The Rolls-Royce Phantom Centenary Is Full Of Actual Gold

What says ‘I’m richer than you’ more than a Rolls-Royce Phantom? How about a Rolls-Royce Phantom that’s full of actual, genuine 24-carat gold? 25 people with that kind of money to throw around will soon be getting their hands on the Phantom Centenary Private Collection, a special edition built to celebrate 100 years of Rolls’ most famous nameplate of all.

Based on the flagship Phantom VIII saloon, it comes in a two-tone paint finish of black and arctic white, with both shades then augmented with Super Champagne Crystal, a special finish that sprinkles tiny pieces of crushed glass into the paint’s clearcoat to make it literally sparkle.

A Rolls wouldn’t be a Rolls without its Spirit of Ecstasy bonnet mascot, either, and this one’s particularly special – it’s been cast in 18-carat gold then plated in 24-carat gold. We still don’t entirely know what a carat is, but it’s our understanding that more is better. The ‘RR’ badges are also finished in 24-carat gold and white enamel.

As a special edition Roller, though, it’s really the interior that’s the centrepiece. It’s one of the most, erm, unique cabins we’ve ever seen on a car. The rear seats are trimmed in a new high-end fabric, finished with both printing and embroidery depicting various places and things relevant to the Phantom name’s century of history. The front seats, meanwhile, are trimmed in white leather covered with more laser-etched artwork. The differences in materials front and rear nod to the early days of chauffeur-driven Rollers, when the front seats would have been finished in hard-wearing leather and the rears in sumptuous fabrics.

The dashboard – referred to as the Anthology Gallery in this car – is illuminated and features 50 aluminium fins, each made up of 3D-printed letters. Apparently, they can be read to form quotes from various glowing press reviews Phantoms have received over the years. 

Then there’s the woodwork on the door panels, made from stained Blackwood and etched with maps of journeys and places relevant to the Phantom, including a crossing of the Australian continent by the first ever modern Goodwood-built iteration. The roads depicted in these journeys are picked out in 24-carat gold.

You’ll also find flecks of gold on the surfaces of the rear fold-down tables, the central rotary dial on the dash, and inset in the special arctic white cover for the 6.75-litre twin-turbo V12 engine. Finally, there’s Rolls’ signature starlight headliner, which also features over 440,000 stitches that form depictions of more Phantom-relevant things, from the mulberry tree that co-founder Henry Royce had in his garden to some of the 250,000 honey bees that live in Rolls’ on-site apiary.

Deep breath. That was rather a lot to take in, wasn’t it? Take some time to absorb it all, because you likely won’t be seeing a Phantom Centenary any time soon. As mentioned, only 25 are being built, and they’re all sold, so if you had your eye on one, too late.