography from specific cultures, interpreted through our own innovative crafts and design language. Like every Bespoke motor car, this magnificent Phantom Extended is a testament to the skills and creativity of our Bespoke designers, engineers, and craftspeople. This commission features a Bespoke Gallery with a floating effect that makes the dragon appear as if it is formed from clouds of smoke—a design achieved through the intricate art of marquetry, one of the most demanding techniques applied in a motor car interior.

Phantom Dragon highlights the importance of our presence in China through the Private Office in Shanghai. Having a dedicated Rolls-Royce team in this region gives us a unique understanding of, and connection to, one of the world’s most significant luxury markets. Blending local Chinese culture with international aesthetics allows us to create truly unique and contemporary products with real depth and substance, like this extraordinary motor car.”
Martina Starke, Head of Bespoke Design, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars unveils the one-of-one Phantom Extended created as a celebration of the Year of the Dragon. Commissioned by a discerning client from China, Phantom Dragon offers a contemporary rendition of the ancient Chinese legend of two dragons with a pearl – a motif with complex symbolism and great cultural significance, celebrated in art, architecture, and literature throughout East Asia. The theme stands as an embodiment of the success and personal philosophy of the commissioning client. This magnificent example of the marque’s pinnacle product provides a fitting conclusion to the lunar Year of the Dragon, as well as the beginning of the Phantom nameplate’s centenary in 2025.

At the core of this Bespoke commission is Rolls-Royce’s sensitive and deeply informed interpretation of traditional Chinese iconography, skilfully blended with the marque’s own distinctive creative handwriting. This melding of Chinese culture with international aesthetics is a major driver of the country’s luxury sector, particularly among younger consumers who are increasingly drawn to the Rolls-Royce brand.

Curated by Rolls-Royce creatives based in China, Phantom Dragon is a tribute to this enduring cultural symbol that also captures the commissioning client’s personal sensibilities and tastes. This commission also signals the wider value of the marque’s Private Office in Shanghai, which not only brings Goodwood to China but also brings Chinese culture and preferences to Goodwood.

"Our goal for this project was to express China’s most revered symbols and the client’s personal iconography impactfully yet respectfully, while also subtly incorporating Rolls-Royce’s design handwriting. In this motor car, our artisans have accomplished this using different mediums, capturing the rich legacy of the region, the client, and the Rolls-Royce brand.”
Shuai Feng, Lead Bespoke Designer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Private Office Shanghai


DANCE OF THE DRAGONS

In Phantom Dragon, Chinese iconography is creatively and respectfully integrated into core elements of the motor car’s interior.  The design theme is inspired by an ancient legend, dating back over 3,000 years, that tells of two dragons, protectors of the human realm, who were gifted a divine pearl by the gods for their good deeds. Rather than greedily claiming the treasure for themselves, the dragons deferred to one another – a scene that came to symbolise kindness and generosity of spirit. Moved by the dragons’ loyalty, the gods then bestowed upon them a second pearl, which the creatures absorbed before ascending as deities themselves.

While the dragons symbolise power and good fortune, the pearl is a symbol of purity and perfection. As these two elements are captured together, the interplay of the dragons signifies the harmonious balance of Yin and Yang – two complementary forces united in the pursuit of enlightenment and a fulfilling life.


TRADITIONAL MOTIFS

The Gallery, which runs the full width of the fascia, houses a Bespoke marquetry, made of 297 individual pieces and four different wood species. An artisan at the Home of Rolls-Royce spent three months creating this striking feature, which involves intricately cutting out veneer shapes, then assembling and fixing them by hand. The artwork represents the two dragons, enclosed within swirling clouds, guarding the pearl embodied by the Bespoke clock itself. The base layer is crafted from Smoked Eucalyptus; the outline of the shapes, only 0.5 mm wide, is rendered in Sycamore veneer and filled with Ash burr, carefully chosen for its natural grain that mimics the texture of the clouds. Black Bolivar veneer ‘shadows’ give the piece a sense of depth, making the dragons appear to be floating above the surface.

Exceptional woodcraft is expressed across the commission, including high gloss Smoked Eucalyptus elements, and Canadel door panels fashioned from natural open pore Smoked Eucalyptus. This is complemented by Ardent Red and black leathers on the front and rear reclining Serenity seats respectively, and completed with the client’s family name in ancient Chinese calligraphy, meticulously embroidered onto the headrests in contrasting cotton thread.

The theme continues with the stunning Bespoke Starlight Headliner depicting an abstract representation of two dragons, rendered in red and white. This majestic celestial composition comprises 768 red and 576 white fibre-optic lights, each individually hand-fitted and surrounded by 24 shooting ‘stars’.

Creating a bold contrast to the drama of the interior suite, the one-of-one Phantom Dragon is finished in Iced Diamond Black which creates a signature shimmering satin appearance.

• Rolls-Royce Motor Cars celebrates the 100th anniversary of Phantom in 2025
• The marque’s pinnacle product and its most famous nameplate, now in its eighth generation
• An unparalleled motoring experience, uncompromised by other considerations
• The ultimate blank canvas for exquisite Bespoke commissions

“One hundred years ago, Rolls-Royce launched the first motor car to bear what would become the most evocative and enduring nameplate in its history: Phantom. Through eight generations, Phantom’s fundamental role as the pinnacle Rolls-Royce motor car has always been the same: to be the most magnificent, desirable and above all, effortless motor car in the world – the very best of the best. In many respects, the history of Phantom is the history of Rolls-Royce: always moving with the times and its clients’ needs and requirements, transcending fleeting trends and providing the setting for the most remarkable executions of craft and artistry, all while resolutely refusing to compromise its core engineering and design principles. We’re proud to continue this tradition of excellence, elegance and serenity into the next 100 years.”
Chris Brownridge, Chief Executive, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

In 2025, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars marks the centenary of the launch of the first Phantom. Throughout its long history, the Phantom nameplate has been reserved for the pinnacle model in the marque’s portfolio – the very apex of excellence.

Each iteration, up to and including the eighth generation currently being handcrafted at the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood, has seen advances in design, engineering, materials and technology. Today, Phantom is the ultimate blank canvas for Bespoke commissions, where clients can bring their most elaborate, imaginative and personal visions to life. Inspiration for Bespoke commissions is everywhere, and Phantom’s scale, elegance, presence and adaptability enable it to be whatever its owner wishes it to be. Recent inspirations include haute couture (Phantom Syntopia), Chinese culture (Phantom Extended ‘Year of the Dragon’) and the marque’s own Spirit of Ecstasy Mascot (Phantom Scintilla).

Phantom has always had the same fundamental aim: to provide the most magnificent, desirable and, above all, effortless motor car in the world – the very best of the best. At the start of Phantom’s anniversary year, Rolls-Royce reveals the fascinating story behind its pinnacle product, and how it earned – and maintained – that reputation through a century of constant, often profound change.


A NEW BEGINNING

Rolls-Royce first earned the accolade of ‘the best car in the world’ with the 40/50 H.P., universally known as the Silver Ghost, launched in 1906. The key to its legendary reputation was Henry Royce’s principle of constant improvement to its underlying engineering, which he conducted on an almost chassis-by-chassis basis.

By 1921, Royce realised the Silver Ghost’s design was reaching the point where no further developments would be possible without compromising either smoothness or reliability – both by now essential elements of the Rolls-Royce character and legend. He therefore began work on its replacement.

“Rolls-Royce Ltd beg to announce that, after prolonged tests, they can now demonstrate and accept orders for a new 40/50 H.P. chassis. The 40/50 H.P. chassis hitherto manufactured by them will be sold as before… The original chassis of this type was the famous Silver Ghost, and to prevent confusion such chassis will be known as the Silver Ghost model, whereas the new chassis will be known as the New Phantom.”
Original Advertisement from The Times Newspaper, Saturday 2 May 1925

Despite being couched in terms that today seem rather quaint and stilted, this advertisement made history. It was the first public acceptance by Rolls-Royce that the outgoing model would be called Silver Ghost officially, rather than as a byname. More significantly, it was the first recorded use of the Phantom name.


THE GAME OF THE NAME

Although there is no specific documentary evidence, it seems safe to assume that the Phantom name was coined by Rolls-Royce’s energetic and ever-inventive Commercial Managing Director, Claude Johnson. It was he who recognised that naming the company’s products could act as a sales device, and it was his fertile imagination that produced the inspired sobriquet ‘Silver Ghost’ for the otherwise prosaically titled 40/50 H.P. in 1907. That same year, he christened another 40/50 H.P. ‘Green Phantom’, before bestowing the rather more evocative ‘Silver Phantom’ on two examples in 1909.

Johnson clearly understood the power of names like Phantom, Wraith and Ghost to convey the products’ supernatural quietness and ethereal grace; all have graced Rolls-Royce motor cars in the modern era for precisely the same reason. How different history would have been had one of his more fanciful efforts – The Dreadnought, The Cookie, Yellow Bird, The Elusive Pimpernel – been adopted instead.


THE BASIS FOR GREATNESS

The Times advertisement also assured readers the New Phantom would retain the “sweet running qualities always associated with Rolls-Royce products”. At this time, Rolls-Royce supplied only rolling chassis, with the form, styling and appointment of the motor car itself in the hands of independent coachbuilders, who created bespoke bodywork to the owner’s specification. Rolls-Royce offered the New Phantom in long-wheelbase form, suitable for formal saloon and limousine designs, and with a shorter wheelbase ideal for owner-driver motor cars with closed, open and ‘sportier’ coachwork.

Then as now, Phantom’s generous proportions enabled owners to specify almost any detail or indulgence they wished. Some clients asked for concealable writing desks or swivelling occasional seats in their long-wheelbase limousines, while owner-drivers are known to have requested safes, dedicated spaces to stow golf clubs and even, in one famous instance, a secret compartment in which to carry diamonds.

On 8 May 1925, The Autocar magazine published its review of the new model. “Few are the firms engaged in the manufacture of motor cars who enjoy quite such a reputation as Rolls-Royce Ltd,” it enthused. “Almost the conjoined names have become the household word for luxury, and every novelist worthy of the name imparts a distinguished air to any character by crediting him or her with the possession of one of the firm’s cars.” With Phantom, Rolls-Royce had clearly succeeded in not only maintaining, but furthering the qualities established and made famous by the Silver Ghost.


ONWARDS AND UPWARDS

Though undoubtedly gratifying, such encomiums did not distract Henry Royce. The design of the original New Phantom had closely followed that of its predecessor, Silver Ghost – so closely, in fact, that some modern enthusiasts refer to it as a ‘Super Ghost’. Over the next four years, Royce continued to refine his design until, in 1929, The Times carried a fresh advertisement announcing the arrival of Phantom II. The advertisement listed all the engineering improvements and upgraded components that justified its designation as an entirely new model.


VIVE LA DIFFÉRENCE

Somewhat ironically, the only person who remained unimpressed was Royce himself, who insisted that even the short-wheelbase Phantom II was irritatingly oversized for his personal use. He therefore instructed his design team to develop a more compact, sporting Phantom II variant which he could enjoy driving across France to his winter home at Le Canadel on the Côte d’Azur.

The designers dutifully produced a close-coupled car, 26EX – ‘EX’ standing for ‘Experimental’ – on an adapted short Phantom II chassis. Records show that neither the Rolls-Royce sales department nor the factory were keen on the concept; indeed, had it not been intended as Royce’s personal transport, it might not have been built at all.

As it transpired, a highly successful continental sales tour demonstrated there was, in fact, great demand for a car capable of high-speed touring over long distances on the smooth, straight roads of Europe. Rolls-Royce successfully met this demand with the now highly prized Phantom II Continental – perhaps the only pre-Goodwood Phantom variant in which weight, wind resistance and other performance-related factors were afforded equal consideration with out-and-out passenger comfort.


A NEW POWER RISING

By the time of Royce’s death in 1933, the company was already only too aware that luxury car customers were seeking models that offered more power without sacrificing comfort or excellence. American competitors including Cadillac, Lincoln and Packard were responding with straight-8, V12 and even V16-cylinder engines, which were rapidly eclipsing the large-horsepower, in-line six-cylinder units that had served Rolls-Royce so well for so long.

Given this commercial pressure and the company’s proven experience in designing and building aero-engines, it was inevitable that the next Phantom would have a V12 engine. In accordance with tradition, Phantom III’s arrival in 1936 was announced in The Times, which informed the public that “many outstanding features distinguish this car from its famous predecessor the Phantom II”.

Chief among these was the new engine, with 12 cylinders “giving greater engine smoothness, flexibility, silence and acceleration” – all key requirements for Rolls-Royce’s fabled effortless progress. The new V12 engine was also more compact than the old straight-6, allowing a shorter bonnet and larger passenger compartment. Most importantly, however, it delivered the increased power customers demanded – 165 H.P. against the 120 H.P. of Phantom II, rising to 180 H.P. in later cars.

Comfort was further improved with independent front wheel suspension. “This is particularly noticeable in the back seats under all road conditions and is further enhanced by remarkable road holding qualities and stability on corners even at high speeds”, the advertisement noted, while Phantom III’s new chassis frame allowed for wider, more comfortable back seats.

And it wasn’t just passengers who benefited. As the advertisement pointed out, Phantom III made life more relaxing for owner-drivers and chauffeurs, too, explaining: “A modification in the position of the change-speed [gear lever] and brake levers gives easy entrance to the driver’s seat from the offside… the steering is lighter in operation, has a larger steering lock and the car is more easily manoeuvred by reason of the shorter wheelbase.”

Phantom III was suited to all manner of coachwork styles, and both owner-driver and chauffeured use. And while it was never able to beat its American rivals on price, such was Rolls-Royce’s reputation that it remained the only choice for those who wanted to experience the greatest possible comfort and be seen to be driving the very best.


A CHANGING WORLD

The Phantom name had graced the very best of the best cars in the world for some 14 years when war broke out in 1939. Rolls-Royce ceased all motor car production, and when peace returned in 1945, the company found itself in an entirely different world – but one it had anticipated and prepared for.

Rolls-Royce had correctly foreseen that under post-war austerity, it would need to make its motor cars less complex, easier to service, much less expensive to produce and able to use common parts. At the same time, it was adamant that there would be no reduction in quality.

Its solution was the Rationalised Range, which debuted in 1946 with Silver Wraith. Its new straight-6-cylinder engine was a backward step from the V12 engine of Phantom III, but relevant in straitened times. There seemed to be no place in the modern world for Phantom.


A ROYAL INTERVENTION

The Phantom story might well have ended there, but for two serendipitous events.

As part of the ongoing development process for the Rationalised Range, engineers produced four experimental EX cars on a 229.5-inch chassis with a straight-8 engine. One of these, fitted with a Park Ward & Co. limousine body, was officially named Silver Phantom (and unofficially known as Big Bertha). A smaller, lighter saloon version, known as the Scalded Cat, followed.

At the same time, the Royal Household was seeking to replace its ageing fleet of Daimlers – the marque it had favoured since the motor car was invented – but was unhappy with the range then on offer.

In 1950, Rolls-Royce was asked to supply a formal limousine for Royal duties. The company had long been keen to usurp Daimler in the Royal Mews, and gladly produced a ‘one-off’ straight-8 long-chassis limousine with coachwork by H. J. Mulliner. During manufacture, the car was given the codename Maharajah, and remains in active service at the Royal Mews under that name to this day.

When requests for similar motor cars followed from other Royalty and Heads of State, Rolls-Royce was happy to oblige. The company decided it would be fitting that for such prestigious cars to resurrect the Phantom name. Over the next seven years, the marque produced just 18 examples of Phantom IV, including a second motor car for the Royal Mews, a landaulette named Jubilee, delivered in 1954.


THE LAST HURRAH

The pinnacle Rolls-Royce experience became somewhat more widely available once again in 1959 with the launch of Phantom V – a splendid limousine fitted with coachwork by both the marque’s in-house coachbuilder, Park Ward & Co., and other independent companies, including James Young Ltd and H. J. Mulliner & Co. (Rolls-Royce would go on to acquire the latter, merging it with their own coachbuilder to form Mulliner Park Ward). Two motor cars, known as Canberra I and Canberra II, were built for Royal service, featuring transparent Perspex cupolas over the rear compartments and concealed lighting to better view the occupants on formal occasions.

After 13 years and 832 examples, Phantom V had received enough technical upgrades to be designated as Phantom VI. As with all its forebears, this new iteration prioritised comfort, with separate air conditioning systems for the front and rear compartments. Most of the 374 examples were limousines with coachwork by in-house Mulliner Park Ward Ltd., or James Young Ltd.: the last Phantom VI, a landaulette, was delivered to the Sultan of Brunei in 1993.

Phantom VI was the final body-on-chassis model Rolls-Royce ever produced, and its discontinuation effectively ended the tradition of coachbuilding until it was revived at Goodwood in 2017 with ‘Sweptail’.


