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Rolls-Royce recalls the Roaring Twenties with the Dawn Silver Bullet Collection

We’re now starting the ‘Twenties’ and in another era, there was a period known as the ‘Roaring Twenties’. This was the 1920, a time after World War I when there was economic growth which led to societies (mainly in America and Europe) experiencing social change and a more liberal attitude. The auto industry offered more flamboyant cars to customers who wanted change.

Rolls-Royce has now created its first Collection Car of the new decade – the Dawn Silver Bullet Collection – which relates to decadence, to frivolity, to heady heydays and irreverence of that era. The Dawn, like a silver bullet, embodies the spirit of the Roaring Twenties.

Drawing inspiration from the fabled roadsters of the 1920s – rare, glamorous machines forever associated with bright young things and rakish Hollywood rebels – the Dawn Silver Bullet Collection captures the carefree attitude of those far-off days in a bold, contemporary expression designed for today’s non-conformists and pleasure-seekers. Seductive and effortlessly cool, this Collection is limited to just 50 cars worldwide.

The Dawn Silver Bullet Collection is a powerful, artfully tailored addition to the Rolls-Royce Collection Car ensemble. It uses an ultra metallic finish in silver, a shade found frequently in the marque’s enigmatic history on special cars such as the Silver Dawn, Silver King, Silver Silence and Silver Spectre.

The hero of the Collection is undoubtedly the Aero Cowling, which shifts the persona of the car’s high-shouldered silhouette, heightening the sense of speed and purpose. The rakish silver centre spine brings the bodywork into the cabin, giving it the intimate, connected feel of a true two-seater. A vapour-blasted titanium finisher completes the Aero Cowling windbreak and proudly displays the Silver Bullet name and silhouette.

The Dawn Silver Bullet Collection features dark exterior detailing: dark headlights and a new dark front bumper finisher, providing a dominant and determined expression in heighted contrast to the silver hue. The part-polished wheels offer a translucent shadow finish with a single silver pinstripe.

Inside, the Dawn Silver Bullet Collection is alluringly tactile, resplendent in materials and craftsmanship of our own time. A unique open-pore carbonfibre fascia greets the driver and companion in a contemporary, dashing fashion. A quilted transmission tunnel, with design cues taken from the quintessentially rebellious fashion accessory, the leather jacket, runs through the centre of the cabin in a tailored fashion.

With this in mind, Rolls-Royce will curate a series of ‘Silver Bullet Drives’, epic road-trips for owners of this contemporary collection, made available via Whispers, Rolls-Royce’s exclusive, digital home for its clients around the world.

Black Badge Cullinan – The King of the Night completes the Rolls-Royce Black Badge family

More Rolls-Royce cars and SUVs sold in 2019 than any other year in brand’s history

While most other carmakers are still collecting and finalising their 2019 sales data, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has already finished its homework and can announce that its total sales for the year have no equal in the company’s 116-year history.

A total of 5,152 cars and SUVs were delivered to customers in over 50 countries around the world, an increase of 25% on the previous high set in 2018. With these historic results, Rolls-Royce continues to make a meaningful contribution to the overall performance of its shareholder, the BMW Group.

Commenting on the results, Torsten Muller-Otvos, CEO, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, said: “This performance is of an altogether different magnitude to any previous year’s sales success. While we celebrate these remarkable results, we are conscious of our key promise to our customers, to keep our brand rare and exclusive. We are pleased and proud to have delivered growth of 25% in 2019. Worldwide demand last year for our Cullinan SUV has driven this success and is expected to stabilise in 2020. It is a ringing testament to the quality and integrity of our products, the faith and passion of our customers and, above all, the skill, dedication and determination of our exceptional team at the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood and around the world and our dedicated global dealer network.”

Sales growth worldwide
Sales grew across all regions during the year, driven by strong customer demand for all the models. The company reported significant sales growth in every one of its key global markets, with North America retaining top status (around a third of global sales), followed by China and Europe (including UK).

Individual countries that achieved record sales results included Russia, Singapore, Japan, Australia, Qatar and Korea. The deliveries were made through a global network of 135 dealerships.

*A Rolls-Royce showroom in the Philippines.*

The Phantom retained its rightful place as the company’s pinnacle product, with the Dawn and Wraith continuing to dominate their respective sectors. The new Cullinan SUV gave Rolls-Royce its largest advance order book and fastest post launch sales growth of any model in the company’s history. The super-luxury SUV has become the fastest-selling new Rolls-Royce model to date.

