Rolls-Royce is celebrating 100 years of the Phantom nameplate, so what better and more opulent car and backdrop could emphasize this point than the one-of-one commissioned Phantom Goldfinger on display at the 2025 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. It just sort of makes sense.
In case you missed it, the Phantom Goldfinger is a lavishly appointed bespoke example built to honor the 1964 James Bond movie Goldfinger. This private commission includes 24-carat gold details paying tribute with unique film references throughout the car. Rolls-Royce revealed full details of the car and its highly unique specification back in October and we published that information HERE.
Fans of the James Bond films will likely remember that the film’s villain Auric Goldfinger himself drove a 1937 Phantom III Sedan de Ville.
Beyond the cars, the Rolls-Royce design team exhibited eight artworks highlighting the evolution of the Phantom, while a Phantom V drove in the event’s opening parade.
PHOTO GALLERY
PRESS RELEASE
[source: Rolls-Royce]
Rolls-Royce celebrates 100 years of Phantom at 2025 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este
Public debut of Phantom Goldfinger, a one-of-one commission honouring the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger
Landmark Private Commission includes 24-carat gold details and film references
1937 Phantom III Sedanca de Ville owned by film villain Auric Goldfinger also displayed
Rolls-Royce designers exhibited eight artworks charting the evolution of Phantom
Phantom V, a famous example of the nameplate, driven in the opening parade
The Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este is the perfect setting for Rolls-Royce, as both this gathering and our marque celebrate the motor car as an object of art, craftsmanship and cultural expression. In this exceptional location, we are proud to make the public debut of Phantom Goldfinger, a remarkable expression of our Bespoke capabilities and a powerful tribute to a film cherished by the client. To have the original 1937 model, which featured in the film and inspired this motor car, displayed at the event makes this moment even more special. Presenting these exquisite Phantoms and original artworks created by our designers in tribute to the nameplate in its centenary year is a fitting celebration of our pinnacle motor car.” – Chris Brownridge, Chief Executive, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars celebrated the 100th anniversary of Phantom, the marque’s most famous nameplate, at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, Italy, on 24 May 2025.
Rolls-Royce chose this exclusive gathering for the worldwide public debut of Phantom Goldfinger, presented on the Grand Hotel’s renowned Mosaic Lawn on the shore of Lake Como. The striking one-of-one Phantom Extended pays homage to the 1964 James Bond film, Goldfinger – one of twelve Rolls-Royce appearances in the 007 film franchise.
Revealed in 2024, the film’s 60th anniversary year, the motor car takes inspiration from the 1937 Phantom III Sedanca de Ville owned by the title’s eponymous villain, Auric Goldfinger, which was also shown at the event. The story of this motor car and the film is masterfully explored in Phantom Goldfinger, which includes 18- and 24-carat gold detailing, cinematic references, and intricate storytelling elements inspired by the film’s characters, locations and themes.
Further celebrating the centenary of Phantom, an exhibition of eight original artworks charted the evolution of Phantom’s design, and the world it has both inhabited and shaped over the past 100 years. Designers at Goodwood created the series, each capturing a different Phantom generation in the artistic style of its era. The settings of each piece also reflect the influence Phantom has exerted over its ten decades, and the many roles it has played and guises it has assumed.
Guests and media from around the world also witnessed the gathering’s opening parade, which included an immaculately presented example of Phantom V. This celebrated generation of the marque’s flagship motor car has been owned and loved by some of the most significant cultural and political figures in modern history, a reminder of Phantom’s role as a symbol of power, influence, and leadership.
Amid a year of heightened cultural and luxury activity across Italy, the debut of Phantom Goldfinger and the celebration of Phantom’s centenary at the event became a defining expression of Bespoke artistry and enduring cultural significance. This moment reflects not only Phantom’s remarkable legacy but also its ongoing power to inspire, captivate and lead as it enters a new century.
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
[source: Rolls-Royce]
“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.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION NEDC combined: CO2 emissions: 345 g/km; Fuel consumption: 18.7 mpg / 15.1 l/100km. WLTP combined: CO2 emissions: 353-365 g/km; Fuel consumption: 17.4-18.1 mpg / 16.2-15.6 l/100km.
FURTHER INFORMATION You can find all our press releases and press kits, as well as a wide selection of high resolution, downloadable photographs and video footage at our media website, PressClub.
