[Sommos]

The posh and pricey Phantom was Rolls-Royce’s inaugural motorcar of its modern era, launched at the 2003 North American International Auto Show in Detroit as the first model to be created under the aegis of the company’s current owner, BMW. As the cornerstone for the current Rolls line, it grew to encompass standard and long-wheelbase “saloons” (sedans), and both closed-roof and “drophead” (convertible) coupes.

With an eighth-generation replacement being readied for production to ride on all-new aluminum underpinnings that will become the basis for a future generation of Rolls-Royce models, the Goodwood, England-based automaker is sending its storied Phantom line off with a sizzle in the form of the ultra-bespoke Phantom Drophead Coupe and Phantom Coupe Zenith Collection.

How does one top what are already over-the-top hand-built V12-powered rides that start at around $450,000? Of course there’s the expected custom exterior colors, interior treatments and elegant upgrades to signify the added exclusivity. These include a drawer on the center console that opens to reveal a polished and engraved aluminum case signifying its end-of-an-era status that incorporates a single piece of the Phantom Assembly Line as what is perhaps the ultimate automotive memento. Also, laser-etched armrest cappings celebrate the European locations of the cars’ global debuts, Lake Geneva for the Coupe and Lake Como for the Drophead Coupe. Other extreme amenities abound: The Coupe’s Starlight Headliner has been customized with hand-woven illuminated stars that are clustered at the front and fade to the rear, which, according to R-R, “bathes the driver and front passenger in a warm and inviting celestial glow.”

Contrary to the saloons, which are largely intended for their owners to be driven, the Phantom Coupe and Drophead Coupe are engineered for an owner’s enjoyment and are already examples of recreational motoring taken to the extreme. The Zenith Collection editions go a step further by reinventing the notion of the Great Victorian Picnic. Here, the trunk contains a refrigerator large enough to hold two bottles of champagne and eight custom Rolls-Royce glasses, with a glass shelf that can be deployed for serving, and a leather-padded lower tailgate for seating. What’s more, a bespoke version of the Rolls-Royce picnic hamper is included and will be personalized to match the car’s specified materials and color palette.


Source : Forbes Auto