Farewell to the Ghost
2019 marked the end of Ghost production 11 years after its launch at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show. The most popular Rolls-Royce model of the Goodwood era, it attracted a new audience of younger, often self-made, entrepreneurial customers to the brand. Over its 11-year lifecycle, it became the biggest-selling Rolls-Royce not just of the Goodwood era, but in the entire history of the marque.

The success of the Ghost placed Rolls-Royce in a position to scale up its production and make the massive investments that have led to it becoming the truly global brand it is today. After 5 years of development, a successor is due for launch in mid-2020 with market availability from the fourth quarter.

Bespoke keeps growing
Global demand for Rolls-Royce Bespoke reached a new peak in 2019. The Bespoke Collective comprises several hundred creative designers, engineers and craftspeople. These highly talented men and women take enormous pride in fulfilling unprecedented levels of customer requests for Bespoke personalisation and delivering on beautiful individual commissions. In 2019, they worked on some of the most spectacular Collection Cars ever created in the history of the brand.

Rolls-Royce creates Ghost Zenith Collection to celebrate end of 10-year production tenure

The Starlight Headliner – Bringing the starry sky inside a Rolls-Royce

A Rolls-Royce draws attention not only by its prestigious presence but also by the wealth of details around the car. Every model has been meticulously crafted and the most familiar elements have always been the Spirit of Ecstasy, Pantheon Grille and ‘Double R’ monogram. Unless the windows are heavily tinted (or the curtains drawn), passers-by can also admire the opulence which the occupants enjoy from the many luxurious appointments.

However, one feature which is not readily visible (especially in the daytime) to those on the outside but is spectacular in presentation is the Starlight Headliner. Now a part of Rolls-Royce iconography, the Starlight Headliner, in the spirit of the marque’s dedication to fulfilling the wishes of its patrons, began as a Bespoke request.

This came from a Rolls-Royce client who was suffering from photophobia (an extreme sensitivity to light) and was only able to enjoy reading his daily newspaper under the starlight on his rural ranch. He therefore requested that they develop a similar ambience within his Rolls-Royce.

As virtually nothing is impossible to the specialists at the Bespoke division (and it has been proven on many occasions), the Bespoke Collective of designers, engineers and craftspeople came up with a way to replicate stars on the ceiling of the cabin. They embedded no less than 800 stars, creating a star-filled night sky which gave just the right level of illumination the client needed, allowing him to read while travelling.

The client took delivery of his Phantom in 2006 and gave Rolls-Royce permission not only to publicise the Starlight Headliner but also offer the same feature to other customers. Thus was born the option of the Starlight Headliner which has been refined over the past 13 years. It can extend to the entire length of the roof and the intensity of light emitted by each star varied to better reflect the night sky.

*The design for the Starlight Headliner is unique to each customer.*

The constellation of each Starlight Headliner is completely unique to the customer. One customer requested that the lights be configured to represent the Ursa Major and Minor constellations while another customer wanted the Rolls-Royce monogram to illuminate separately from the rest of the stars. Some may like to have their loved one’s constellation twinkling from above. Whatever the customer wants, the Bespoke Collective will make sure he or she will have it.

Typically, it takes nine hours to craft, but a personalized pattern needs its own template, which can take more than 17 hours to complete. Two Rolls-Royce craftspeople marry their skills to create this extraordinary feature. It’s the perfect alliance of traditional craftsmanship and modern-day technology.

The Starlight Headliner’s unique effect is achieved by fitting delicate fiberoptic strands at varying depths and at different angles – to cause light to escape in multiple directions and at different intensities. First, the leather is perforated with 1,400 to 1,600 holes, each carefully counted. Fibreoptic threads, which are hand-trimmed at different angles to achieve a twinkling effect, are set into these holes by hand. The craftsperson then ensures that the fibres are perfectly seated on the visible leather surface, ready to shine.

Customers can order the Starlight Headliner as an option for their Rolls-Royce and the additional cost depends on the requirements and the model. For a Phantom, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars KL says that the price would start from RM65,000.

