Lotus has unveiled a new bespoke service called Lotus Chapman Bespoke, catering to the growing demand for personalised automotive experiences worldwide. This service offers customers the opportunity to customise their Lotus vehicles extensively, ranging from unique badges and trims to complete one-off personalisation of entire vehicles.
Initially launching in China on April 25, 2024, Lotus Chapman Bespoke will subsequently roll out globally over the following months. Clive Chapman, son of Lotus founders Colin and Hazel Chapman and Director of Classic Team Lotus, expressed enthusiasm for the service, stating that it allows drivers to create their own innovations while honouring his parents’ extraordinary legacy.
The name Lotus Chapman Bespoke pays tribute to Colin and Hazel Chapman, who founded Lotus in 1948 in London, UK. Renowned for his pioneering spirit and innovative designs, Colin Chapman’s legacy continues to inspire the brand’s commitment to pushing boundaries and challenging the status quo.
Qingfeng Feng, CEO of Lotus Group, emphasised Lotus’s heritage as a bespoke carmaker, highlighting Colin Chapman’s hands-on approach to crafting cars from scratch. Lotus Chapman Bespoke aims to uphold this tradition by empowering customers to personalise their vehicles according to their unique preferences.
The bespoke service offers three levels of personalisation:
Tailor-made: Customers can select their own combination of colours, designs, and exclusive details to create a truly unique vehicle.
Collection: Limited-edition designs developed in collaboration with partners, artists, and luxury brands provide customers with curated options for personalisation.
One-off: Customers have the opportunity to build a completely unique car tailored to their individual tastes and preferences.
Lotus invites enthusiasts to explore the possibilities of Lotus Chapman Bespoke through its online platform or by contacting their local Lotus Centre for more information. With three levels of excellence and endless combinations, Lotus Chapman Bespoke promises to elevate the ownership experience for Lotus enthusiasts worldwide.
While cars of the premium luxury brands already possess a measure of exclusivity, there are customers who want to make their car even more special, more personalized. After all, they are already paying a lot so why not go a bit further and make the car truly unique? The carmakers understand this and have divisions to cater for personalization and conversion requests of almost any nature as long as it does not affect safety.
Maserati, for example, has its Fuoriserie personalization program that allows a customer to make his or her vehicle one-of-a-kind. However, the personalization is typically related to materials and accessories which the carmaker may already have or which can be specifically fabricated. And, of course, there are colour choices that are ‘infinite’ and limited only by imagination.
The bodywork is often not changed much to maintain the original design and this is where specialists like Mansory provide customization that can give a sportier or bolder appearance. The latest example of the German company’s offering is for the Maserati MC20 where they can carry out a full conversion to a Mansory First Edition.
There’s something about American SUVs which gives them a certain authenticity. After all, it was in America that the original SUV was born and from the end of the 20th century, the rest of the world decided that they also liked SUVs. And just as with passenger cars, there are companies that specialise in customising SUVs for a small clientele.
One of them is MILITEM, an Italian company started by Hermes Cavarza, an entrepreneur from Milan with 40 years of automotive experience in the Gruppo CAVAUTO company (MILITEM is a brand of the company). Over the part 5 years, MILITEM has taken America models, specifically from RAM and Jeep, and given them more exclusive looks as well as Italian craftsmanship.
Extreme Utility Vehicle
The brand has been steadily expanding its reach beyond Italy and has just opened its first dealership in Germany. For this special occasion, MILITEM had the world premiere of a new model, the FEROX500 which it refers to as an EUV – Extreme Utility Vehicle. The FEROX500 tops out the range which has the FEROX, another SUV, and the FEROX-T pick-up.
The FEROX500, which started life as a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392, is the fifth model in the brand’s range. Priced ex-factory from 149,500 euros (about RM700,000), it comes with a typical American engine – the V8 HEMI with a displacement of 6417 cc and power output of 470 ps at 6,000 rpm, with 637 Nm of torque at 4.300rpm. That gives it supercar acceleration with a claimed 0 – 100 km/h time of 4.5 seconds.
75% of the massive torque is available at the low end of the rev range. To ensure that all of it reaches the road, there’s 4WD and the transmission is a robust, proven 8-speed automatic TorqueFlite unit. To maximise off-road capability, the adjustable suspension has been re-engineered by the MILITEM team.
