Monday 5th March 2018

Rolls-Royce to showcase Bespoke models at Geneva

Goodwood can do almost anything to the Phantom - and has turned the Dawn into a two-seater for good measure

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While Geneva might have seemed like the ideal occasion to launch its first SUV - now officially named the Cullinan - Rolls-Royce has held back its latest model for later in the year, and has instead sought to wow the hoi polloi with the spectacle of three one-off Bespoke commissions.

The devil here, as you might expect, is in the detailing - and the lengths that Goodwood will go to to satisfy the whims of its most valued (and valuable) 'patrons'. Thus we get three variations on the Phantom theme, each named for our lowbrow amusement.

First up, 'The Gentleman's Tourer' - a standard wheelbase model meant to hark back to the Phantom II Continental saloon of the 30s. These were considered owner/driver cars for Grand Touring across continents, although the real standout feature (beyond the paint job intended echo military jet fighters) is the Cascade Steel Gallery - Rolls-Royce-speak for dashboard trim - finished in Ruthenium.

If that name has you clicking for Wikipedia, let us save you the effort: it's a transitional metal from the Platinum group which is, of course, rarer than hen's teeth. The choice of 'gallery' is a big part of the other models, too. Both long wheelbase variants, the 'Whispered Muse' (yes, really) gets one adorned with a Helen Amy Murray reinterpretation of the Charles Sykes' Spirit of Ectasy drawings to go with a Piano Seashell veneer that required 12 hours of hand polishing. Outside, the car is treated to the first ever Rose Gold mascot.

"A Moment in Time' goes even further. Rolls-Royce photographed a swath of silk (meant to represent the Spirit of Ectasy's shawl) being pulled through water, modelled its shape in clay, then created a wax sculpture from it that could then be machined from a solid billet of aluminium.

If you're thinking some people have too much money, you'd be right. However, just in case this all seems a bit impractical (even for Goodwood), Rolls-Royce will also use the show to also premiere the Dawn Aero Cowling, which covers up the rear seats with two removable cowls that essentially transform the four-seat drophead into a two-seater.

As well as apparently increasing driver comfort with better air funnelling, the cowls also offer leather-lined and lockable storage compartments. They're also made of carbon-fibre and aluminium and covered in leather so ought to fit right in with the Drophead's aesthetic. No word on price, but if you need to ask...

[sidesauce]

The first interior - oof. I love it!

[ReverendCounter]

The 'coupe' version is quite nice too



(apologies to RR)

[bluemason]

ReverendCounter said:

The 'coupe' version is quite nice too



(apologies to RR)

It baffles me in why they have not continued with a limited edition run of the drophead coupe.

[ReverendCounter]

bluemason said:

It baffles me in why they have not continued with a limited edition run of the drophead coupe.

I have to be honest, the full extent of my understanding of Rolls Royce starts and ends with the word 'adequate'. However after messing around in photoshop it does seem there is a lot of potential for another variant as you allude.