PHANTOM REBORN

When the marque was relaunched at the new Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood, a ‘Phantom-type’ model quickly emerged as the natural and obvious choice for its inaugural motor car. The design concept, for which legendary Rolls-Royce designer John Blatchley was consulted and of which he approved, included signature elements inherited from previous generations. These included a long wheelbase with the front wheels well to the fore and a minimal front overhang of the bodywork, a long bonnet comprised of a massive expanse of metal along the side, and a rising sweep of the door edge towards the front windscreen pillars.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars’ first Design Director of the Goodwood era, Ian Cameron, formed a specific team to create the interior design for the much-anticipated new model. Their remit was to express the ambience of past Phantoms and the traditional high-quality materials of coachbuilding – leather, wood, deep-pile carpeting – in a totally up-to-date way.

At one minute past midnight, on 1 January 2003, the first Phantom VII was handed over to its new owner. Unlike every Phantom that had gone before, it was built entirely in-house by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, with spaceframe bodywork to a single design rather than coachbuilt. In one important sense, however, it retained a link with its heritage, in that every motor car was hand-built by a team of skilled craftspeople. Furthermore, the marque’s Bespoke programme meant Phantom was effectively a blank canvas on which patrons could realise their own visions and desires.


THE EVOLUTION CONTINUES

Over its 13-year lifespan, Phantom VII cemented Rolls-Royce as the world’s pre-eminent super luxury motor manufacturer, and its own place as the marque’s pinnacle product. But just like their predecessors, Rolls-Royce’s designers and engineers understood that perfection is a moving target: that Phantom was never ‘finished’.

In 2017, Rolls-Royce presented Phantom VIII. This was the first Rolls-Royce to be built on the Architecture of Luxury, an advance on the all-aluminium spaceframe used on Phantom VII, and designed to underpin every future motor car produced at Goodwood.

Phantom VIII was specifically designed to be the ultimate canvas for Bespoke commissions. With this in mind, it is the only Rolls-Royce model to feature the Gallery – an uninterrupted swathe of glass that runs the full width of the fascia, behind which the client can display a commissioned work of art or design.

This singular focus has made Phantom the subject of some of the most technically ambitious and challenging Bespoke projects ever undertaken by the marque’s designers, engineers and specialist craftspeople. Commissions such as Phantom Syntopia, Phantom Oribe, Phantom Koa and Phantom ‘Inspired by Cinque Terre’ all incorporate features, materials and engineering innovations never seen before in a Rolls-Royce or any other motor car. Each is a unique, one-of-one creation that will never be repeated, echoing the very first Phantoms that were individually hand-built for their commissioning owners.


THE ESSENCE OF PHANTOM

For 100 years, the Phantom name has occupied a unique position in the Rolls-Royce product family and story. While the standards of quality, engineering and design are consistent across all Rolls-Royce motor cars, Phantom has always been the grandest, most impressive and, above all, most effortless motor car being built in series production by the marque at any given moment.

Through all its eight generations, Phantom has never been compromised by existing engineering orthodoxy, fleeting trends or development costs. From Henry Royce’s original New Phantom to today’s Phantom VIII, the essential purpose behind Phantom has always remained the same: to build the motor car that offers owner-drivers and passengers alike the most comfortable, satisfying experience available in the world at that moment in time – the unassailable pinnacle of luxury and motoring excellence.

Imagery and B-Roll from the Ghost Series II and Black Badge Ghost Series II Global Media Drive, hosted in Provence in November 2024.

Please see below for further background information:

Ghost Series II Launch Release

Black Badge Ghost Series II Launch Release

Imagery and B-Roll from the Cullinan Series II and Black Badge Cullinan Series II Global Media Drive, hosted in Ibiza in June 2024.

Please see below for further background information:

Cullinan Series II Launch Release

Black Badge Cullinan Series II Launch Release

• Rolls-Royce Motor Cars presents Rolls-Royce Cameo
• Home interior art piece represents the essence of Rolls-Royce design in miniature form
• Expertly crafted with the wood and polished aluminium materials used in full-scale Rolls-Royce motor cars
• Complete with self-levelling Rolls-Royce centre caps and its very own driver

“Envisioned as a celebration of Rolls-Royce design in miniature, creating Cameo was a wonderful creative challenge. The purity and abstract nature of the form empowered us to distil the fundamental principles of Rolls‑Royce styling into a playful sculptural piece. Cameo is crafted to captivate and delight, enabling our clients to enjoy the marque’s peerless craftsmanship and artistry in their own homes.”
Yohan Benchetrit, Bespoke Design, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars presents Cameo, an exquisite miniature sculpture inspired by the marque’s heritage, capturing the essence of Rolls-Royce motor cars in their most elegant form.

The silhouette of this unique collector’s item is an homage to the open-top motor cars built by Rolls-Royce in its earliest years, while the materials and construction of the model parallel the way motor cars are handcrafted at the Home of Rolls Royce at Goodwood today.

The model comprises a series of individual, highly engineered pieces carefully and meticulously designed for self-assembly. Made from a number of the same materials as the marque’s full-sized motor cars, the owner can enjoy the tactile experience of assembling their very own Rolls-Royce motor car.

The body is constructed by fitting together two sections – one made from solid oak, and the other from polished aluminium – which, together, recreate the iconic Rolls-Royce two-tone finish. The oak body magnetically attaches to the aluminium chassis, emulating a seminal stage in the Home of Rolls-Royce assembly journey known as the ‘marriage’, when the body is mounted to the drivetrain. This significant moment in the creation of a Rolls-Royce motor car is one that many clients choose to view in person, therefore it was only fitting this production milestone be referenced in Cameo.

Next, the meticulously engineered interior is installed: the part is 3D-printed and painted in Rolls-Royce's signature Grace White hue. Other authentic details include the self-levelling wheel centre caps, which allow the ‘RR’ monogram to remain upright as the wheels turn. Finally, the Cameo driver takes their rightful place in the cockpit, ready to embark on a journey in luxury and style.

This extraordinary expression of Rolls-Royce in miniature form is now available in Rolls-Royce showrooms and Private Office boutiques.

• Rolls-Royce presents Ghost Series II: the most technologically advanced and driver-focused V12 Rolls-Royce yet
• New exterior styling is an impactful evolution of Ghost’s foundational design
• Built with driving at its heart: includes uncompromising twin-turbocharged engine
• Incorporates Planar Suspension, Flagbearer, and Satellite Aided Transmission systems that underpin the driver-oriented chassis
• Integrates advanced digital interface, SPIRIT, and private members app, Whispers
• Enhanced audio system, internet connectivity, and video streaming functions
• Ghost Extended Series II represents an even greater canvas for creativity
• Black Badge Ghost Series II available to commission from launch
  
  

“Ghost is renowned as a uniquely expressive, agile, and self-assured representation of the Rolls-Royce brand. At our clients’ request, this new Series II iteration remains faithful to these principles, incorporating a potent and uncompromising engine and the essential potential for Bespoke. Meaningful exterior and material updates make an even more expressive and impactful statement. This new generation of Ghost also has extraordinary handling capabilities based on a number of advanced chassis innovations. This secures Ghost Series II’s status as the most technologically advanced and driver-focused V12 Rolls-Royce ever created — a side of Ghost’s character that our clients increasingly and enthusiastically embrace."
Chris Brownridge, Chief Executive, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

“Ghost Series II represents the fundamental tenets of Rolls-Royce — serenity, effortlessness and elegance — distilled into an expressive, monolithic form. Our clients asked for a design that would provide a stage for their Bespoke colour and material choices, whether quiet and restrained or bold and expressive. In line with their requirements, Ghost Series II is characterised by meaningful refinements that further enhance the motor car’s standing as a potent canvas for creativity."
Juliane Blasi, Head of Exterior Design, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars presents Ghost Series II, a powerful, driver-orientated and elegant rendition of the most popular Rolls-Royce nameplate in history. In line with client requests, the subtle evolution of Ghost’s monolithic and self-assured external appearance serves as a potent stage for Bespoke commissions. To extend their choices, clients now have access to interior finishes and features never previously available on Ghost, as well as advanced software technologies that see Bespoke enter the digital world.


BACKGROUND

Ghost is one of the most important Rolls-Royce motor cars of the Goodwood era. The first generation was introduced in 2009 to meet the needs of what was then a completely new category of luxury consumer. These clients, who were predominantly younger than those the marque had spoken to with its initial motor car, Phantom, requested a model that was more approachable and versatile. They also sought a more distilled expression of the Rolls-Royce brand – and crucially, one that would allow them to make their own statements through Bespoke that they would relish driving themselves.

The second-generation Ghost, launched in 2020, advanced these principles significantly. An object lesson in design purity, its surface simplicity hid underlying design, engineering, and craftsmanship of extraordinary complexity – and power. Indeed, it was the most technologically advanced V12 Rolls-Royce ever created when it was introduced. This was based on a number of impulses: to give clients a pure, yet self-assured canvas for Bespoke commissions, underpinned by a uniquely agile, driver-orientated chassis.

Ghost clients immediately recognised the impact that they could make with Bespoke. This heralded an era of experimentation and expression – from the ‘quiet luxury’ codes later popularised by the fashion industry, to fearless and bright celebrations of colour. Consequently, Ghost clients invest, on average, 10% of the purchase price of their motor car in Bespoke.

Alongside its aesthetic treatment, the 2020 Ghost also took the crown as the most technologically advanced Rolls-Royce ever created. In particular, its Planar Suspension System, which took engineers 10 collective years to perfect, produced a sensation of ‘flight on land’ never previously achieved in a motor car. With a 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine, plus all-wheel steering and four-wheel drive, Ghost quickly became recognised as the most dynamic, driver-focused model in the Rolls-Royce family and the perfect touring machine. Indeed, clients frequently describe Ghost not as a saloon, but a superlative four-door grand tourer.

When the time came to update Ghost, Rolls-Royce spoke to its clients about their requirements. For them, Ghost’s potential as a platform for personal, as well as engineering dynamism, was central to its appeal. Respecting their wishes, Rolls-Royce made subtle but meaningful design enhancements when forming Ghost Series II, and incorporated the remarkable, uncompromising powertrain that wrote this motor car into Rolls-Royce legend.


GHOST SERIES II: EXTERIOR

Ghost Series II is more closely aligned to Rolls-Royce’s sheer, monolithic design approach than ever. The front end has been distilled into a clean and contemporary showcase for the illuminated Rolls-Royce Pantheon grille – an element of Rolls-Royce’s design iconography that continues to be celebrated by clients worldwide. Ghost Series II’s modern presence is captured in its updated headlight and daytime running light graphics, which flow from the lower section of the grille to the edge of the front wings, dropping down to emphasise the motor car’s generous 2148mm width. The lower portion of the front end provides a foundation for the grille, augmented by new chrome embellishments that form a ‘floating’ visual plinth for the Spirit of Ecstasy mascot.

In rear view, Ghost Series II benefits from a new tail lamp configuration, harmonising the side and rear surfaces. This treatment was inspired by Spectre, each featuring two expressive, vertical light panels flanked by a curved chrome element, discreetly inscribed with the double ‘R’ monogram.

Clients can choose from two new 22-inch, 9-spoke wheel designs, one fully- and one part-polished. Both treatments are an elegant and modern complement to Ghost Series II’s contemporary yet timeless design, and subtly reflect its underlying potency.


GHOST SERIES II: INTERIOR

The interior of Ghost Series II celebrates craftsmanship, both analogue and digital. Housed in the new pillar-to-pillar glass panel, the Central Information Display incorporates the marque’s advanced SPIRIT operating system. This enables clients to extend their Bespoke commission from hardware to software as the colour of the digital instrument dials can now be tailored to complement the motor car’s interior palette or exterior finish, aligning with Ghost clients’ fascination with new and contemporary ways to make Bespoke statements. SPIRIT also integrates Whispers, the Rolls-Royce private members application, allowing owners to send destinations directly to their motor car, view its location and manage vehicle locking remotely, highlighting that clients increasingly view their Rolls-Royce as central to a wider lifestyle experience.

Entertainment and connectivity functions have been significantly upgraded for Ghost Series II. Rear seat passengers can now connect up to two streaming devices to the rear screens, stream independently on each screen, and select their preferred entertainment from a newly developed interface, which also manages seating functions such as massaging, heating and cooling. Bluetooth® headphones of any type can be paired with the rear seat infotainment system, and all occupants benefit from an upgraded Wi-Fi® hotspot and USB-C® charging ports hidden discreetly in the centre console.

GHOST SERIES II: AN UNRIVALED SOUNDSTAGE

The peerless refinement of Rolls-Royce motor cars creates the ultimate auditorium for sound reproduction within the Ghost cabin. The marque’s decorated 18-speaker audio system further evolves for Ghost Series II – it now incorporates an upgraded 1400-watt amplifier. This powers the marque’s peerless speaker design, wherein cavities within the motor car’s aluminium sill sections are used as resonance chambers for low-frequency speakers, essentially transforming the lower section of the motor car into a generous floor-standing speaker placed on its side.

For Bespoke Audio, this is further enhanced by two ‘speakerless’ exciters that, instead of using a cone, are bonded directly to the inside of the Headliner, transforming it into an expansive overhead sound stage. When a Starlight Headliner is selected in combination with the Bespoke Audio System, the fibreoptic cables used to create the celestial effect are compressed with a special acoustic membrane. This prevents the cabling from reverberating, and also channels sound down into the cabin. Two active microphones in the cabin constantly monitor the balance of frequencies and automatically adjust the amplifier to optimise the sound.


GHOST SERIES II: NEW EXPRESSIONS OF CONTEMPORARY CRAFT

Ghost Series II benefits from bold new expressions of contemporary craft, meticulously conceived by the marque’s artisans. Alongside the Central Information Display, on the passenger side, is the new Spirit of Ecstasy Clock Cabinet. This vitrine houses an analogue timepiece and an up-lit, mirror-polished, solid stainless-steel Spirit of Ecstasy figurine. She is placed on a stage with a matte black back panel and high gloss side panels to create a reflection effect. On entering the motor car, the Spirit of Ecstasy is initially illuminated from below, as if she is being lit by a spotlight, before her stage lighting settles to a soft glow.

Alongside this exquisite detail, and spanning the full width of the passenger side, is the Illuminated Fascia – an advanced craft feature that debuted with Ghost in 2020. With Ghost Series II, the new Illuminated Fascia design looks to the stars for inspiration, capturing the movement of the night sky in a design reminiscent of time-lapse celestial photography. Clients are also able to create their own Illuminated Fascia motif in collaboration with the marque’s Bespoke designers.

A new interior material named Grey Stained Ash has been crafted to complement Ghost Series II’s elegant design enhancements. Like so much of Rolls-Royce’s artisanal expressions of luxury, this extraordinary new material represents the coalescence of traditional master craftsmanship and innovation. This richly grained, natural open-pore wood is stained by hand and enriched with microscopic metallic particles to create a unique and highly contemporary shimmering effect – a technique that took more than four years to develop.

Ghost Series II also continues Rolls-Royce’s exploration of textiles with Duality Twill, a new rayon fabric made from bamboo. During a research trip, members of the Rolls-Royce design team visited Le Jardin des Méditerranées on the Côte d’Azur, which neighbours Sir Henry Royce’s former winter home, Villa Mimosa. One of the botanical garden’s defining features is an extensive bamboo grove, which Sir Henry would have seen, that inspired this innovative fabric. The twill textile is embroidered with a ‘Duality’ graphic, an abstract interpretation of the interlinked initial R of the marque’s founders’ names. In another allusion to the French Riviera, the design hints at the interweaving rope lines found on sailing yachts.

Duality Twill spent more than a year in development, in collaboration with a master weaver now based full-time at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood. Creating a full Duality Twill interior is a highly complex process incorporating up to 2.2 million stitches, 11 miles of thread, and can take 20 hours to complete. Each panel is individually prepared before being cut using a specially developed laser that seals the edges to prevent individual threads from coming 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 character, creating a bold contrasting effect or a subtle monochrome.

Alternatively, clients may choose Placed Perforation – an innovative contemporary craft technique in which small perforations are made in the seat leather to create unique artworks. The perforations vary in size to create the perception of depth, allowing detailed and seemingly three-dimensional graphics to be created. The initial pattern is inspired by the shifting shapes and shadows of clouds over the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood. It is composed of up to 107,000 0.8- and 1.2-millimetre perforations, each individually examined to ensure absolute uniformity.


GHOST SERIES II: ENGINEERING

At the heart of Ghost Series II is the marque’s uncompromising, potent and near-silent 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine and hallmark eight-speed gearbox. This powers the all-wheel steering and all-wheel drivetrain. Maximum torque is available from just 1,600rpm – only 600rpm above tick-over, creating the perception of one, endless gear and the unique ‘waftability’ associated with the Rolls-Royce experience.

