The limitations of the COVID-19 notwithstanding, work still goes on at Rolls-Royce building cars and at the Bespoke department, the specialists continue to create exclusive cars for customers. One such project for a customer in the Middle East is the ‘Wraith – Inspired By Earth’, commissioned through Rolls-Royce Abu Dhabi.
The latest creation takes its design cues from the entire Solar System, and our own beautiful planet as seen from space. The exterior is finished in Royal Blue, representing the 75% of the Earth’s surface that is covered by water. There is also a hand-painted Emerald Green coachline incorporating the Sun and the eight planets of the Solar System – Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.
The most striking feature, however, is the bonnet artwork, which depicts a satellite’s view (or that of an astronaut on the International Space Station) of the Middle Eastern region. Centred on the United Arab Emirates, the panorama extends across the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman, all meticulously air-brushed by hand – not just an artwork pasted on – in a process that took over 100 hours to complete.
By contrast, the interior aesthetic focuses on the Earth’s surface and the human and natural life that inhabits it. The seats are made from Moccasin leather to mimic the sands of the Emirates’ deserts; Navy and Cobalto Blue accents are suggestive of rivers and lakes and Emerald Green piping symbolises nature in all its forms. Arctic White ‘RR’ monograms and stitching hint at clouds and translucent running water.
The rear waterfall features a spectacular scene of atmospheric clouds rendered in minutely detailed embroidery using Photoflash technology. On the fascia, the Piano Milori veneer is embellished with a satellite image of the Middle East, so realistic that it appears to be a photograph but in fact is skilfully air-brushed.
The customer’s chosen theme is ideal for having the Bespoke Starlight Headliner overhead. Often showing constellations in the night sky, the headliner in this Wraith is embroidered to illustrate all the planets of Solar System, centred on the Sun.
Other Bespoke details include treadplates, a clock with metal radial background, and inlays showing the planets in silver, with planet Earth accentuated in gold.
“We’re used to clients bringing us grand visions for their Bespoke Commissions, but this provided a new perspective altogether. In our response to the brief, we’ve worked at both the ‘macro’ level, referencing the Sun and planets of the whole Solar System, and the much more personal ‘micro’ level, centring our view of the world on the place the customer calls home,” explained Michael Bryden, Lead Bespoke Designer at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.
The Bespoke department is where customers’ most ambitious and personal visions are brought to reality by a collective of designers, engineers and craftspeople. Today, almost every car that leaves the Rolls-Royce factory has also been enhanced and personalised by the specialists Bespoke.
The Starlight Headliner – Bringing the starry sky inside a Rolls-Royce
