Rolls-Royce ‘Phantom Dragon’ Celebrates Lunar New Year In Serpentine Style
The dragon is in the details.
A mesmerizing interpretation of Chinese iconography and stunning serpentine motifs were conceived by creatives based in Rolls-Royce’s Shanghai offices to help a VIP client celebrate the Year of the Snake in a way that even outdoes Hubot’s efforts on the luxury watch brand’s Spirit of Big Bang. But beyond the Lunar New Year connection, the “Phantom Dragon” holds a special significance to Rolls-Royce, being the first in a series of special-edition Phantoms celebrating the iconic model’s centenary.
In 1925, the Phantom’s debut year, The Autocar magazine wrote in a review of the new model: “Few are the firms engaged in the manufacture of motor cars who enjoy quite such a reputation as Rolls-Royce Ltd. Almost the conjoined names have become the household word for luxury, and every novelist worthy of the name imparts a distinguished air to any character by crediting him or her with the possession of one of the firm’s cars.” As the flagship vehicle in Rolls-Royce’s fleet, the Phantom has helped RR maintain that reputation indefatigably for the past 100 years, serving as arguably the ultimate automotive canvas for the most luxurious type of customization.
The Phantom Dragon, based on the burly Extended version of the coach car, exemplifies Rolls’s opulent brand of customization capability. Designers started with an informed perspective, taking inspiration from “an ancient legend, dating back over 3,000 years, that tells of two dragons, protectors of the human realm, who were gifted a divine pearl by the gods for their good deeds,” the brand said.
“Rather than greedily claiming the treasure for themselves, the dragons deferred to one another—a scene that came to symbolize kindness and generosity of spirit. Moved by the dragons’ loyalty, the gods then bestowed upon them a second pearl, which the creatures absorbed before ascending as deities themselves. While the dragons symbolize power and good fortune, the pearl is a symbol of purity and perfection. As these two elements are captured together, the interplay of the dragons signifies the harmonious balance of Yin and Yang—two complementary forces united in the pursuit of enlightenment and a fulfilling life.”
The client elected to keep the exterior simple, opting for a nearly blacked-out scheme occasionally interrupted by shimmers of chrome. The interior is where the mythical magical happens, beginning with the gallery running the full width of the fascia, which features a 297-piece marquetry pattern that was created by a single artisan using four species of wood—smoked eucalyptus, sycamore, ash, and black bolivar—over the course of three months. The artwork represents the two dragons, enclosed within swirling clouds, guarding the pearl contained in a Bespoke clock.
A red and white dragon also appear in a more abstract form on the Bespoke Starlight Headliner. This majestic celestial composition comprises 768 red and 576 white fiber-optic lights, each individually hand-fitted and surrounded 24 shooting star-inspired elements. Elsewhere, more woodcraft continues with smoked eucalyptus accents and door panels crafted by high-end Canadian furniture company Canadel. Meanwhile, red and black leathers clad the front and rear reclining seats respectively, which are topped with headrests featuring the client’s embroidered family name in traditional Chinese calligraphy.
While the Phantom Dragon is a bespoke creation, we’ll be we’ll be eagerly awaiting the other centenary-celebrating Rolls-Royce Phantoms slated to roll out in 2025.
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