The celebrated Planar Suspension System of Ghost Series II incorporates a unique Upper Wishbone Damper unit above the front suspension assembly. This acts in concert with the continuously variable, electronically controlled shock absorbers and self-levelling, high-volume air strut assemblies to create an even more stable and effortless expression of the marque’s effortless ‘magic carpet ride’. The five-link rear axle benefits from the same self-levelling high-volume air suspension technology.

The suspension and chassis systems are augmented with the marque’s Flagbearer System, which uses cameras to read the road ahead and prepare the suspension for any changes in the road surface. This is supplemented with the marque’s Satellite Aided Transmission, which uses GPS data to select the optimum gear for exiting a corner depending on the extent of its curvature. These technologies work as one, allowing Ghost to anticipate and react to the most demanding roads effortlessly, marrying peerless serenity with remarkable dynamism and agility.

GHOST EXTENDED SERIES II: AN EVEN GREATER CANVAS FOR CREATIVITY

Clients who seek the inherent agility and scope for Bespoke that Ghost Series II represents, but require the indulgence of superlative rear seating space, are invited to commission Ghost Extended Series II. The motor car offers 170mm more space in the rear suite, enabled by extending the rear doors and apertures only, which preserves its elegant silhouette.

Clients seeking the most elevated expression of Ghost Extended Series II can also commission the marque’s reclining Serenity Seating, which recalls a private aircraft cabin experience. Like Ghost Series II, a Champagne cooler can also be requested. Rolls-Royce specialists consulted with a Master Sommelier and learned that the optimum serving temperatures of non-vintage Champagne is, on average, six degrees Celsius and for vintage Champagne, is broadly 11 degrees Celsius. Accordingly, the cooler operates two cooling modes, chilling to six degrees and 11 degrees Celsius.

These enhancements come at no cost to the motor car’s exceptional dynamic capabilities. Indeed, Ghost Extended clients almost unanimously commission this motor car for self-driving with the benefit of enhanced rear seating space, rather than retain the services of a chauffeur.

GHOST SERIES II: POTENCY AND INFINITE BESPOKE POTENTIAL

Since its launch in 2009, Ghost has captured the spirit of Rolls-Royce’s Goodwood era, which is defined by clients’ desire to express their connoisseurship through increasingly complex and diverse Bespoke commissions. To satisfy this demand, Rolls-Royce is expanding its global network of Private Offices, offering clients around the world the experience of interacting with Designers and Bespoke specialists based in their region, to bring their visions to life. Furthermore, the marque has secured planning permission for a significant extension of its Home at Goodwood in West Sussex with the express aim of creating more space for Bespoke craft and technologies to grow.

Alongside this desire for increasingly complex Bespoke, many of today’s Rolls-Royce clients demand a driving experience that is as potent and agile as it is composed, effortless and serene. This is a balance that Ghost Series II strikes perfectly, at no cost to either character –and without ever compromising the motor car’s standing as a superlative and powerful super-luxury product.

• Rolls-Royce presents a daring and powerful new expression of Black Badge Ghost
• The most agile, driver-focused and technical Black Badge Rolls-Royce ever
• Uncompromising 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 presented in high-power configuration
• All-wheel-drive, all-wheel-steering chassis with Black Badge Planar Suspension System
• Bespoke coachwork and 22-inch wheels reserved for Black Badge Ghost Series II
• Integrates new digital interface, SPIRIT, and private members app, Whispers
• Available to commission now, alongside Ghost Series II and Ghost Extended Series II

“As an authentic House of Luxury, we are driven by the desires of our clients. Our Black Badge series of motor cars is a space that we have created within our brand for them to make the most daring and self-confident statements. Black Badge Ghost responds to a very specific demand among these individuals – those who wish to enjoy the potency of this motor car’s uncompromising engine and inherent agility almost exclusively from the driver’s seat. For Black Badge Ghost Series II, we have enhanced its owner-driver appeal by incorporating a high-power expression of our legendary engine along with an even more assertive and technical design treatment and textile palette. This motor car, which is the most powerful and driver-focused V12 Rolls-Royce ever, signals our ongoing commitment to the world’s boldest and most dynamic super-luxury consumers.”
Chris Brownridge, Chief Executive, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

“With Black Badge Ghost Series II we have introduced subtle but impactful design impulses that clearly signal this motor car’s incredible agility and power, while upholding the purity and presence of our overarching design approach. These restrained but disruptive styling details, reserved exclusively for Black Badge Ghost Series II, reflect our clients’ desire to command attention with their Bespoke commissions, and experience every journey with a bold sense of purpose.”
Juliane Blasi, Head of Exterior Design, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

The most powerful, agile and technical expression of Black Badge, Rolls-Royce’s disruptive alter ego, is embodied by Ghost. Today, the marque presents a daring evolution of this unapologetic and uniquely driver-focused motor car with Black Badge Ghost Series II, meticulously redesigned to provide this rebellious group of clients with a dramatic canvas for their bold Bespoke commissions.


BLACK BADGE GHOST SERIES II: EXTERIOR

Black Badge Ghost Series II’s daring is in its subtle yet impactful exterior design. The most significant styling statement is the lower grille, marking the first time Black Badge Ghost has received a unique styling treatment. The lower brake air intake now features a new geometry, with two darkened chrome strips running longitudinally to functional air ducts, surrounded by technical black chrome frames. These pieces emphasise the verticality and solidity of the motor car’s Pantheon Grille, behind which lies the centrepiece of this motor car – the uncompromising and potent V12 engine.

Black Badge Ghost Series II retains the Black Badge-defining black chrome treatment, where Rolls-Royce hallmarks such as the Spirit of Ecstasy, Pantheon Grille and side-mounted ‘Badge of Honour’ are darkened. To create the effect, a specific chrome electrolyte is introduced to the traditional chrome plating process that is co-deposited on the stainless-steel substrate, darkening the finish. Each darkened component is precision-polished by hand to achieve a mirror-black finish. For the first time on Black Badge Ghost, the door handles are completed with a black finish, further extending the noir effect that captivates the world’s most disruptive super-luxury consumers.


BLACK BADGE GHOST SERIES II: A DRAMATIC WHEEL TREATMENT

Black Badge Ghost Series II’s most dramatic exterior statement is a 22-inch part-polished, seven-spoke forged wheelset. Styled to project the mechanical complexity of its legendary high-power V12 engine and chassis technology, the reduced visual mass of the wheel and slender spoke geometry provide a clear view of the powerful disc brakes. This design signals the motor car’s potency and extraordinary dynamic abilities – a defining aspect of Black Badge Ghost’s character that draws an increasing number of clients to the Rolls-Royce brand and inspires the boldest Bespoke commissions.


BLACK BADGE GHOST SERIES II: INTERIOR

The dark, technical surfaces that codify Black Badge are used discreetly yet extensively within the interior of Black Badge Ghost Series II. Perhaps the subtlest illustration of Rolls-Royce’s alter ego is within the new Clock Cabinet; the vitrine houses an analogue timepiece and an up-lit Spirit of Ecstasy figurine, presented in black chrome rather than a mirror-polished finish. This elegant expression of contemporary craft is placed alongside the uprated Central Information Display, which now integrates the marque’s new advanced SPIRIT operating system.


BLACK BADGE GHOST SERIES II: CRAFTING CARBON FIBRE

Below the glass fascia and throughout the interior, Black Badge Ghost Series II features a meticulously crafted Technical Carbon surface finish. The marque’s craftspeople developed a complex but restrained diamond-shaped weave using carbon and metallic fibres on top of a black Bolivar wood base. Leaves woven from resin-coated carbon and contrasting metal-coated thread are laid by hand in a diamond pattern, which creates a three-dimensional effect. Each component is then cured for one hour under pressure at 100°C. The surface is sand-blasted to create a ‘key’ for six layers of lacquer, which is hand-sanded before being polished to a brilliant finish. The final effect is subtle, yet rewards those who examine it with remarkable depth and clarity.

If Immersive Seating is commissioned with a Centre Console, clients can specify the Black Badge family motif, the infinity symbol, onto the rear Technical Carbon ‘Waterfall’ section that separates the rear reclining seats and conceals the Champagne cooler. Rendered in aerospace-grade aluminium, it is applied between the third and fourth layers of six layers of tinted lacquer, which appears to make the symbol float.

Black Badge Ghost Series II also uses an advanced technique known as physical vapour deposition to darken the interior metals. The speaker grilles and air vent surrounds on the dashboard and in the rear cabin are enhanced with this process, which does not discolour or tarnish through repeated use, exposure to temperature extremes, or over time.


BLACK BADGE GHOST SERIES II: A DISRUPTIVE MATERIAL MIX

Black Badge clients are invited to explore the new materials made available for Ghost Series II. This includes the marque’s dramatic Duality Twill textile, an innovative rayon fabric made from bamboo. The development of this bold new material was inspired by the extensive bamboo grove in Le Jardin des Méditerranées on the Côte d’Azur, which neighbours Sir Henry Royce’s former winter home, Villa Mimosa. It is embroidered with an artistic ‘Duality’ graphic, which is based on an abstract interpretation of the two interlinked letter R initials of the marque’s founders. A complete Duality Twill interior can incorporate up to 2.2 million stitches and 11 miles of thread, taking up to 20 hours to complete. This exquisite material can be made even more impactful with daring and extrovert contrast colourways that clients can create with 51 colours of thread to choose from, further elevating this remarkable new finish for Black Badge clients.

Alternatively, clients may choose Placed Perforation – an innovative contemporary craft technique in which small perforations are made in the seat leather to create unique artworks. The perforations vary in size to create the perception of depth, allowing detailed and seemingly three-dimensional graphics to be created. The initial pattern is inspired by the shifting shapes and shadows of clouds over the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood. It is composed of up to 107,000 0.8- and 1.2-millimetre perforations, each individually examined to ensure absolute uniformity.


BLACK BADGE GHOST SERIES II: ENGINEERING

In Black Badge Ghost Series II, the formidable V12 engine is presented in a high-power configuration, producing 29PS more power and 50NM more torque than Ghost Series II. As with all Rolls-Royce Black Badge models, the ‘Low’ button situated on the gear selection stalk unlocks Black Badge Ghost’s full suite of technologies, including a 50% increase in gearshift speeds when the throttle is depressed to 90%, and a subtly more voluble note from the motor car’s exhaust system – features that dramatise, but never compromise the effortless Rolls-Royce driving experience.

To harness this additional power, the Black Badge Planar Suspension system is used for Black Badge Ghost Series II. As with Ghost Series II, this decorated chassis technology incorporates a unique Upper Wishbone Damper unit above the front suspension assembly. This is linked with continuously variable, electronically controlled shock absorbers and self-levelling air strut assemblies front and rear to create an even more agile expression of the marque’s signature ‘magic carpet ride’.

To inspire driver confidence, when exploring the motor car’s significant power reserves, the braking bite point has been raised, and pedal travel decreased, directly responding to client requests for a uniquely potent expression of the Rolls-Royce brand.


THE LUXURY OF AGILITY

Black Badge Ghost Series II reflects a growing desire among the marque’s clients to enjoy a dramatic expression of the brand’s uncompromising V12 engine and uniquely advanced chassis systems while benefitting from Rolls-Royce’s peerless Bespoke capabilities. This extraordinary new motor car builds on the overwhelming success of its predecessor, embodying a bold vision of luxury in motion.

• Rolls-Royce Motor Cars announces the one-of-one Spectre Lunaflair
• Inspired by a lunar halo, where light refracts through ice particles in cirrus clouds
• Effect creates a brilliant, ethereal technicolour ring around the moon
• Bespoke holographic paint captures this phenomenon for one-off motor car
• Creating Lunaflair paint required one year of development
• Bespoke paint reserved exclusively for the commissioning client

 
“We are constantly astounded by the diversity of ideas that inform our clients’ Bespoke concepts, which frequently draw inspiration from materials, finishes and themes they see in other commissions. Spectre Lunaflair is the perfect example of this, exploring the ethereal beauty of a lunar halo and sparked by the client after witnessing a paint finish on another Bespoke motor car. This symbiotic relationship and cross-pollination of ideas is fostering a ‘virtuous circle’ of innovation and creativity, which is incredibly important to our team of Bespoke designers, as we focus on delivering unparalleled value to those who entrust us with their vision.”
Martina Starke, Head of Bespoke Design, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has unveiled the breathtaking Spectre Lunaflair – a Bespoke commission undertaken on behalf of a significant client from the United States. The extraordinary and exquisite highlight of this landmark motor car is the remarkable holographic paint finish that creates a captivating ‘rainbow’ effect.

The commission takes its inspiration and name from the optical phenomenon of a lunar halo, which appears as a colourful circle of light around the moon. It is caused by moonlight passing through ice crystals in high-altitude cirrus clouds, which act as microscopic prisms: the light refracts creating a spellbinding technicolour ring effect, similar to light passing through a diamond.

Capturing this phenomenon in a Bespoke paint finish required more than one year of experimentation. The paint chemistry, application timings, and base coat were extensively trialled in order to meet the client’s concept. The final finish is achieved by applying seven layers of lacquer, including a specially formulated pearlescent coat, infused with fine flakes of magnesium fluoride and aluminium. This creates a deep metallic effect under low light that bursts into rainbow technicolour in bright sunshine.

The Spectre Lunaflair concept was partially inspired by another Bespoke masterpiece, the one-of-one Phantom Syntopia. Revealed in 2023, it features a dark iridescent Liquid Noir finish, infused with colour-shifting, mirror-like pigment. Captivated by Phantom Syntopia’s appearance, the commissioning patron asked the Bespoke Collective to create a light and luminous expression of this concept that reflected their fascination with the lunar halo phenomenon.

This cross-pollination of ideas, where a previous commission directly informs and inspires a completely new concept and story, speaks to the power of Bespoke. For the marque’s Bespoke Collective of designers, engineers and craftspeople, this virtuous creative circle and interconnection of ideas constantly provides new opportunities for the advancement of their art.

Spectre Lunaflair’s dramatic coachwork is complemented by a fully Bespoke interior. It includes Navy Blue, White, and Peony Pink tones, recalling the spectrum of hues that can be witnessed during a lunar halo. The colour scheme appears on the seats, doors and the Starlight Headliner. This theme is also carried onto the dual-tone steering wheel, with a Navy Blue outer and an Arctic White inner side.

Only one Spectre Lunaflair will ever be produced. The unique Lunaflair paint finish is reserved exclusively for the commissioning patron.

• Rolls-Royce Motor Cars reveals Phantom Scintilla Private Collection
• Inspired by the grace, dynamism and ethereal beauty of the Spirit of Ecstasy
• Spirit of Ecstasy figurine rendered in exquisite ceramic finish
• Recalls the inspiration for the figurine: the Greek marble sculpture ‘Winged Victory of Samothrace’
• ‘Celestial Pulse’ Gallery artwork and animated Bespoke Starlight Headliner capture the fleeting presence of the Spirit of Ecstasy
• Coach doors and seats feature embroidery comprising 869,500 stitches
• The most complex interior door design ever seen in a Rolls-Royce motor car
• Based on Phantom Extended, the ultimate canvas for Bespoke commissions
• All 10 examples allocated to clients worldwide through Rolls-Royce Private Office network

“Speed with silence, the absence of vibration, the mysterious harnessing of great energy, and a beautiful living organism of superb grace.”
Claude Johnson, Managing Director, Rolls-Royce Limited – Original brief for a Rolls‑Royce figurine (1910)

"The unveiling of a Private Collection is always a landmark moment. These rare and collectable motor cars, limited to just a handful of examples worldwide, are true masterpieces. They illustrate the boundless ingenuity and skill of the creatives and craftspeople at the Home of Rolls-Royce and stimulate ideas among our clients for their own commissions. They also affirm Rolls-Royce’s status as an authentic luxury house. We do not simply build motor cars — we create rare, complex and exquisitely crafted super-luxury products that are highly prized by collectors today and will be cherished long into the future.

Crafting exquisite Bespoke products and shaping extraordinary experiences directly responds to the requirements of today’s super-luxury consumers. This approach will continue to shape our business. We will grow our global network of VIP-only Private Office outposts, where our designers collaborate directly with our clients to co-create the most extraordinary motor cars, wherever they are in the world. We will expand our home in Goodwood to grow the scale of our Bespoke offering, and we will continue to craft the most intricate and sophisticated experiences and Bespoke luxury goods in the world. Phantom Scintilla, which honours our enduring muse, the Spirit of Ecstasy, is the perfect expression of these principles."
Chris Brownridge, Chief Executive, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars


For more than a century, the Spirit of Ecstasy has symbolised elegance and human achievement, inspiring countless works of art, from music to photography and moving image. In 2024, the year the marque celebrates its 120th anniversary, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars pays homage to its timeless muse in a unique Private Collection, named Phantom Scintilla. Based on Phantom Extended – the ultimate canvas for personalisation – this magnificent collection celebrates the ethereal beauty, grace and legacy of the Spirit of Ecstasy.