Creating a rose garden within a Rolls-Royce Phantom

Creating a rose garden within a Rolls-Royce Phantom

It’s often said that Henry Ford told customers that his Model T was available ‘in any colour as long as it’s black’ and he had valid reasons. The man who put the world on wheels by using mass production processes was obsessed with reducing the time it took to complete a car and by limiting colour choices, it was possible to simplify and speed up assembly. Black paint seemed to dry the fastest too. But that was in the early part of the 20^th century when just having a car was already special.

In the 21^st century, car-buyers have more colour choices and in the upper strata of the market, they can also customise their cars – in the same way as some of the cars in the early 20^th century because they were handbuilt to order. While the majority of car-buyers will accept whatever specifications are offered – but can still choose the colours – those who want something exclusive have many options and services to give them whatever they want.

The challenges from customers
The Bespoke Division at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars offers such services and the company reports that demand for its services has kept growing in recent years. Its designers, craftspeople and engineers are constantly challenged by customers who present unique requirements for their Rolls-Royce. Like the Stockholm-based entrepreneur with an extraordinary passion for flowers.

The customer, with a wife and two of four children named after flowers, challenged the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective to envision a car that immerses its occupants in a beguiling floral scene. The result is the Rose Phantom – a sanctuary of true luxury, a vision of flowers, created with a million embroidered stitches.

[Click here to view the video of the owner talking about his special Rolls-Royce]

Inspired by a rose garden
The Rose Garden at the Rolls-Royce headquarters and factory served as the primary point of inspiration for Ieuan Hatherall, a Bespoke Designer for Rolls-Royce. This Rose Garden is the only place in the world that the Phantom Rose is grown. Bred exclusively for Rolls-Royce by British Rose Breeder Philip Harkness of Harkness Roses, the Phantom Rose grows in the courtyard of the marque’s Global Centre of Luxury Manufacturing Excellence at Goodwood in West Sussex, England.

The Peacock Blue exterior of the Rose Phantom is punctuated with a Charles Blue twinned-coachline that intertwines organically like the stem of a rose, combining to introduce the rose motif, an indication of both the colours and the treatment within. The wheels echo the design and are embellished with a twinned pinstripe, also in Charles Blue.

The rose garden within
On opening the coach doors, one first encounters the embroidery on the inside of the rear doors, but it is not until entering the rear cabin that one fully encounters the extraordinary extent of the satin stitch creation. The Phantom Rose is illustrated in varying stages of maturity, from bud to full bloom, in an asymmetrical design that appears to grow across the roof lining, from the rear of the car. The marque’s fabled starlight headliner illuminates the scene as the roses are interspersed with individually placed fibreoptic lights.

In the rear compartment, Serenity Seating with a soft calf rest cushion adopts the inverted colourway of the exterior as sumptuous Charles Blue leather is accented with Peacock Blue piping. From here, one can admire Phantom’s Gallery, created as a centrepiece of the interior. Stems of embroidered roses climb through the glass fronted fascia, providing a spectacle for the occupants.

At the request of the patron, colour has been introduced in the form of Peacock and Adonis Blue butterflies, imbuing movement to the elegant motif. The family members also played a creative role with his wife designing the umbrellas while his daughter, Magnolia, defined the exterior hue of this Phantom.

Commenting on the work of the Bespoke Collective, Torsten Müller Otvos, Chief Executive of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, said: “The Rose Phantom is a stunning iteration of a contemporary Rolls-Royce. Our extraordinary craftspeople at the Home of Rolls-Royce have achieved, with this car, something which can only be described as sublime. The work of our Bespoke Collective is the best in the world. When I look at creations like this car, it is with a sense of pride that I know that these skills could not be replicated anywhere else in the world. This is undoubtedly one of the greatest Rolls-Royce Phantoms of its generation.”

Black Badge Cullinan – The King of the Night completes the Rolls-Royce Black Badge family

Superiority of Rolls-Royce Cullinan’s off-road capabilities demonstrated in female-only rally in America

On the same historic day that two women made history with the first all-female space-walk, two women also set a record in the deserts of California to become back-to-back champions of America’s premier off-road rally – the 2019 Rebelle Rally. Their rallycar – a Bespoke Rolls-Royce Cullinan. It may be a surprise that anyone would want to put a Rolls-Royce through a rally but then again, the Cullinan is like no Rolls-Royce before and during development, prototypes travelled over some of the roughest terrain on the planet.

