PressClub South Africa · Article.
PHANTOM ZENITH COLLECTION
Tue May 17 09:34:00 CEST 2016 Press Release
“As we begin to write a bold new chapter in Rolls-Royce history, I am delighted to present a Bespoke Collection that so elegantly celebrates two of the world’s rarest and most celebrated luxury goods; Phantom Drophead Coupé and Phantom Coupé. Phantom Zenith Collection motor cars speak of the marque’s unrelenting commitment to setting and advancing the standard by which all other luxury goods are judged.” Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer.
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BMW Group
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Author.
Lindsay Pieterse
BMW Group
“As we begin to write a bold new chapter in Rolls-Royce history, I
am delighted to present a Bespoke Collection that so elegantly
celebrates two of the world’s rarest and most celebrated luxury goods;
Phantom Drophead Coupé and Phantom Coupé. Phantom Zenith Collection
motor cars speak of the marque’s unrelenting commitment to setting and
advancing the standard by which all other luxury goods are judged.”
Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.
From its foundation 112 years ago, the story of Rolls-Royce
Motor Cars has been defined by a restless commitment to setting and
raising the standard by which all other luxury goods are judged. On
January 1 2003, this philosophy was realised emphatically with the
handover of the first seventh generation Phantom to its customer at
the newly established Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, England. The
world’s most discerning patrons of luxury and respected commentators
across the globe were instantly endeared to a powerful yet elegant
statement of unabashed contemporary luxury. Rolls-Royce had once again
established its legend as maker of the ‘Best Car in the World’.
Four years later, Phantom Drophead Coupé revived the notion of
uncompromised open-top luxury touring; a legacy that is being
continued with beautiful effect with 2016’s Rolls-Royce Dawn. Phantom
Coupé followed in 2008, taking its place as one of the rarest and most
celebrated Continental Grand Tourers of all time – paving the way for
its natural heir: Wraith which cemented itself as the ultimate
gentleman’s gran turismo in 2013.
Today, the marque stands on the cusp of a bold new era,
following the announcement of the eighth generation Phantom limousine
and its all-new aluminium architecture that promises to underpin all
future Rolls-Royce motor cars.
Now the time has come for Phantom Drophead Coupé and Phantom
Coupé to leave the stage, a moment that will be marked with a
remarkable Bespoke Collection, conceived with one purpose; to once
again set the highest standard by which everything is judged.
The Phantom Zenith Collection – representing some of the very
last Phantom Drophead Coupé and Phantom Coupé motor cars ever to be
built, will serve as true collectors’ pieces. Indeed all 50 examples
have already been commissioned by connoisseur customers who will add
them to some of the world’s most significant luxury collections, safe
in the knowledge that their numbers will never grow and their value
will never be eroded by proliferation.
Phantom Zenith Collection serves to celebrate these two
extraordinary motor cars with a suite of exquisitely executed bespoke
pieces, designed to amplify the beauty and luxury of two of the rarest
and best-loved luxury goods in the world.
In conceiving these two motor cars, the Bespoke design team
dedicated themselves to understanding how both cars augment the
lifestyles of the marque’s discerning customers. Every possible detail
was considered. For example, the split-tailgate has been enhanced with
the addition of a beautifully engineered companion to a perfect
touring day’s picnic. A glass shelf, housed within the rear section of
the tailgate can be effortlessly deployed serving as the perfect place
from which to serve Champagne. No concession has been made to
compromise. A champagne fridge, large enough to hold two standard
bottles and eight Rolls-Royce glasses, occupies a large portion of the
boot, whilst the comfort of those who wish to sit on the rear-tailgate
is ensured with the use of the finest padded leathers.
Phantom Zenith Collection customers were invited to complete
their collection in the finest style with the addition of a special
Bespoke version of the Rolls-Royce Picnic Hamper. This unique
accessory – created to add a touch of glamour to a day’s touring –
will be personalised further to match the materials and colour palette
of the customer.
On opening the coach doors, owners are greeted with an
intricately executed nod to the history of these remarkable motor cars
– beautiful laser etching to the armrest cappings. These stylishly
express the locations of the global debut of the experimental version
of each car (Villa D’Este on the shores of Lake Como for 100EX –
Phantom Drophead Coupé’s forebear and Lake Geneva for the 101EX, the
car that would become Phantom Coupé).
So much of what has endeared the world’s most discerning patrons
of luxury to Phantom can be found in its exhaustively conceived and
executed details. Phantom Zenith Collection celebrates this with a
hallmark deftness of touch. The central fascia drawer has been used to
house a priceless memento signifying each car’s status as one of the
very last. On opening, owners discover a removable polished aluminum
case, laser engraved with their motor car’s unique identification
number surrounded with a beautiful application of Best English
Blacking – a technique most commonly associated with fine gun-making.
Within this, sits a piece of automotive history, not attainable by any
other means; a single piece of the Phantom Assembly Line at the Home
of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, England. This remarkable collectors’ piece
is completed with the expression of co-ordinates, stating the exact
part of the Assembly Line from where the metal was extracted.
Both Phantom Drophead Coupé and Phantom Coupé did much to bring
Rolls-Royce customers from the rear compartment to the drivers’ seat.
This is elegantly referenced with three key design touches. The
speedometer, is presented in brushed steel – serving to draw the eye
towards a key signifier of the car’s unique, effortless power
delivery. The interior design colour scheme further nods through the
use of a highlight leather colour for the front seats that harmonises
perfectly with a darker rear compartment. Finally, the Starlight
Headliner, a design that made its debut on Phantom Coupé is given a
subtle Bespoke treatment to reflect this, with the individually
hand-woven stars clustered to the front and faded to the rear –
bathing the driver and front passenger in a warm and inviting
celestial glow.
In styling the exterior and interior colour and materials
palette, designers drew from Rolls-Royce history to create schemes
inspired by some of the most celebrated Phantoms in Rolls-Royce
history. The subtle contrast presented in the Madeira Red and Jubilee
Silver Phantom Coupé, for example, is inspired by a 1930s Phantom II.
A bolder, more defined contrast can be seen in timeless yet highly
contemporary presentation of Midnight Blue and Artic White that echoes
the genteel ambiance of a very special 1930s Rolls-Royce Phantom II
Continental, whilst a new glass clearcoat has been engineered to
enhance Phantom’s mirror-like shine.
Design touches from the marque’s recent history also served to
inspire. Hints of the 2011 Phantom Coupé Aviator Collection can be
seen in the presentation of the central tunnel, whilst Blood-Orange
tips to the instrument dials reference Wraith’s aviation inspired
motif. Further attention to detail is expressed with cupholders,
machined from aluminium, serving as a perfect visual and tactile
reminder of Phantom’s blend of timeless elegance melded to
contemporary design. Further use of highly modern materials can be
seen in the masterful use of book-matched metal foiling across the
fascia of both cars.
These extraordinary motor cars, among the last ever Phantom
Drophead Coupé and Phantom Coupés are currently being crafted at the
Home of Rolls-Royce. 2016 also represents the final year of production
for the seventh generation Phantom limousine, with connoisseur
customers invited to take the last opportunity to commission deeply
personal, Bespoke expressions of this most seminal motor car. The
order books for these very last customer commissions will close
imminently.
The BMW Group
With its three brands BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. As a global company, the BMW Group operates 31 production and assembly facilities in 14 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.
In 2015, the BMW Group sold approximately 2.247 million cars and nearly 137,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax for the financial year 2015 was approximately € 9.22 billion on revenues amounting to € 92.18 billion. As of 31 December 2015, the BMW Group had a workforce of 122,244 employees.
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