For 100 years, the Rolls-Royce Phantom has been more than a car. It is a statement, a symbol of luxury and a standard against which all others are measured. This year, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars marks the Phantom’s centenary with an extraordinary tribute: The Phantom Centenary Private Collection, a limited release of just 25 masterpieces that collectively tell the story of the world’s most revered luxury motor car.
The collection, created over three years at the marque’s Goodwood home, is the most intricate and technologically ambitious in Rolls-Royce’s history. It embodies a century of design excellence, craftsmanship, and innovation, a legacy that began in 1925 when the very first Phantom replaced the legendary Silver Ghost. As A&E Editor in Chief, Lara Mansour was in Goodwood for this landmark unveiling, we reveal what makes these creations in a league of their own.
A Century of Greatness
Since its debut as the Phantom I, the model has been regarded as the ultimate expression of success and discernment. It was the choice of kings, queens, statesmen, artists, and icons, from Maharajas to movie stars. Over eight generations, the Phantom has evolved while remaining true to the brand’s founding ethos: to craft “the best car in the world.”
Each generation reflected the spirit of its time. The 1925 Phantom I brought silent sophistication to the roaring twenties, while the 1950s Phantom IV became the car of choice for royalty. The 1960s Phantom V and VI represented post-war optimism, beloved by John Lennon and the British royal family alike. And in 2003, after a brief hiatus, the Phantom VII heralded the rebirth of Rolls-Royce under BMW ownership, codenamed “Roger Rabbit.”
Today, the Phantom VIII stands as the culmination of that heritage,an engineering and artistic masterpiece that embodies modern luxury. And now, the Centenary Private Collection honours that lineage in the most spectacular fashion.
“The Rolls-Royce Phantom Centenary Private Collection is our tribute to 100 years of the world’s most revered luxury item,” said Chris Brownridge, Chief Executive of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. “This uncompromising work of art uses the meticulously engineered Phantom VIII as the canvas to tell the story of Phantom’s remarkable life and the people who shaped it – from the visionaries within Rolls-Royce to the owners who helped create its legend. For a century, the Phantom nameplate has expressed the pinnacle of Rolls-Royce’s abilities. To honour that legacy, this extraordinarily ambitious Private Collection introduces new techniques and is the result of over 40,000 hours of work, culminating in a motor car which reaffirms Phantom’s status as a symbol of ambition, artistic possibility, and historical gravitas.”
It is, indeed, a creation unlike any other. Every element of the Centenary Phantom has been meticulously designed to celebrate moments, people, and places that shaped its history. The result is a car that is both a masterpiece of engineering and a museum of craftsmanship.
A Work of Art in Motion
From the outside, the Phantom Centenary Private Collection exudes timeless sophistication. Its two-tone exterior in Super Champagne Crystal and Arctic White recalls the glamour of 1930s Hollywood, when the Phantom graced premieres and carried screen legends through the golden age of cinema. The shimmering effect of the finish comes from iridescent crushed-glass particles, a technique developed exclusively for this collection.
Atop the grille sits a breathtaking reinterpretation of the Spirit of Ecstasy, cast in solid 18-carat gold and plated in 24-carat gold for brilliance and longevity. This marks the first time the iconic figurine has been hallmarked in London specifically for a Phantom edition. Even the “RR” badges are adorned in 24-carat gold and white enamel — a nod to the car’s enduring prestige.
Every detail tells a story. Each wheel is engraved with 25 lines, one for each car in the collection, adding up to 100, a perfect numerical tribute to the Phantom’s centenary year.
Inside, the Phantom Centenary tells a story. The rear seats, inspired by the legendary 1926 “Phantom of Love,” are a visual masterpiece. Rolls-Royce collaborated with a Parisian fashion atelier to create high-resolution printed textiles and embroidery that depict 100 years of Phantom’s heritage. Across three layers of storytelling, hand-drawn motifs and over 160,000 stitches illustrate iconic Phantoms, historic locations, and notable owners.
“Conceived as a contemporary interpretation of a handwoven tapestry, the rear seats tell Phantom’s story through carefully curated details, captured in textiles and embroidery,” said Celina Mettang, Bespoke Colour and Material Designer. “Every embroidered element was digitally re-drawn by artisans who selected specific stitch applications for every stroke… These fine details required extraordinary precision to get right: one motif went through 24 iterations before we were satisfied.”
Even the front seats pay homage to Rolls-Royce’s design language. Laser-etched leather panels feature hand-drawn sketches inspired by archival drafts, including subtle motifs referencing Phantom prototypes like “Roger Rabbit” and “Seagull.”
The heart of the interior is the Anthology Gallery, a sculptural centrepiece that captures a century of acclaim. Fifty brushed-aluminium fins are interlaced like the pages of a book, each engraved with words drawn from press reviews throughout Phantom’s history. As light shifts across the metal, reflections shimmer like falling fireworks.
The woodwork, meanwhile, represents the pinnacle of Rolls-Royce craftsmanship. Using new technologies, including 3D marquetry, laser etching, and 3D ink layering, artisans created intricate panels depicting Phantom’s most significant journeys, from the coastline of Le Rayol-Canadel-sur-Mer, where Sir Henry Royce spent his winters, to the English countryside of West Wittering, home to his summer retreat.
“We drew on an extraordinary range of sources – original texts, diaries, photographs and paintings – to create a composition that weaves together many threads of Phantom’s story,” said Katrin Lehmann, Bespoke Colour and Material Designer. “New technology developed for this project allowed us to add details at a scale never before possible – from a boat sailing across the sea to location names on a map.”
The result is artistry at its most ambitious: a seamless blend of innovation and tradition that transforms the Phantom’s cabin into a living archive.
A Golden Legacy
The celebration of craftsmanship extends even to the engine bay. The cover of the 6.75-litre V12 engine is detailed in 24-carat gold, paying homage to the effortless power that defines Phantom’s modern identity. Above, an embroidered Starlight Headliner features 440,000 individual stitches forming constellations, symbols, and hidden references.
“Having the privilege to pay a Bespoke tribute to the Phantom nameplate is a once-in-a-generation opportunity,” said Martina Starke, Head of Bespoke Design. “A record number of designers spent a year immersed in the motor car’s rich history… The result is a true collective work of art that celebrates the skill, ambition and imagination of everyone at the Home of Rolls-Royce.”
As Rolls-Royce celebrates a century of its most iconic creation, the Phantom Centenary Private Collection is a reaffirmation of what the brand has always stood for: mastery, art, and the pursuit of perfection. What began in 1925 as an audacious vision by Sir Henry Royce now continues as a living legacy.