Limited to just ten examples worldwide, Rolls-Royce Phantom Scintilla’s design evokes the wonder of the Spirit of Ecstasy’s fleeting presence: its exquisite interior features were inspired by the apparent movement of her robes, as the motor car glides by.

Graceful Bespoke embroidery flowing throughout the interior captures the Spirit of Ecstasy’s elegant dynamism, culminating in a complex Gallery artwork. Carefully curated design features allude to the figurine’s origins with their references to Parian Marble: it was in this famed material that, more than 2,000 years ago, an unknown genius of Classical Greece sculpted The Winged Victory of Samothrace, the statue that inspired Claude Johnson’s original idea for a Rolls‑Royce mascot.

Phantom Scintilla derives its name from the Latin word for ‘spark’ – a bright flash, witnessed only for an instant. This refers to Claude Johnson’s first flash of inspiration for a mascot, the aforementioned Greek statue, and captures the Spirit of Ecstasy’s ethereal grace – something glimpsed only for a moment as the motor car passes by, but which leaves a lasting impression.


A NEW CHAPTER TO AN OLD STORY

In 1910, Rolls-Royce Managing Director Claude Johnson commissioned sculptor and illustrator Charles Sykes to create a Rolls-Royce mascot. Johnson already had an inspiration in mind: on a trip to Paris, he had visited the Louvre and been greatly impressed by the Greek marble statue of a deity descending from the heavens – The Winged Victory of Samothrace, which dates from 190 BCE.

Sykes, however, felt the statue was too domineering to be a suitable subject. Having often travelled in Silver Ghosts, he believed a more delicate, ethereal figure would better express the marque’s grace, silence and subtle power. It is now generally accepted that he took his inspiration for what would become the Spirit of Ecstasy from Eleanor Thornton, Lord Montagu’s secretary and paramour. In creating Phantom Scintilla, the Bespoke Collective has reclaimed some of Johnson’s original inspiration, by introducing new materials and subtle references to the captivating vision of The Winged Victory of Samothrace.


MATERIAL MAGIC

The famed statue is sculpted in Parian marble, a fine-grained white marble quarried during the classical era on the Greek island of Paros. Known for its purity and radiance, this material allows light to penetrate to a depth of several centimetres, giving it a lustre that appears to come from within.

For Phantom Scintilla, the Spirit of Ecstasy figurine has been given a ceramic finish that skilfully alludes to the texture of Parian marble, while retaining its familiar femininity and ethereality – a Rolls-Royce icon that finally unites the visions of both Johnson and Sykes.

“We were fascinated with the qualities of Parian marble, and this material became the subject of our research for many months. To create a clear and elegant connection to the famed statue, we developed a ceramic finish that captures the translucence and purity of this unique stone, and perfectly embraces the ethereal nature of our icon”.
Celina Mettang, Bespoke Colour and Material Designer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.


EXTERIOR: GREEK INSPIRATION

Phantom Scintilla’s exterior is presented in a two-tone Bespoke finish. The upper body is in Andalusian White, with the lower body in Thracian Blue, inspired by the colours of the sea around the island of Samothrace, whence the statue of The Winged Victory of Samothrace originates. A subtle metallic flake mimics the sparkle of sunlight on the water. The hand-painted double Coachline and Wheel Pinstripes in Spirit Blue complete the graceful exterior.


INTERIOR: EXPRESSIVE MOVEMENT

The interior is filled with design elements, textures and a continuous graphic inspired by the Spirit of Ecstasy’s expressive, dynamic form – the result of an intense collaboration between Bespoke designers and artisans. The graphic moves through the cabin, embracing the occupants in an uninterrupted flow of energy.

“We wanted to create a single graphic that almost appears as a watercolour artwork – we call it ‘painting with thread’. To create a luminescent effect, we used four different colours, thread thicknesses and stitch orientations. In doing so, we covered areas never explored in a Rolls-Royce before, achieving the most extensive density of embroidery ever seen in a Rolls-Royce motor car.” 
Katrin Lehmann, Bespoke Colour and Material Designer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

The lead artisan tasked with bringing this idea to life, Brienny Dudley, experimented with a variety of stitches and hues before selecting the tatami stitch, which was applied over six layers, interlacing in varying degrees of density and complexity. The full interior composition comprises 869,500 stitches and takes over 40 hours to complete.

“Translating this design into a three-dimensional form was a wonderful creative challenge, requiring more than two and a half years of close collaboration with our Bespoke design team to achieve the right level of detail, texture and tactility in the embroidery. Having two canvases – leather and fabric – added another level of complexity, as these materials respond to stitching in different ways. 36 individually embroidered panels had to be carefully curated so that they aligned perfectly, creating a seamless, flowing motif through the interior suite.”
Brienny Dudley, Bespoke Craft Specialist, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

The embroidered motif on the doors – the most complex door design ever seen on a Rolls-Royce – is made of 633,000 stitches combining Blue Grey, Arctic White, Spirit Blue, Powder Blue and Pastel Yellow thread, complemented by illuminated perforations. By night, the embroidery takes on a mesmerising, luminescent sparkle and appears to glow from within. The seats are upholstered in a twill fabric with a subtle reflective sheen, providing an additional complexity to the material interplay within the interior. 236,500 stitches applied in Blue Grey, Arctic White and Spirit Blue thread continue the complex graphic spanning across the four doors.


‘CELESTIAL PULSE’ GALLERY ARTWORK

The centrepiece of Phantom Scintilla is a Bespoke artwork in the Gallery which runs the full width of the front fascia. Entitled Celestial Pulse, the work consists of seven ribbons, each individually milled from solid aluminium, before being adorned with the same finely-grained ceramic finish as the Spirit of Ecstasy figurine. The edges are polished to a mirror shine so that they catch the light, creating a sense of movement and fluidity.

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, wonderfully capture the essence of the Phantom Scintilla Private Collection: ‘Speed with silence, the absence of vibration, the mysterious harnessing of great energy, and a beautiful living organism of superb grace’.


‘FLEETING MOMENT’ STARLIGHT HEADLINER

Phantom Scintilla’s Bespoke Starlight Headliner features an animation inspired by the Spirit of Ecstasy’s flowing gown. 1,500 fibre-optic ‘stars’, all placed and fitted by hand in a unique pattern, illuminate in sequence, adding to the sense of motion. The design is completed with a further 4,450 perforations deliberately made larger than usual to reveal glimpses of a metallic silver fabric beneath, creating a subtle interplay of light.


GRACEFUL DETAILS

The sense of movement continues on the rear picnic tables, with a delicate graphic capturing the Spirit of Ecstasy’s fluidity of motion. The motif is applied with the masking technique on top of the glossy iridescent surface, then hand-sanded and coated with a matte finish, creating the illusion of two subtle, shifting colours. The full wood set is rendered in Arctic White and finished with a lacquer mixed with iridescent metallic particles. To achieve the effect, craftspeople apply up to 19 coats of lacquer – a process that takes more than 190 hours per motor car.

The Private Collection name is engraved on the polished stainless-steel treadplates. As a finishing touch, each commission is supplied with a Bespoke car cover.


The Rolls-Royce Phantom Scintilla Private Collection is available exclusively through the marque’s international Private Office network. 

• Rolls-Royce Spectre Semaphore reflects new codes of luxury among marque’s bold, youthful clients
• Bespoke Semaphore Yellow paint inspired by informal elegance of coastal California
• Dramatic ‘Marbled Paint Spill’ bonnet took 160 hours of development
• Bespoke digital instrument dials match vivid yellow colourway
• High-gloss Cashmere Grey wood set incorporates a subtle metallic finish
• Debut on Friday 16 August at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, at Monterey Car Week 2024
• Only one Spectre Semaphore to be built globally

 
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars unveils Spectre Semaphore, a Bespoke one-of-one commission that will make its global debut at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, on 16 August, during the 2024 Monterey Car Week in California. This highly Bespoke expression of Rolls-Royce Spectre captures the bold new codes of luxury being established by the marque’s confident, youthful client base.

The exterior coachwork is finished in Bespoke Semaphore Yellow – the colour from which this commission takes its name. This solid hue is further elevated with a unique artwork on the bonnet, inspired by the informal elegance of coastal California. Named ‘Marbled Paint Spill’, the graphic is an abstract tribute to the Golden State and its diverse environment. From the sunshine of Southern California to the eastern silver mountain tops, the Bespoke artisans have brought this inspiration to reality.

To create this motif, Rolls-Royce craftspeople applied silver lacquer and multiple layers of clearcoat for a seamless finish. The bonnet alone is the product of over 160 hours of design, development and production.

The bright yellow colourway extends into the motor car’s interior. A combination of Bespoke Lemon Yellow and Citrine Yellow is used across the seats, Starlight doors and above the instrument panel. It blends into the contrasting Grace White and Slate Grey hues with Lemon Yellow stitching. The marque’s designers also leveraged the digital Bespoke potential offered by the SPIRIT operating system by complementing the dials to the motor car’s yellow colourway.

Spectre Semaphore maximises the interior suite’s contemporary design with a clean, high-polish Bespoke painted wood set. Coloured to match the grey material accents, the Cashmere Grey paint is infused with silver mica flakes, which creates a vivacious sparkle under direct light.

Only one Rolls-Royce Spectre Semaphore will be built. It will be displayed on 16 August at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, as part of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars’ presence at Monterey Car Week 2024.

• Rolls-Royce Motor Cars London celebrates the beginning of the sporting summer season, by serving a gentle presence at The Hurlingham Club
• Rolls-Royce Spectre makes its debut on the Hurlingham lawns, accompanied by other exquisite Bespoke Rolls-Royce masterpieces
• Clients, media and friends of the brand are invited to enjoy a delightful experience with the marque

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is fortunate to have personal relationships with its clients around the world, and an intimate understanding of the unique and remarkable world in which its patrons live. It is therefore fitting that the marque serves a gentle presence at some of the world’s most luxurious locations and events, where existing owners and those wishing to learn more about the brand can enjoy the Rolls-Royce experience in a different, yet highly appropriate setting.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars London kicks off the summer sporting season by inviting patrons to enjoy one of the most sought-after highlights in the sporting summer season: a day at The Hurlingham Club Tennis Classic. Speaking on the eve of the event, Claus Andersen, Brand Director of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars London, said, “Crafting and delivering unforgettable experiences is a cornerstone of our commitment to clients. Hosting patrons and media at The Hurlingham Club is just one of the many highly personal encounters and memorable experiences we offer, and is indicative of the marque’s unique approach to connecting with its audience.”
Claus Andersen, Brand Director, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars London

Since its opening in 1869, The Hurlingham Club, with its croquet and tennis lawns, and beautifully manicured gardens, has been a sought-after destination, renowned for its sporting prestige, lifestyle events and social occasions. Located on the River Thames, only a few miles away from the marque’s flagship showroom in the heart of Mayfair, The Hurlingham Club, is a glorious place to meet old friends and new.

Rolls-Royce Spectre, the marque’s ultra-luxury all-electric super coupé, will be making its debut at the event, accompanied by an exquisite collection of other Rolls-Royce motor cars which showcase just some of the marque’s legendary Bespoke possibilities.

• Rolls-Royce Motor Cars joins the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club (RREC) for its Annual Rally and Concours d’Elegance at Burghley House, Lincolnshire, on 21-23 June 2024
• Examples from the full Goodwood portfolio – Phantom, Ghost, Cullinan and Spectre – will be on display
• Rolls-Royce’s presence at the world’s largest gathering of enthusiasts and historic Rolls-Royce motor cars reaffirms the close and friendly ties between the two organisations as the marque celebrates its 120th anniversary
  
  

“We’re delighted to support the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club's Annual Rally again this year – especially as we celebrate the 120th anniversary of the marque in 2024. We’ve always enjoyed working with the RREC, whose knowledge and love of historic Rolls-Royce motor cars is unparalleled. They are crucial custodians of the marque’s rich heritage, which continues to inform and inspire so much of what we do at the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood today. We’ll also be displaying beautiful examples of our contemporary Bespoke craft, underlining the continuity between the motor cars designed and built by Henry Royce himself, and those we’re creating for today’s clients.”

Andrew Ball, Head of Corporate Relations and Heritage, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

In the year the marque celebrates its 120th Anniversary, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars joins the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club (RREC) for its Annual Rally and Concours d'Elegance at Burghley House, Lincolnshire, on 21-23 June 2024.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is a regular guest at the event, which is the largest annual gathering of historic Rolls-Royce motor cars, their owners and admirers anywhere in the world, and is regarded as one of the most glamorous and spectacular in the entire motoring calendar. Hundreds of Rolls-Royce and Bentley cars will be on display in front of Burghley House, one of the finest stately homes in Britain, which dates from the 16th Century.

Amid all the historic motor cars spanning more than a century, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars will present Bespoke examples from all the model families being designed and hand-built at the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood: Phantom, Spectre, Ghost and Cullinan. Spectre, the first-ever Rolls-Royce with an all-electric drivetrain, is expected to be of particular interest – as it is the motor car which fulfils The Hon. Charles Rolls’ prophecy of an electric future for the motor car, when he said in 1900, “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 full line-up of current Rolls-Royce motor cars on show at the RREC rally includes:

PHANTOM
The marque presents its pinnacle product in Sapphire Gunmetal, complemented with a single Coachline and wheel-centre pinstripes on the 22" Forged Black Painted Disc wheels hand-painted in Peony Pink. The interior is trimmed in Navy Blue primary and Peony Pink secondary leathers, with Piano White veneer and Navy Blue carpets. The Starlight Headliner includes the animated ‘shooting star’ feature, in which lines of fibre optic ‘stars’ light up sequentially to create the effect of a meteor crossing the night sky.

GHOST
For Ghost, the design team has selected a Bespoke Verde Ermes exterior finish with no Coachline: the interior is trimmed in Tan leather with Havana as the secondary colour, complemented with Dark Amber veneer and Dark Spice carpets and foot-mats. Ghost is also equipped with the ‘shooting star’ Starlight Headliner, which is an increasingly popular Bespoke option.

CULLINAN
The ‘Rolls-Royce of SUVs’ is finished in Monteverde and fitted with a panoramic glass sunroof. The interior is composed of Seashell primary and Tan secondary leathers, with contrasting Black carpets and foot-mats. The main veneer is Open Pore Calamander; the door linings and headrests are embossed with the ‘double R’ logo. The Lounge Seat configuration is designed to allow three passengers to travel comfortably in the rear cabin.

SPECTRE
Spectre’s two-tone exterior pairs Morganite for the lower section with the upper contrast section in Gunmetal. The Illuminated Grille and up-lit Spirit of Ecstasy mascot are in keeping with the motor car’s all-electric powertrain. The striking and complex interior palette is composed of Grace White primary leather; the Ardent Red secondary colour also extends to the carpets, while the seat piping is in Peony Pink. The veneer is open-pore Tudor Oak with Canadel door linings.

Founded in 1957, the RREC is the international club for Rolls-Royce enthusiasts, owners and anyone with a genuine interest in the life and works of Sir Henry Royce, The Hon. Charles Stewart Rolls and their distinguished colleagues and successors, who created ‘the best car in the world’. It has around 7,500 members in 60 different countries; at its global headquarters, The Hunt House in Paulerspury, Northamptonshire, it maintains a vehicle archive, museum and workshop for technical seminars.