Back in the earlier years of the brand, Rolls-Royce cars did take part in rallies, a notable one being the Alpenfahrt (Alpine Rally) in 1913. It reinforced the status of the Silver Ghost as ‘the best car in the world’ when it completed the 23,700-km route over the rough mountain roads of the Alps. Some of those cars are still running today and their owners have re-enacted the challenging drive.

Rolls-Royce Cullinan in 2019 Rebelle Rally — *The winning duo – driver Emme Hall (right) and navigator Rebecca Donaghe*

This year, the Cullinan didn’t travel such a great distance but ‘Team #200’ comprising driver Emme Hall and navigator Rebecca Donaghe were able to take top honours in the Crossover Class. It had been a gruelling 8-day challenge for 2,300 kms, the longest off-road rally in the USA. The Cullinan was driven across mountains, valleys, salt flats and treacherous desert sand dunes.

When Rolls-Royce Motor Cars engineered the Cullinan, they envisioned a ‘Effortless Everywhere’ experience and this test was just one more example of their accomplishment as well as demonstrations of the evolution of the Rolls-Royce brand and its daring clientele.

“By taking this epic experience in the Rebelle Rally and doing it in a way that is even more epic, was a complete honour and privilege,” said Rebecca and Emme. “The idea that we could do something that people may have thought was absolutely wild and come out on the top was a greater challenge and one we were excited to accept. The Cullinan became like a third teammate to us and will forever be in our hearts as a fierce competitor.”

The Rebelle Rally, entering its fourth year, is the first all-female off-road navigational rally in the USA. The event has a unique challenge and scoring system where precise navigation and timing, not speed, is the ultimate goal. Participants exchange cellphones and GPS for ‘old-school navigation’ in a competition against the elements of time, distance, headings, and hidden checkpoints across 2,300 kms of terrain in Nevada and California.

Teams could only utilize the supplies they carried in their vehicles, requiring not only precise navigation and fearless driving but also meticulous planning. The Cullinan provided the Hall-Donaghe duo more than enough room and a luxurious ride through the adventure. The only issues: the rocks and some tracks in the mountains took their toll on their tyres, forcing the team to complete the final 2 days without either of their two original spares.

The Cullinan is available for purchase in Malaysia with a starting price of RM1.8 million (excluding tax).

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Nothing less than the world’s best audio system for Rolls-Royce

When you own a car from a brand that is often used as a superlative term, it would be expected that the quality of musical entertainment within would also be superior. This was clear in the brief for Bespoke Audio for the Rolls-Royce Phantom: to integrate studio quality audio into a motorcar.

Indeed, the men and women who created Bespoke Audio for the brand’s flagship benchmarked the system against a recording studio’s playback room rather than systems created for automotive applications. However, configuring an audio system for a car is significantly more challenging than creating an audio system for a static, purpose-built facility because external disruptions such as road surfaces, wind buffeting and ambient noise corrupt audio quality dramatically. Therefore the team at Rolls-Royce built the environment the audio system was destined for in tandem with the audio system itself.

The Architecture of Luxury
Only the Architecture of Luxury, the marque’s proprietary spaceframe, could allow the brand to meet its brief. Aluminium was selected as it has a higher acoustic impedance than steel, reducing external noise entering the cabin. Further optimising the material’s acoustic properties is the construction technique; engineers eschewed traditional methods, instead introducing extrusions and complex internal structures to both improve the rigidity of the motor car and minimise flat, resonant surfaces.

The largest ever cast aluminium joints in a body-in-white and double-skinned bulkhead and floor sections better insulate sound; measures that both isolate external noise and optimise the performance of sound inside the cabin.

The designers also gave the acoustic performance of the bass speaker special consideration at the architectural stage. Exceptional low frequency performance is engineered into the very fabric of Phantom as it incorporates a resonance chamber into the body’s sill section; the frequency response of the Bespoke Audio speaker component defined the chamber’s size and shape. In essence, the car itself is a subwoofer.

World’s most silent automotive soundstage
In addition, the Phantom is equipped with 6 mm thick acoustically dampened glass, which combines double-glazing with infrared and UV protection and high-strength laminated safety glass. 130 kgs of dense, high-absorption sound insulation is installed throughout the car – in the headliner, doors and boot cavity – to drastically reduce reverberation.