Cylinder deactivation to save fuel
While the engine has a big displacement, owners can still bring fuel consumption down with Fuel Saver technology in the engine management system. This deactivates half the cylinders when maximum power output is not required.
Fitted as standard are MILITEM Performance Shocks dampeners, which have separate twin gas and dual-effect hydraulics. The suspension is made of aluminium and coated in carbonfibre. The system also includes the Track Bar (torsion bar) that can be calibrated and is an efficient steering damper.
The black performance Dual Mode exhaust system was engineered in-house by MILITEM and is fitted with 4 tailpipes and valves. These can be activated via a dashboard button to match that sound to the setting and route taken.
The brake system is exclusive to the FERO500 and developed in collaboration with Powerbrake. It is one of the model’s strong features, with large slotted, semi-floating discs with radial expansion and contraction featuring 72 ventilation channels and a surface coating. The radial calipers are of turned aluminium machined from billets with internal fluid crossovers and 6 pistons crafted from stainless steel.
Completing the set-up are high-performance brake pads and aircraft- grade cables in low-expansion braided steel. In the rear, the brakes adopt 4-piston calipers, also with high-performance components and tubing in low-expansion braided steel.
Differentiation for a flagship
While sharing the same name as the rest of the range, the FEROX500 has been given unique features to distinguish it. While the ‘wide body’ design is common for all FEROX models, the bodywork of the FEROX500 has been enhanced with modifications to the front end and rear. There are more refined, colour-matched, chrome inserts but the elegant looks are balanced by the strong sporty edge.
Aesthetically, it is recognizable from the logo on its flanks and the spare wheel on the rear door is also omitted. This allowed the model to be completely redesigned, which saw the elimination of the airscoops too. The styling change has made the vehicle more elegant and modern than the original, while also improving rear visibility.
Facing forward, the carbonfibre grille in matt boasts a new Dual Colour with a black and red finish. This colour choice is also repeated in the cabin. The logo on the bonnet is all-black like the hooks, bonnet inserts and side grilles set behind the front wheelarches.
A more luxurious cabin
The cabin has been completely refurbished to be much more luxurious than the Wrangler. Much of the work is handcrafted with the materials and finish appropriate to the high status of the vehicle.
The seats have been redesigned by MILITEM and have a racing-derived shell shape, with integrated headrests. Hand-fitted nappa leather and ALCANTARA finish is in contrasting colours sporting MILITEM stitching. The leather finish can also be extended to the dashboard, instrument panel, steering wheel boss, gear knob, door panels and luggage compartment lining, pairing well with the carbonfibre and all-black inside.
With the same versatile characteristics of the Wrangler 392, the body-coloured hardtop comes in 3 sections to make it easier to remove. It is also possible to have an electric soft-top fitted, combined with removable rear windows for a wider panorama and a cabriolet drive.
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.
A Ferrari is already an exclusive machine when it leaves the factory but virtually none are ‘stock standard’ as every owner will want to personalise their car in some way. After all, when you have paid that much, what’s a little bit more to add something to make it unique? That’s what Ferrari’s bespoke Tailor Made department offers – an exclusive programme for those who wish to customise any element of their car.
Many of the cars that the Tailor Made department works on are not publicised as the owners may prefer the privacy, but there are also some cars that do become public and this one-of-a-kind Roma model is one of them. Crafted with exquisite traditional Japanese-inspired detailing while retaining the clean, sophisticated elegance of the original car.
This particular car’s story began when Evan Orensten and Josh Rubin, the founders of the American publication COOL HUNTING, were offered, and accepted, the opportunity of customising a Ferrari Roma. The idea was to explore how far Ferrari’s bespoke personalisation programme could go and really push the boundaries.
The project started off two years ago with the first of several research trips to Japan where they immersed themselves in the country’s traditional crafts and artisanal methods. Then they proposed bringing some of those ideas and unique materials into the Tailor Made journey as envisioned by COOL HUNTING, and conveyed this to Flavio Manzoni, Ferrari’s Chief Design Officer, at the Ferrari Tailor Made showroom in New York.
Manzoni and his team were inspired by the parallels between Italian and Japanese culture and design philosophy: a single-minded devotion to quality, an emotional involvement with the client, and exquisite skills in craftsmanship that have been passed down from generation to generation.
