Briggs Automotive Company (BAC), a specialist carmaker, has delivered its 150th vehicle, a Mono R model which was commissioned by Hong Kong-based financier Julien Begasse de Dhaem. It is the 29th elite Mono R model that the British company has hand-built at its factory in Liverpool, England.
BAC exports 80% of the cars it produces to over 45 different countries across 5 different continents. With the recent expansion of the company’s retail network to incorporate Germany, Singapore and Malaysia, BAC has rapidly scaled its global footprint and presence worldwide.
“We remain proudly British while embracing our transition to a truly global enterprise and family. Mono #150 stands testament to our passionate global customers, loyal workforce, world-leading suppliers and dedicated global retail network,” said BAC Co-Founder and Director of Product Development Neill Briggs.
The Bentley Batur coupe represents the end of one era, as well as the beginning of another. While giving a glimpse of the new design language for the British luxury brand, it also marks the end of the iconic W12 engine which has evolved to become the most powerful powertrain in its history.
The Batur, named after a beautiful lake in Bali, is the second bespoke project by Bentley Mulliner after the Bacalar and only 18 units will be produced, priced from £1.65 million each ex-factory. (about RM8.74 million). The 18 customers who have already reserved a unit will receive their cars within 11 months.
Final version of the mighty W12 Although riding on a similar chassis as the Continental GT, the Batur has a more powerful 6-litre twin-turbo W12 engine, producing 740+ ps and 1,000 Nm. This final version is the most powerful of the mightY W12 engines that first appeared in the Continental GT in 2002. Although its power output is risen nearly 40% in 20 years, fuel economy has improved by 25%.
For the Batur’s W12 engine, a new intake system, upgraded turbochargers, new intercoolers and extensive recalibration was done to deliver exceptional. It is paired with Bentley’s 8-speed double-clutch transmission, and a sports exhaust to provide a soundtrack in keeping with the level of performance. The entire exhaust system is in titanium, while the finishers are 3D-printed in titanium in a first for Bentley.
As well as being the most power and most exclusive Bentley coupe to date, the Batur will also be the most dynamic with Speed-tuned air suspension, it is claimed. Adaptive 3-chamber air springs each have 3 switchable chambers, changing the volume of the air spring and varying effective stiffness. The driver can select the balance between ride comfort and body control using the 4-mode Drive Dynamics, choosing between Sport, Bentley, Comfort and Custom.
The Drive Dynamics Control also changes the behaviour of the 48V electric active anti-roll control system, which can provide up to 1,300 Nm of anti-roll torque in just 3/10ths of a second or completely decouple the wheels at either end of each axle. The anti-roll control system can also be used to adjust the roll stiffness front-to-rear, giving the Batur sharper turn-in and greater ability to balance the car on the throttle when in Sport mode.
Overall traction and cornering grip is maximised through the use of an electronic Limited Slip Differential that actively vectors drive torque across the chassis. This is complemented by torque vectoring by brake, whereby the car can lightly brake the inside rear wheel on turn-in for greater front-axle response, and also lightly brake both inside wheels on corner exit to move power across to the outside, loaded wheels for better traction.
New chapter in Bentley design The Bentley design DNA that has driven the creation of the Continental GT, Flying Spur and Bentayga families has been revolutionised for the Batur, introducing new themes, approaches and details. The new form language defines a new chapter for Bentley design, as part of Bentley’s Beyond100 transformational journey.
“For any design team, the chance to redefine our own rules is the most exciting challenge. We have reimagined the Bentley design language, keeping some continuity to the past and present while also drastically changing key elements,” said Bentley’s Director of Design, Andreas Mindt.
“A mark of power and prestige has always been a long bonnet. Our new design cues include a line that stretches from the bonnet along the whole length of the car, connecting the bonnet into the body, making the car long and lean and giving an elongated proportion to the front end. We call this feature the ‘endless bonnet’, and it’s the only accent highlight to the cleaner shape,” he said.
“At the very front of the car, we’ve modernised the famous Bentley grille and made it lower and more upright, to give a stronger face and a more dominant stance. This upright elegance brings self-confidence with a luxury stance. The grille is flanked by a new headlight shape and design, an evolution of the design used on Bacalar and maintaining the single large headlight either side. These are matched with all-new tail-lamps at the rear, that sit either side of a deployable spoiler,” explained Mindt.
Meanwhile, the visual mass of the car is moved rearwards, giving the impression that the car is sat on the rear axle, which adds further depth to the haunches. Overall, the form is cleaner and simplified, relying more on curvaceous surfaces bisected in the right places to reflect light and dark and bring more muscle to the design.
Ultimate personalisation The interior space of the Batur for two persons is designed for ultimate personalisation and long-distance grand touring. Inspired by the interior design of the Bacalar, the Batur builds on the core elements of the Bacalar’s cabin design and adds new sustainable luxury features.
Every element of the cabin is tailored to the customer’s specifications. Each car will be unique, designed collaboratively with the customer with guidance from Mulliner’s in-house design team. Customers will be able to specify the colour and finish of practically every surface of the Batur, to create a car as individual as they are.
There’s variety of sustainable interior materials to choose from, while the passenger fascia panel is finished with a unique etching of the audio signature of the W12 engine (but bespoke etching is also available). Bright or dark treatments to the interior brightware and titanium options are also available. Certain controls – like the organ stops for ventilation – can be in 3D-printed 18K gold, if desired.