Rolls-Royce also worked closely with its tyre partner to invent ‘Silent-Seal’ tyres, which feature a specific foam layer placed inside the rubber carcass that reduces overall tyre noise by 9 decibels compared with a standard alternative. When a Rolls-Royce acoustic test engineer first reviewed results road and vibration tests, the sound levels were so low that he asked to check that the measuring instruments were calibrated correctly. They were and Rolls-Royce lays claim to the Phantom being the most silent car in the world.

State-of-the-art optimisation technology
A powerful amplifier controls 18 channels (one for each speaker), providing a 1,300-watt output. State-of-the-art optimisation technology and high precision magnesium-ceramic compound speaker cones enable near-infinitesimal changes in sound with an outstanding frequency response.

Two active microphones in the cabin also enable an adaptive function, detecting the absence or over emphasis of frequencies before triggering the amplifier to adjust the loudness of certain frequency ranges to counteract it. The Bespoke Audio system makes the most of the highest quality, uncompressed dynamic rate music providing an exceptional listening experience.

But to finely tune the Bespoke Audio system required the most sensitive of ‘instruments’ – the human ear. This helps to judge the more intangible, subjective elements of audio, such as timbre, pace and responsiveness.

Thousands of kilometres are driven to ensure Rolls-Royce Motor Cars’ systems are the very best, listening to a wide range of music – from house to heavy metal, and trap to techno. Only when the engineers can truly ‘visualise’ musicians playing around them do they sign off the sonic delivery. These factors contribute to a uniquely Rolls-Royce standard of sound for customers, many of whom are themselves musicians and will settle for nothing less than perfection.

Click here for other articles and news about Rolls-Royce in PISTON.MY

Rolls-Royce creates Ghost Zenith Collection to celebrate end of 10-year production tenure

As the Rolls-Royce Ghost nears the end of its 10-year tenure, the carmaker has prepared an exclusive collection as a fitting farewell to the model line. This is a very rare occasion – once in 10 years at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars – that gives collectors of luxury the chance to obtain an item that is truly at its apex.

Highest levels of Bespoke
Known as the Ghost Zenith Collection, there will be just 50 Zeniths that celebrate the timeless elegance of a nameplate which has become the cornerstone of contemporary Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. In true keeping with its name, the Ghost Zenith Collection will feature the highest levels of Bespoke ever seen on a Ghost Collection car.

The only previous occasion when collectors around the world were afforded this privilege was in 2016 when an equally limited number of Phantom VII Zeniths celebrated the end of its extraordinarily long and successful reign. The cars immediately became highly collectable and sought after, re-setting the bar of luxury and, in doing so, creating a modern legend.

Model with a rich and extraordinary past
The Ghost is a luxury icon that carries with it a rich and extraordinary past. From the Silver Ghost, the car that established the moniker of ‘The Best Car in the World’ over 100 years ago, to the 200EX (pictured below), the experimental car that introduced the concept of a contemporary expression of this nameplate at the Geneva Motor Show in 2009, this model has offered patrons of the marque a modern, lithe and driver-focused Rolls-Royce.

When the Ghost went on sale in 2009, its elegant lines and dynamic offering quickly made it the most successful Rolls-Royce car ever to be built. Notably, it attracted a new group of young entrepreneurs to the marque. Indeed, the reduction in average age of a Rolls-Royce customer to around 43 is in part testament to Ghost’s global success.

“The Ghost Zenith Collection presents an entirely forward-looking study of the unique characteristics that have seen Ghost ascend to the status of the most progressive super-luxury saloon ever conceived. This unique Collection provides customers with a rare opportunity to own a car truly evocative of our time. Ghost is the most successful Rolls-Royce ever created and the Zenith Collection marks an important milestone in our modern history,” commented Torsten Muller-Otvos, CEO, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

References from the 200EX
The Ghost Zenith Collection draws many references from the 200EX (pictured above), with perhaps the most significant being the inclusion of a commemorative ingot. This came from the original 200EX Spirit of Ecstasy, melted down and set into the centre console of each of the 50 Zeniths. Engraved with the three key design lines of Ghost, the plaque details its significant origins. The Collection’s own Spirit of Ecstasy and clock are engraved with the name of this highly anticipated collection.

Furthermore, 200EX is immortalized in a complex engraving on the centre console of Ghost Zenith. A blueprint inspired artwork enlarged to a point of abstraction has been divided into 50 distinct parts, allowing each Ghost Zenith customer their own personal and individual work of art while, at the same time, uniting the collection as a group homage to Ghost.