ABOUT ROLLS-ROYCE Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is a true luxury house, creating the world’s most recognised, revered and desirable handcrafted Bespoke products for its international clientele.
There are over 2,500 people working at the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood, West Sussex. This comprises both its global headquarters and Centre of Luxury Manufacturing Excellence – the only place in the world where Rolls-Royce motor cars are designed, engineered and meticulously built by hand. An independent study by the London School of Economics & Political Science confirms that since the company first launched at Goodwood in 2003, it has contributed more than £4 billion to the UK economy and adds more than £500 million in economic value every year.
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is a wholly owned subsidiary of the BMW Group and is a completely separate, unrelated company from Rolls-Royce plc, the manufacturer of aircraft engines and propulsion systems.
Rolls-Royce Phantom Goldfinger, a one-of-one masterpiece
Incorporates some of the most extensively engineered and hand-crafted Bespoke features ever produced
Celebrates sixty years of the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger
References Auric Goldfinger’s 1937 Phantom III Sedanca de Ville
Solid 18-carat gold bar in the shape of a ‘Speedform’ exhibited in centre console
Picnic tables include fictional map of Fort Knox bullion reserve in 22-carat gold inlay
Three-dimensional steel and gold Gallery incorporates isoline map of legendary Furka Pass
Starlight Headliner matches constellation above Furka during filming of scene in 1964
Gold golf club fitted to boot lid, referencing 007 and Auric Goldfinger’s first encounter
Harlequin umbrellas and 007 logo projector reference key film moments
[source: Rolls-Royce]
“At Rolls-Royce, we are dedicated to crafting deeply personal masterpieces that reshape the boundaries of possibility and truly define the essence of luxury. Each creation is a reflection of our commitment to producing extraordinary, unique motor cars that consistently delight and exceed the expectations of our clients. This particular project really invigorated our team of creatives, giving them the freedom to explore the reaches of their imagination. The final creation is a testament to the power of collaboration and the extraordinary ability of our designers, craftspeople, and engineers.” Chris Brownridge, Chief Executive, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
“Witnessing how our Bespoke Collective seized upon the idea of celebrating 60 years of the film has been truly remarkable; this fantastic story has been masterfully explored in Phantom Goldfinger’s exquisite design. The creativity extended far beyond the making of the motor car, as we curated extraordinary experiences for the client and their family, all while staying true to the spirit of the Goldfinger theme. It is this exceptional ability to engage our clients and create lasting impressions that defines us as a true House of Luxury.” Boris Weletzky, Regional Director, United Kingdom, Europe and Central Asia, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
“This is gold, Mr. Bond. All my life, I’ve been in love with its colour, its brilliance, its divine heaviness.” Auric Goldfinger, Auric Enterprises
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has unveiled a one-of-one Phantom Extended that pays homage to the 1964 James Bond film, Goldfinger – one of twelve Rolls-Royce appearances in the 007 film franchise. Revealed in the film’s 60th anniversary year, it takes inspiration from the 1937 Phantom III Sedanca de Ville owned by theeponymous villain, Auric Goldfinger. This story is masterfully explored in Phantom Goldfinger, with exquisite and ingenious Bespoke features linking to the plot and iconography of this enduring film.
Phantom Goldfinger incorporates some of the most extensively engineered Bespoke features applied to a one-of-one motor car in Rolls-Royce history, each linking to the Goldfinger film plot. A total of three years of continuous development was required to bring each of these elegant and playful Bespoke features to life – from a complex sculptural Gallery, inspired by the famous scene filmed on the Furka Pass, to a gold golf putter mounted to the inside of the motor car’s boot, recalling the club used by Auric Goldfinger during his first encounter with James Bond.
2024 PHANTOM EXTENDED ‘GOLDFINGER’: EXTERIOR For the exterior of this contemporary tribute to Goldfinger’s motor car, Rolls-Royce paint specialists precisely matched the exterior yellow hue to the original 1937 Phantom III Sedanca de Ville used in the film. A unique ‘long-side’ two-tone design was developed in which the black finish wraps around the motor car’s generous coachwork as a single, uninterrupted graphic. The 21-inch disc wheels are finished in Black with silver ‘floating’ hubcaps, creating a tone-on-tone effect that recalls the wheel design of the 1937 motor car as seen in the film.