“With Bacalar, we proved the appetite of our clients for truly bespoke and individual Bentleys. We’re building on that story with the Batur, and the fact that all 18 cars are already reserved is testament to the fact that our design team is creating cars that our clients want to buy. Batur is not only a beautiful handcrafted Bentley – it is the next member of a distinguished line of cars coachbuilt by Mulliner, which include the W.O. Bentley’s favourite car in the 8 Litre and the now truly-iconic R-Type Continental,” said Paul Williams Director of Bentley Mulliner.
What if the Batur became a convertible? Here’s what our friend Theottle, the master at reimagining car designs, has come up with today.
At the 2022 Monterey Car Week this weekend, Aston Martin will present the DBR22, a V12-engined 2-seater coachbuilt design concept. The creation of the DBR22, which celebrates the marque’s bloodline of open-cockpit sports racers, is the latest in a long line of projects handled by its in-house bespoke division, Q by Aston Martin.
With classic proportions and immaculate, muscular curves, the DBR22 follows Aston Martin’s lifelong lineage of world-beating 2-seater open-cockpit sportscars such as the DBR1 and DB3S. And by mating the classic art of coachbuilding with advanced materials and cutting-edge manufacturing technologies, the design concept perfectly blends design purity, engineering precision, heart-pounding performance and true passion.
The DBR22 showcases a completely new body from Aston Martin’s designers. Its form is created from a minimal number of body panels to create a more sculpted, muscular presence. A particularly noteworthy feature is the entirely new front grille which incorporates a unique carbonfibre design in place of the usual veins seen on series production Aston Martins.
This design takes inspiration directly from the DBR1 and DB3S, giving a unique identity; one which clearly draws from Aston Martin’s heritage but uses this inspiration to create a truly contemporary design.
The bonnet features a dramatic horseshoe vent, recessed to aid airflow from the 5.2-litre V12 Twin-Turbo engine (715 ps/753 Nm) that sits beneath it. This long, unbroken bonnet line draws the eye back towards the cockpit, over the lowline wind deflector and delicate mirrors, which are mounted to the tops of the doors on slender, wind-cheating carbonfibre arms.
Sitting perfectly within the wheelarches is a set of all-new 21-inch alloy wheels featuring a unique 14-spoke design created especially for the car. There is a motorsport-derived centre-lock hub which is also available to spec from an extensive colour pallet.
The DBR22 also showcases an entirely bespoke paint colour, developed specifically for the occasion using ‘Paint to Sample’ – an exclusive option available through Q by Aston Martin, demonstrating again the vast design possibilities attainable through the bespoke service.
The cockpit continues the fusion of classic and contemporary approaches with many unique components and an extensive use of both leather and exposed carbonfibre. With architecture defined by the all-new dashboard and sleek infotainment displays, it sets the tone for a clean, uncluttered environment.
Though taking inspiration from Aston Martin’s competition cars, the DBR22 is no bare-bones racer inside. Supple aromatic hides swathe the contemporary dashboard, the carbonfibre performance seats and extend over the tops of the doors to create an inviting hint of the interior.
Rising from behind the seats are twin nacelles which smooth the airflow behind the driver and passenger’s heads. At the rear is an unmistakable horizontal light graphic courtesy of the slim, full-width light bar made specially for this application. Beneath it sits a perforated panel to allow hot air to exit the tail.
This beautifully sculptural piece is yet another unique highlight of the DBR22 intriguing design. Together with the smoothly integrated diffuser and pair of large diameter exhaust tailpipes, the DBR22 has incredible road presence, perfectly capturing the raw emotion of the driving experience.
Unique calibration of the engine and 8-speed paddle-shift automatic transmission uses torque shaping to give the DBR22 a manner and delivery said to be unlike any other model. A pinned steering column brings greater accuracy but also provides more detailed feedback so the driver can build a more accurate picture of available grip.
Attention has also been paid to the DBR22’s chassis structure. Unique front and rear shear panels further increase tortional rigidity, with a bespoke calibration for the adaptive dampers providing precision and pliancy for a blend of body control and ride.
The DBR22 also features a 3D-printed rear subframe – the first time Aston Martin has introduced such a method. The component is made from multiple 3D-printed parts printed from aluminium, which are then bonded to form the finished subframe. The advantages are clear, with a significant weight-saving and no reduction in stiffness, plus the ability to make special parts for ultra-low volume models, where required.
“We set our design systems to ‘hyper-drive’, pushing the exploration of formalism further and endeavouring to express a future in the here today. Where could we go with the surfaces, proportion and form. Combining this approach with advanced process, technology, and materials, we’ve effectively modernised our racing bloodline and created a new pedigree. DBR22 is a hot-blooded, purebred Aston Martin sportscar full of speed, agility and spirit, and a machine that we think will be the basis of many of tomorrow’s icons,” said Marek Reichman, Aston Martin’s Chief Creative Officer.
At the very top end of the car market, the luxury models have long been known for their comfort, usually described in superlative terms. For limousines that cost over a million ringgit, the comfort experienced by the occupants must be nothing less than the best and engineers as well as interior designers work very hard to ensure this.
Now, besides comfort, the wellbeing of the occupants is also given a greater deal of attention. Certainly, when one travels in a Bentley, the experience will also provide a heightened sense of wellbeing, but the company now wants to deliver driver and passengers to their destination more relaxed than when they set off.
With the new Azure range that will be available across the full Bentley model line-up, the occupants will have a curated selection of features designed to enhance wellbeing and comfort. The aim is that at journey’s end, they will step out feeling refreshed, alert and ready to resume their busy lives.
