The Phantom Centenary Marks Rolls-Royce’s 100-Year Legacy

Rolls-Royce Phantom Centenary Rolls-Royce Birthday cake, bunting, and champagne are usually how big birthdays are celebrated. Luxury manufacturer Rolls-Royce has gone the extra mile by releasing a limited run of its Phantom, known as the Rolls-Royce Phantom Centenary. Only 25 cars will be produced in bespoke paintwork: the side body, a two-tone Super Champagne Crystal over Arctic White, a nod to the flowing silhouette of 1930s Phantoms, with the upper body Super Champagne Crystal over Black. Rolls-Royce has also infused clear coat with crushed glass, giving the paintwork a shimmer effect. Unlike the regular Spirit of Ecstasy figurine, which is usually silver or black, an 18-carat gold variant, plated in 24-carat gold, sits at the car’s nose. Topping off the exterior are Phantom disc wheels, each engraved with 25 lines, honoring the 25 motor cars within the collection, and together, making 100 lines to celebrate the centenary year. Rolls-Royce Phantom Centenary Rolls-Royce Of course, inside is where the Phantom excels. Opening the rear coach doors reveals artistically inclined seats, inspired by the famed 1926 Phantom of Love. The artwork on the seats unfolds across three distinct layers of storytelling. The first is the background showing places and artifacts from Phantom’s history – from the marque’s original site in London to Henry Royce’s oil paintings of Southern France. MORE FOR YOU The second layer 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. The finished artwork spans over 45 individual panels, each aligned and fitted around the curvatures of the seat; a process inspired by Savile Row tailoring techniques. The result is the most intricate seat composition ever created by Rolls-Royce. Rolls-Royce Centenary Rolls-Royce “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 realize moments in Phantom’s history with the detail and precision the nameplate deserves," says Katrin Lehmann, bespoke color and material designer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. The rear doors portray the coastline of Le Rayol-Canadel-sur-Mer, where Sir Henry Royce spent his winters. The front passenger door showcases the landscape of West Wittering, home to his summer residence. The driver’s door shows the epic 4,500-mile journey of the first-ever Goodwood-era Phantom, which crossed the Australian continent from Perth. Rolls-Royce Centenary Rolls-Royce Similarly, the Phantom Centenary’s woodwork consists of stained Blackwood, the door panels featuring geographical maps, winding routes, sweeping landscapes and floral elements. Phil Fabre de la Grange, head of bespoke, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, said: “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.” Editorial StandardsReprints & Permissions