The Spirit of Ecstasy at the prow of Phantom Goldfinger has been given a unique finish, subtly referencing the motion picture’s plot. In the film, the villain Auric Goldfinger was smuggling gold in body panels of his Phantom. As a nod to this concept, sections of the figurine appear to reveal gold underneath, suggesting it is made of solid gold, concealed with a silver coat. Since it is not possible to silver-plate gold, Rolls-Royce specialists used a solid silver Spirit of Ecstasy and skilfully gold-plated it with 18-carat gold to achieve the ‘gold reveal’ effect.
INTERIOR: HIDDEN GOLD In honour of the Goldfinger film, the Bespoke Collective of designers, engineers, and artisans within Rolls-Royce developed several highly complex details and features that incorporate 18- and 24-carat gold. One such feat is the hidden vault created in the centre console between the front seats. The area was re-engineered to house an illuminated solid 18-carat gold bar, shaped as a Phantom ‘Speedform’ – a stylised representation of the motor car’s design in miniature.
The base of the front and rear centre consoles is also lined with an exquisite gold finish, as is the inside of the glovebox. The inner lid of the glovebox is also debossed with Goldfinger’s iconic quote: “This is Gold, Mr. Bond. All my life, I have been in love with its colour, its brilliance, its divine heaviness.”
The air vents and ‘organ stops’ throughout the motor car also have a lustrous gold finish. The speaker frets are given the same finish and inscribed with the film’s title treatment. The treadplates, designed to look like the gold bars that feature Goldfinger, are gold-plated and embossed using the same font developed for the film in 1964. The 24-carat gold-plated VIN plaque is engraved with a specially obtained vehicle identification number, which ends in 007.
FURKA PASS GALLERY The Bespoke artwork installed in Phantom’s Gallery, which runs the full width of the front fascia, is the true centrepiece of the motor car. The three-dimensional design, which was hand-drawn, is a precise yet artistic isoline map that shows the contours of the Furka Pass; in the film 007 is seen on this legendary road, discreetly following Auric Goldfinger to his smelting plant in the Swiss Alps. The stainless steel used to construct the piece was darkened using a method named physical vapour deposition. Contour lines and elevation figures are engraved into the dark substrate, exposing the bright metal beneath. The Furka Pass is cut out from the stainless-steel layer, revealing a gilded surface underneath.
This highly complex feature required a year of painstaking development, in which the Bespoke Collective produced ten complete prototypes to perfect the design. The Bespoke clock surround at the centre of the artwork is inspired by the instantly recognisable ‘gun barrel’ sequence which has been featured in every James Bond film since Dr. No (1962).
FURKA PASS STARLIGHT HEADLINER The motor car pays another subtle tribute to the memorable Furka Pass scene. The marque’s Bespoke Collective designed the Starlight Headliner of Phantom Goldfinger to perfectly reflect the constellations as they were positioned over the Furka Pass on 11 July 1964 – the last day of filming the scene in Switzerland. 719 ‘stars’, which glow with a subtle gold hue, are surrounded by a further eight ‘shooting stars’ – all individually placed by hand.
PICNIC TABLE INLAY: THE MAP TO GOLD RESERVES The Royal Walnut picnic tables are adorned with a 22-carat gold inlay with a depth of only 0.1 mm, which feature a fictional map of Fort Knox, the bullion depository where the United States’ gold reserves are stored. The design, which took six months to finalise and was developed over three prototypes, incorporates key locations including Gold Vault Road, Bullion Boulevard, and the Bullion Depository that Goldfinger plans to attack in ‘Operation Grand Slam’.
INTERIOR COLOURWAY: GOLD STANDARD Phantom Goldfinger is finished in Navy leather and Royal Walnut veneer, selected as an elegant and refined canvas to showcase the gold detailing, inspired by the interior colourway of the original motor car. The seating, which includes reclining Serenity Seating in the rear suite, is subtly elevated with gold stitching, gold-coloured ‘bullets’ to cap the seat piping sections, and headrests that incorporate gold ‘RR’ monograms.
EXQUISITE DETAILS James Bond’s initial encounter with Goldfinger takes place at Stoke Park in Buckinghamshire, UK, where 007 challenges him to a round of golf. Goldfinger uses a gold putter, which is safely guarded by his henchman, Oddjob. For the 2024 Phantom Goldfinger, the gold-plated putter has been recreated and mounted on the underside of the boot lid. The club is adorned with a specially designed ‘AG’ monogram, inspired by the engraving on the signet ring worn by Goldfinger on-screen.