The science of wellbeing
But what actually promotes wellbeing? To analyse and develop Bentley’s new concept of ‘wellbeing behind the wheel’, the Azure development team engaged a creative neuroscientist to work with them. Considering everything from light, to the patterns we see around us, to the impact of in-car posture and the importance and thermal comfort, the neuroscientist’s research paired with Bentley’s own measurements to give science-based analysis to the relaxing experience of travelling in a Bentley, as a driver or a passenger.
The two most crucial influences over onboard relaxation are ride comfort and NVH (Noise, Vibration and Harshness). Research that tracked thousands of people over a 4-year period found that those exposed to traffic noise over 70 dB were 65% more at risk of depression.
Taking the new Bentayga EWB as an example, measurements showed it to be quieter inside than its competitors, by between 4% and 26%, depending on frequency and position inside the car. Secondary ride comfort is another key variable that affects onboard wellness – obviously, the smoother the ride, the more calming the journey. At typical road speeds and in the crucial frequency range of 5 Hz to 20 Hz, the Bentayga EWB has up to 27% lower secondary ride vibration than its competitors.
Science-Informed Design approach
Facts like these inspired Bentley’s team to adopt a Science-Informed Design approach, using a variety of interdisciplinary methods to create the most positive sensation of wellness and comfort for drivers and their passengers. And because a car is a multisensory environment, this approach involved designing not simply for the senses of vision, hearing, touch and smell but also for the position of our bodies (proprioception), gravity and acceleration (vestibular), temperature and even the body’s internal sensation (interoception).
Escaping the outside world into a personalised environment, with less outside noise, that could otherwise reduce attention, impact memory and increase stress response. Where once a vehicle acoustic engineer would have focused on the suppression of NVH as much as possible to create the quietest possible cabin environment, the focus is now is also on the quality of sound.
“We have to understand how we all detect and respond to sounds and then work out how to engineer those sounds into the components that make a Bentley,” explained Bentley Acoustics Engineer Andy Jackson. “We balance the sound from the vehicle and cocoon the occupants from outside world by minimizing sound penetration. We harmonise the acoustics with the other sensory inputs in the vehicle. The sound is literally in the vehicle’s DNA; it’s authentic and crafted.”
Most advanced seat design
Seating is one of the important elements too. It is important to keep the body in the right posture because when we slump, our bodies can take in as much as 30% less oxygen, affecting our ability to think and placing additional stress on the body.
This led to the most advanced seat ever fitted to the car – Bentley’s Airline Seat Specification. Available in the rear cabin, the seat has 22 ways of adjustment and world-firsts in a new auto climate sensing system and postural adjustment technology.
In Relax mode, the seat can recline to 40 degrees, whilst the passenger seat is motored forward and a footrest deploys from the back of the front passenger seat. In Business Mode, the seat moves into its most upright position to make working on the move more comfortable.
The Postural Adjustment function uses new thigh and shoulder pockets, plus additional lumbar massage pockets, to subtly yet continuously change the shape of the seat to ease pressure points around the body, preventing ‘dead spots’ and fatigue build-up. The use of air pockets enables more continuous and complex movements to be made – which are virtually imperceptible to the passenger – rather than the linear movements resulting from the use of seat motors.
The system goes beyond the 2D motions typical of adjustable seats, able to employ a 3-dimensional twist to relieve pressure points. Six independent pressure zones can provide 177 adjustments every 3 hours to ensure consistent seat comfort, regardless of the length of the journey. Studies have shown that actively supporting body weight in a dynamic way relieves strain, which can bring on mental stress and cause lack of focus. Natural supported postures have been shown to alleviate stress from tensed muscles.
Besides the heating and ventilation function in the seats which help to maintain the body’s optimum temperature for comfort and alertness, there is also a massage function with 6 programmable settings. This massage function promotes the constant micro-adjustments in muscle and posture that are so vital in preventing fatigue.
Even scent is important
When we see pleasing forms, shapes and colours, our brains release chemicals such as dopamine that not only make us feel good but are good for our body and sense of wellbeing. This led the Azure team to consult with neuroscientists to understand the interrelationship of colour, texture, tactility and even scent to create an atmosphere of relaxed serenity.
“Sensory receptors convert physical stimuli in neural activity, creating changes in our brain and nervous system. Every fabric, sound, motion, colour and touch continuously impacts our nervous system and the Azure cabin has been finessed accordingly,” said Maria Mulder, Head of Colour & Trim at Bentley Motors.
To that end, the Azure interior design specification includes ‘wellness quilting’ which has fractal patterns of precisely crafted diamond quilted upholstery creating an eye-pleasing interplay of light and shade. And while Bentley customers will always have access to the full range of wood veneers, the Azure range includes 3 open pore veneers with a softer, satin, reflective quality that can bring on a calm mood.
A personalised climate within
For most passengers, just having an environment with a comfortable temperature would be pleasant enough on any journey. But in a Bentley, there is Seat Auto Climate where each passenger can select their desired temperature. The contact temperature and surface humidity are then directly measured (cushion and backrest independently) and the heating and ventilation are adjusted to achieve the required temperature.
This is continuously monitored to ensure it remains constant as optimised body temperature is vital when the focus is on individual wellbeing. In studies that have manipulated body temperature via external means, it has generally been reported that cognitive function is reduced by decreasing body temperature below normal. A comfortable thermal environment can also alleviate fatigue, reduce irritability, and improve driving safety.
