Bijan offers up special edition Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe

If there was anything Bijan Pakzad loved more than clothing A-list celebrities and heads of state, it was creating the most luxurious automobiles around. The Persian fashion designer (commonly known by his first name alone) owned a one-of-a-kind custom yellow Bugatti Veyron, and before he died, he commissioned a second Grand Sport roadster in his trademark color.

He was also set to team up with Rolls-Royce for a limited run of special Phantoms, but while he may have passed before his time, his successors are evidently keen to keep his legacy alive with this special-edition Phantom Drophead Coupe.

Decked out in Bijan yellow from the body (including hood, window frame, mirrors and wheels) to the interior, the special DHC has Bijan signature touches all around, including a diamond-pavé watch embedded in the dashboard and a picnic set (complete with crystal stemware) in the trunk.

A limited quantity of these unique and extroverted convertibles will be made available at a price reported as high as $1.6 million, and are sure to be snapped up by the same Middle Eastern sheikhs who draped themselves in Bijan's luxurious suits.

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Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé for Masterpiece London is especially special

ROLLS-ROYCE PRESENTS ONE-OFF BESPOKE DROPHEAD COUPÉ AT MASTERPIECE LONDON 2011

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars proudly presents a very special Phantom Drophead Coupé, hand-built by craftspeople at the home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, England. The highly bespoke model was designed to capture the essence of a perfect weekend get-away, offering drivers and their passengers the ultimate luxurious and relaxing experience in roof-down motoring.

As well as bespoke luggage, the Masterpiece London 2011 Drophead Coupé features a one-off Asprey jewellery box, housed discretely in the glove compartment. Designed for rings, cufflinks and earrings, it presents stylish and secure storage for these essential valuables before drivers and their passengers sink back into sumptuous leather seats, set the roof down and head out of town.

The model was created for Masterpiece London 2011 and hosts a suite of additional bespoke design details, including teak decking, engraved tread plates and Spirit of Ecstasy with inscription that marks the centenary of the world's most famous bonnet icon.

The Masterpiece 2011 Drophead Coupé is also the first Rolls-Royce to be presented in Mazarine Blue, a bespoke finish that joins a palette of 44,000 shades already available to clients ordering Phantom models. This eye-catching colour takes inspiration from the Mazarine Blue butterfly, a whimsical creature at home in continental Europe, which can still occasionally be seen wafting by in the South of England.

The luxurious natural-grain leather interior comes in Seashell with Navy Blue contrast for floor and door panels with embroidered R-R logos finished in headrests. With roof down, the car reveals its yacht-inspired teak decking, with mother-of-pearl inlays throughout cross-banded Santos Palissander wood veneers. White instrument dials, rotary controllers and clock finished in mother-of-pearl complete the design.

"We are delighted to present this outstanding Rolls-Royce at Masterpiece London 2011," said Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. "Craftsmanship and attention to detail shine through in features developed at Goodwood and in partnership with Asprey. It's a model that demonstrates the breadth of our bespoke offering, where the only limit to what we can deliver is a client's imagination."

Asprey Jewellery Case

The Asprey jewellery case, which fits neatly into the passenger glove compartment, took two working days to finish, using a hide of softest grade-one suede cut into 15 separate pieces.

Its central earring holder is detachable and can be interchanged for use with clip earrings or stud styles. There are also two additional sections for elegant cufflinks, and a separate compartment for the owner's most precious rings. An embossed silver foil Asprey stamp finishes this stunning one-off feature.

Bespoke Luggage

Designed in Goodwood, the bespoke luggage set can be found nestled neatly in the picnic boot of the Masterpiece London 2011 Drophead Coupé. The leather used to craft this bespoke set of four cases is of the highest quality and employs a traditional approach in its creation.

Hides were carefully selected for the firmness and grain structure then tanned in pits, a slow artisanal way of producing hard-wearing yet supple leather – and a process that takes four months to complete. The result is beautiful; a substantial material, in deep Navy Blue, that is also resistant to hard wear. Moreover the leather has a distinctive and intense aroma of vegetable tannins that come from the mix of bark, wood and berries used to stabilise and pigment the hides.

Masterpiece London 2011

Masterpiece London 2011 is held in the South Grounds of the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, and the Rolls-Royce car is available for preview from Friday 29 June 2011. The fair runs from Saturday 30 June – Friday 5 July 2011. For further details please visit www.masterpiecefair.com

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Rolls-Royce celebrates Year of the Dragon with special Phantom line

ROLLS-ROYCE PRESENTS EXCLUSIVE YEAR OF THE DRAGON COLLECTION
Goodwood, 17th August 2011

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars proudly presents the Year of the Dragon Collection, a commemorative offering in preparation for this festive celebration. Inspired by the legendary creature that is revered in China, the Year of the Dragon Collection has been created to celebrate the ultimate symbol of power, prosperity and good fortune. Designed at the Home of Rolls-Royce by the Bespoke team, this exclusive collection features a suite of unique detailing and design, which includes:

Dragon Coachline

On first glimpse of the car, a prominent feature is the twin coachline with a dragon, in gold colour, hand-painted to the side of each Phantom or Phantom Extended Wheelbase. In order to achieve perfect symmetry and balance, the dragon will always look forward. The hand-painted dragon coachline is inspired by the Forbidden City in Beijing and provides distinctive finishing touches to the car's exterior.