Later, while alone with Goldfinger’s Phantom III, Bond places a Q Branch-issued tracking device on the motor car, which he uses to follow the villain across Europe. To acknowledge this, the Bespoke Collective developed a device, inspired by the original gadget, that subtly projects the 007 logo onto the carpet of the luggage compartment floor whenever the lid is opened.
During the Stoke Park scene, Bond is nearly caught interfering with the Phantom III by Oddjob, who loads Goldfinger’s golf clubs and a harlequin umbrella into the boot. For the 2024 Phantom Goldfinger, the umbrellas that fit into the motor car’s rear doors have been finished in the same red, blue, green, and yellow colours.
As a finishing touch, the prized British numberplate ‘AU 1’, which graced the Goldfinger Phantom III in the film, has been secured — a reference to the chemical symbol for gold on the periodic table of elements. This will remain with Phantom Goldfinger, which has now been delivered to a significant Rolls-Royce client and collector based in England.
“Bringing Phantom Goldfinger into being was one of the Bespoke Collective’s greatest creative journeys to date. The elegant and whimsical features that reference the film’s most memorable moments are an exquisite demonstration of the power of Bespoke in adding a new chapter to an existing story. It was a privilege to be a part of the creative team that brought this highly sought-after collector’s piece to life.” Nick Rhodes, Bespoke Designer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: AURIC GOLDFINGER AND HIS 1937 ROLLS-ROYCE PHANTOM III Rolls-Royce motor cars have featured in a dozen James Bond films throughout the film franchise’s history. However, the marque’s most enduring and memorable role is in the 007 film, Goldfinger.
The film sees eponymous villain, Auric Goldfinger, driven across Europe by his henchman, Oddjob, in an exquisite 1937 Rolls-Royce Phantom III Sedanca de Ville. The coachwork of this imperious motor car holds a secret – it is made from two tonnes of solid 18-carat gold, which Goldfinger is smuggling from England, across the continent and over the challenging Furka Pass into Switzerland. Once safely installed in Auric Enterprises, he uses his alpine smelting plant to disassemble his Rolls-Royce, melting down the body panels into gold bars. With the original coachwork replaced, he returns his motor car to England and repeats this nefarious crossing.
Goldfinger’s ultimate master plan, named ‘Operation Grand Slam’, is far more ambitious; he plans to irradiate the gold stored in the Fort Knox Bullion Depository with an atomic device, rendering it worthless, thereby driving the value of his own reserves into the stratosphere.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION Phantom Extended: NEDCcorr (combined): CO2 emissions: 345 g/km; Fuel consumption: 15.1 ltr/100 km / 18.7 mpg. WLTP (combined): CO2emissions: 362-348 g/km; Fuel consumption: 15.9-15.2 ltr/100 km / 17.7-18.6 mpg. Further information: https://bit.ly/3XtQW7q
ABOUT ROLLS-ROYCE Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is a true luxury house, creating the world’s most recognised, revered and desirable handcrafted Bespoke products for its international clientele.
There are over 2,500 people working at the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood, West Sussex. This comprises both its global headquarters and Centre of Luxury Manufacturing Excellence – the only place in the world where Rolls-Royce motor cars are designed, engineered and meticulously built by hand. An independent study by the London School of Economics & Political Science confirms that since the company first launched at Goodwood in 2003, it has contributed more than £4 billion to the UK economy and adds more than £500 million in economic value every year.
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
[source: Rolls-Royce]
“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.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION Phantom Extended: NEDCcorr (combined): CO2 emissions: 345 g/km; Fuel consumption: 15.1 ltr/100 km / 18.7 mpg. WLTP (combined): CO2 emissions: 362-348 g/km; Fuel consumption: 15.9-15.2 ltr/100 km / 17.7-18.6 mpg. Further information: https://bit.ly/3XtQW7q
About Rolls-Royce Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is a true luxury house, creating the world’s most recognised, revered and desirable handcrafted Bespoke products for its international clientele.
There are over 2,500 people working at the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood, West Sussex. This comprises both its global headquarters and Centre of Luxury Manufacturing Excellence – the only place in the world where Rolls-Royce motor cars are designed, engineered and meticulously built by hand. Its continuous investment in its facilities, products and people has resulted in a series of ‘record years’ for global sales, peaking in 2023 with over 6,000 motor cars sold worldwide. An independent study by the London School of Economics & Political Science confirms that since the company first launched at Goodwood in 2003, it has contributed more than £4 billion to the UK economy and adds more than £500 million in economic value every year.