An idea formed – to create a Ferrari featuring some of the unique materials developed from traditional Japanese techniques while employing Ferrari’s customary innovation to modify them to accommodate the requirements of durability and functionality that a modern high-performance car demands.
Traditional Japanese indigo dyes inspired the Roma’s colour scheme, particularly the vivid blue exterior paint which was specially developed for this car and named Indigo Metal. This vivid colour perfectly enhances the purity of the Roma’s shape – light appears to flow over its bodywork, accentuating its lines through highlights and shade.
Indigo features prominently in Japanese design culture, and the traditional dye is produced naturally. COOL HUNTING had visited Toyama, one of only 5 remaining indigo farms in Tokushima, Japan’s traditional indigo-growing region. They learned that the dye comes from a green plant which, when harvested and fermented, becomes sukumo, traditional dried Japanese indigo that is mixed with lye, sake and limestone powder to create authentic Hon-Ai indigo dye. Because of its anti-microbial properties, it was traditionally used for linens, bedding and clothing.
The same colour palette is used to tie together the vehicle’s exterior and interior into one subtle, holistic statement. The indigo shade is also found in the sakiori fabric used for the seat trim inserts and the carpets.
Sakiori is one of the world’s oldest examples of upcycling, dating from the 1700s when cotton and silk were available only to Japan’s nobility and the very wealthy. Worn-out kimonos were disassembled, their fabric cut into strands and rewoven with new fibres, creating a material that was both warm, comfortable and durable. The word comes from the Japanese saku (to rip up) and oru (to weave).
An innovative solution was identified in making sakiori a viable material. Two vintage kimonos originally made in Amami Oshima, an island in Japan’s southern archipelago were used — an indigo-dyed kimono approximately 75 years old and one approximately 45 years old, dyed in both indigo and the island’s celebrated Amami Oshima Tsumugi mud-based dye.
The indigo theme is carried through to the Roma’s headlining – a beautifully detailed piece of craftsmanship and design which is exclusively experienced by those sitting in the car. It is made up of two indigo-dyed hides made – one with a unique solid colour crafted to match the car’s colour scheme, and a hand-painted hide using a method which can be traced back to the 8th century.
The hides were then sent to Italy, where they were cut into strips and hand-woven by Italian artisans in a process called intreccio, forming an elegant one-of-a-kind work of art.
The Roma’s interior door handles also take their inspiration from Japan – they are enclosed in tightly hand-woven strips of black leather in an homage to tsukami, the ancient art of wrapping the grips of Katana swords.
The COOL HUNTING team were further inspired by a visit to Kaikado, a Kyoto-based family business known for its iconic copper tea canisters. Now made by the fifth and sixth generations of the family, the canisters are so skilfully crafted that they form a vacuum seal as the lid gently falls onto the body. The copper also adopts a unique natural patina with use.
Inspired by this, copper plating is found in details on the Roma’s gearshift gate surround and levers, which were plated in Japan. The outline of the dual cockpits, the wheel rims and the kamon are also made in this colour.
The unique crest on the car’s dedication plate on the central armrest and door sills is a custom-made ‘kamon’, a symbol passed down from generation to generation in Japan. Designed by Kyogen, it represents a wheel from an ox-drawn carriage (popular transportation among aristocrats during the Heian period between 794 and 1185) combined with the 8 pistons of the Roma’s V8 engine forming its spokes. The numeric theme is continued in the eight wave crests that encircle the wheel – symbols of good luck, power and resilience.
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.
Jeff Koons, an American artist, and BMW have had many years of association, going back 12 years to the time when Koons created the 17th BMW Art Car. Since that time, he wanted to create a special edition of a BMW model as a personal project and finally, he got his wish with THE 8 X JEFF KOONS.
Only 99 units of this exclusive edition based on the M850i xDrive Gran Coupe will be available. Describe, as a ‘rolling sculpture’ by Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, it is the most elaborately designed vehicle in all of BMW’s history.
11 different exterior colours
The expressive and striking design combines 11 different exterior colours, ranging from blue to silver as well as from yellow to black. The multi-coloured interior uses high-end materials, fine leather and the cupholder lid includes edition badging and the artist’s signature. The seats are made up of the striking red and blue which reflects the colours of superheroes from the comic book universe as well as those of the company’s high-performance unit, BMW M.
