While the Rolls-Royce Phantom remains the pinnacle product of the British automaker, the time has come to reimagine it into an exclusive and rare iteration – the Phantom Tempus Collection. Inspired by the many qualities of time, it’s an ultra luxury vehicle “for those who shape the world as they seek their own place in the universe.”
What catches the eye first is no doubt the design of the Phantom Tempus Collection, which encompasses various aesthetic and intellectual themes relating to time and the cosmos. A key inspiration being a rare astronomical phenomenon, the pulsar, which can only be found in the deepest reaches of space. These incredibly dense, white-hot stars are known for emitting electromagnetic radiation in extremely regular pulses, making them some of the most accurate clocks in the universe.
The Phantom Tempus captures this force of nature by translating it into a centrepiece in a Bespoke Starlight Headliner consisting of fibre-optic lighting and intricate Bespoke embroidery, resulting in the beautiful Pulsar Headliner.
The motor car also captures time’s illusion of stillness in the ‘Frozen Flow of Time’ Gallery, with the artwork housed in the fascia from which the clock is deliberately omitted to represent freedom from time and its limitations. A single billet of aluminium is milled to form 100 individually contoured columns, representing the 100-million-year period of a rotational spin of a pulsar star. Each column is black-anodised and hand-polished to reflect the light, creating a flexing and ripple effect when taking a closer look. A description of the Gallery is found on an engraved plaque in the glove compartment, along with a quotation from Albert Einstein: “The distinction between past, present, and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion.”
As the doors are opened, the interior presents a swirling galaxy of stars. This is made possible by hundreds of illuminated perforations, with additional perforations in contrasting leather add a greater depth and detail to the effect, creating an atmospheric aura even when not illuminated.
A new bespoke paint finish of Kairos Blue dresses the new Phantom Tempus Collection to reflect the unending darkness and mystery of space. The otherworldly paint effect involves the use of jewel-like blue mica flakes, providing a subtle glitter when the light hits, representing the playfulness of the stars. This effect is highlighted by deep black exterior detailing.
Proudly displayed on the bonnet of the Phantom Tempus is the Spirit of Ecstasy, who celebrates her 110th year, who comes with the option of personalisation with a unique date and location that’s significant to the client. Once again, it plays with the quality of timelessness as it cements an important memory on the base of the figurine.
For a finishing touch, Rolls-Royce has developed a unique accessory to accompany the Collection – the Tempus Champagne Chest. Based on the Rolls-Royce Champagne Chest, this new iteration features a pulsar artwork which has been hand-painted onto the table. Below the table, the chest itself houses thermal flasks for chilling both champagne and caviar, four hand-blown crystal champagne flutes that have been arranged to evoke the cylinders of a V12 engine, and a mother-of-pearl caviar spoon.
In order to allow patrons to experience the Phantom Tempus Collection while adhering to travel restrictions and interaction limitations, Rolls-Royce has created a Virtual Reality presentation that can be accessed via the Google Cardboard app. It provides a fully immersive, 360° walkaround of the Collection’s interior and exterior from wherever they are in the world.
“Phantom is our pinnacle product, so producing a Collection Car is always a supremely important moment for us and our clients,” stated Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. “With Phantom Tempus, our sources of inspiration are on appropriately grand scale: time, deep space, and a theoretical physicist who changed the way we see the universe and our place within it. That all 20 car have already been reserved indicates that these are themes that truly resonate with our patrons around the world.”
For more details, visit the official Rolls-Royce website here.
Photos: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