• Rolls-Royce presents ##Cullinan Series II##: a bold evolution of the world’s pre-eminent super-luxury SUV
• Integrates advanced digital interface, SPIRIT, and private members app, Whispers
• New Clock Cabinet vitrine incorporates Spirit of Ecstasy figurine into Cullinan’s interior
• Interior palette includes new botanical materials and modern craft techniques
• Duality Twill seating incorporates 2.2 million stitches and up to 11 miles of thread
• New Placed Perforation seat pattern inspired by clouds over the Home of Rolls-Royce and comprises up to 107,000 individual perforations
• Cullinan Series II directly responds to changing codes of luxury and client use cases
• #Cullinan remains the most requested Rolls-Royce within the marque’s product portfolio
• Black Badge Cullinan Series II available at launch, tailored to those seeking a more visceral interpretation of Rolls-Royce

“In 2018, #Cullinan reframed super-luxury motoring, enabling Rolls-Royce clients to experience the brand’s hallmark magic carpet ride regardless of the terrain and in every corner of the world. In the six years since, Cullinan has attracted entirely new groups of clients to Rolls-Royce and profoundly altered perceptions of what a Rolls-Royce motor car is, and what it can mean to its owner. ##Cullinan Series II## has been created to build on that success. By integrating new technologies, new materials, meticulously considered design updates and innovative opportunities for self-expression through Bespoke, we retain everything our clients love about this motor car, ensuring its continued allure.”
Chris Brownridge, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

“Since the launch of the first Goodwood-built Rolls-Royce, designers have taken great care to give every model its own distinctive aesthetic universe. Each is based on detailed insights gathered directly from our clients before the motor car is conceived, and throughout its life. Cullinan Series II is born of this approach: more energetic, focussed and expressive, in line with the priorities of today’s super-luxury consumers. In its new guise, Cullinan Series II remains effortless, everywhere – faithful to the principles and retaining the qualities that have made this motor car so successful. At the same time, it represents genuine progress and development, based on an evolved appreciation of luxury that adds statement and flourish to Cullinan’s original form.”
Anders Warming, Director of Design, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

The original #Cullinan, launched in 2018, was the world’s first super-luxury SUV, fulfilling a unique and exacting brief. From a performance and engineering standpoint, it had to have genuine off-road capabilities equal to the most demanding and hostile environments on Earth. At the same time, it had to deliver the marque’s peerless comfort and signature ‘magic carpet ride’, regardless of the terrain. It had to be nothing less than the definitive super-luxury SUV – rugged yet refined, unstoppable yet serene: effortless, everywhere. Its success exceeded Rolls-Royce’s most ambitious expectations around the world, and today Cullinan is the most requested Rolls-Royce in the marque’s portfolio.

Given the motor car’s extraordinary success, and incredibly positive reception from clients in every region of the world, shaping a new expression of the ‘Rolls-Royce of SUVs’ was undertaken with meticulous care. The marque’s designers, engineers and craftspeople drew on half a decade of detailed client feedback, the brand’s own intelligence gathering – including our Private Offices around the world – and a raft of new technologies to advance Cullinan. In its new guise, which represents the most extensive Series II development in Rolls-Royce history, it responds to changing codes of luxury and evolving usage patterns while remaining true to the essential qualities that underpin Cullinan’s unprecedented popularity.


COMMANDING THE URBAN SPACE

Since the first client deliveries, Cullinan fulfilled its purpose as a supremely accomplished off-road motor car, capable of taking its owner into locations never previously explored in a Rolls-Royce. However, versatility and the effortless everywhere essence of the model also made Cullinan a ‘daily driver’ for many owners; indeed, numerous clients have told Rolls-Royce that no other SUV offers the same effortless performance as Cullinan’s 6.75-litre V12 engine, from what is often a substantial and diverse collection. These were all significant considerations in conceiving Cullinan Series II.

It was noted by the marque’s intelligence specialists that an increasing number of Rolls-Royce clients were concentrated in urban areas – from great world metropolises to fast-growth cities in emerging regions. To that end, Cullinan increasingly serves as a super-luxury product in which clients wish to be seen and project their character – albeit with the capacity to vanish into nature at will. Specialists also observed a shift towards owners driving their motor cars themselves. When Cullinan was first launched, less than 70% were self-driven: today, almost every Cullinan is driven by its owner, with less than 10% of clients retaining the services of a chauffeur. Together with the rejuvenation of the brand and the ever-increasing Bespoke offering, Cullinan contributed to a fall in the average age of Rolls-Royce clients from 56 in 2010 to just 43 today.


CULLINAN SERIES II: EXTERIOR

An increasingly urban focus, a youthful cadre of clients and a decisive shift towards self-driving informs the surface treatment and detail of Cullinan Series II’s exterior. A key theme is verticality, which echoes illuminated skyscrapers in the megacities where Cullinan is increasingly at home. This is most apparent in the new lamp treatment, where tall daytime running light graphics ensure Cullinan Series II is easily identified, day and night.

The front of Cullinan Series II is composed of simple feature lines and crisp edges, with an emphasis on clean, monolithic surfaces that amplify the motor car’s generous proportions and presence. The bumper lines form a shallow ‘V’ from the lowest point of the daytime running lights to the motor car’s centre point, recalling the sharp bow lines of modern sports yachts. Underneath, new air intakes angle outwards assertively, visually lowering the motor car when viewed head on.

The centrepiece is the illuminated pantheon grille. This is the first time that Cullinan has been provisioned with an illuminated grille, which has been further refreshed with a lower leading edge. It also incorporates a new polished horizontal ‘horizon line’ between the daytime running lights, providing a clear visual link to the marque’s pinnacle product, Phantom Series II.

In profile, Cullinan Series II reveals further changes to the surfacing. While the front wings retain their sheer, vertical lines, the marque’s designers added a restrained yet precise feature line leading from the taillight forwards to the centre of the floating ‘RR’ centre caps on the rear wheel. This creates a subtle taper and impression of movement, further amplified by the updated lower valance surfaces, which lift at the rear. They are presented in a rich high-gloss black, which reflects the road below, creating a sense of motion on these fixed forms.

Viewed from behind, the exhaust treatment of Cullinan Series II is a bold statement of power – each surround is presented in mirror-finish stainless steel, cleanly integrated and visually flush to the body. Changes at the rear conclude with a brushed stainless-steel protective plate running between the exhausts, which flows underneath the motor car.

Resolving this younger and more expressive evolution of Cullinan’s styling are upsized 23-inch wheels – the first time that 23-inch wheels have been made available by the marque for Cullinan. Each wheel is milled from a billet of aluminium, and the three-dimensional and faceted seven-spoke design is available in a part or fully polished finish.

In addition to the evolved exterior form, Rolls-Royce colour specialists developed a new paint finish in which to present Cullinan Series II. Inspired by a richly-veined brown marble, Emperador Truffle is a contemporary, minimalist solid grey-brown; when combined with the Bespoke ‘Crystal Over’ finish, a lacquer infused with glass particles, it gains a subtle shimmer reminiscent of fresh snow under morning light.


CULLINAN SERIES II: INTERIOR

Reflecting many clients’ desires for bolder forms of self-expression, innovative decoration and detail have been added throughout the interior of Cullinan Series II. The most substantive change to the motor car’s geometry is the pillar-to-pillar glass-panel fascia in the upper portion of the dashboard – an elegant and versatile design element that stages both digital and physical craftsmanship.

The gauge cluster panel in front of the driver and new, permanently visible Central Information Display in the centre of the fascia are redesigned to form a stage for the advanced SPIRIT operating system. This digital interface was first introduced on the all-electric Spectre; Cullinan Series II marks the first application of SPIRIT in a V12-powered Rolls-Royce. It also presents opportunities for Bespoke personalisation to extend from the physical to the digital world – clients can tailor the colour of the instrument dials to complement the motor car’s interior palette or exterior finish.

SPIRIT also sees Whispers, the Rolls-Royce private members application, integrated into Cullinan. Clients are able to send destinations directly to their motor car, view Cullinan’s location remotely and manage vehicle locking through the app.

Connectivity has been refined throughout the motor car, especially for those in the rear of Cullinan Series II. Clients are able to connect up to two streaming devices to the rear screens, which now incorporate a Bespoke interface for streaming car management and seating functions such as massage, heating and cooling.

The installation of internet connectivity allows clients to enjoy a Wi-Fi hot spot connection and independent streaming for each screen. For the first time in Cullinan, Bluetooth headphones of any type can be paired with the rear seat infotainment system, or clients can enjoy the marque’s exceptional 18-speaker Bespoke Audio system, which benefits from the latest generation 18-channel 1400-watt amplifier. Cullinan Series II retains the brand’s celebrated speaker architecture wherein cavities within the motor car’s aluminium sill sections are used as resonance chambers for low frequency speakers, effectively transforming the entire motor car into a subwoofer.

Directly in front of the passenger is an Illuminated Fascia panel – a remarkable expression of modern craft that debuted with Ghost before appearing in Spectre and now, for the first time, is available within the Cullinan family. In this guise, it features an illuminated Cullinan wordmark and a unique Cityscape graphic inspired by the skyscrapers of the world’s megacities at night. This is created using a specially-developed technique whereby 7,000 dots are laser-etched onto the rear of the darkened and toughened security glass, each at minutely differing angles and dimensions to create the perception of depth. In addition to this prêt-à-porter design, clients are also able to create their own Illuminated Fascia motif in collaboration with the marque’s Bespoke designers.

Alongside the Central Information Display on the passenger side of the fascia is the new Spirit of Ecstasy Clock Cabinet. This unique inset vitrine displays both an analogue timepiece and an up-lit Spirit of Ecstasy figurine. The figurine is constructed from solid stainless steel and placed on her own stage with a matte black back panel and high gloss side panels to create a reflection effect.

Incorporating the Spirit of Ecstasy into the interior of the motor car was the product of four years of development, and a unique partnership between analogue and digital craftspeople to create a dramatic and meticulously orchestrated flow of light. This sequence begins with the illumination of the driver’s display upon entering the motor car, followed by the Central Information Display, then the Illuminated Fascia, where light sweeps inwards towards the vitrine, lighting the timepiece. The Spirit of Ecstasy is illuminated from below initially, reminiscent of a spotlight on a debut performance, before her stage lighting settles to a soft glow.


CULLINAN SERIES II: AN EVOLVED MATERIAL PALETTE

To acknowledge Cullinan’s ability – and the desire of many clients – to escape into nature at will, the interior is comprised of a palette inspired by botanicals. Cullinan Series II introduces Grey Stained Ash, a richly grained natural open-pore wood with a delicate shimmer. All of the logs of this species are individually selected, veneer ‘leaves’ are subsequently stained by hand and elevated with the addition of microscopic metallic particles, which creates the unique effect – a process that took more than four years of development.

Cullinan Series II also continues Rolls-Royce’s exploration of textiles with a new rayon fabric made from bamboo, named Duality Twill. The use of this material was inspired by the extensive bamboo grove in Le Jardin des Méditerranées on the Côte d'Azur, which neighbours Sir Henry Royce’s former winter home, Villa Mimosa. Members of the design team visited the gardens during a research excursion where they were inspired to develop a material made with the plant, which has grown in the grounds of the jardin for more than a century and would have been observed by Sir Henry Royce himself.

The twill textile is embroidered with an artistic ‘Duality’ graphic. Based on an abstract interpretation of the two interlinked letter R initials of the marque’s founders, the design reflects a clear nautical influence, reminiscent of the interweaving rope lines found on sailing yachts – another subtle allusion to the French Riviera.

This intricate embroidered textile was developed for more than a year in collaboration with a master weaver who has now joined Rolls-Royce full-time to oversee this complex process, which takes place at the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood. A full Duality Twill interior can incorporate up to 2.2 million stitches, 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. The base twill textile is available in three colours – Lilac, Chocolate and Black – and clients can select from 51 different colours of thread.

Cullinan Series II integrates another new contemporary craft technique developed by the marque’s artisans; Placed Perforation is the practice of creating artworks through tiny perforations in the leather. Available for the first time on a series model, for Cullinan Series II, designers have created a pattern inspired by the constantly changing 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. A single craftsperson checks each individual perforation to ensure absolute uniformity.


CULLINAN SERIES II: A LEGACY FURTHERED

Cullinan built a new legacy for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, shaped in collaboration with a bold and uncompromising generation of super-luxury consumers. Cullinan Series II evolves and builds on this motor car’s place in the brand, proving once more that the future of this marque will be shaped in partnership with its clients and characterised by exquisite contemporary crafts.

Please find the Black Badge Cullinan Series II press release here.

• Black Badge Cullinan Series II, an evolved, more visceral expression of Rolls-Royce
• Caters to a select subset of Rolls-Royce clients with specific tastes and priorities
• Unique Black Badge exterior coachwork and interior details developed for Series II
• More overt and expressive application of contemporary materials and technologies
• Integrates advanced digital interface, SPIRIT, and private members app, Whispers
• New interior Clock Cabinet vitrine incorporates Black Badge Spirit of Ecstasy figurine
• New Duality Twill seating incorporates 2.2 million stitches and up to 11 miles of thread
• New Placed Perforation seat pattern inspired by clouds over the Home of Rolls-Royce and comprises up to 107,000 individual perforations 
• First time a 23-inch wheel is available for a Black Badge Rolls-Royce
• Proven performance of 600PS and 900Nm torque preserved
• Available from launch, alongside Cullinan Series II

“Black Badge strongly appeals to a distinct group of clients who seek a more visceral interpretation of the Rolls-Royce experience. In its engineering, technology, materials, and design, Black Badge Cullinan Series II satisfies these clients’ keen appetite for innovation and new modes of self-expression. Cullinan's darker alter ego has always asserted its own unique place in our product portfolio; I'm certain that this new incarnation will build on its predecessor's success.”
Chris Brownridge, Chief Executive, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

“Black Badge Cullinan Series II reflects the changes we’ve seen in our client profile since we first launched this transformative motor car five years ago. Today, self-expression, individuality and boldness are demanded more than ever before – all attributes that form the core of the Black Badge attitude. Our creative response has matched the daring of those who commission these motor cars. The dark, primal elements that are so essential to the Black Badge character are expressed here in extremis, and are further amplified by dramatic and assertive coachwork reserved for this disruptive expression of the brand.”
Anders Warming, Director of Design, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

Rolls-Royce’s disruptive alter ego, Black Badge, reached its apotheosis in Cullinan where its assertive and uncompromising attitude appeals to clients who seek the boldest forms of self-expression. Today, the marque presents a clear evolution of this subversive motor car with Black Badge Cullinan Series II.


BLACK BADGE CULLINAN SERIES II: EXTERIOR

Black Badge Cullinan Series II asserts its presence with an impactful front-end treatment. The principal differentiator is the lower air intake design. These geometrical pieces incorporate widened veins, signalling the motor car’s more urgent dynamic character. Above this is the marque’s iconic Pantheon grille, which has been illuminated for the first time across Cullinan and Black Badge Cullinan Series II. For Black Badge, the grille is finished in the series’ hallmark Black, though a silver ‘horizon line’ creates a sense of breadth and solidity while framing the motor car’s vertical daytime running lights. For clients wishing to fully cloak their motor car in darkness, this is also available in an all-black finish.

All exterior body detail elements and brightwork, including the Spirit of Ecstasy figurine, are also finished in Black. For the first time in the history of Black Badge, this now extends from the window surrounds and door spears to the door handles. Each piece is hand-prepared by the marque’s artisans: first, a light abrasive is used across the handle to provide a ‘key’ for a hardwearing primer, onto which four coats of Black paint are then applied. After curing, these pieces are individually polished to ensure that they match the rich, high-gloss coachwork of Black Badge Cullinan Series II.

Other darkened elements, including the rear tailgate and bumper accents as well as the motor car’s exhausts, are treated with a specific chrome electrolyte to achieve the mirror-black effect. This is introduced to the traditional chrome plating process and co-deposited on the stainless-steel substrate, darkening the finish. Its final thickness is just one micrometre – around one-hundredth of the width of a human hair. Each of these components is precision-polished by hand to achieve a mirror-black chrome finish before it is fitted to the motor car.

Black Badge Cullinan Series II clients are now able to extend exterior colours to all lower body surfaces, as well as the subtly enhanced lower sill, valances, and lower front bumper – a treatment reserved for Black Badge Cullinan Series II. This visually lowers the motor car, creating a more dynamic statement that further amplifies its monolithic form.

The exterior treatment is completed with 23-inch wheels – the first time wheels of this size have been offered by the marque for a Black Badge motor car. From a distance, the design appears to consist of five spokes finished in gloss-black and silver. In fact, there are 10 interwoven spokes: the visual effect is created by a carefully-orchestrated interplay between polished, painted and recessed, negative surfaces. The design also allows a clear view of the Black Badge disc brake callipers, shown in a signature Red, which can also be finished in Black, Turchese, Mandarin, or Forge Yellow.


BLACK BADGE CULLINAN SERIES II: A SUBVERSIVE INTERIOR TREATMENT

Advanced, technical materials have become a hallmark of Black Badge Rolls-Royce motor cars. For Black Badge Cullinan Series II, this theme continues. Clients expressed their appreciation of the original Black Badge Cullinan’s Technical Carbon finish – on this basis, this exquisite material has been retained for Series II. The naked-weave carbon-fibre finish has been developed to create a precise repeating pattern of geometrical shapes that create a three-dimensional effect. Each leaf of Technical Carbon is finished with six coats of lacquer before being left to cure for 72 hours then all 23 pieces are hand-polished to a mirror finish. This process takes 21 days in total.

If Individual Rear Seats are commissioned, clients can include the Black Badge family motif, known as the infinity symbol, onto the rear Technical Carbon ‘Waterfall’ section that separates the rear reclining seats and conceals the Cullinan Series II Champagne cooler. This delicate aluminium piece is placed between the third and fourth layer of six layers of subtly tinted lacquer, creating the illusion that the symbol is floating above the Technical Carbon. In Lounge Seat configuration, the infinity symbol is embroidered.

