Rolls-Royce Celebrates a century of Phantom Excellence with Exclusive Centennial Collection
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A limited-edition run of just 25 vehicles, the Rolls-Royce Phantom Centennial Private Collection marks 100 years of the iconic luxury sedan, already fully allocated to a clientele described as largely “young people.” throughout the last century, the Phantom has stood as a definitive symbol of success and discerning taste, favored by the world’s most influential figures.
The new collection maintains the intrinsic characteristics of the eighth-generation Phantom,including its powerful 6.7-liter twin-turbo V12 engine, while distinguishing itself through unique interior and exterior details. According to a company release, the Rolls-Royce Bespoke division – comprised of designers, engineers, and master craftsmen – poured their skill and imagination into creating what they consider a masterpiece.
A Legacy Reimagined
The Bespoke team immersed themselves in the history of the Phantom,studying each generation from the 1920s to the present day. They explored the car’s owners, key figures within Rolls-Royce, the locations where the Phantom was conceived and built, and the defining events of its era. This deep dive informed the advanced craft techniques employed in the Centennial Private Collection, many of which were conceived specifically for this commemorative series.
Inside, the Phantom Centennial showcases textiles designed by haute couture designers, embroidery mimicking sketches, laser-engraved leather, and innovative wood craftsmanship. Techniques like 3D marquetry, gold leaf application, and layered 3D ink bring the Phantom’s story to life with stunning intricacy.
The door panels, crafted from stained Blackwood, required a year of work to complete. They represent the Phantom’s most important journeys through a complex composition of geographical maps, winding routes, panoramic landscapes, floral elements, and representations of experimental automobiles. This artwork combines multidirectional 3D marquetry,laser engraving,layered 3D ink,and gold leaf to create depth and texture. Paths representing these journeys shine in 24-karat gold, meticulously crafted from squares of gold leaf just 0.1 micrometers thick.
The rear doors showcase representations of the native flora of southern France – pines, cypresses, ferns, and palm trees – while a section recreates one of Sir Henry Royce’s original oil paintings of the region, transferred from canvas to wood. The precise locations of Royce’s homes, Villa Mimosa and Elmstead, are marked with a single point of gold leaf measuring just 2.76 mm in diameter.
The wooden door surfaces are further transformed into expertly embroidered leather panels. the 24-karat gold “roads” continue as golden thread embroidery, while the details of the maps and landscapes are stitched in black, echoing the etched details of the veneered sections.
Representations of the first and current generations of the English sedan are individually engraved on the rear picnic tables, with the models reflected in embroidery on the backrests.
The rear seats draw inspiration from the famed ‘Phantom of Love’ from 1926,commissioned with hand-woven Aubusson tapestries. The seating artwork unfolds in three layers: a background depicting places and objects from the Phantom’s history, from Rolls-Royce’s original Conduit Street facilities to Henry Royce’s paintings of southern France; a portrayal of significant Phantoms from the past; and embroideries abstractly representing seven influential owners from each generation.
Golden Sands thread, applied with irregular, sketch-like stitches, outlines and defines each image, creating the illusion of floating lines. Texture and depth are added with Seashell thread, applied with high-density stitches. The intricate craftsmanship incorporates over 160,000 stitches throughout the composition.
The final artwork comprises 45 individual panels, precisely aligned and fitted to the contours of the Rolls-Royce seats – a process inspired by Savile Row tailoring techniques. The Phantom Centennial Private Collection is a testament to a century of automotive excellence, blending history, artistry, and innovation into an unparalleled luxury experience.
Echoes of Hollywood’s Golden Age
The exterior design evokes the glamour of Hollywood’s Golden Age…