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is a wholly owned subsidiary of the BMW Group and is a completely separate, unrelated company from Rolls-Royce plc, the manufacturer of aircraft engines and propulsion systems.
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars showcases contemporary expressions at Festival of Speed
Collection of Bespoke motor cars presented on Festival’s Laundry Green, adjacent to Goodwood House
The latest iteration of Cullinan, the marque’s most requested model, makes its UK public debut at the event
All-electric super coupé Spectre joins the highly anticipated Supercar Run
[source: Rolls-Royce]
“The Festival of Speed, set in the remarkable grounds of the historic Goodwood Estate, is an important highlight in our annual calendar. It is the ultimate celebration of motorsport, located only a stone’s throw away from the marque’s headquarters in West Sussex. We are delighted to unveil a highly Bespoke collection of motor cars, which have been created especially for the occasion and exemplify the talent, creativity and ingenuity of our artisans, designers and engineers at Rolls-Royce. The latest iteration of our super-luxury SUV, Cullinan, will also make its UK public debut at the event. Alongside Cullinan Series II, we are proud to showcase Spectre, our all-electric super coupé, presented in a vivacious two-tone, as well as a highly Bespoke Phantom Extended and a unique expression of Ghost. We are looking forward to welcoming media, clients and our trusted dealer partners to the event.” Boris Weletzky, Regional Director, United Kingdom, Europe and Central Asia
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars celebrates a highly Bespoke presence at this year’s Festival of Speed. Displayed on the Festival’s Laundry Green, adjacent to Goodwood House, a beautifully commissioned Phantom Extended, Ghost, Spectre, as well as the latest expression of Cullinan, will each provide a unique expression of the marque’s peerless craftsmanship.
ROLLS-ROYCE CULLINAN When Cullinan first launched in 2018, it built a new legacy for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, with a bold and uncompromising generation of super-luxury consumers. It reframed super-luxury motoring, enabling Rolls-Royce clients to experience the marque’s hallmark ‘magic carpet ride’ on any terrain and in every corner of the world.
Earlier this year, the marque unveiled Cullinan Series II, an evolution of the world’s pre-eminent super-luxury SUV. This motor car makes its UK public debut at the Festival of Speed 2024.
One of the key themes in Cullinan’s evolution is verticality, which echoes the illuminated skyscrapers in the megacities where Cullinan is increasingly at home. This is perhaps most apparent in the new lamp treatment, where tall daytime running light graphics ensure Cullinan Series II is easily identified, day and night.
The marque’s signature figurine, the Spirit of Ecstasy, features inside the motor car for the very first time and is displayed in miniature inside the new Clock Cabinet in the fascia. This unique inset vitrine displays both an analogue timepiece and the up-lit Spirit of Ecstasy figurine. Constructed from solid stainless steel, the Spirit of Ecstasy is placed on her own stage with a matte black back panel and high gloss side panels to create a reflection effect.
Cullinan Series II illustrates the extensive scope of the marque’s Bespoke capabilities and talented craftsmanship. For the first time ever on a series car, Placed Perforation, the practice of creating artworks through tiny perforations in the leather, is available. Designers at the marque’s headquarters created a pattern inspired by the constantly changing shapes and shadows of the clouds over the Home of Rolls-Royce.Cullinan Series II also continues Rolls-Royce’s exploration of textiles with a new rayon fabric made from bamboo, named Duality Twill.
A contemporary expression of Cullinan, finished in a minimalist yet sophisticated hue, Emperador Truffle, will be on show at the event. Inspired by richly-veined brown marble, Rolls-Royce colour specialists developed this unique paint finish especially for Cullinan Series II. An Arctic White Coachline provides a clean contrast to the exterior hue. Inside, the elegant yet minimalist style continues, with a Cashmere Grey and Chartreuse leather colourway, the latter with the intricate Placed Perforation pattern.
ROLLS-ROYCE SPECTRE 2023 was a momentous year for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars; it marked 20 years since production began at the marque’s Goodwood manufacturing facility and, in Q4 of 2023, client deliveries for Spectre, the marque’s first fully electric motor car, began. Since then, Spectre has been on a remarkable Bespoke journey.