The seats themselves are available to commission in the marque’s stunning new Duality Twill textile, a new rayon fabric made from bamboo and inspired by the extensive bamboo grove in Le Jardin des Méditerranées on the Côte d'Azur, which neighbours Sir Henry Royce’s former winter home, Villa Mimosa. The twill textile is embroidered with an artistic ‘Duality’ graphic. Based on an abstract interpretation of the two interlinked letter R initials of the marque’s founders, the design reflects a clear nautical influence, reminiscent of the interweaving rope lines found on sailing yachts – another subtle allusion to the French Riviera.

A complete Duality Twill interior of the intricately embroidered textile incorporates up to 2.2 million stitches and 11 miles of thread. This exquisite material can be further dramatised with bold Bespoke colourways, further enhancing this remarkable new finish for Black Badge clients.

Placed Perforation seating can also be incorporated into this bold expression of Cullinan. Up to 107,000 0.8- and 1.2-millimetre perforations are made onto the seat leather, creating an abstract pattern, inspired by the constantly changing shapes and shadows of the clouds over the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood in the twilight hours.

The dark ambience of Black Badge continues with the interior metals. Air vent surrounds on the dashboard and in the rear cabin are darkened using physical vapour deposition, a method of colouring metal that does not discolour or tarnish over time or through repeated use.

The subversive design principles of Black Badge motor cars have also been applied to Cullinan Series II’s unique Clock Cabinet. This inset vitrine displays both an analogue timepiece and an up-lit Spirit of Ecstasy figurine. The Spirit of Ecstasy is constructed from solid stainless steel and rendered in Black, recalling the figure that sits on the prow of Black Badge Cullinan Series II. The Clock Cabinet is flanked by Cullinan’s new Illuminated Fascia, which displays an ethereal glowing infinity symbol within the new vertical Cityscape pattern.

Black Badge Cullinan Series II is also the stage for an exclusive digital Bespoke treatment, with instrument dials now available in five neo-futuristic colourways: Vivid Grellow, Neon Nights, Cyan Fire, Ultraviolet and the kaleidoscopic-style Synth Wave.


BLACK BADGE CULLINAN SERIES II: PROVEN ENGINEERING

In Black Badge Cullinan’s first guise, clients requested that the Black Badge experience extended beyond the aesthetic treatment of the motor car. In the five years since its launch, the changes made by Rolls-Royce engineers for the 2019 motor car, which included higher capacity air springs to alleviate body roll and the addition of even greater power reserves, have become integral to this bold motor car’s appeal. Accordingly, these qualities are preserved for Black Badge Cullinan Series II, including the twin-turbocharged 6.75-litre V12 engine, which generates a total output of 600PS, and 900Nm of torque.

To exploit the additional power, the transmission and throttle remain calibrated for more immediate acceleration. The ZF eight-speed gearbox and both front- and rear-steered axles work together to adjust the levels of feedback to the driver, depending on throttle and steering inputs without compromising the motor car’s effortless ‘magic carpet ride’ experience.

Depressing the ‘Low’ button on the gear selection stalk continues to unlock further Black Badge technologies. When activated, drivers experience a change in tone and volume from the Bespoke Black Badge exhaust system, signalling that all of the 900Nm torque reserves are available from 1700rpm – just 700rpm above tick-over. Low Mode also increases the speed of gear shifts by 50% when the throttle is depressed to 90%. To fully exploit Black Badge Cullinan Series II, the brake pedal travel has been decreased to create a more immediate response to driver inputs.


A BOLD BESPOKE TREATMENT

Like its predecessor, Black Badge Cullinan Series II defines a distinct attitude and aesthetic code within the super-luxury sector. The clients who patronise this expression of the brand do so on their own terms – with Black Badge Cullinan Series II, Rolls-Royce signals its ongoing commitment to these individuals’ requirements, and their bold appreciation of luxury.

Please find the Cullinan Series II press release here.

• Rolls-Royce unveils ‘Spirit of Expression’ Bespoke commissions of Ghost Extended, Phantom Extended and Spectre ahead of Auto China 2024 debut in Beijing
• Global creative collaboration between Goodwood-based designers and the Private Office Shanghai Bespoke designer
• Exterior colourways inspired by flora and scenery of remarkable global destinations frequented by Chinese clients
• Reflects China’s standing as one of the key markets for Rolls-Royce and the marque’s ongoing commitment to the region

“These unique motor cars have been designed and crafted for our clients in China, who see the world as their home and rightfully demand super-luxury products that reflect their personal tastes through finishes, materials and contemporary crafts. Each Spirit of Expression commission tells its own story, inspired by locations around the world that resonate with our clients in the region — from the beaches of Sicily to the sunset on Boracay Island. Our artisans have brought these concepts to life with exquisite Bespoke craftsmanship, including a unique celestial-inspired motif created using embroidery and stainless steel. These individual motor cars exemplify the power of our Private Office strategy. By placing Bespoke designers in super-luxury centres around the world, they are even better placed to translate regional preferences and codes of luxury into fabulously personal and emotionally resonant Rolls-Royce motor cars, creating ever-more value for our clients.”
Chris Brownridge, CEO, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is proud to unveil ##Spirit of Expression## – three magnificent Bespoke commissions of ##Ghost Extended##, ##Phantom Extended## and #Spectre, the first-ever creations to emerge from the Private Office Shanghai, opened last year. These striking Bespoke creations will make their public debut at the 18^th Beijing International Automotive Exhibition (Auto China 2024), commencing on Thursday 25 April.

The ‘Spirit of Expression’ commissions perfectly embody the tastes of the younger progressive Chinese clients – global trendsetters who commission super-luxury products on their own terms and in their own image.

Each exterior colourway captures a fleeting moment in time from a number of remarkable destinations around the world frequented by clients from the Greater China region. These range from the vivid bloom of the Lantana flower in South America to the stunning sands of Sicily’s Cala Luna beach and the expansive sunsets witnessed on Boracay Island in the Western Visayas in the Philippines. Inside each ‘Spirit of Expression’ motor car, a recurring celestial motif celebrates the night sky above these extraordinary locations and the inspirational power of the stars.

Each of these one-of-one commissions has been envisioned as part of a global creative collaboration between the marque’s designers in Goodwood and the Bespoke designer based permanently in the Rolls-Royce Private Office Shanghai. Through the growing Private Office network – currently operating in Goodwood, Dubai and Shanghai, with further international launches planned for 2024 – Rolls‑Royce is immersing its talented creatives in luxury hubs around the world. Here, they can engage with the clients on an even deeper level, thereby elevating the marque’s Bespoke offering and experience still further, whilst also bringing essential regional insights back to the global headquarters at Goodwood.


ROLLS-ROYCE PHANTOM EXTENDED ‘MAGNETISM’

Representing a modern interpretation of Rolls‑Royce’s pinnacle model, the Phantom Extended ‘Magnetism’ commission reflects the magnetic ambiance of a beach bay under the night sky. The two-tone exterior coachwork is finished in Cala Luna Sand, inspired by the hue of the moonlit beach sands, and Kabira Blue, reminiscent of the profound intensity of the horizon when the vast sea meets the midnight sky. The exterior is completed with a double coachline hand-painted in Arctic White and Cala Luna Sand.

Inside, the celestial concept is brought into technicolour with a complex Starlight Headliner: 768 Galileo Blue and 576 White hand-placed ‘stars’ make up the motif, which becomes animated by a further eight ‘shooting stars’.

The rear waterfall is adorned with an intricate expression of the celestial motif inlaid in stainless steel. The motif also appears on the exquisite Gallery artwork, which is embroidered in Arctic White thread on a Navy Blue canvas using satin stitch technique. In total, the Gallery piece comprises 43,096 stitches, carefully placed to make the most of the interplay between light and shadow on the textured surface. The motif is also referenced on the passenger panel.

The front and rear reclining seats are trimmed in Blue Grey, Navy Blue and Arctic White leather with Arctic White contrast stitching, seat piping and headrest monograms. The door veneer is open-pore Obsidian Ayous – a contemporary, tactile finish that celebrates the wood’s natural grain.


ROLLS-ROYCE SPECTRE ‘ESCAPISM’

The bold colourway of Spectre ‘Escapism’ recalls the tropics of South America, whence the inspiration for this motor car is drawn. The two-tone exterior is finished in celebratory Lantana Red, referencing the vivid red tones of the Lantana Flower, whose vibrant bloom is believed to bring good luck. The upper section and coachline are rendered in a more subdued Tempest Grey. The 23" seven-spoke part-polished wheels have centres painted in Lantana Red, matching the surface above. The exterior coachwork treatment concludes with a softly illuminated Spirit of Ecstasy figurine.

Inside, the interior is presented in Selby Grey, Purple Silk and Sunset leathers. Sunset is also selected for the seat piping, contrast stitching and headrest monograms. Above, the Starlight Headliner features 960 fibre-optic ‘stars’ in the Sunset hue, completed with eight white ‘shooting stars’, formed with 192 fibre-optic lights. The Obsidian Ayous veneer extends to the spokes of the Purple Silk steering-wheel, which is complemented by purple instrument dials.


ROLLS-ROYCE GHOST EXTENDED ‘EXPRESSIONISM’

Rolls-Royce Ghost provides the purest blank canvas for Bespoke personalisation. The expressive nature of Ghost is unleashed with the ‘Boracay Blue’ exterior colour of the ‘Expressionism’ commission, evoking the sunsets over Boracay Island. This vivid Bespoke colour captures unique hues witnessed during the transition from sunset to twilight, when the sky appears to become one with the Sulu Sea. This is accentuated with a single hand-painted Lime Green Coachline, subtly referencing Boracay Island’s rich, tropical flora and fauna. The exterior is resolved with part-polished 21-inch alloy wheels incorporating Orbit Grey centres and Lime Green pinstripes, shod in White pinstripe tyres.

Inside, the seats are trimmed with Black and Arctic White leather with Lime Green accents. The latter hue also appears in the seat and door piping, contrast stitching and headrest monograms.

The inner door pockets are embroidered with a celestial motif, rendered in Lime Green. To add texture and depth to this elegant expression of contemporary craft, the marque’s artisans used two different, contrasting stitching techniques. By carefully alternating the direction and angle of the stitch, the embroidery accentuates the curve of the pocket, creating a subtle three-dimensional effect. A total of 104,268 stitches are used across all four doors.

Above, the Starlight Headliner is presented in a vivid, abstract wave pattern, like silk in the wind, mimicking the embroidered pattern on the doors. The design is created with 520 Lime Green and 520 White ‘stars’ with eight White ‘shooting stars’ that follow the curvature of the design.

The ‘Spirit of Expression’ Bespoke commissions will be on public display at the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition (Auto China 2024), which takes places in the capital’s China International Exhibition Centre (CIEC) from Thursday 25 April until Saturday 4 May 2024.

ELEANOR VELASCO THORNTON: 15 APRIL 1880 - 30 DECEMBER 1915

• A brief overview of the life and career of Eleanor Velasco Thornton, born 15 April 1880
• Secretary to both Claude Johnson and Lord Montagu of Beaulieu, muse of illustrator and sculptor Charles Sykes and the model for the marque’s iconic Spirit of Ecstasy mascot
• Third in a series profiling the principal characters in the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars foundation story as the marque celebrates its 120th anniversary in 2024
• Insights into the people, personalities and intertwined relationships that indelibly shaped the marque’s creation, development and lasting legacy
• Each account underlines and celebrates the essential human dimension of ‘the best car in the world’
  
  

“Eleanor Thornton has a unique place in Rolls-Royce history. She is best known as the purported model for our Spirit of Ecstasy mascot, but how this came about is part of a far more complex and fascinating story. Secrets, sacrifices and the ever-present risk of scandal dominated her tragically short but intense and colourful life. She was a strong, intelligent, self‑assured and highly influential woman in an automotive world that was then almost entirely male-dominated. She also played a pivotal part in a timeless, tangled, deeply human drama that would eventually make her, and the artwork she inspired, immortal."
Andrew Ball, Head of Corporate Relations and Heritage, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars


Eleanor Velasco Thornton was born on 15 April in 1880 in Stockwell, south-west London. Little is known of her early life: what's certain is that as the 20th Century opened, she was working as assistant to the ebullient and charismatic Claude Johnson, General Secretary of the Automobile Club of Great Britain & Ireland (later the RAC) and soon-to-be business partner of The Hon. Charles Stewart Rolls.

Eleanor rented rooms at The Pheasantry on the Kings Road, Chelsea; now a Grade II Listed building, its eclectic and flamboyant architectural flourishes were the work of its then owner, the artist and interior decorator Amédée Joubert. At that time, it was home to a thriving colony of artists (in the 1930s, the basement became a restaurant and drinking club, the regulars of which included the painters Augustus John and Francis Bacon, the poet Dylan Thomas and legendary actor Humphrey Bogart; it remains a nightclub to this day). Amid these bohemian surroundings, Eleanor lived a remarkable double life: by day, a professional executive assistant; by night, a life-model for the Pheasantry's resident artists. One of those for whom she regularly posed was a talented illustrator, Charles Sykes. 

Eleanor's life changed completely and irrevocably in 1902. That year, almost 100 miles from London, on the edge of the New Forest in Hampshire, John Walter Edward Douglas-Scott-Montagu, was grappling with a longstanding problem. He was yet to ascend to his future title of 2nd Baron Montagu of Beaulieu; in the interim, for all his impeccable lineage and shining prospects, he was perennially short of cash. By a double misfortune, his life's great passion was the motor car, which in those pioneering days was still very much the preserve of those with deep pockets. 

Happily, Montagu had a flair for journalism, so his inspired solution was to set up one of Britain's earliest dedicated motoring magazines, The Car Illustrated. Montagu could handle the writing, editing and publishing himself; but for images, he needed a professional illustrator. In one of those odd coincidences that so often shape history, the man he hired was Charles Sykes.

Among Montagu's circle of motoring friends was Claude Johnson. When, through him, Montagu met Eleanor, he was instantly captivated by her intelligence and promptly poached her, offering her the position of Office Manager at his magazine. Eleanor accepted, and the aristocratic publisher and his new colleague – 14 years his junior – soon embarked on a lengthy clandestine affair.

Thereafter, Sykes and Eleanor found themselves suddenly thrown together as colleagues at The Car Illustrated, while already well acquainted with one another under very different circumstances. Whether this caused any awkwardness between them is impossible to say; but it seems unlikely, since Eleanor was soon posing for him again.

During this period (the precise date is unknown) Sykes produced a mascot for Montagu's Rolls‑Royce Silver Ghost. Called ‘The Whisper’, it was a small aluminium statuette of a young woman in fluttering robes with a forefinger to her lips. It has been confirmed that Eleanor was the model: whether the mascot was a token of appreciation from Sykes to his friend and employer, or made at Eleanor’s instigation as a gift for her lover, remains a mystery. Whatever the truth, Montagu displayed it on every Rolls-Royce car he owned until his death in 1929; perhaps as a discreet acknowledgment of his love for Eleanor, which he kept secret for so long.

Tragically, Eleanor was among hundreds who drowned when the P&O passenger ship SS Persia sank in the Mediterranean in 1915. Montagu was among the handful of survivors: he spent three days adrift on an upturned lifeboat, having suffered a fractured shoulder. He was also nursing a broken heart. Devasted, he never fully got over the emotion of the loss of Eleanor – of which, naturally, he could never speak publicly. But for the rest of his life, she was with him in spirit wherever he travelled in his Rolls-Royce motor car.

• Rolls-Royce presents Ghost Prism, inspired by the world of contemporary design
• Showcased in Gunmetal exterior paint, Burnout and black brightwork and four bold accent colours
• Embodies the preferences of clients from the fashion and design industries, increasingly compelled by dark, neutral tones with bold strokes of colour
• Limited to 120 motor cars, referencing Rolls-Royce’s 120^th anniversary in 2024
• Confirms that Ghost is the purest canvas for self-expression in the luxury sector

“At Rolls-Royce, we are led by the tastes and desires of our clients, who in many cases determine global trends in fashion and the wider luxury sector. Ghost Prism is an extension of the personal aesthetic of a specific subset from this group of tastemakers. The motor car’s innovative use of dark, neutral tones with subtle impulses of colour, places it firmly within the contemporary luxury landscape. Our clients are experts and connoisseurs who know exactly what they want; Ghost Prism celebrates the unique relationship we have with them.”
Anders Warming, Director of Design, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

Many Rolls-Royce clients are powerful and influential figures in the international fashion, design and super-luxury community. These individuals apply their professional instincts, as well as their personal sensibilities, to their Rolls-Royce commissions. Based on the close relationship the marque’s designers have with these clients, they have anticipated demand for an emerging aesthetic movement and created Rolls-Royce Ghost Prism.

