- Rolls-Royce has unveiled the Phantom Centenary Private Collection.
- It celebrates the sedan’s 100th anniversary with amazing features.
- There’s a solid 18-carat gold hood ornament and artwork on the seats.
Rolls-Royce is celebrating the Phantom’s 100th anniversary by unveiling the exclusive Centenary Private Collection. Limited to just 25 units, the model is billed as the “most complex and technologically ambitious” collection in the brand’s history.
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Designed to celebrate the “world’s most revered luxury item,” the special edition 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.”
That’s not an understatement as the model has been in development for over three years and tells the story of an automotive icon.
What Makes It Special?
Starting outside, the Phantom Centenary Private Collection has a two-tone exterior that is designed to recall the golden age of Hollywood.
It features an Arctic White and Black paint job that has an “extraordinary metallic shimmer,” thanks to iridescent particles of crushed glass that has been infused into the clear coat.
While the paint job draws attention, the solid 18-carat gold Spirit of Ecstasy is something to behold. If that wasn’t special enough, the hood ornament has been plated in 24-carat gold for a “flawless, tarnish-resistant finish.”
The ‘flying lady’ also sits on a hand-poured white enamel base that features “Phantom Centenary” badging.
The gold theme continues elsewhere, as there are four Rolls-Royce badges in 24-carat gold and white enamel. They’re joined by exclusive disc wheels, which have 25 engraved lines that mark the 25 cars.
A Visionary Interior
The cabin looks like something out of a comic book as the rear seats have been transformed into a canvas, which tells the Phantom’s story across three separate layers.
As Rolls-Royce explained, “The first is the background, rendered in high-resolution print, showing places and artifacts 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.”
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This took over a year to create and the artwork contains more than 160,000 stitches. It’s also worth noting the rear seats are fabric in a nod to the old days, when only the front seats were covered in leather as they were designed for chauffeurs.
Speaking of the front seats, they have laser-etched artwork of their own. These resemble sketches and include references to the “Seagull” codename for the 1923 Phantom I.
There’s also a rabbit design, which is a subtle nod to the “Roger Rabbit” codeword for the relaunch of Rolls-Royce in 2003.
Elsewhere, there’s an Anthology Gallery that houses 3D-printed aluminum fins containing letters that can be read from both sides. The model also sports the most intricate woodwork ever created for a Rolls-Royce as there are stained Blackwood panels on the doors, which look more like prints than wood.
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Each panel has a unique design, which incorporates laser etching, 3D ink layering, 3D multi-directional marquetry, and gold-leafing to create dimension and texture. They also have a 24-carat gold ‘road,’ which adds plenty of visual interest.
These are accompanied by embroidered leather panels as well as special rear picnic tables, which have etches of the 1925 Phantom I as well as the Phantom VIII.
Other highlights include a Piano Black veneer infused with gold dust, a 24-carat gold plated rotary dial, and a 6.75-litre V12 engine that has been adorned with a specially designed cover. The latter is finished in Arctic White and features 24-carat gold accents.
Last but not least, there’s an animated and embroidered Starlight Headliner. It “captures moments from Phantom’s history in 440,000 stitches.”
The resulting car is something to behold as it’s more of a mobile art museum than a traditional vehicle. However, it’s an excellent showcase of Rolls-Royce’s craftsmanship and attention to detail.