Overall, the energetic and powerful design includes both elements of pop art as well as geometric patterns paying homage to the sporty 8-Series Gran Coupe’s intricate contours and shape. The exploding lines of colour at the rear, in turn, are their own unmediated homage to the artist’s 2010 BMW Art Car, while the ‘POP!’ on each side as well as the vapour thrust imagery symbolize the power and speed, according to the artist.
Over 200 hours of manual work
Over 200 hours of manual work were spent by highly specialized professionals at two BMW Group plants on the exterior paintwork alone, where the colour samples were often applied with magnifying glasses. Dozens of engineers and designers were involved and Koons had many days of discussions on design options with the BMW employees involved.
“I was thinking very intensely about it: What is the essence of the 8-Series Gran Coupe? What is the essence of power? How to create something that exemplifies all the energy of the BMW 8 Series that is also able to touch upon the human element?” he said.
The original 850i was the first model of the 8-Series launched in 1990 and was celebrated as creating a new perspective of progress in advanced motoring, appealing to the connoisseur who acknowledges elegance and performance as the ultimate blend of perfection. THE 8 X JEFF KOONS also continues this tradition.
The original 8-Series launched in 1990.
The artist’s dream car realised
“My edition of the BMW 8-Series is my dream car! It is very special to me and I’ve wanted to create a special edition BMW for a long time. It is sporty and flashy as well as minimalist and conceptual. I can’t wait to drive it and ride in it, and I hope that people will enjoy the Gran Coupe just as much as I do,” said Koons.
“On the car, the lines are getting bigger on their journey from the bonnet towards the boot, creating a sense of forward movement just as the ‘POP!’ and the vapour thrust design elements do. The blue colour resembles the vastness of space and I like the idea of the car being a global car. What matters is how we relate to each other and our awareness of everything we are surrounded by. For the driver and all passengers, there is a heightened state of pleasure. This is what my car has to offer,” he explained.
Each car will come with a large-format certificate signed by the artist which, in addition to Zipse’s signature, also contains the individual Vehicle Identification Number. The artist also designed the dust jacket of the Driver’s Manual, while the signature of the artist is set into the cupholder panel in the Bavarian blue from the BMW logo.
Following its world premiere in Los Angeles this month, THE 8 X JEFF KOONS will be presented at numerous art fairs and events in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Initially, the car will be on display for the general public in Manhattan’s Rockefeller Plaza before one car from the series, signed on the tailgate by Jeff Koons, will be auctioned off at Christie’s in New York on April 4. All proceeds from the highest bid will go to the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC), a non-profit NGO which Koons has been personally involved with for over 2 decades.
This BMW M3 GT2 was aesthetically reworked by the US artist Jeff Koons and in 2010, it was unveiled as the 17th model in the BMW Art Cars series. The car bears the racing number 79 – a tribute to the BMW M1 body work-over presented by Andy Warhol in 1979. The striking colours of Koons’ Art Car exude a boisterous sense of power, motion and energy. As with Warhol’s M1, Koons’ BMW also participated in the Le Mans 24-hour race.
The Porsche 911 which was launched in 1964 remains one of the classic sportscars of all time, with its original concepts maintained (apart from air-cooling) to this day. It is obviously a collector’s item and much sought after and for those who want find one, there’s now an option from California-based Singer Group – the Porsche 911 reimagined by Singer – Turbo Study.
First restoration with turbocharging
While Singer has been offering reimagined 911s for the past 13 years, this is the first road-going one with turbocharging. The Turbo Study is a response to requests from owners for restoration services that incorporate turbocharging. More than 70 owners have reserved bespoke restorations enabled by the study.
As with all Singer’s restoration services in collaboration with owners of the 911, the Turbo Study takes the Type 964 generation (produced between 1989 – 1993) of air-cooled cars as its starting point. The study features a new evolution of the ‘Mezger’ air-cooled flat-six. Now in 3.8-litre form, the engine has twin turbochargers with electric wastegates. Bespoke air-to-water intercoolers are mounted inside the intake plenums.