Drawing inspiration from the world of contemporary design, Rolls-Royce Ghost Prism showcases flawlessly finished dark, neutral tones which are subtly accented with bold strokes of colour, creating a timeless statement. It is this contrast between a solid form and bright, spectral hues that inspired Ghost Prism’s name.

The example presented is shown in Gunmetal grey, which has a rich mineral finish, produced through an exacting 10-step process in which four layers of paint are meticulously applied, then polished by hand for 16 hours.

In place of the marque’s classic mirror-polished stainless steel finish, the motor car’s grille and rear-lid brightwork are presented in high-gloss Burnout, a smoked black-grey hue. To achieve this effect, each metal piece is hand prepared by the marque’s artisans: first, a light abrasive is used across each piece to provide a ‘key’ for a hardwearing primer, onto which four coats of Burnout paint is then applied. After curing, these pieces are individually polished to ensure that they match the high-gloss brilliance of the motor car’s coachwork. In keeping with the understated aesthetic of Ghost Prism, the front bumper and side profile brightwork feature a deep gloss black finish.

Clients have a choice of four bold accent colours – Phoenix Red, Turchese, Mandarin and Forge Yellow – to complement their chosen exterior colour and create the striking contrast central to this contemporary design movement. The selected accent colour is applied to the lower bumper inserts, brake callipers and coachline – a sparing yet cohesive gesture that spans the mechanical, aerodynamic and sculptural elements of Ghost. The subtle flashes of colour further extend to the interior of the motor car, including the 1,040 coloured ‘stars’ in the Bespoke Starlight Headliner – each individually placed in the leather canvas through perforated holes, precisely chalked and punched by hand - which fill the cabin with a gentle glow.

While clients are able to appoint their interior suite with a near-limitless number of Bespoke colourways, early Ghost Prism commissions incorporate a light and vibrant palette, in contrast to the bold authority of the motor car’s exterior.

Just 120 examples of Ghost Prism are available globally, a subtle acknowledgement of 2024 being the 120^th anniversary of the marque.

• Rolls-Royce Motor Cars presents Arcadia, the third Coachbuild Droptail commission
• Celebration of the form: uniquely pure reflection of Droptail’s principal design
• Features most complex clock face in Rolls-Royce history. Assembly alone took five months
• Wood sections took 8,000 hours to create
• Commission named after Arcadia, a place known in Ancient Greek mythology as ‘Heaven on Earth’
• Droptail is the first roadster body style in Rolls-Royce’s modern history
• Coachbuilt masterpiece presented to commissioning client at private ceremony in Singapore

“Rolls-Royce Coachbuild is the pinnacle expression of this incredible brand, and an unmatched concept in the luxury sector. In this department, the world’s most influential individuals collaborate with our designers, engineers and craftspeople to bring completely new ideas to life. Together, they create exquisite motor cars that not only become a cherished part of the commissioning client’s personal story but also add to the proud history of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. Clients curate every facet of these masterpieces, which are brought into being by what I believe is the most talented team of experts in the luxury industry. Arcadia Droptail exemplifies this approach. This motor car is deeply connected to the client’s personality and preferences, and in capturing their character we have been empowered to make inspiring design, craft and engineering statements that show the world our ambition, and our unparalleled abilities.”
Chris Brownridge, Chief Executive, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

“The Rolls-Royce Arcadia Droptail wonderfully demonstrates the true nature of a Coachbuild proposition in completely transforming the character of a motor car. Each Droptail commission reflects a deeply personal understanding and interpretation of a foundational design. With Arcadia Droptail we witness daring in minimalism and subtlety, informed by the lifestyle of an individual who has a unique appreciation for British luxury. In creating this historic motor car, we once again prove our peerless abilities in synthesising and executing Bespoke design at its highest level.”
Anders Warming, Design Director, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

“The significance of Rolls-Royce Arcadia Droptail lies in its subtlety. It is a projection of an individual who values clarity and precision in all areas of their life – from their passion for fine cuisine, their highly curated personal and professional spaces and affinity with contemporary design. This motor car is one of the most faithful expressions of an individual’s personal style and sensibilities we have ever created within the Coachbuild department. In capturing their spirit, we reveal a unique appreciation for simplicity, serenity and beautifully restrained elegance – one that was a privilege for me to have been a part of.”
Alex Innes, Head of Coachbuild Design, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is delighted to present Rolls-Royce Arcadia Droptail, an exquisite coachbuilt expression of tranquillity. Arcadia Droptail is the epitome of quiet irreverence towards expected codes of luxury, celebrating purity of form and natural materials while serving as a bold statement of the client’s personal taste. Commissioned by an individual who possesses a distinct affinity for architecture and design, Arcadia Droptail is a testimony to the patron’s sensibilities and personal codes of luxury, defined by purity and subtle restraint, reflecting their firm belief in distilling complexity to reveal the inherent, fundamental essence.

This coachbuilt commission takes its name from the mythical realm of Arcadia, a place depicted in Ancient Greek mythology as ‘Heaven on Earth’ – a land renowned for its extraordinary natural beauty and perfect harmony. Like the haven that inspires its name, Arcadia Droptail was envisioned by the client as a serene space characterised by reduction, material depth and tactility that would serve as a refuge from the complexities of their business life.

In capturing the theme of tranquillity, Coachbuild designers embarked on an exploration of design, sculpture and architecture from the client’s favourite regions around the world. This included the precision and richness of modernist tropical sky gardens seen in Singapore, Indonesia and Vietnam as well as British ‘Biomimetic’ architecture, where organic forms and material honesty are celebrated.

In addition to these references, the client was also inspired by the motor car itself and the purity of the Droptail design concept. The commissioning client insisted that their Coachbuild motor car should be absolutely faithful to the earliest hand-drawn sketch they were first presented with in 2019.

It was the profile of this highly contemporary projection of the roadster body type that resonated so strongly with the commissioning client. They were particularly compelled by the motor car’s bold, low stance, ensconcing cabin design and dramatic body lines. They also immediately recognised the nautical inspiration behind Droptail’s ‘sail cowls’: named after their resemblance to a yacht’s jib, these sharp, angular forms rise behind the doors and curve gently inwards, subtly directing the eye to the motor car’s occupants.

EXTERIOR: A TRIBUTE TO DROPTAIL

In order to fulfil the client’s ambition to honour Droptail’s form, Rolls-Royce Coachbuild designers developed a calm, natural duotone colourway for the motor car’s coachwork. The client’s aspiration was to define a timeless white, appearing as a solid colour at first glance, but creating a level of intrigue upon further study under natural light. To achieve this, the main body colour is a solid white infused with aluminium and glass particles. This not only creates an effervescent shimmer when the light strikes the coachwork but, upon close inspection, creates the illusion of unending depth in the paint. Rolls-Royce specialists developed a more faceted, striking metallic using larger sizing of aluminium particles. The client was very particular and involved in their request for the Bespoke silver to contrast against the white, not only in colour, but also in terms of intensity.

In a key departure from the other three coachbuilt Droptails in this series, 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, visually ‘lifting’ the motor car in profile to intensify its lithe, dynamic intent.

In tribute to the brilliant mirror finish of brightwork on historical Rolls-Royces, which particularly fascinate the client, the exterior grille surround, ‘kinked’ vane pieces and 22-inch alloy wheels have been fully mirror-polished.

While Arcadia Droptail’s exterior palette is rich in subtle detail, its primary intention is to celebrate the form and proportions of the coachwork. The client was particularly compelled by Droptail’s clean, monolithic surfacing and bold use of negative sculpture – features that are amplified by the motor car’s muted paint colours, which reflect sunlight and cast dramatic shadows, highlighting Droptail’s many subtle design gestures.

INTERIOR: THE CENTRALITY OF WOOD

As the exterior of Rolls-Royce Arcadia Droptail celebrates the motor car’s form, the interior is a deeply personal reflection of the client’s individual aesthetic, reflective of the style they have curated in their residences and business spaces around the world. Arcadia Droptail’s colour palette and material treatment was envisioned to be a truly personal statement and instantly recognisable as a personal signature of the commissioning client.

Wood development was central to Arcadia Droptail’s interior and the client’s focus, whose very specific expectations concentrated on the texture, grain, colour and richness of the material itself. The client shared many examples of preferences and inspiration from architecture, residences and classic cars, to guide Rolls-Royce Coachbuild designers and material specialists.

Santos Straight Grain was eventually selected as the most modern statement, based upon its rich texture and visual intrigue, which is derived from its unique, interlocking grain pattern.

Using this high-density hardwood on Droptail’s interior posed a significant challenge for the marque’s craftspeople. Santos Straight Grain has one of the finest grain types of all the wood species used within a Rolls-Royce – if not handled with the greatest care, it easily tears when machined and ‘checks’ (a crack that appears parallel to the grain) during the drying process. Despite the challenges of working with this delicate material, Santos Straight Grain is used throughout Droptail, including the aerodynamically functional rear deck section, where the grain of the open pore veneer is laid at a perfect 55° angle. To achieve a perfect composition over complex geometry, Rolls-Royce artisans used a total of 233 wood pieces throughout Arcadia Droptail, with 76 pieces applied to the rear deck alone.

Given that Arcadia Droptail will be used internationally, including some tropical climates, specific attention was paid to developing a protection system and testing process for the exterior wood surfaces. Coatings used on superyachts were initially considered but rejected given that they require regular servicing and re-application. Instead, a Bespoke lacquer was developed that requires just one application for the lifetime of the motor car.

To validate this coating, Rolls-Royce specialists conceived a unique testing protocol wherein veneer pieces were subject to a punishing cycle inside a specialist machine simulating global weather extremes. This involved spraying sample wood pieces with water intermittently, between periods of leaving them to dry in darkness and exposing them to heat and bright light.

This was repeated for 1,000 hours on 18 different samples before the marque’s specialists were satisfied with the endurance of the pieces. In total, the wood pieces and protective coating required more than 8,000 hours of development.

INTERIOR: A STUDY IN WHITE

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 hue, continuing the exterior paint theme, while the contrast leather is a Bespoke tan colour, developed to perfectly complement the selected wood.

The interior also includes the exquisite shawl panel that unites all four Droptail motor cars and is the largest continuous wood section ever seen on a Rolls-Royce motor car. In Arcadia Droptail, it is made in the same Santos Straight Grain open pore veneer as the rear deck, book-matched at the same 55° angle, with individually shaped leave stripes running seamlessly into the door linings. CAD tools were used to map the placement of each wood piece, and although it appears to be constructed from just two mirrored sections of veneer, this panel alone is made up of 40 sections, each digitally mapped before being fixed to the motor car.

Applying wood to the complex curvatures of Droptail’s interior required Rolls-Royce engineers to develop an entirely new substructure for several components. The dramatic geometry of the dashboard, door linings and central cantilevered ‘plinth’ armrest had to be incredibly rigid to ensure the stability of the wood pieces once they were laid in place. Engineers called on carbon fibre layering techniques used in Formula 1 motor racing to develop an incredibly stiff base onto which the wood could be applied, ensuring that it remained secure regardless of the dynamic extremes the motor car experienced.

BESPOKE TIMEPIECE: A PRECISION INSTRUMENT

The Santos Straight Grain veneer fascia incorporates a clock conceived and developed by Rolls-Royce Coachbuild designers and craftspeople. This expression of haute horlogerie is the most complex Rolls-Royce clock face ever created: the assembly alone was a five-month process, which was preceded by more than two years of development.

The clock incorporates an exquisite geometric guilloché pattern in raw metal with 119 facets. This is a symbolic nod to the marque’s heritage; as the client first saw a preview of the motor car in late 2023 – the year when Rolls-Royce celebrated its 119-year anniversary. The specially designed clock face also includes partly polished, partly brushed hands and 12 ‘chaplets’ – or hour markers – each just 0.1mm thick. To ensure the readability of the timepiece, specialists gave each chaplet an infill bridge and painted them by hand using a camera capable of magnifying an image by up to 100x.

While many haute horlogerie methods were used to develop the timepiece, the testing and validation standards at Rolls-Royce are higher than those of the watch world. This required the marque’s specialists to draw on an expansive palette of materials. For example, instead of anodizing the timepiece’s minute marker, which is common practice in watch manufacturing, it is finished in a ceramic coating chosen because of its stability over time as well as its aesthetic merits. Small areas of the coating were laser-etched away to reveal the mirror finish of the aluminium material beneath it. Like every piece within the timepiece, including the Bespoke ‘double R’ monogram, they were individually machined from solid stainless-steel billet and polished by hand prior to assembly.

Themes from the clock are paired with the instrument dials, sharing materials, techniques and execution. They feature the same repeated guilloché pattern, as well as brushed and polished brightwork and frosted white inserts, recalling the colourway of the motor car.

STATEMENT OF A COSMOPOLITAN LIFESTYLE

Reflecting the patron’s international lifestyle, the motor car is specified with left-hand drive to facilitate its use around the world. This international dimension was so important to the commissioning client that the Coachbuild Collective wanted them to experience the motor car in multiple locations around the world before it was built. Coachbuild designers used the marque’s ‘holodeck’ to facilitate this – a unique virtual 3D environment in which the client uses an advanced virtual reality (VR) headset to view the motor car as it would appear in specific locations around the world.

ARCADIA DROPTAIL: AN ELEGANT SPACE IN THE DROPTAIL CANON

While every Rolls-Royce client is different, they each share a powerful strength of conviction, and this individual’s requirements were clearly stated from the outset. However, translating these complex, highly personal sensibilities into a coherent, workable design was the product of a significant body of work. It was here that the Coachbuild process, with its unprecedented investment of time – over four years in total – and uniquely close relationship between the client and the marque, paid incalculable dividends.

Coachbuild designers invested many months examining and interrogating the client’s tastes in everything from clothes and furnishings to food and travel destinations. From this, they defined and codified an aesthetic rooted in the client’s truth and experience; an objective portrait of their internal world and external surroundings, backed by the certainty and authority of the design team’s own discernment, understanding and professional judgment. Other family members, notably the client’s daughter, also become engaged with the process. When the final design was ready, the client’s wider family were invited to review it: all agreed that it perfectly captured the client’s aesthetic and character.

The client derived enormous pleasure from having their tastes and identity so clearly rationalised and projected back to them. Indeed, the process revealed the client had a far more modern outlook than they realised, defined by lightness, the use of natural materials and a clear passion for precision. Arcadia Droptail has since become a reference point for the client’s commissions from other luxury houses and architects.

This unique expression of Rolls-Royce Droptail reflects this remarkable client’s confidence, clarity of vision and long-term relationship with Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. Its significance lies both in its exquisitely minimal execution and the unique skill of Rolls-Royce Coachbuild designers in capturing the sensibilities and soul of an individual.

• Rolls-Royce presents four ‘Year of the Dragon’ Bespoke commissions – three Phantom Extended and one Cullinan – created to mark the Lunar New Year, beginning on 10 February
• A magnificent international celebration of Chinese cultural heritage, destined for clients residing around the world
• Meticulously executed details inspired by a traditional dragon symbol including a unique hand-painted artwork on the front passenger panels, each example taking over two weeks to create
• First-ever depiction of a dragon in a Bespoke Starlight Headliner, formed by 677 ‘stars’
• Delicate embroidery on headrests captures dynamic appearance of the dragon – each one comprises 5,449 stitches and took over 20 hours to complete

“Rolls-Royce Motor Cars leads the luxury sector in creating products inspired by international cultures and traditions, incorporating designs, motifs, materials and colours that resonate with and have real personal meaning for our clients. These Bespoke creations, inspired by the Year of the Dragon in 2024, celebrate the international reach and influence of Chinese culture, which transcends national boundaries. Hence, these magnificent motor cars are destined for clients based across three continents. These creations are both a powerful expression of our respect for Chinese culture, and a contemporary, minimalist statement in line with trends we see among luxury consumers worldwide.”
Jonathan Simms, Head of Bespoke, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars


Rolls-Royce Motor Cars presents four magnificent ‘Year of the Dragon’ Bespoke commissions to mark the Lunar New Year, which begins on 10 February 2024. Designed and hand-crafted at the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood, these rare and beautiful Bespoke creations – three Phantom Extended models and one Cullinan – are a celebration of Chinese culture through Bespoke artistry. Just as Chinese culture transcends national boundaries, the destinations for these highly Bespoke motor cars span the world.

The commissions draw inspiration from the dragon, an enduring and international symbol of power, success and prosperity. For the ‘Year of the Dragon’ Bespoke commissions, the Rolls‑Royce Bespoke Collective created a modern, minimalistic expression of the dragon never previously seen in a Rolls-Royce, while remaining faithful and respectful to the original form.


