Rolls-Royce revives the legendary Goldfinger Phantom after 60 years.
Chronicling the glamorous, action-packed, and epic adventures of a British spy, the James Bond film franchise is known for highlighting incredible destinations, suave style, and revered icons of luxury within its thrilling stories and nail-biting action. Whether it’s watches, suits, hotels, or luxury and exotic cars, 007 is known just as much for his exquisite taste as he is for his skill as a secret agent.
As one of the greatest titans in the world of British luxury, Rolls-Royce has made a dozen appearances in the 007 franchise. Rolls-Royce has the status of being such a prominent and universal symbol of luxury, status, and opulence, that its cars not only help define characters in James Bond films, but serve as characters of their own, especially in Goldfinger, where Rolls-Royce made its first 007 film appearance.
In it, the villain, Auric Goldfinger, drives a 1937 Phantom III Sedanca de Ville, which he drives throughout the events of the film. Celebrating 60 years since Goldfinger’s original release in 1964, Rolls-Royce has revived the iconic Phantom from the movie, in the form of a new one-off Rolls-Royce Phantom Extended, created by the masters of luxury artisan craftsmanship at Rolls-Royce Bespoke.
Taking inspiration directly from the original car as it appears in the film, the new one-of-one Rolls-Royce Phantom Goldfinger features the same configuration of black with yellow two-tone paintwork, the colors being specially formulated by Rolls-Royce paint specialists, with a bespoke two-tone design made to match the original.
The Spirit of Ecstasy contains a reference to the film, in which Auric Goldfinger smuggles gold by hiding it in the body panels of his Rolls-Royce. To create the effect of gold hidden behind a silver Spirit of Ecstasy, the Phantom Goldfinger has a Spirit of Ecstasy crafted in solid silver, and carefully plated with sections of 18-carat gold to “reveal” the gold.
The interior contains even more references to the film, using plenty of 18 and 24-carat gold throughout. One is a “vault” in the center console, housing a solid 18-carat gold bar in the shape of a Rolls-Royce Phantom speedform. Another is a debossed quote from Auric Goldfinger in the lid of the glovebox: “This is Gold, Mr. Bond. All my life, I have been in love with its colour, its brilliance, its divine heaviness.” The treadplates are gold-plated, and made to look like gold bars that reference the film, and the 24-carat gold-plated VIN plaque features a VIN that ends in 007.
The iconic Phantom Gallery in the car features a hand-drawn, three-dimensional depiction of the Furka Pass, the road where an iconic scene in the film takes place of James Bond following Auric Goldfinger as he smuggles gold. This feature alone required a year of development, with ten prototypes made to perfect the design. The Starlight Headliner depicts the night sky that would have been over the Furka Pass on the last day the film was shot in Switzerland, July 11, 1964, and the rear seat picnic tables have a 22-carat gold inlay featuring a fictional map of Fort Knox. Navy leather and Royal Walnut wood veneers replicate the look of the original car.
Other details that reference the film include a gold golf putter in the trunk, harlequin umbrellas in the rear doors, and even the license plate number ‘AU 1’ which was featured on the original car. The Phantom Goldfinger will keep the iconic number, which has been delivered to a British Rolls-Royce enthusiast and collector. The one-of-one Rolls-Royce Phantom Goldfinger not only celebrates 60 years of a legendary film, but also defines how Rolls-Royce “gilds the lily.”
Image Source: Rolls-Royce