An interesting feature is the interior of the Collection’s doors, owing to the illuminated door pockets. Ambient light emits through perforated leather enhancing the architectural elegance of Ghost’s interior. One will also encounter a complex piece of marquetry, created by the master craftsmen and women in the marque’s legendary woodshop. Available in either wood, Technical fibre or piano finished veneer, the door marquetry transitions from the driver’s suite to passenger suite, emphasizing the dual nature to Ghost.

Details inspired by original 1907 model
The rear seats feature embroidery that takes its inspiration from the seat details of the original 1907 Silver Ghost. This embroidery elegantly transitions from the rear to the front of the cabin and, in the case of the Extended Wheelbase Zenith, the headliner thrusts purposefully forward into the poised silhouette of the Spirit of Ecstasy. The seats themselves are accentuated in a contrasting leather, accenting Ghost as the ultimate 4-seat limousine.

Occupants of the Ghost Zenith Standard Wheelbase will experience an extraordinary phenomenon. The famed starlight headliner is presented in a unique Shooting Star configuration. Shooting stars fire at random across the cabin roof, adding an extraordinary sense of theatre. This surprise and delight feature consists of over 1,340 individually mapped and hand-woven fibreoptic lights.

Reminiscent of its Phantom counterpart, The Ghost Zenith Collection’s exterior styling takes on a new interpretation of its own: a special two-tone application with a gloss-contrast paint finish. Customers may select three different colour-ways – Iguazu Blue with Andalusian White, Premiere Silver with Arctic White or a daring Bohemian Red with Black Diamond, with multiple variants available highlighting the flexibility of the model. The Silver Satin bonnet was first seen on 200EX.

Rolls-Royce Cullinan – The “Effortless, Everywhere” Luxury SUV Makes Its Malaysian Debut! [+Videos]

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Kuala Lumpur has introduced what’s likely the most luxurious SUV ever made, the Cullinan. Equally at home on the streets of Kuala Lumpur or on the country roads of East Malaysia, Cullinan will take a new segment of adventurous customers to the ends of the country in ultimate luxury.

Speaking at the launch, Mr. David Kim, Asia Pacific Regional Sales Manager for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars commented, “Cullinan has been Rolls-Royce’s most anticipated new model, not least here in Malaysia, in a country where the mix of wide open roads and off-road terrain suit our new motor car. In addition, we know that Cullinan will complement the varied lifestyles of our highly successful customers here.”

Rolls-Royce customers are now able to purchase in Malaysia a super-luxury SUV that can go effortlessly, everywhere in ultimate luxury and style. Cullinan is underpinned by a bespoke platform called the ‘Architecture of Luxury’, unique to the brand, which accords the car a level of performance, comfort and refinement never before seen in the SUV segment.”

Mr. Anas Zawawi Khalid, Director for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Kuala Lumpur, said, “We are very excited about the arrival of Cullinan. Many of our customers have been waiting to add this pinnacle SUV to their stable of cars because of the promise of its versatility, unmatched levels of super-luxury and comfort, as well as on- and off-road performance. This remarkable motor car is creating tremendous amounts of interest amongst younger, affluent customers who are new to Rolls-Royce but who value adventure and freedom of travel without compromise.”

Each Rolls-Royce Cullinan is Bespoke, pricing is dependent on customer specification
Estimate pricing: from RM 1.8 million (before tax)

For the FULL details on the new Rolls-Royce Cullinan, click to download this: ROLLS-ROYCE LAUNCHES MALAYSIA’S MOST LUXURIOUS SUV

The Rolls-Royce ‘Silver Ghost Collection’, In Motion [+Video]

The Rolls-Royce ‘Silver Ghost’ was the motor car that established Rolls-Royce’s reputation as ‘The Best Car in the World’. In celebration of this defining heritage, Rolls-Royce has created a limited collection of just 35 Bespoke Ghosts, named the ‘Silver Ghost Collection’. Today, the marque releases a film showing this elegant contemporary iteration of Ghost, in motion.

Matthew Butt, Product Manager – Ghost, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, commented, “Careful consideration has been paid to the Collection’s defining features. References extolling the past are skilfully hand-crafted into Ghost’s interior and exterior, creating a contemporary homage which speaks as much of today’s great brand as the original Silver Ghost does of its day. This is a truly remarkable Collection.”

