Rolls-Royce has revealed what it states is its most technically complex commission yet, the Phantom Syntopia, built and designed in collaboration with Dutch fashion designer and Haute Couturire Iris van Herpen.
Just how complex is this latest commission? To start, Rolls-Royce states that the exterior paint for the car alone took over 3,000 hours of testing and validation. Sporting a one-off Liquid Noir finish, the car's paint is said to be Iridescent in sunlight, revealing a host of undertones from Purple, Blue, Magenta and Gold when viewed at different angles.
The Liquid Noir finish of the Phantom Syntopia reveals undertones of Purple, Blue, Magenta and Gold when viewed at different angles This finish was made by overlaying the marque's solid-black paint with a mirror-like pigment known for its colour-shifting properties.
And on the car's bonnet, there's a further detail: A subtle rendering of a Weaving Water motif appears, produced by carefully redistributing the pigment during the finishing process.
This motif is also replicated in the interior of the Phantom Syntopia, although you're more likely to first notice the special Weaving Water Starlight Headliner, said to be the most technically challenging version of this signature Rolls-Royce feature ever produced.
Crafted from a single sheet of flawless leather, the headliner features precise symmetrical cuts to reveal a silver 'liquid metal' texture made from woven nylon fabric, designed to give it a three-dimensional appearance.
The headliner is additionally finished with 162 delicate petals made of glass organza, applied by members of Iris van Herpen's Couture team who travelled to Goodwood to undertake the work - a process that took 300 hours.
The headliner sports precise symmetrical cuts that reveal a silver 'liquid metal' texture underneath, designed to give it a three-dimensional look The headliner then got 187 of its 995 sparkling fiberoptic 'stars' individually placed by hand. These 'stars' illuminating sequentially, starting from the rear and moving to the front, to create a feeling of movement, bringing the total hours of work involved to 700.
The Phantom Syntopia then comes with a special 'Weaving Water' themed artwork in its Gallery, which runs the width of the Phantom's fascia. This art piece makes use of 85 petals also attached by hand by Iris van Herpen's team working at Goodwood, representing almost 60 hours of painstaking work.
Those viewing the Gallery will also notice that the Phantom Syntopia comes with Magic Grey leather seats at the front, while those at the rear are upholstered with a specially created silk-blend fabric, paying homage to Rolls-Royce's heritage, and an era where the driver's seat was trimmed in hardwearing leather and the rear compartment in luxurious, inviting fabric.
Also custom made for this Phantom Syntopia is a bespoke scent, developed by an expert perfumer. The scent is said to comprise of a core cedarwood combined with powdery notes of Iris, obtained using a fluid extraction technology, with added hints of leather, finally blended with rose from Patagonia and a mild lemon.
Just how complex is this latest commission? To start, Rolls-Royce states that the exterior paint for the car alone took over 3,000 hours of testing and validation. Sporting a one-off Liquid Noir finish, the car's paint is said to be Iridescent in sunlight, revealing a host of undertones from Purple, Blue, Magenta and Gold when viewed at different angles.
And on the car's bonnet, there's a further detail: A subtle rendering of a Weaving Water motif appears, produced by carefully redistributing the pigment during the finishing process.
This motif is also replicated in the interior of the Phantom Syntopia, although you're more likely to first notice the special Weaving Water Starlight Headliner, said to be the most technically challenging version of this signature Rolls-Royce feature ever produced.
Crafted from a single sheet of flawless leather, the headliner features precise symmetrical cuts to reveal a silver 'liquid metal' texture made from woven nylon fabric, designed to give it a three-dimensional appearance.
The headliner is additionally finished with 162 delicate petals made of glass organza, applied by members of Iris van Herpen's Couture team who travelled to Goodwood to undertake the work - a process that took 300 hours.
The Phantom Syntopia then comes with a special 'Weaving Water' themed artwork in its Gallery, which runs the width of the Phantom's fascia. This art piece makes use of 85 petals also attached by hand by Iris van Herpen's team working at Goodwood, representing almost 60 hours of painstaking work.
Those viewing the Gallery will also notice that the Phantom Syntopia comes with Magic Grey leather seats at the front, while those at the rear are upholstered with a specially created silk-blend fabric, paying homage to Rolls-Royce's heritage, and an era where the driver's seat was trimmed in hardwearing leather and the rear compartment in luxurious, inviting fabric.
Also custom made for this Phantom Syntopia is a bespoke scent, developed by an expert perfumer. The scent is said to comprise of a core cedarwood combined with powdery notes of Iris, obtained using a fluid extraction technology, with added hints of leather, finally blended with rose from Patagonia and a mild lemon.