The ‘shark fin’ on the rear fender is reimagined as an intake and supplies cold air to the engine bay to optimize combustion and cooling performance. The use of forced induction enables power outputs starting at 450 bhp. The availability of turbocharged torque allows for effortless speed-matching on hilly terrain to flat autobahn, together with deep reserves of overtaking ability. A higher power output may also be specified by the owner, with a more overtly sporting focus provided by a sports exhaust system and appropriate damping characteristics.
AWD or RWD
The study draws on all-wheel-drive experience that has been developed in-house since the first AWD Classic Study restoration, undertaken in 2014. In recent years, this experience has been brought together with research into turbocharging and high-performance ride and damping expertise. Customers can specify rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive for the Turbo Study.
An owner may decide to specify the AWD configuration to enhance sure-footed deployment of power and torque in all seasons and surface conditions. The RWD configuration allows owners to pursue an alternative sporting focus, if preferred. In both cases, an optimized 6-speed manual transmission underlines the driver engagement that Singer is renowned for.
Advanced materials for bodywork
A bespoke carbonfibre body maintains the careful balancing of iconic DNA with cutting-edge engineering and material science. While inspired by the turbo cars of the mid-1970s, the bodywork is reimagined to optimize aesthetic and functional performance. As always, the use of carbonfibre allows reduced mass and enhanced stiffness, further sharpening dynamic responses.
The car in Wolf Blue shown in the pictures is actually a customer’s car, customized using the results of the Turbo Study to reflect a personal vision. This owner has pursued a focus on high-performance, luxury grand touring capabilities. The interior has a Malibu Sand theme with Black Forest wood accents.
The Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective – an elite team of engineers, designers and craftspeople based at the Home of Rolls-Royce in England – provides Rolls-Royce customers with the ultimate in personalisation of their cars. Almost every Rolls-Royce sold nowadays has some involvement from the Bespoke Collective – after all, when you pay over a million ringgit, why not spend a bit more to make your car truly unique.
Most of the cars created by the Bespoke Collective are not publicised as their owners may prefer not to do so but some allow Rolls-Royce to show them to the world. The latest one is for a customer in Singapore, and appropriately, this customer wanted the orchid as the theme. The beautiful flower is especially close to the hearts of Singaporean as it is their country’s national flower.
Pioneering Bespoke work
Designers, craftspeople and artisans collaborated with artist Helen Murray over a period of 2 years to create this ‘one of one’ Rolls-Royce known as the Phantom Orchid. Helen and her team have undertaken pioneering bespoke work with Phantom’s Gallery – a wholly contemporary and luxury reinterpretation of a motor car’s fascia and instrument panel area.
She was inspired by several kinds of orchids, including the Singapore Orchid, spending over 200 hours relentlessly refining her design and artwork with her team. “I started by focusing on the actual orchids, which promptly led me to realise that colour was key to capturing the essence of the species. I have created artworks featuring orchids in the past, but my idea for the Gallery was to create something in realistic full colour, which pushed us to refine our digital printing skills,” explained the UK-based artist and textile designer.
Murray started by illustrating the design by hand before creating a digital version that she could print directly onto the silk crepe satin. The final part of the process involved a meticulous hand-sculpting of the flowers, releasing layers of fabric to create a 3D effect.
Orchid Sanctuary
Within the interior, Rolls-Royce Bespoke Designer Yohan Benchetrit applied his talent to the Bespoke orchid-inspired Picnic Table inlays in the rear of the suite which, when opened, gracefully reveal a beautiful layer of orchids set into Piano Black veneer. He added Bespoke treadplates emanating a similar theme sans text to welcome the owner and passengers into the motor car. The interior suite meanwhile was furnished with elegant, natural colours which provide a soothing ambience akin to an Orchid Sanctuary.
To complete this special Phantom, a unique paint was specially created using the latest paint technology. Arctic White was chosen as the base colour, while a tint of violet was added, inspired by orchids. Combined with fine glass particles through a special process, the result is a stunning pearlescent appearance. Under bright light, the paint technology creates a shimmering effect like no other, changing as an observer views the motor car from different angles. An eye-catching single coachline on either side of Phantom incorporates a Bespoke motif, inspired by an orchid, completing the theme.
Parallels with the Garden City
“It draws parallels with the Singapore I know; a thoroughly modern garden city merging nature and technology effortlessly in its make-up,” said Michael Bryden, Lead Designer, Rolls-Royce Bespoke, who has not only spent time in Singapore but designed the now famous, ‘one of one’ ‘SG50 Bespoke Ghost’, created to celebrate the country’s 50th Anniversary.
