As well as selling over 4000 cars for only the second time in history, 2016 will be remembered at Rolls-Royce as the year that virtually every car it delivered arrived with at least one bespoke touch. Rolls-Royce sold a remarkable 4,011 cars over the past 12 months, meaning that the company’s hand-built cars are now more common on the world’s roads than a current-generation Lamborghini.
The figure isn’t quite an all-time record, (that was set in 2014), however, it is only the second time in Rolls-Royce’s 113-year history that it’s sold over 4000 cars and it is the first time that every client ordering a car did so with at least one unique bespoke element; whether it was something as simple as an integrated picnic hamper or, in the case of avid Rolls-Royce collector Michael Fux, a unique shade of blue.
“Rolls-Royce patrons live in a world beyond material acquisition, indeed they seek to commission, curate and collect,” said company CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös of the growing trend and the challenges it presents to his team.
Fux Blue
As well as a unique shade of blue named “Fux Blue” which will remain exclusive to its creator, Mr Fux’s Rolls-Royce Dawn (main picture) featured a matching Fux Blue fabric roof, and an Arctic White treatment to the rear deck, interior trim, console and door panel veneers.
Nautical Dawn
Presented at the 2016 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance was another Dawn inspired by the owner’s love of sailing and luxury yachts. The Nautical Dawn boasts a Midnight Sapphire windshield surround and hood, teak interior panels and a bespoke cabin clock design based on the patron’s favorite watch. Even the door treadplates feature the international maritime signal flags that spell out D-A-W-N.
Peace and Glory
One of the most complex commissions undertaken by the company in 2016 was for a Taiwan-based entrepreneur who wanted a hand-embroidered fabric in his Phantom that mimicked the pattern of tiger fur. The Peace and Glory Phantom also features a number of interior motifs either embroidered into the leather or laid within the wooden veneers.
Blue Magpie
Another Taiwanese owner commissioned the Blue Magpie. A Phantom Drophead Coupé filled with touches that reference the collector’s homeland including headrests embroidered with blue magpies. The car is also the only one of its kind to feature a teak and white maple luggage compartment floor