Dragon Headrest Embroidery

The dragon also appears on the leather of every headrest, carefully hand-embroidered using a combination of four thread colours: Tan, Golden Sand, Black and White. The colours are designed to complement a palette of recommended leather colour options and the design can be finished with an additional seat piping feature.

Dragon Phantom Passenger Panel Inlay

A dragon inlay will be hand-laid to the passenger panel of every car in this unique collection. The Phantom model name is also applied in gold, the two features match together perfectly.

Embroidered Cushions with R-R Logo and Piping

The interior promises two hand-stitched cushions for the rear passengers, specified with embroidered double R-R logos and piping to carefully accentuate the chosen interior.

Illuminated Treadplates

The four door sills feature exclusive illuminated treadplates with 'Year of the Dragon 2012' highlighted in LED lighting.

A Celebratory Marquetry Selection

Designed at the Home of Rolls-Royce, the Year of the Dragon Collection offers a choice of either modern or traditional marquetry to match the customer's veneer choice which - as a reflection of the Woodshop's craftsmanship and attention to detail - is laser-cut and then hand-assembled into position in the veneer.

"At Rolls-Royce Motor Cars we delight in bringing new, exclusive designs to our customers", said Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. "The Bespoke team elegantly captures the imagination with this Year of the Dragon Collection, celebrating the turning of a New Year of prosperity and good fortune with this unique creative offering."

"The Bespoke team is privileged to commemorate the Chinese Year of the Dragon with this exciting Collection," said Thomas G. Jefferson, Bespoke Sales Manager, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. "This limited edition car embodies the synergy of craftsmanship, creativity and culture in a manner that is uniquely Rolls-Royce."

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Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé for Masterpiece London is especially special

ROLLS-ROYCE PRESENTS ONE-OFF BESPOKE DROPHEAD COUPÉ AT MASTERPIECE LONDON 2011

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars proudly presents a very special Phantom Drophead Coupé, hand-built by craftspeople at the home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, England. The highly bespoke model was designed to capture the essence of a perfect weekend get-away, offering drivers and their passengers the ultimate luxurious and relaxing experience in roof-down motoring.

As well as bespoke luggage, the Masterpiece London 2011 Drophead Coupé features a one-off Asprey jewellery box, housed discretely in the glove compartment. Designed for rings, cufflinks and earrings, it presents stylish and secure storage for these essential valuables before drivers and their passengers sink back into sumptuous leather seats, set the roof down and head out of town.

The model was created for Masterpiece London 2011 and hosts a suite of additional bespoke design details, including teak decking, engraved tread plates and Spirit of Ecstasy with inscription that marks the centenary of the world's most famous bonnet icon.

The Masterpiece 2011 Drophead Coupé is also the first Rolls-Royce to be presented in Mazarine Blue, a bespoke finish that joins a palette of 44,000 shades already available to clients ordering Phantom models. This eye-catching colour takes inspiration from the Mazarine Blue butterfly, a whimsical creature at home in continental Europe, which can still occasionally be seen wafting by in the South of England.

The luxurious natural-grain leather interior comes in Seashell with Navy Blue contrast for floor and door panels with embroidered R-R logos finished in headrests. With roof down, the car reveals its yacht-inspired teak decking, with mother-of-pearl inlays throughout cross-banded Santos Palissander wood veneers. White instrument dials, rotary controllers and clock finished in mother-of-pearl complete the design.

"We are delighted to present this outstanding Rolls-Royce at Masterpiece London 2011," said Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. "Craftsmanship and attention to detail shine through in features developed at Goodwood and in partnership with Asprey. It's a model that demonstrates the breadth of our bespoke offering, where the only limit to what we can deliver is a client's imagination."

Asprey Jewellery Case

The Asprey jewellery case, which fits neatly into the passenger glove compartment, took two working days to finish, using a hide of softest grade-one suede cut into 15 separate pieces.

Its central earring holder is detachable and can be interchanged for use with clip earrings or stud styles. There are also two additional sections for elegant cufflinks, and a separate compartment for the owner's most precious rings. An embossed silver foil Asprey stamp finishes this stunning one-off feature.

Bespoke Luggage

Designed in Goodwood, the bespoke luggage set can be found nestled neatly in the picnic boot of the Masterpiece London 2011 Drophead Coupé. The leather used to craft this bespoke set of four cases is of the highest quality and employs a traditional approach in its creation.

Hides were carefully selected for the firmness and grain structure then tanned in pits, a slow artisanal way of producing hard-wearing yet supple leather – and a process that takes four months to complete. The result is beautiful; a substantial material, in deep Navy Blue, that is also resistant to hard wear. Moreover the leather has a distinctive and intense aroma of vegetable tannins that come from the mix of bark, wood and berries used to stabilise and pigment the hides.