REINTERPRETING AN ICON: THE ART OF SIMPLICITY

Three of the ‘Year of the Dragon’ Bespoke commissions include fascia panels adorned with highly contemporary artworks reinterpreting the dragon form. Individually hand-painted by one dedicated Rolls-Royce artist, each is a distinctive exploration of the colour red, which represents prosperity and good fortune in Chinese culture. Each of the three artworks is the result of over two weeks of detailed work.

To create this complex, three-dimensional motif, the artist used multiple hues of red, applied on top of each other in four individual stages. First, the initial outline of the symbol was painted using a ‘feathering’ technique to create a flame effect, as if the dragon were suspended in fire, reflecting its festive, celebratory nature. This was followed by three further layers in darker shades of red, in which the artist added more details and depth. Each of these colours was individually blended from different proportions of red, white, yellow and brown: this development process alone took three days to complete. The four layers combine to create a 3D effect so realistic that the artwork appears to have been carved into the fascia.

To achieve such fine detailing, lacquer was meticulously applied after each layer of paint. Lacquering is a delicate process, especially on a white background, since any imperfection – a stray particle of red paint, for example – would become instantly visible. The Rolls-Royce artist spotlessly cleaned and finely sanded every completed layer before each lacquering stage.


INTERIOR SUITE: A MINIMALIST APPROACH

The dragon motif extends discreetly throughout the motor car’s interior. It is elegantly depicted in Phoenix Red stitching on the headrests of each of the four seats, providing a bold contrast with the seat leather, which is presented in either Black or White. To create a dynamic appearance of the dragon, giving the impression of continuous movement, the artisans had to precisely align the stitch direction and adjust stitch density. Strategic variation in stitch angles along the tail enhanced the overall flow, creating a sense of fluidity in the design. Each embroidery comprises 5,449 stitches and took around 20 hours to complete.

In three of the commissions, the rear Piano Black picnic tables incorporate a minimalist representation of the circular Chinese zodiac calendar in inlaid stainless steel. The names of the animals representing each year are inscribed in traditional Chinese calligraphy, with the dragon highlighted in gold: the central dragon motif is also depicted in gold. For the fourth motor car, a Bespoke artwork featuring the dragon is inlaid in the Piano Black veneer in stainless steel.

The most dramatic expression of the mythical creature is the Bespoke Starlight Headliner, specially created for these commissions and the result of three months’ design and development work. Above the driver and passenger seats, 677 individually placed fibre-optic ‘stars’ form an abstract dragon motif, surrounded by a further 667 lights – positioning them all perfectly by hand took over 20 hours of work. The motor car destined for the Rolls-Royce Private Office Shanghai features a unique expression of the Bespoke Starlight Headliner incorporating red ‘stars’ in a bold and contemporary reference to the symbolism of red in Chinese culture.

Each Phantom Extended commission is completed with a Gallery artwork, carefully protected behind an application of pure glass, that runs uninterrupted across the fascia. Crafted from carbon fibre, it evokes dynamism and motion, complementing the dragon artwork. The interior is completed with Bespoke lambswool carpets, perfectly colour-matched to the leather trim.


EXTERIOR COACHWORK

The Bespoke designers created unique colourways for the different models: a duotone Cherry Red with Crystal finish over Selby Grey with a Crystal finish for the Cullinan; and a two-tone Silver and Cherry Red or monolithic Black with a Crystal finish for the Phantom Extended motor car commissions.

All four commissions feature a Bespoke coachline, hand-painted in Phoenix Red, that subtly incorporates a dragon motif. Each dragon is orientated to face right, which symbolically represents the East – the direction of the rising sun.

“Our aim was to create a modern interpretation of the dragon capturing its essence as a symbol of power. The design evokes a sense of motion and energy, expressing the dragon as a driving force, all rendered with a depth and complexity to reflect its commanding spirit and presence. It was an inspirational journey for our Bespoke Collective to reinterpret such a significant icon; our Bespoke artisans added their own subtle dimension and character to the dragon expression, showcasing how a single design can be transformed through different mediums and craft techniques.”
Rebecca Davies, Bespoke Designer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

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.

• Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Private Office Dubai presents one-of-one Bespoke commission, ‘The Pearl Cullinan’
• Commissioned by a son as a surprise birthday gift for his father: fascia motif features the Arabic symbol for ‘father’ inlaid in stainless steel
• One of the most extensive uses of mother-of-pearl ever seen in a Bespoke Rolls-Royce motor car, including central rotary dial and clock surround
• Rear Picnic Tables handmade at the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood, each including 1,351 individually selected pieces of mother-of-pearl
• Bespoke paint finish inspired by the colours of most prized pearl in the owner’s collection

 

“The Middle East region has long been the source of many of the most technically complex, creatively ambitious Bespoke commissions ever undertaken by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. ‘The Pearl Cullinan’ stands at the very summit of those achievements and is a supreme example of the marque’s creativity and craftsmanship. It is also the very first client Bespoke project to be commissioned through our Private Office Dubai. This is an extension of the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood and gives clients direct access to our talented Bespoke designers, together with the full support of their local dealer partner. As the motor car is a birthday gift to the father of a longstanding patron, it adds a very special dimension to the project: it has been a privilege to create such a magnificent motor car to mark this auspicious occasion. ‘The Pearl Cullinan’ not only has a deep personal meaning to both father and son, it also commemorates the great heritage story of the family. At Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, highly Bespoke commissions have always been crafted with deep emotional connections in mind and each motor car has its own tale.”
César Habib, Regional Director Middle East & Africa, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars


Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is delighted to present ‘The Pearl Cullinan’ – a magnificent, one-of-one Bespoke motor car commissioned by the owner’s family to mark a significant birthday. It is also the first Bespoke project to be revealed by the Private Office Dubai, which works with local Dealer Partners to bring the authentic Goodwood experience to clients across the Middle East and Africa region.

‘The Pearl Cullinan’ was commissioned in early 2022 by a longstanding Rolls-Royce client, to mark his father’s 90^th birthday. Regional Director, César Habib, and Bespoke Lead Designer, Michelle Lusby, were originally introduced to the father with the purpose of understanding his passions and life story; these meetings provided valuable insights to inform the design direction for the commission.


BESPOKE PEARL ROSE EXTERIOR FINISH
The Bespoke Pearl Rose finish is inspired by the colour of the owner’s most prized pearl in his extensive, world-class collection and is reserved exclusively for this motor car: it will not be available to any other client in future. Paint specialists at the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood used carefully selected pigments to replicate a delicate hint of pink rarely found in natural pearls. Unusually, the paint combines both metallic and pearlescent effects to give exceptional depth and lustre.

Perfecting the finish required around 30 different iterations, each applied to a full-sized body panel. These were pre-checked under daylight simulation lamps in the Atelier at Goodwood, then sent to the client to make sure the colour was correct when viewed under the Middle Eastern sun. The paint also underwent extensive technical testing to ensure it will remain unaltered by heat or UV light over its lifetime.

The Pearl Rose finish is complemented with a single coachline, applied by hand in Rose Gold paint, to match the rose gold-plated Spirit of Ecstasy mascot. The rose gold theme also extends to the Bespoke treadplates, which are revealed on each of the four door sills upon opening.


INTERIOR: THE ART OF PRESENTATION
The interior of ‘The Pearl Cullinan’ features two different leather colours. The front seats – where the father prefers to travel as a passenger – are finished in his favourite Cashmere Grey. In reference to the family’s heritage, the rear seats are trimmed in Ardent Red which takes inspiration from the colour of the material on which pearls are presented to customers, to best highlight their subtle natural colour variations. In a similar vein, the burr walnut veneer echoes the wooden presentation boxes in which pearls are traditionally handed over to customers upon purchase.

Bespoke embroidery detailing includes ‘RR’ monograms in Rose Gold thread on the headrests, and rear seat inserts in Grace White, inspired by the symmetrical growth patterns of an oyster shell and angled at the same precise 55 degrees as the veneer.


A CELEBRATION OF MOTHER-OF-PEARL
‘The Pearl Cullinan’ features one of the most extensive uses of mother-of-pearl ever seen in a Rolls-Royce motor car. The natural variations of this beautiful material created opportunities and challenges in equal measure for the marque’s designers and craftspeople.

This is particularly apparent with the detailed design of the Picnic Tables, fitted to the rear of the front passenger seats.  The upper surface features an intricate, circular pattern inspired by traditional Arabic design that draws the eye inwards to a central point. Each tabletop is then inlaid with 1,351 separate pieces of mother-of-pearl, every one individually selected and placed by hand in the surrounding burr walnut marquetry and sealed with clear lacquer. The natural shade and colour differences in both the mother-of-pearl and the wood mean each tabletop is a unique work of art.

The burr walnut fascia incorporates an exquisite mother-of-pearl inlay inspired by traditional Middle Eastern art. At its centre is the Arabic word for ‘father’, inlaid in stainless steel. In a first for Rolls-Royce, the Bespoke dashboard clock is set in a mother-of-pearl surround; the dial and hands are in rose gold. The centre rotary dial is also finished with mother-of-pearl, giving it a tactile, jewel-like quality.

Above the occupants, the Bespoke Starlight Headliner shows the sky as it appeared on the night and at the very place the commissioning client’s father was born.

Michelle Lusby, Bespoke Lead Designer at the Private Office Dubai, said, “For me, there was a huge emotional connection with this Bespoke project. I had the privilege of spending time with the commissioning family, which allowed me to discuss details of the design directly with them, and really understand their true significance. Their unique use of mother-of-pearl was a great creative and technical challenge for us: to see the Picnic Tables go from my original digital designs to those beautiful, highly detailed finished works of art was fantastic. This is a truly special commission in so many ways, and a project we aspire to have as Rolls-Royce designers. Emotions inspire our imaginations.”

• Spectre European Media Drive commences from marque’s headquarters in West Sussex
• Invited guests will embark on an exciting adventure in Spectre, an opportunity to experience this transformative motor car in its home market
  
  

“The launch of Spectre is a significant moment in the marque’s near 120-year storied history; Spectre is the first all-electric Rolls-Royce and represents the beginning of an exciting, bold, and new era for the brand. Two years ago, the marque made a historic announcement that in 2023 Rolls-Royce would launch its first all-electric motor car and that by the end 2030, the entire portfolio would be fully electric. Since this time, Spectre has been on a remarkable journey, completing a rigorous testing programme, spanning 2.5 million km, and has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from media and clients. It is now a great pleasure to see this motor car on the roads in our home market and I am delighted to offer the European media the opportunity to experience this transformative motor car in the United Kingdom.”
Boris Weletzky, Regional Director, United Kingdom, Europe, and Central Asia


With client deliveries just begun, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has invited European media to experience Spectre, the marque’s first fully electric motor car, within the beautiful countryside surrounding the marque’s headquarters in West Sussex.

The adventure commenced at the Home of Rolls-Royce, on the Goodwood Estate – the only place in the world where Rolls-Royce motor cars are designed and handbuilt. The marque’s global headquarters and Centre of Luxury Manufacturing Excellence is revered as the world’s leading House of Luxury. It is a place where creativity, talent and ingenuity is nurtured and encouraged, and of course a place where clients, media and friends of the marque can enjoy a fully immersive Rolls-Royce experience.

From the Home of Rolls-Royce, media embarked on a voyage of discovery through the beautiful rolling hills of Hampshire and Sussex – a route purposefully selected for its breath-taking views. After experiencing this remarkably silent motor car, media will arrive at Heckfield Place, a modern country haven, set in an eco-estate of 430 acres.

• Rolls-Royce Motor Cars presents the Black Badge Ghost Ékleipsis Private Collection
• Limited to just 25 examples, it is inspired by the drama, spectacle and mystery of a solar eclipse
• The animated Starlight Headliner adds a true sense of theatre and wonder for the occupants as they take their seats in the cabin
• Bespoke fascia depicts stages of a total solar eclipse and includes a Bespoke timepiece inset with a dazzling 0.5-carat diamond
• ‘Panoramic Sunset’ bi-coloured and perforated leather seats capture the haunting 360-degree twilight effect seen at the moment of totality

“With Rolls-Royce Black Badge Ghost Ékleipsis, we draw inspiration from a total solar eclipse: a seldom-seen and spellbinding phenomenon that reflects the rarity and beauty of Rolls-Royce Private Collections. In capturing the magic of this celestial alignment, our Bespoke Collective of designers, engineers and craftspeople have once again elevated contemporary craftsmanship, with a landmark series of exquisite details that project the marque’s culture of ambition and excellence. We are exceptionally proud to present these motor cars to 25 of our most significant clients around the world – it is these individuals who inspire greatness within our brand, and who drive us to create ever more bold and richly detailed expressions of modern luxury.”
Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is delighted to present the Rolls-Royce Black Badge Ghost Ékleipsis Private Collection, inspired by the seldom-seen wonder of a solar eclipse. Harnessing the incredible forces of this celestial phenomenon, these exquisite commissions explore the captivating interplay of light and darkness, recreating the awe-inspiring moment when the Moon completely obscures the Sun.

The purity of Rolls-Royce Ghost, infused with the subversive Black Badge spirit, presents the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective with the perfect canvas and limitless possibility to express the beauty of this wonder of the universe.

The launch of these highly Bespoke motor cars, limited to just 25 examples, coincides with the annular solar eclipse visible in parts of the Western Hemisphere on 14 October.


EXTERIOR: GOLDEN DARKNESS

The mysterious, ethereal light cast by a total solar eclipse is captured in the Lyrical Copper exterior colour of the motor car. This stunning Bespoke finish incorporates powdered copper pigment, which appears darker until it catches the light when it produces a rich and dramatic iridescence. Mandarin adorns the inserts below the Pantheon Grille and brake callipers, recalling the intense pulses of sunlight witnessed as the eclipse progresses. The same Mandarin hue is used for the hand-painted coachline, which includes a delicate abstract representation of the transition from sunlight to darkness as the Moon approaches to cover the Sun.


ANIMATED STARLIGHT HEADLINER

The Rolls-Royce Black Badge Ghost Ékleipsis features a fully Bespoke Starlight Headliner with a special animation that, like the eclipse that inspires it, gives those inside a true sense of awe and wonder. As the coach doors close and the engine is started, the ‘stars’ in the Starlight Headliner darken and a mesmerising sequence begins, replicating the totality of the solar eclipse, when the dark silhouette of the Moon completely obscures the bright light of the Sun. A circle of 940 ‘stars’ is formed, representing the bright corona of light around the lunar silhouette. This is surrounded by a further 192 illuminating ‘stars’, recreating the otherworldly spectacle of stars visible in the sky during daylight, which occurs only during a total solar eclipse.

The animation remains visible for precisely seven minutes and 31 seconds – the longest possible duration of a total solar eclipse. Once this time has elapsed, the full constellation of stars in the night sky is restored. This highly technical feature required a year of painstaking development, in which the Bespoke Collective produced three complete prototypes to perfect the design and sequencing of the ‘stars’.


ILLUMINATED FASCIA AND ‘DIAMOND RING’ TIMEPIECE

The illuminated fascia of Rolls-Royce Black Badge Ghost Ékleipsis is adorned with 1,846 laser-etched ‘stars’ in a symbolic timeline of a total eclipse. A single Bespoke designer had sole responsibility for adjusting the individual size and position of each ‘star’ to create the mesmeric effect; a delicate and exacting process that took over 100 hours to complete.

The composition culminates in a Bespoke timepiece, which incorporates a brilliant-cut 0.5-carat diamond, recalling the ‘Diamond Ring’ effect, when a single, dazzling point of light can be seen on the Moon’s outline in the split seconds just before and immediately after it obscures the Sun. The bezel geometry has been modified to accommodate the precious gem, as this is the first time in Rolls-Royce history that a gemstone has been integrated into the clock’s bezel. The assembly underwent rigorous adhesion tests, which included climatic cell cycling from -30°C to +90°C, to ensure the diamond is robustly secured. The timepiece is finished with an etching on its dark aluminium surround, revealing the bright metal underneath. This beautiful piece of contemporary craftsmanship is the result of over 14 design iterations.


PANORAMIC SUNSET INTERIOR

At totality of a solar eclipse, there is a moment when a golden twilight surrounds those viewing the eclipse, giving the illusion of a 360-degree sunset. In Rolls-Royce Black Badge Ghost Ékleipsis, the beauty of this rarely observed phenomenon is captured in bi-coloured seats with a unique perforated artwork, made of over 200,000 individual perforations.

The bold Mandarin leather is tinted in a black shade that is then perforated to reveal the brighter contrasting colour beneath, creating a visual effect with extraordinary depth and subtlety. Using computational design tools, the Bespoke Collective developed a unique pattern, which was then manually refined over seven trials and iterations.

Bespoke finishing touches include illuminated treadplates, umbrellas with Mandarin piping concealed in the coach doors, and a unique indoor motor car cover bearing the Private Collection’s wordmark.

All 25 examples of the Rolls-Royce Black Badge Ghost Ékleipsis Private Collection have been allocated to clients around the world.