Rolls Royce

The motoring universe moves fast. But every so often, I realise it’s shifting even faster than I give it credit for. Take the new Black Badge Spectre for example. In my mind, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars have spent the last century meticulously evolving and refining the perfect V12 grand tourers. And yet seemingly, just like that, we are now fully electric. And the Black Badge represents the pinnacle of Rolls-Royce’s boldest evolution yet.

Nick Rhodes is part of the Bespoke design team at the iconic car manufacturer Rolls-Royce and is the chief designer responsible for the creation of the Bespoke Rolls-Royce motor car, inspired by amber and the historic trade routes connecting the Baltic and the Mediterranean Sea. Amber, essentially a fossil, has a tangible link with ancient life on Earth, capturing a sense of timelessness, simplicity, and enduring beauty – qualities that also embody a Bespoke Rolls-Royce. The textures, colours, and warmth of amber are reflected in this Bespoke creation.

Rolls-Royce products enjoy an expansive lifetime, ultimately becoming timeless expressions of good taste, beauty and luxurious perfection. Phantom occupies a unique, pinnacle position in this regard, being revered for its timeless elegance.

Rolls-Royce presented the new Black Badge Ghost in great secrecy. I was chauffeured to an unknown location to test the new Ghost in almost total darkness.

The mood was set for an extraordinary event. The Black Badge Ghost, the representation of the darker side of Rolls-Royce was exhibited as a grand museum piece in a specially decorated warehouse complete with a green Agusta Helicopter and roaring neon tiger in the background.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has co-created a magnificent Bespoke Phantom in a unique collaboration with Hermès. Designed and handcrafted by a combined team of Bespoke specialists at the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood, West Sussex, and Hermès in Paris, Phantom Oribe reflects the personality and passions of its owner, Japanese entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa.

During 2020, an unprecedented year, the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective – a team of engineers, designers and craftspeople based at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, England – brought the unique visions of the marque’s global clientele to life with outstanding levels of creativity, craft and imagination. Almost every one of the motor cars created in 2020 was tailored by this Bespoke division, a notable achievement considering the backdrop of challenging and unforeseen headwinds.

The Rolls Royce Dawn is an extremely sexy car, the cachet, performance and sinuous lines make it a favourite contender for the title of finest luxury touring car available today. With the roof down you can really show off that luxury interior and enjoy an open air ride of sublime refinement. Plus the Rolls Royce badge still carries the ultimate brand status. Please don’t think I’m a slouching teenager with baseball cap, sweatpants and hoodie all loudly emblazoned with Gucci, but Rolls Royce is still the byword for luxury craftsmanship.