Rolls-Royce unveils Phantom Centenary Private Collection
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has marked a century of the Phantom with a flamboyant, over the top creation, the Phantom Centenary Private Collection. It’s a limited run model with 25 cars being made. The company humbly calls it its most “complex and technologically ambitious” project to date. It’s said to cost roughly $NZ5.8 million.
Developed over three years and requiring more than 40,000 hours of work, the Centenary Collection celebrates 100 years of Phantom history through ‘bespoke craftsmanship’, ‘artistic storytelling’, and several ‘world-first design techniques’. Each car is said to blend elements of ‘fine art, couture, and cutting-edge manufacturing’ transforming the Phantom VIII into what Rolls-Royce describes as “a symbol of ambition, artistic possibility, and historical gravitas.”
“This uncompromising work of art uses the meticulously engineered Phantom VIII as the canvas to tell the story of Phantom’s remarkable life and the people who shaped it,” said Chris Brownridge, Chief Executive of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.
A century in design
The Phantom Centenary’s two-tone exterior, Super Champagne Crystal over Arctic White or Black, is said to evoke the glamour of 1930s Hollywood. The paint finish is achieved using iridescent glass particles, while every car is topped by a solid gold Spirit of Ecstasy, plated in 24-carat gold and enamelled by hand.
Even the “RR” badges receive the golden treatment, complemented by engraved disc wheels bearing 25 lines each, collectively representing the Phantom’s 100 years.
A rolling work of art
Inside, the Centenary Phantom tells the story of its lineage through materials and motifs spanning every generation of the model. Designers spent a year researching Phantom’s history, distilling 77 hand-sketched motifs into intricate visual elements that appear throughout the cabin, from embroidery and etching to 3D woodwork and gold inlays.
The rear seats, inspired by the 1926 Phantom of Love, were created in collaboration with a fashion atelier using high-resolution printed textiles and more than 160,000 stitches. Layers of imagery depict historic models, key owners, and locations from Rolls-Royce’s past, each rendered with “sketch-like” embroidery in golden and seashell threads.
“Every embroidered element was digitally re-drawn by artisans who selected specific stitch applications for every stroke,” explained Celina Mettang, Bespoke Colour and Material Designer at Rolls-Royce. “It’s a contemporary interpretation of a handwoven tapestry.”
The front seats continue the theme with laser-etched leather artwork, featuring symbolic sketches such as a rabbit, referencing “Roger Rabbit,” the codename for the 2003 Phantom relaunch, and a seagull, the nickname for the original 1923 prototype.
Woodwork like no other
The door panels showcase Phantom’s ‘most iconic journeys’ from Sir Henry Royce’s winter retreat in Southern France to a 4,500km Australian crossing by the first Goodwood-era Phantom. Crafted from stained Blackwood, each scene combines 3D marquetry, laser etching, ink layering, and 24-carat gold leaf, marking the first time Rolls-Royce has used these techniques together.
Gold inlays trace historic routes, while micro-etched details as small as 0.13mm depict boats, maps, and landscapes.
“New technology developed for this project allowed us to add details at a scale never before possible,” said Katrin Lehmann, Bespoke Colour and Material Designer. “It’s a privilege to realise Phantom’s history with such precision.”
A cabin of innovation and symbolism
The centrepiece, dubbed the Anthology Gallery, features 50 3D-printed aluminium fins that resemble the pages of a book, etched with quotes and illuminated to create the shimmer of fireworks.
Above, the Starlight Headliner, stitched with 440,000 individual lights and threads, tells Phantom’s story through constellations, embroidered bees, and even a tribute to Sir Henry Royce’s mulberry tree.
Under the bonnet, the 6.75-litre V12 engine receives its own tribute, with a bespoke Arctic White cover detailed in 24-carat gold.
“A Once-in-a-Generation Responsibility”
Limited to just 25 units worldwide, the Phantom Centenary Private Collection represents the pinnacle of Rolls-Royce’s Bespoke craftsmanship and, perhaps, the last word in ultra-luxury coachbuilding.
“Phantom Centenary is the most intricate and technologically ambitious Private Collection ever undertaken,” said Phil Fabre de la Grange, Head of Bespoke. “The surfaces read like a book revealing 100 years of Phantom’s history.”