In celebration of this defining heritage, Rolls-Royce has created a limited collection of just 35 Bespoke Ghosts, named the ‘Silver Ghost Collection’, previously highlighted to have:

Solid sterling-silver Spirit of Ecstasy
British Assay office Hallmark AX201, the registration plate of the original ‘Silver Ghost’ marked on the base of SoE
Metal Fineness marks and the Assay Office town mark as Sponsor’s Mark to authenticate its heritage.
A black-gold-plated SoE base collar, copper inserts
Cassiopeia Silver exterior finish,
Bespoke hand-painted coachline with 100% silver infused in paint
Black painted grille veins

The solid sterling-silver Spirit of Ecstasy, the muse that has guided motor cars created by the marque since 1911, hints at the pioneering heritage of this motor car’s forebear. A specially created Hallmark of AX201, the registration plate of the original ‘Silver Ghost’, is marked on the base of each muse and a black-gold-plated collar enshrouds the base, itself bearing the unique identity of this collection. An insert is crafted from hammered copper, in tribute to the copper extensively used in the engine bay of the original ‘Silver Ghost’. The copper, shaped, beaten and textured is also engraved with the newly designed AX201 Hallmark.

Rolls-Royce Cullinan Officially Launched In Singapore! [+Videos]

The highly anticipated new Cullinan from Rolls-Royce Motor Cars made its South East Asian regional debut today in Singapore, at a glittering reception held atop the covered swimming pool of the Ritz Carlton Millenia.

Speaking at the event, Paul Harris, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Regional Director for Asia Pacific, said, “Today we present all-new Cullinan – the Rolls-Royce of SUVs. This is a seminal moment in the history of the brand as we take our place at the very top of a highly competitive sector, but we are confident that Cullinan will set a new benchmark and take its occupants wherever they dare venture in effortless luxury.”

Adding on to Mr. Harris’ positive remarks at the reception, Renee Chua, Managing Director, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Singapore said, “Cullinan is highly-anticipated in Singapore, an all-new model that also completes a prolific range of offerings from the marque. Singapore’s importance as a luxury hub in South East Asia is once again confirmed with this premiere, and we are very happy to bring new customers to the brand with Cullinan’s broader appeal.”

Effortless, Everywhere

Named after the largest diamond ever to be discovered, which now resides proudly atop the British Crown Jewels, Cullinan is Rolls-Royce’s first-ever SUV. The all-wheel drive high-bodied car is only the second Rolls-Royce to be underpinned by the marque’s proprietary Architecture of Luxury, and promises to redefine luxury travel as Effortless, Everywhere, without sacrificing the brand’s legendary “Magic Carpet Ride”.

Cullinan uses this new architecture in a wholly different manner to enable limitless adventure where the road ends and the trail begins, with uncompromised comfort, space, usability and cutting edge technology. Cullinan is the answer for super-luxury SUV patrons that accept no compromise; When Sir Henry Royce said, “Strive for perfection in everything you do. Take the best that exists and make it better. When it does not exist, design it”, he could have had Cullinan in mind.

Further, Cullinan offers a suite of Bespoke features developed specifically for the increased variance of its intended patrons’ lifestyles, for example the Viewing Suite and the Recreation Module. The Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective seeks challenges from Rolls-Royce patrons as they dream up new and creative uses for these spaces.

Designing Supreme Luxury

Strength and power underline Cullinan’s design for supreme luxury. Headlights and air intakes are deep set into the front face, with a prominent brow accentuated by daytime-running LEDs. A newly-designed chamfered Pantheon grille protrudes forward to denote strength, combining with defined vertical and horizontal lines create a powerful visage.

At the heart of Cullinan sits a 6.74-litre twin-turbocharged V12 engine, developed from the ground up to provide effortless torque at extremely low revs. Peak motivation at 850Nm is available from just 1,600rpm, coupled to an all-wheel drive system via an 8-speed transmission, enabling Cullinan to rise from the get-go with grace and pace.

Cullinan in Singapore

The Rolls-Royce Cullinan presented in Singapore is finished in Magma Red, with a Tan and Black interior. Prices for Cullinan in Singapore start at SGD 1,268,888. Further information can be accessed via the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Singapore website.

For the full details on the RR Cullinan, download this release: ROLLS-ROYCE CULLINAN MAKES ITS DEBUT IN SINGAPORE