The Bespoke department of Rolls-Royce already offers the ultimate in personalisation of the brand’s limousines and Cullinan SUV. Virtually every customer today uses the services of the Bespoke team in some way to add or create something special for their Rolls-Royce. But there is yet another level beyond Bespoke and that is Coachbuild. The department, re-established in 2021, brings back a lost art and science of making cars which goes back to the earliest years of the motorcar, before mass production began in factories.
“Our Coachbuild department is for those patrons who wish to go beyond the existing restraints, and explore the almost limitless possibilities this opens up for them. We are able to offer our customers the opportunity to create a motor car in which every single element is hand-built to their precise individual requirements, as befits our status as a true luxury house,” said Torsten Muller-Otvos, CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.
The Sweptail, presented in 2017 as a demonstration of the coachbuilding expertise of Rolls-Royce attracted the attention of a number of customers. Within this group, it emerged that three potential customers shared a deep appreciation of contemporary nautical design. In consultation with the customers concerned, an agreement was reached whereby three cars – to be known as Boat Tail – would share a common body, but each would then be individually, highly personalised, reflecting the confluence between vision, capability and ambition of the marque and each of the individual commissioning patrons.
The second (of only three) Boat Tail comes one year after the first one which was unveiled in May last year (below).
The first Rolls-Royce Boat Tail was completed a year ago and the commissioning customers, who are a globally successful couple, were willing to let the world see their ultra-exclusive car. Their fascination of the Boat Tail form was furthered by a car in their private collection – a 1932 Rolls-Royce Boat Tail, lovingly restored by them, in time for their modern Boat Tail’s completion.
Now comes the next chapter of its Boat Tail coachbuilt commission and as will be the case with all three cars, each will have a story entirely unique and personal to its owner, reflecting their own history, tastes and sensibilities. With this in mind, the latest Boat Tail, to be revealed at Concorso d’Eleganza, Villa d’Este 2022 on the shores of Lake Como in northern Italy, is a masterwork of restraint, sophistication, elegance and attention to detail.
It was commissioned by a customer whose family business has grown from his father’s origins in the pearling industry. Widely travelled, internationally educated and cosmopolitan in his tastes and influences, the customer is an established patron of the arts, who additionally owns a sizeable collection of classic and modern cars, housed in a dedicated private museum.
A level of sophistication, garnered from the client’s extensive knowledge of luxury, is clearly. The overall design aesthetic is restrained; a study in carefully considered materials and precise details that together create a highly personal and emotionally resonant homage to the customer’s father.
At the onset of the commissioning process, the customer presented Rolls-Royce Coachbuild designers with a selection of 4 pearl shells, personally chosen from his private collection for their unique colour and complexity. The shells provided inspiration for the exterior colour, which is one of the most complex Bespoke finishes ever created by Rolls-Royce.
The foundation of the colour is a shimmering blend of oyster and soft rose, with large white and bronze mica flakes adding a unique pearlescent quality that changes subtly under different light conditions. The contrasting cognac-coloured bonnet, created specifically for this Boat Tail, contains fine bronze and gold coloured aluminium mica flakes complete with a layer of crystal and iced matt clear coat, adding significant warmth and depth to the car’s appearance. The technical fibre lower sills of Boat Tail incorporate a rose gold woven thread.
The rear deck, which houses Boat Tail’s unique ‘butterfly-design’ hosting suite, is swathed in Royal Walnut veneer, inlaid with rose gold-plated pinstripes with a satin-brushed finish to ensure a sensitive and sophisticated appearance. The Royal Walnut was specifically selected by the customer for its beautiful properties as it matures over time, a material that will gradually transition to the tonal properties of the cognac colour. From above, one observes a harmonious balance and satin effect of the iced bonnet and tactile wooden rear deck, in contrast with the high-gloss front and side perspectives.
The interior is a beautifully curated combination of perfectly matched cognac and oyster-coloured leathers and Royal Walnut veneer, with rose gold and mother-of-pearl accents throughout. The leathers, complete with a pearlescent finish, accentuate the surfaces and forms of Boat Tail’s seats and interior design. The transmission tunnel is formed from Royal Walnut veneer with rose gold pinstripes, drawing a direct visual reference to the rear deck and adding a glowing warmth to Boat Tail’s interior.
The centrepiece of the dashboard is a timepiece made from mother-of-pearl, chosen and supplied by the client from his own collection. The fascia is pure and minimal in its appearance so as not to detract from the precious material. The same prised substance graces the control switches and instrument dials, creating a strong visual and material connection between the car, the owner, and his family heritage.
The Boat Tail is entirely hand-built, with the body panels fashioned from vast, single sheets of aluminium to create the distinctive outline inspired by the racing yachts of the early 20th century. From the front, the Pantheon Grille, milled from a single, solid billet of aluminium, is graced with a Spirit of Ecstasy fashioned in rose gold.
With the Architecture of Luxury – which includes a proprietary all-aluminium spaceframe chassis – the marque has ushered in a new coachbuilding movement that encompasses both highly sophisticated 21st Century technology and materials, and a tradition extending back more than 100 years.
Like many British sportscars of the 1950s, the Austin-Healey 100 has become an iconic model because of its historical significance. Built between 1953 and 1956, it was the first model of the association between Austin and Donald Healey which would last for 20 years. Over 14,600 cars were built and those that are still in existence today are valuable collectors items.