Masterpiece London 2011

Masterpiece London 2011 is held in the South Grounds of the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, and the Rolls-Royce car is available for preview from Friday 29 June 2011. The fair runs from Saturday 30 June – Friday 5 July 2011. For further details please visit www.masterpiecefair.com

View the original article here

Rolls-Royce honors the Spirit of Ecstasy with special run of Phantoms

ROLLS-ROYCE MOTOR CARS PRESENTS SPIRIT OF ECSTASY CENTENARY COLLECTION

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is celebrating the centenary of the Spirit of Ecstasy in 2011 with an exclusive Collection of bespoke Phantom models. Called the Spirit of Ecstasy Centenary Collection, one hundred cars will be delivered to customers bearing a suite of features inspired by the legendary flying lady, complemented by a range of exclusive exterior colours, wood veneers and leather options.

"These beautiful models follow the finest traditions of Rolls-Royce in their luxury, craftsmanship and attention to detail," said Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. "They encapsulate the essence of the Spirit of Ecstasy legend, presenting owners with a range of exclusive bespoke options available only in this centenary year."

Collection cars start with the famous icon herself. Cast in silver, each Spirit of Ecstasy will feature a base complete with black-gold plated bezel bearing the commemorative inscription Spirit of Ecstasy Centenary – 2011 , a legend repeated on the cover plate when the mascot is lowered. The design is finished with a set of six hallmarks, two of which have been designed specifically for Rolls-Royce.

A new badge has been developed to authenticate the Collection and establish its place in Rolls-Royce history. Located beneath the Spirit of Ecstasy, on the trunk lid as well as on front side panels, the badge reverses conventional design, with white enamel RR detail set on a black chrome background.

A trademark Rolls-Royce twin coachline is accentuated on Collection cars, thanks to a delicate hand-painted Spirit of Ecstasy insignia, the detail of which has been taken from an original line-drawing by Charles Sykes, the mascot's creator. A further tribute comes in the glove box lid, which carries an original Sykes quotation embossed into the colour-matched leather lining:

"A graceful little goddess, the Spirit of Ecstasy, who has selected road travel as her supreme delight and alighted on the prow of a Rolls-Royce motor car to revel in the freshness of the air and the musical sound of her fluttering draperies." – Charles Sykes, 1911

Inside the cars, fine detailing abounds. Collection cars come with an analogue clock fitted in the fascia panel, the outer bezel of which is crafted from Britannia Silver, incorporating the unique set of six hallmarks. The backlit face presents an inner ring of silver incorporating the centenary inscription.

Instrument dials complement the clock design, carrying further fine detailing. Satin spun metal dials, centered with polished RR monograms are further enriched with polished chaplets and black numerals. All are meticulously hand-crafted, examples of the attention to detail for which all Rolls-Royce hand-built models are renowned.

Further affirmation of the Collection's place in history comes from the lid of the centre console. This reveals a discreet, solid Britannia Silver commemorative plaque engraved with the inscription Spirit of Ecstasy - One of One Hundred.

Four exterior colour options are offered, all exclusive to Spirit of Ecstasy Centenary Collection cars. These start with Rhapsody Black, a black metallic incorporating a delicate gold sparkle and Maiden Blue a deep blue metallic highlighted with a silver sparkle. Ethereal White Pearl comes with a special pearlescent finish while Wildflower completes the bespoke paint offering, presenting a rich blend of red and brown colour with a fine sparkle.

Each exterior colour can be ordered with a selection of sumptuous leather and interior contrast schemes while hand crafted banding of Britannia Silver will be delicately inset into the customer's chosen veneer.

Owners will also receive a desk ornament with their cars, a polished steel Spirit of Ecstasy mounted on a piano black base. These will be presented with individual certificates of authenticity signed by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös.

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Mini teases Goodwood special en route to Shanghai

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) on Apr 12th 2011 at 4:15PM

Mini Inspired by Goodwood – Click above for high-res image
The Shanghai Motor Show may not have ranked among the major expos of the year until recently, but automakers flocking to the Chinese show have put it on the map. And this year's show – now just one week away – is shaping up to be one of the biggest yet.

In Shanghai, visitors will get their first glimpse of the BMW Concept M5, Mercedes-Benz A-Class concept, the new Chevrolet Malibu, Buick Envision crossover concept, Audi's new Q3 and Subaru's XV crossover concept, just to name a few. In short, there's no lack of novelty at the show in China this year. And Mini won't be sitting out the action, either.

As we reported last month, Mini will be presenting its Goodwood show car in Shanghai, and has now released the teaser image you see above. Officially called the Mini Inspired by Goodwood, it's a joint effort between Mini and Rolls-Royce – the two English brands at the opposite ends of the BMW Group spectrum – Shanghai'ing, as it were, Rolls-Royce's cabin craftsmen and putting them to work on a Mini's interior, with a price tag that'll land somewhere in between. Stay tuned for more as the show rapidly approaches.

[Source: Mini]

Filed under: Hatchback, Mini, Rolls-Royce, Shanghai Motor Show, Luxury

Tags: 2011 shanghai motor show, goodwood, mini, mini goodwood, mini goodwood concept, mini inspired by goodwood, rolls-royce, shanghai, shanghai 2011, shanghai motor show

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