New £2.5 million Rolls-Royce Phantom marks model's centenary

Rolls-Royce has unveiled a special-edition Phantom described as the “most technically extraordinary car ever built” to mark the model’s centenary.

Limited to 25 examples, the £2.5 million Phantom Centenary Private Collection has been created to showcase defining moments from the past 100 years of Phantoms.

While it retains the same technical specifications as a standard eighth-generation Phantom, including a twin-turbocharged 6.75-litre V12 engine, the special is distinguished by its appearance both inside and out.

The exterior design has “a strong reference to [Rolls-Royce’s] past”, according to its designer, Matt Denton, using two-tone paint inspired by the 1930 Phantom II Continental. There is a new gold-flake crystal overpaint applied on top of both the white and black to create a metallic shimmer, a unique Spirit of Ecstasy and bespoke disc wheels. The ‘RR’ Badge of Honour, on the front, rear and sides of the car is in 24-carat gold and white enamel for the first time.

The most notable changes appear inside, where innovations new to Rolls-Royce include the use of 3D marquetry, 3D ink layer and 24-carat gold leafing.

The rear seats portray three different stories through the ages, including an image of Rolls’ Conduit Street showroom, where the first Phantom was launched, and Henry Royce’s oil paintings of southern France. The process, which is described as being “inspired by Savile Row tailoring techniques”, uses 45 individual panels carefully aligned to the shape of the seats. 

Meanwhile, the front seats use laser-etched artwork based on hand drawings and include a rabbit design – a nod to Roger Rabbit, the codename for Rolls-Royce’s relaunch in 2003. More historical references are laced into the headliner, which features 440,000 stitches.