For those who want this piece of British motoring history but cannot acquire one, Caton, a new company specialising in design and creation of ultra-exclusive, highly aspirational luxury products will restore and modernise the model – known as Healey by Caton – as its first creation.
The original Austin-Healey 100 built between 1953 and 1956.
Only 25 units to be hand-built
It will be extremely rare too, with a limited run of 25 hand-built restored cars at the factory in England. Each car will have a unique combination of design and engineering comparable to established carmakers, with traditional craftsmanship techniques.
Taking a forensic yet sympathetic approach, Caton’s designers have introduced a subtle smoothness to the Healey’s instantly recognisable lines, gently amplifying the visual dynamism while fully respecting the engineering and design principles of the original car’s creator.
The execution of the cleaner, smoother look has been applied across the entire body, with all seams and beading removed. This is evident in the new front aluminium fenders, which feature a more clamshell-like construction. Despite being built on an English Wheel, using traditional methods, they are entirely free of the beading that ran through the centre of the original items. A new air vent and a finisher have been integrated into the flanks, visually amplifying the diving line that runs along the side of the car.
Refining the design
For the most part, though, Caton has refined, rather than added to the Healey’s body. The rear bumpers are gone, as are the external boot hinges, replaced with new internal hinges running on modern gas struts. The boot handle is deleted too, and the lid is now opened by an internal release mechanism, run by a new, modern Caton key.
“To remain true to the car’s DNA, we asked ourselves: ‘What would Healey have done when building a car in the Fifties if they had the tools and manufacturing techniques that we are in the unique position to have at our disposal today?’” said Darryl Scriven, who directed the design work.
Scriven refers to technology that enables a complete 3D scan of each donor car. A Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine enabled the fabricators to work to tolerances of just 0.2 mm, creating ultra-perfect panel gaps that add to the beautification of the bodyshell. Yet the team also deployed technology that would have been entirely familiar to those building the car in period, such as an English Wheel, which was used to hand-roll the aluminium panels.
2954 cc 4-cylinder engine
The car is powered by a 185 bhp/264 Nm 2954 cc 4-cylinder engine, not far different from the 2660 cc displacement of the original’s powerplant. Based on an original Austin-Healey block, the engine is completely stripped down, fully lightened, balanced, and then refurbished to zero kilometres. It is further enhanced with a full steel crankshaft, upgraded bearing shells, high compression pistons, a race camshaft with more aggressive lobes and roller rockers. Larger Twin H8 carburettors (yes, carburettors!)and gas flow inlets provide enhance throttle response, while a race side-exit exhaust system adds further to aural appeal.
The engine, and most of the car’s mechanical components, are the work of the world’s leading Healey specialists J.M.E. Healeys, who have strong historical links with the original Healey company. Jonathan Everard, who founded J.M.E., and his father Harold, actually worked for the Donald Healey Motor Company in earlier years. Today, the company is run by Jonathan’s sons and it is based in Warwick, which was the original home of the Healey company.
The car benefits from a new chassis, strengthened and modified at known weak points – including the addition of new front and rear bulkheads – identified from J.M.E.’s decades of experience in restoring, servicing, and rallying Healeys. Strengthened driveshafts transfer the performance to the road but there are no electronic traction or stability controls to dilute the driving experience. Nor is there ABS, in keeping with the purist driving feel, but all four wheels have disc brakes.
Interior modernised with focus on comfort
Inside, the cockpit is totally modernised with a focus on the very best in contemporary and period materials. Interestingly, the original Healey 100s were designed and built for people who were shorter back then and many of today’s drivers may be somewhat cramped. Thanks to a redesign of the transmission tunnel and new 5-speed manual gearbox, there has been a transformation in cabin space. As a result, the Healey by Caton is a highly practical sportscar, offering today’s drivers the feeling of a classic but with comfort as well.
With production of the Healey by Caton limited to 25 units, the company will be able to liaise with each customer on a highly personal, one-to-one basis. The future owners can visit the factory on a regular basis and besides touring the facilities, they can also watch every stage of their car being built.
Caton will offer the ability to add completely bespoke and personal touches, whether for the car’s paint finish (in any colour imaginable) or choosing from the extensive array of materials and trim suite available for the car’s interior.
“No two examples of the Healey by Caton will be the same, but each will be of exceptional beauty and built to the highest possible OEM levels of quality. Each will represent a true reincarnation of the iconic Austin-Healey 100 sportscar utterly fitting for the modern age. Our aim is to deliver an unrivalled, immersive, intoxicating and highly emotional driving experience,” said Tim Strafford, CEO of Caton’s strategic vehicle building partner, Envisage Group.
The pricing with a car included is likely to be in the region of £395,000 (about RM2.2 million) but the official announcement will be made at Salon Prive London on April 21. Production will commence during this quarter of the year.
Unique to the latest Rolls-Royce Phantom is an area of the dashboard called The Gallery. It is a glass enclosure running almost the entire width of fascia and it has been incorporated to house bespoke artistic creations inside the limousine. The owners of the Phantom can insert whatever they wish as part of the personalization of their limousine and Rolls-Royce dealerships also come up with some creative ideas for their customers.
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Dubai is one of them and it has commissioned the Carbon Veil for the Phantom Gallery. The work of art was designed by the Rolls‑Royce Bespoke Collective in England and realized by artist and sculptor Alastair Gibson, who combined knowledge and expertise gained in Formula 1 to create his carbonfibre masterpieces.