For this year’s Festival of Speed, a striking expression of the marque’s electric super coupé has been created. Presented in two-tone Peony Pearl and Black Diamond, this vibrant expression of the marque’s genre-defining motor car exudes modern luxury and symbolises the dawn of a bold new era for Rolls-Royce. To embolden the exterior and highlight Spectre’s dynamic presence and prowess, 23-inch wheels are fitted to the motor car. The exterior is completed with a trim, Black Coachline. Peony Pink and Arctic White are the primary and secondary interior colours chosen to complement the exterior.
The interior cabin is a celestial cosseting haven, with a spellbinding Starlight Headliner, Starlight Doors, which incorporate 4,796 softly illuminated ‘stars’, and a tone-on-tone starlight pattern on the rear waterfall seat. An extra special clock vitrine, delicately embellished with shooting ‘stars’, creates a serene yet magical essence.
This year marks the 120th anniversary of the meeting of The Hon. Charles Stewart Rolls and Henry Royce and, in a gentle nod to commemorate this significant year, each of the one-of-one Phantom, Ghost and Spectre motor cars created for the event, features a painted ‘sound wave’ design on the lid of the centre console. Each ‘sound wave’ conveys a different inspirational quote from the marque’s founding fathers, whose vision underpins everything that the company is today and strives to achieve.
Bespoke is Rolls-Royce; an ethos which permeates every commissioned creation, from exquisite motor cars to luxurious accessories. This extends from glamorous cellarettes and champagne chests, to personalised umbrellas and picnic hampers. To complement the Peony Pearl Spectre, an elegant Escapism Luggage Collection has been designed and created. Beautiful in form, yet relaxed and contemporary, this luggage collection is crafted from the highest quality leather and durable canvas, ideal for those who travel for enriching experiences and spontaneous moments of discovery.
In addition to Spectre’s presence on the stand, this motor car will ascend the famous Hillclimb course at Goodwood during the Festival’s Supercar Run.
ROLLS-ROYCE PHANTOM Phantom is an icon of legendary standing, which defines the barometers of luxury. A masterpiece of transcendent perfection, Phantom Extended offers tastemakers a serene and spacious realm to recharge before taking on the world. Its exquisite features and elevated nuances epitomise Rolls-Royce’s artisanship, solidifying it as an icon in the marque’s history.
For this year’s Festival of Speed, a modern interpretation of Rolls-Royce’s pinnacle motor car has been designed and created by the marque’s highly skilled designers, engineers and artisans. This magnificent expression is finished in a striking two-tone of Diba Teal and Black Diamond, with a Black Coachline. Inspiration for this motor car comes from the French Riviera, a location internationally renowned for its glamourous lifestyle, unrivalled views and stunning scenery. There is also a strong connection between the marque and the area; in 1912, Sir Henry Royce built Villa Mimosa in the village of Le Canadel, where he subsequently spent every winter until his death in 1933.
Phantom offers clients an unprecedented opportunity: a chance to showcase eclectic works of art, sculpture, or objects of self-expression in the Gallery. This unique single piece of uninterrupted glass, spans the entire fascia and means patrons can enjoy, admire and appreciate their favourite artwork from the sanctuary of Phantom’s sumptuous cabin. For this year’s commission, Rolls-Royce’s artisans spent over 35 hours creating a beautiful monochrome leather Gallery, with an embroidered wave pattern, which features 47,319 stitches. This pattern is once again a gentle nod to the French Riviera and is replicated throughout the motor car on the door card and picnic tables.
Innovation meets exquisite craftsmanship with the Kinetic Luggage Collection which complements the luxurious motor car. Presented in Black leather, with Arctic White panelling and Diba Teal stitching, the collection has been meticulously designed and crafted by Rolls-Royce’s talented artisans.
ROLLS-ROYCE GHOST 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.
Presented in Blue Crystal over Black, the expression of Ghost created in honour of the occasion, oozes timeless elegance and sophistication. A Charles Blue Coachline elegantly resolves the exterior and illustrates the extensive scope of the marque’s Exterior Surface Centre.
Beautifully crafted leather Key Wraps have been designed and created for the Ghost, Phantom and Spectre.
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TECHNICAL INFORMATION
Spectre: WLTP: Power consumption: 2.6-2.8 mi/kWh / 23.6-22.2 kWh/100km. Electric range 329 mi / 530 km. NEDC: CO2 emissions 0 g/km.
