The 6 wackiest Rolls‑Royce 'Bespoke' features of 2016

In a throwback to an era of independent coachbuilders, the world’s rich and famous don’t so much buy a Rolls-Royce these days as commission Rolls-Royce to build a car for them. And you can have it as bespoke as you want. 

Last year was a very good year for Rolls-Royce. Apart from delivering 4011 new cars for its second best year ever, its Bespoke department had its most successful and creative year in its history. Practically every car that left Goodwood was ‘Bespoked’ in one way or another…

The champagne shelf

Obvious really: if you are going to take a break while touring in your Phantom to serve your travelling companions a glass of fizz, you need somewhere to serve it. The answer for the special Zenith Collection Phantom was a glass shelf integrated into the two-piece boot lid. Of course, there’s also a champagne fridge and eight Rolls-Royce glasses. 

Simulated tiger fur trim

One of the final Bespoke commissions of the seventh-generation Phantom Extended Wheelbase in 2016 was for an entrepreneur in the Far East who wanted the tiger fur look on the rear centre console. The look was achieved by painstaking embroidery by R-R’s craftspeople. Among a host of other custom touches the “Peace and Glory” Phantom also features multiple personalised motifs stitched into the hide and laid into the veneer, all by hand.

A taste of Taiwan

Blue magpies are only found in Taiwan – which is why a Taiwanese customer wanted an image of the bird incorporated into his Phantom Drophead Coupé. The answer was to have a colourful image of the beautiful bird embroidered into each headrest. “Cultural emblems often inform the vision of the marque’s patrons,” says R-R. This “Blue Magpie” Phantom has other features of regional significance including Mother of Pearl inlays and a luggage compartment floor finished in teak with white maple inserts.

Any colour you want

US collector Michael Fux wanted to develop his own colour for his first Rolls-Royce Dawn convertible. He came up with a shade of blue never used before – and which is now reserved for his exclusive use. The car, in what has been dubbed “Fux Blue” paint, made a bold sight at its handover in Pebble Beach, complete with its Fux Blue hood and contrasting Arctic White rear deck and interior fittings.

Ghost strikes the right note

Commissioned by a Rolls-Royce dealer in the Middle East, the Rolls-Royce “Inspired by the Greats” Ghost celebrates the work of the great classical composers. Clef-like motifs feature in the coachline and throughout the cabin, while the exact musical notation from the patron’s favourite piece is inscribed using the art of marquetry in the ebony wood dashboard panel. 

Dawn of a nautical age

Incorporating influences from superyachts was the priority for a woman in Florida when commissioning her Dawn. The nautical-themed convertible mimics the high-contrast appearance of a superyacht, complemented by a teak rear deck and ‘Canadel’ teak interior panels. The Bespoke cabin clock is inspired by the owner’s favourite watch and “Dawn” is spelled out in maritime signal flags in the car’s treadplate.

“Rolls-Royce patrons live in a world beyond material acquisition,” said Rolls-Royce chief Torsten Müller-Ötvös. “In commissioning these extraordinary objects they create a timeless legacy, often profoundly inspired by the most important moments in their lives.”