The Carbon Veil took 2 years to create and unlike most automotive applications where just 3 or 4 layers of carbonfibre are used, no fewer than 150 sheets were permeated with resin and compressed to form a single, solid billet for the Carbon Veil. The construction technique is genuinely ground-breaking, with the result being ultra-stylish, contemporary and beautiful.
“It required a huge amount of experimentation to produce the Carbon Veil Gallery. The main challenge in creating the shape was ensuring that the weave of the carbonfibre remained horizontal and parallel throughout. It had to be perfect – because this is a Rolls‑Royce,” said Gibson.
As an original work of art, the Carbon Veil introduces a highly contemporary note to the Phantom’s interior. Its sharp, angular surfaces and the distinctive woven surface are synonymous with innovation, technology and performance. Depending on the customer’s preference, the carbonfibre is finished in either clear or matte lacquer which brings out the weave pattern and protects it from harmful ultraviolet rays. The whole piece is sealed under a single pane of glass.
The Gallery is a space protected behind glass. This space affords the opportunity to introduce sharp and aggressive forms, which are unprecedented for the interior of a motor vehicle. The design of the faceted milled carbonfibre sculpture was originally inspired by the angular, aggressive, stealthy shapes of the 118 WallyPower (a luxury yacht said to cost £14 million).
Each Phantom Gallery is individually assembled in the Clean Room at the factory. Completed in 2020, this medical-grade facility provides a 100% sterile environment where Bespoke items and other delicate components can be produced entirely free of dust and particles.
Two other examples of The Gallery.
The gunmetal exterior of the car is bolstered with an iced finish with gunmetal contrast bonnet, while the coachline and waftline are accented in a vivid mandarin orange. At the helm of the bonnet proudly stands the retracting Spirit of Ecstasy crafted from carbonfibre.
Within the interior, the anthracite brightwork provides moments of contrast, along with the colour-keyed rotary controls and leather detailing. The dark tones and light leather flourishes beautifully accent the Veil Gallery upon the Phantom’s fascia. The flawless Black Pack elements on the exterior include an alluring black trim on the windows, the grille and the exhausts.
The very attitude and nature of The Gallery has been extended to the other Bespoke details on both the exterior and interior of the Phantom it resides within. With a highly contemporaneous edge, the limousine exemplifies the spectrum of Bespoke potential, with the Phantom itself as a canvas quite like no other.
5,586 cars in a whole year might not sound like a particularly big number but for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, it’s a number that has never been recorded in the company’s 117-year history. While being at the topmost segment of the market does mean that the number of customers is significantly smaller, it also shows that demand for Rolls-Royce cars has grown in an unprecedented way globally.
2021 was another year of the COVID-19 pandemic and businesses worldwide were impacted, the auto industry not escaping as well. Yet Rolls-Royce was able to deliver 49% more cars than in 2020, with all-time record sales in most regions, including Greater China, the Americas and Asia-Pacific, and in multiple countries worldwide.
The phenomenal year was due to have an extremely strong product portfolio, supported by the continuing record demand for Bespoke personalisation. It was also the first full year of availability of the Ghost, with the launch of the Black Badge Ghost (pictured above).
The growth was, in fact, driven principally by the Ghost, with demand surging further when the launch of Black Badge Ghost in October. This, together with the continuing demand for the Cullinan SUV and the marque’s pinnacle product, the Phantom, saw order books are full well into the third quarter of 2022. The company’s Provenance (pre-owned) programme also enjoyed exceptional sales results in 2021, achieving an all-time record.
Not surprisingly, almost all customers make use of Bespoke services which remained at record levels. During the year, Rolls-Royce revealed individual examples such as the Phantom Oribe co-created with Hermes, alongside the Phantom Tempus, and Black Badge Wraith and Black Badge Dawn Landspeed Collection cars. The company signalled its commitment to leading a new contemporary coachbuilding movement with Rolls‑Royce Coachbuild becoming a permanent fixture in its future portfolio and, with it, the unveiling of its latest coachbuilt masterpiece, the Boat Tail (shown below).
Just as Rolls-Royce eventually added an SUV to its range, it will also have a fully electric car in the market as soon as the fourth quarter of 2023. That’s just about 22 months away and as with the Cullinan, the first all-electric Rolls-Royce – the be known as the Spectre – is undergoing the most punishing testing protocol ever conceived for a model of the marque. Prototypes will clock a total of 2.5 million kilometres in all four corners of the world, simulating more than 400 years of use for a Rolls‑Royce.
One of the very few official images of the first all-electric Rolls-Royce, available from the fourth quarter of 2023.
Reflecting on the results, CEO Torsten Muller-Otvos said: “This has been a truly historic year for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. In the past 12 months, we have recorded our highest-ever annual sales, launched the latest addition to our Black Badge family, stunned the world with our coachbuilding capabilities and made huge strides into our all-electric future.”
“While preparations are made for the marque’s all-electric future, Rolls-Royce continues to meet the surge in demand for its current portfolio through a flexible manufacturing process and the dedication of the over 2,000 people who work at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, West Sussex and around the world. The Rolls-Royce factory at Goodwood is currently running at near-maximum capacity, on a two-shift pattern to fulfil orders from clients around the world,” he added.
When you pay over a million ringgit for a car, you would definitely want it to be special even though it is likely to be one of the few in the country. After all, if you can pay that much, what would be a few hundred thousand more to customize it to exactly how you like your car to be. The premium and luxury carmakers have such customization programs and now Bugatti also offers it officially with Bugatti Sur Mesure. The program is in response to ever-growing demand for personalized Bugatti creations.
