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Rolls-Royce Motor Cars today showed a one-of-one Phantom Extended that pays homage to the 1964 James Bond film, Goldfinger – one of twelve Rolls-Royce appearances in the 007 film franchise. Revealed in the film’s 60th anniversary year, it is said to be inspired by the 1937 Phantom III Sedanca de Ville owned by the eponymous villain, Auric Goldfinger. The British license plate ‘AU 1’, which graced the Goldfinger Phantom III in the film, has been secured.. This will remain with Phantom Goldfinger, which has now been delivered to” a significant Rolls-Royce client and collector based in England.” It’s a reference to the chemical symbol for gold on the periodic table of elements.
“At Rolls-Royce, we are dedicated to crafting deeply personal masterpieces that reshape the boundaries of possibility and truly define the essence of luxury. Each creation is a reflection of our commitment to producing extraordinary, unique motor cars that consistently delight and exceed the expectations of our clients,” said Chris Brownridge, Chief Executive, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.
Phantom Goldfinger is said to incorporate some of the most extensively engineered custom features applied to a one-of-one motor car in Rolls-Royce history, each linking to the Goldfinger film plot. A total of three years of continuous development was required to bring each of these features to life – from a complex sculptural Gallery, inspired by the famous scene filmed on the Furka Pass, to a gold golf putter mounted to the inside of the motor car’s boot, recalling the club used by Auric Goldfinger during his first encounter with James Bond.
For the exterior of this contemporary tribute to Goldfinger’s motor car, Rolls-Royce paint specialists precisely matched the exterior yellow hue to the original 1937 Phantom III Sedanca de Ville used in the film. A unique ‘long-side’ two-tone design was developed in which the black finish wraps around the motor car’s generous coachwork as a single, uninterrupted graphic. The 21-inch disc wheels are finished in Black with silver ‘floating’ hubcaps, creating a tone-on-tone effect that recalls the wheel design of the 1937 motor car as seen in the film.
The Spirit of Ecstasy at the prow of Phantom Goldfinger has been given a unique finish, subtly referencing the motion picture’s plot. In the film, the villain Auric Goldfinger was smuggling gold in body panels of his Phantom. As a nod to this concept, sections of the figurine appear to reveal gold underneath, suggesting it is made of solid gold, concealed with a silver coat. Since it is not possible to silver-plate gold, Rolls-Royce specialists used a solid silver Spirit of Ecstasy and skillfully gold-plated it with 18-carat gold to achieve the ‘gold reveal’ effect.
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Inside, the Bespoke Collective of designers, engineers, and artisans within Rolls-Royce developed several complex details and features that incorporate 18- and 24-carat gold. One such is the hidden vault created in the center console between the front seats. The area was re-engineered to house an illuminated solid 18-carat gold bar, shaped as a Phantom ‘Speedform’ – a stylized representation of the motor car’s design in miniature.
The base of the front and rear center consoles is also lined with an exquisite gold finish, as is the inside of the glovebox. The inner lid of the glovebox is also debossed with Goldfinger’s iconic quote: “This is Gold, Mr. Bond. All my life, I have been in love with its colour, its brilliance, its divine heaviness.”
The air vents and ‘organ stops’ throughout the motor car also have a lustrous gold finish. The speaker frets are given the same finish and inscribed with the film’s title treatment. The treadplates, designed to look like the gold bars that feature Goldfinger, are gold-plated and embossed using the same font developed for the film in 1964. The 24-carat gold-plated VIN plaque is engraved with a specially obtained vehicle identification number, which ends in 007.
“Bringing Phantom Goldfinger into being was one of the Bespoke Collective’s greatest creative journeys to date. The elegant and whimsical features that reference the film’s most memorable moments are an exquisite demonstration of the power of Bespoke in adding a new chapter to an existing story. It was a privilege to be a part of the creative team that brought this highly sought-after collector’s piece to life,” said Nick Rhodes, Bespoke Designer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.
Co2 Emissions & Consumption.
NEDCcorr (combined): CO2 emissions: 345 g/km; Fuel consumption: 15.1 ltr/100 km / 18.7 mpg. WLTP (combined): CO2 emissions: 362-348 g/km; Fuel consumption: 15.9-15.2 ltr/100 km / 17.7-18.6 mpg.
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has announced that Jon Colbeth has been appointed President, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars North America from 1 January 2025.
Jon was born and raised in North America and joined BMW Group in 2007. Since then, he has held various leadership positions across Parts Logistics and Ownership Services. In 2015, he took on his first international assignment as Aftersales Director of Northern Europe, based in Stockholm, Sweden.
In 2018 he joined Rolls-Royce Motor Cars in Goodwood, England, as Global Head of Ownership Services, responsible for all aspects of the post-purchase client journey. During his tenure at Goodwood, Jon established strong personal relationships with dealer partners and valued clients worldwide.
He has transformed the global ownership experience through several initiatives, including establishing a new state-of-the-art parts distribution network that ensures seamless service support for clients worldwide. He also pioneered the marque’s first-ever extended ownership programme.
Jon also expanded the marque’s accessory business, further strengthening the bond between the world’s leading luxury brand and its exclusive clientele.
Jon Colbeth replaces Martin Fritsches, who will depart Rolls-Royce Motor Cars North America to take up a new position within the BMW Group. Prior to Rolls-Royce, Martin held a number of BMW Group senior positions around the world. Under his six-year stewardship, Rolls-Royce North America has seen consistent growth and value creation in the region, cementing its position as the largest market globally for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. – Rolls-Royce release October 2024.