“It was the first time we had produced a motorcar to celebrate such an occasion, so I am again delighted to have participated with Yohan and the Bespoke Collective to create another masterpiece for Singapore,” he said.
He explained that the concept envisaged a balanced yet progressive design which echoes the values of the Singapore region. “The orchid is seen in many facets of Asian life, a reminder that the resilient adapt and thrive regardless of the evolving environment. Phantom is the only motorcar in the world to feature the Gallery, a space that enables one to exhibit art, sculptures, or objects of self-expression in the sanctuary of Phantom’s interior,” said Bryden.
BRABUS is well known for taking Mercedes-Benz products and injecting them with an extra dose of power for those who want to stay ahead all the time. Much of its work is on engine and chassis upgrades but with the 800 Adventure XLP Superblack, they have gone further. This new model begins life as a Mercedes-AMG G63 SUV and BRABUS engineers then add 500 mm to the wheelbase to allow the overall length to be extended by 690 mm. They also add the brand’s Widestar bodykit which increases the width by 117 mm.
The company fabricates elements from sheet steel such as the new rear wall of the cab, the robust cargo bed and the side-opening tailgate. The bedsides are produced from carbonfibre using the complex prepreg process. The likewise black Flexiteek bedliner is a direct technology transfer from the construction of high-performance boats by BRABUS Marine.
The rear end of the 4-door cabin is shortened with the boot area becoming an open cargo bed and the spare wheel that was on the back door moved right against the cabin. And that transforms the ‘Godfather of SUVs’ into the ‘Godfather of Pickups’.
The rear view is characterized by the pickup tailgate that reveals the origin of this supercar with an exposed carbonfibre panel. The WIDESTAR rear fascia with stylized exposed carbonfibre skidplate rounds off the view from the rear.
To make getting in and out easier with the high ground clearance, BRABUS has added black-coated running boards. Adapted to the extended wheelbase, they can optionally be supplemented with power-retractable steps. LED lights in the flares, which are activated by pulling on a door handle or by the Keyless-Go signal when approaching the vehicle, ensure a safe step also in the dark. They illuminate the ground to the left and right of the vehicle as well as the running boards of the rocker panels.
‘Black on black’ theme
‘Black on black’ is the theme for the interior of the 800 Adventure XLP SUPERBLACK. The upholstery shop created a particularly exclusive BRABUS Masterpiece interior that has the finest black leather with sporty carbonfibre elements. Along with the headliner made from black Alcantara, high-end refinement includes covering the entire interior and the vehicle floor with the finest black leather.
The centre sections of the seats feature seashell diamond quilting and perforations applied with pinpoint precision. Many interior elements were enhanced with the ‘Heritage’ brand pattern, which pays tribute to the founding year of BRABUS with its embossed ‘77’ signets. No less than 206 cockpit elements (trim panels, handles, switches, loudspeaker covers, air vents, etc) are glazed in ‘Shadow Chrome’ to match the interior design.
Carbonfibre elements on the steering wheel, dashboard, centre console and door panels add sporty touches in the cockpit. They are complemented with aluminium for components such as the pedals, door lock pins and the BRABUS RACE paddle shifters on the steering wheel.
PowerXtra+ treatment for engine
It would not be worthy of the BRABUS badge without a power boost which comes from the 800 PowerXtra+ tuning package for the G63’s twin-turbocharged, 4-litre V8. PowerXtra + treatment includes replacing the production turbos with two newly configured BRABUS high-performance turbos. In addition to a larger compressor unit, they have a modified core assembly with reinforced axial bearing and produce a maximum boost pressure of 1.6 bar. This bumps the output to 800 ps/1,000 Nm which flows to all four 22-inch Monoblock HD wheels through a 9-speed automatic transmission.
The 5.2-metre long pickup, which weighs 2,936 kgs, can reach 100 km/h in a claimed 4.8 seconds after take-off and the top speed is electronically limited to 210 km/h due to the all-terrain tyres.
If you buy one in Germany, the price of the 800 Adventure XLP SUPERBLACK starts from 725,900 euros (about RM3.44 million ringgit). Import the vehicle to Malaysia before June 30, 2022 and you can save 50% on sales tax.