Bugatti Sur Mesure, translated to English, means ‘tailored’, and it builds upon the marque’s distinguished history of coachbuilding, handcrafted interiors, paint finishes, embroidery and bodywork. The collective expertise of skilled designers and engineers is drawn upon for ultra-customized designs, materials and finishes.
As part of the official program, with one-to-one support from the Bugatti Sur Mesure Team, customers will be guided through the world of possibilities open to them. When configuring a Bugatti, the sheer number of exterior colours and leather finishes is nearly unlimited, but Bugatti Sur Mesure can take a further step and create a truly unique piece of personalized automotive art.
In recent years, Bugatti has showcased the depth of its ability to personalize its hyper sportscars to an ever greater degree. For example, in 2013, the Veyron ‘Les Legendes de Bugatti’ series saw 6 exclusive model editions, each personalized with unique exterior and interior finishes, celebrating individual heroes of the marque.
2019 witnessed the arrival of the Chiron1 ‘Zebra 1 of 1’ – a special commission for a customer in Qatar. Featuring an elaborate Titanic Blue and Gunpower Grey colour scheme, the car was hand painted by Bugatti’s talented craftspeople over the course of more than 3 weeks.
This year, the Divo2 ‘Lady Bug’ made its debut with a highly complex geometric-dynamic algorithmic fading pattern. The pattern was developed over 18 months for the Divo’s bodywork, illustrating how Bugatti will push the boundaries in making customers’ visions become reality.
The first official ‘Sur Mesure’ creation for a customer is a Chiron Pur Sport inspired by the 20th century heroics of renowned racing driver, Louis Chiron. Early racing pioneers who piloted Bugatti’s prototype racing cars continue to fascinate and are admired for their bravery and talent displayed on-track. Today, their spirit lives on and is the very source of the custom design of the unique Chiron Pur Sport.
Among Louis Chiron’s countless victories at the wheel of a Bugatti was his legendary 1931 win at the French Grand Prix, together with Achille Varzi, in a Bugatti Type 51 emblazoned with the number ‘32’. This number – painted entirely by hand – now adorns the sportscar as just one of a number of custom-made elements developed especially for this customer.
Two new exterior colours were created to pay homage to the legendary Grand Prix racing Bugattis of the 1920s and 1930s. The Bugatti Sur Mesure team also developed a new fading ‘EB’ painted pattern, applied meticulously by hand, which is complemented by a multi-layer stitched ‘EB’ motif on the door panels. Both required new techniques and processes to be developed.
The ‘32’ and ‘Grand Prix’ motifs continue throughout the cabin, including a special centre console inlay in black anodized aluminium, with a silver hand-painted inscription. The motifs extend to the door sills, headrests and entry lights. Subtle branding distinguishing the model as a rare and unique product of the program can also be found. Many of the customer’s ideas will also be available to more owners of the Chiron Pur Sport.
“For many years, we have worked with our clients to create their own personal vision of the ultimate hyper sports car. It has always been a highly tailored process but as an ever-increasing number of our clients request detailed and intricate customization, the launch of Bugatti Sur Mesure will ensure we can cater to their desires with the perfect level of detail required from a Bugatti,” said Hendrik Malinowski, Bugatti’s Managing Director for Sales and Marketing.
Today, ‘disruptor’ has become the popular label for those who refuse to adhere to established conventions. This attribute has made fortunes, slain great institutions and even challenged the very notion of currency. Had the term existed in the early 20th century, Rolls and Royce would have been among the era’s arch-disruptors. Through their pursuit of perfection, they proved that a car could credibly replace the horse and carriage.
In the new era following the relaunch of the Rolls-Royce brand in 2003, a new generation of customers desired a less formal expression of brand. These clients in this new era were from new industries and geographies. Their success was defined on their own terms and Bespoke allowed them to have cars that countered the expected codes of luxury. Bespoke would come to even subvert Rolls-Royce – respectfully, of course. This was confirmed following a chance meeting between Rolls-Royce Motor Cars CEO, Torsten Muller-Otvos and a customer who had asked an outside tuning house to give his Wraith a finish of black chrome with darkened wheels.
A permanent Bespoke series
‘Darker’ Rolls-Royces were in fashion but those who desired them did not believe Rolls-Royce would agree to their wishes. However, they were misinformed because the brand’s contemporary success is defined by a willingness to listen, participate and define changing cultures and norms. And so Black Badge was born as the marque’s first permanent Bespoke series.
Last year, 27% of new Rolls-Royce cars delivered worldwide were Black Badge editions, the number having grown since the first such edition was introduced for the Wraith and Ghost in 2016. Today, the carmaker introduces the purest and most technologically advanced Black Badge model yet – the new Black Badge Ghost.
Black is the most favoured colour
Although customers are free to select any of the 44,000 ‘ready-to-wear’ colours or even create their own entirely unique colour, the overwhelming majority of women and men who requested this darker expression of Ghost have selected the signature Black. To create what is the auto industry’s darkest black, 45 kgs of paint is atomised and applied to an electrostatically-charged bare bodyshell before being oven dried. The car then receives two layers of clear coat before being hand-polished to produce the signature high-gloss piano finish.
At between three and five hours in duration, this operation is entirely unknown in mass production, creating an intensity simply unattainable elsewhere in the automotive industry. It is this depth of darkness that customers can also add a high-contrast, hand-painted Coachline, which has done much to create the Black Badge ‘black and neon’ aesthetic that has come to characterise this vivid family of Rolls-Royce cars.
To complement the exterior finish, an entirely customisable process was created that allows Rolls-Royce hallmarks such as the high-polished Spirit of Ecstasy and Pantheon Grille to be ‘subverted’. Instead of simply painting these components, a specific chrome electrolyte is introduced to the traditional chrome plating process that is co-deposited on the stainless-steel substrate, darkening the finish. Its final thickness is just one micrometre – around one hundredth of the width of a human hair. Each of these components is precision-polished by hand to achieve a mirror-black chrome finish before being installed.
Special wheel with carbonfibre
The Bespoke 21-inch composite wheelset is also something special. Designed in the Black Badge house style and reserved for Black Badge Ghost, the barrel of each wheel is made up of 22 layers of carbonfibre laid on three axes, then folded back on themselves at the outer edges of the rim, forming a total of 44 layers of carbonfibre for greater strength.
A 3D-forged aluminium hub is bonded to the rim using aerospace-grade titanium fasteners and finished with the marque’s hallmark Floating Hubcap, ensuring the Double R monogram remains upright at all times. To celebrate the material substance and remarkable surface effect, a lightly tinted lacquer protects the finish but still allows the technical complexity of the unique carbonfibre construction to be visible.
Advanced luxury materials
Advanced luxury materials created and crafted for a unique ambience within are defined by authenticity and material substance rather than overt statement. In this spirit, a complex but subtle weave that incorporates a deep diamond pattern rendered in carbon and metallic fibres has been created by the craftspeople.
Multiple wood layers are pressed onto the interior component substrates, using black Bolivar veneer for the uppermost base layer. This forms a dark foundation for the Technical Fibre layers that follow. Leaves woven from resin-coated carbon and contrasting metal-coated thread laid in a diamond pattern are applied by hand to the components in perfect alignment, creating a three-dimensional effect. To secure this extraordinary veneer, each component is cured for one hour under pressure at 100°C. This is then sand-blasted to create a keyed surface for 6 layers of lacquer, which is hand-sanded and polished before being incorporated into the car.
If specified, the Technical Fibre ‘Waterfall’ section of the individual rear seats receives the Black Badge family motif: the mathematical symbol that represents potential infinity known as a ‘Lemniscate’. Rendered in aerospace-grade aluminium on the lid of Black Badge Ghost’s Champagne cooler, it is applied between the third and fourth layer of a total of six layers of subtly tinted lacquer, creating the illusion that the symbol is floating above the Technical Fibre veneer.
By its very name, virtually all brightwork is subdued. The air vent surrounds on the dashboard and in the rear cabin are darkened using physical vapour deposition, one of the few methods of colouring metal that ensures parts will not discolour or tarnish over time or through repeated use.
For the Black Badge Ghost timepiece design, only the tips of the hands and the 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock markers are picked out, in a subdued chrome finish, creating a remarkably minimal clock. The timepiece is flanked by a world-first Bespoke innovation that debuted with Ghost: the Illuminated Fascia, which displays an ethereal glowing Lemniscate, surrounded by more than 850 stars.
Located on the passenger side of the dashboard, the constellation and motif are completely invisible when the interior lights are not in operation. As in Ghost, the Lemniscate motif is illuminated via 152 LEDs mounted above and beneath the fascia, each colour-matched to the clock and instrument dial lighting. To ensure the Lemniscate is lit evenly, a 2 mm-thick light guide is used, featuring more than 90,000 laser-etched dots across the surface. This not only disperses the light evenly but creates a twinkling effect as the eye moves across the fascia, echoing the subtle sparkle of the Shooting Star Starlight Headliner.
Increased engine output
From the engineering point of view, there is a general similarity to the standard Ghost model and key to its potent character is the Architecture of Luxury. This is Rolls-Royce’s proprietary all-aluminium spaceframe architecture that debuted with Phantom. This sub-structure not only delivers extraordinary body stiffness, but its flexibility and scalability allowed Ghost to be equipped with all-wheel drive, 4-wheel steering and the Planar Suspension system. For Black Badge, these engineering qualities have been comprehensively re-engineered, including the fitting of more voluminous air springs to alleviate body roll under more assertive cornering.
Under the long bonnet, the Rolls-Royce twin-turbocharged 6.75-litre V12 engine has 29 ps more, increasing total output to exactly 600 ps, while the addition of another 50 Nm of torque boost the output to exactly 900 Nm. The powertrain also has Bespoke transmission and throttle treatments to further enhance the engine’s increased power reserves. The ZF 8-speed transmission box and both front and rear-steered axles work collaboratively to adjust the levels of feedback to the driver, depending on throttle and steering inputs.
As with all products in the marque’s Black Badge portfolio, the ‘Low’ button situated on the gear selection stalk unlocks Black Badge Ghost’s full suite of technologies. This is asserted by the amplification of the engine through an entirely new exhaust system, subtly announcing its potency. All 900 Nm of torque is available from just 1,700rpm and, once underway in Low Mode, gearshift speeds are increased by 50% when the throttle is depressed to 90%, delivering the abundant power reserves almost instantly.
“In the 5 years since Black Badge became publicly available, this bold family of motor cars has come to symbolise the pinnacle of a new type of super-luxury product, setting in motion a shift across the wider luxury industry. Subsequently, nearly all luxury makers create products that seek to capture the Black Badge spirit,” said the CEO of Rolls-Royce.
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