McLaren W1 First Drive: Ferocious Hypercar Transcends the Track

You know things are getting serious when McLaren rolls-out the ‘1’ suffix. The origin story is, of course, the very first road car McLaren ever built, the F1. Designed by visionary Formula 1 aerodynamicist and engineer Gordon Murray, it arrived in 1992 and rendered all other supercars obsolete. The tiny, lightweight F1 embraced carbon-fibre material technology, adopted a radical centre seat driving position with two passengers set back and either side and was powered by a 6.1-litre V12 engine from BMW that might as well have been passed down directly from the Gods. Game-changer? That doesn’t even come close to describing its impact, even if at the time sales didn’t come easy… The P1 was very different. Rather than a unique side project from the Formula 1 team, it was instead a statement piece for McLaren Automotive, a new road car division still in its infancy. It arrived in 2013 and was a wild-eyed showstopper. It traded the long-legged gait and supple suspension of the F1 for a weaponized hybrid system capable of delivering 903bhp and huge blue flames from its drainpipe exhaust. In Race mode, it lowered by 2-inches and its massive concave rear wing extended into the sky. The P1 was all about aerodynamic downforce, crazed acceleration and a snorting, angry soundtrack that mixed venomous twin-turbocharged V8 with the manic whirr of electric motors. Not so much a car as a force of nature. And now there’s this: The W1. It’s a true successor to the P1 with a similar brief and, on the face of it, it evolves rather than radically reinvents McLaren’s vision for the ultimate hypercar. This is not a criticism. How could it be when the result is this dramatic and has such staggering, other-worldly potential? The W1 has 1258bhp delivered to the rear wheels. It’s capable of 0-124 mph in 5.8-seconds, the quarter mile in 9.6-seconds at 167 mph and produces 2205lbs of downforce at 174 mph. The active aerodynamics – particularly a rear wing that extends way out beyond the rear of the car – are pure performance art and deliver massive aerodynamic efficiency. The result, aside from looking extremely cool, is that the W1 is McLaren’s fastest road car around a racetrack. Ever. Their benchmark circuit is the breath-taking Handling Track at the Nardo proving ground in southern Italy, where the W1 beats their previous benchmark, the flyweight McLaren Senna, by three seconds per lap. Or “a lifetime” as they call it in racing. Maybe two lifetimes! Core to the W1’s performance is the new ‘Aerocell’ carbon fibre tub. With integrated seats and a raised footwell to allow for inboard pushrod-operated front suspension – which in turn gives air a clean path to the huge underbody diffuser – it’s light, stiff, space efficient and has been instrumental in McLaren realising a full ground-effect concept. Just like last year’s F1 cars, which were the fastest ever made. There is also an active front wing and the aforementioned complex rear wing dubbed ‘Active Long Tail’. All of which is very admirable. But the ‘anhedral’ or gullwing doors and the fantastically shirnked-wrapped feel to the minimalist, highly-focussed interior are a pretty good side effect. The W1 feels special. Those fixed seats are perhaps a shade more upright than expected, and the driving position is less obviously racecar than, for example, the Aston Martin Valhalla or Ferrari F80. However, once you’ve adjusted the pedals (they move on a slider) and the delicate, slim-rimmed and alcantara-trimmed steering wheel, there’s an overwhelming sense of purpose. The cabin is so tightly tailored and imparts a sense of lightness and agility before you so much as start the all-new 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine, which makes 916bhp all on its own and revs to 9200rpm. Reach up to a roof-mounted control panel to find the starter button. Maybe this fighter plane trope is a little corny, but somehow you feel thrilled rather than manipulated. The W1 has a sense of humour as well as all that motorsport-derived sophistication. There’s a short delay, but when the engine does fire it’s instant – as the high-powered hybrid system negates the need for an old-school starter motor. A sharp flare of revs tells you that this engine is hyper-responsive and angry. On some deep level your brain and body have been sent all the signals required to prepare for something new and intense. Ahead of us, an empty Mugello racetrack, so press and hold the blue button next to the red starter to select Race mode. The centre display graphic shows the W1’s transformation in real time as it lowers by 37mm at the front and 17mm at the rear whilst simultaneously undocking all that active aero goodness. Race mode is not road legal and is geo-locked. You can show your friends and neighbours the aero dance, but it won’t allow you to select a gear to actually drive unless you’re at a circuit. Incidentally, the rocker switches either side of the display binnacle allow further options now: Toggle up the Handling control on the left for Race+ (for F1-spec super smooth tracks) or stick to Race for gnarlier ones. On the right toggle select ‘GP’ for sustained performance over a stint or ‘Sprint’ to unleash all 1258bhp for a time attack. There’s also a DRS and Boost function on the steering wheel. But I guarantee you won’t have the mental capacity to use them… Exit the pitlane, pin the throttle and W1 takes maybe a millisecond or two to gather its might (the gearing stretches to around 60mph in first, nearly 100mph in second, primarily to aid traction), but then lunges at the first turn with incredible ferocity. It instantly feels light, almost like inertia is no longer a thing. McLaren really does prize lightweight engineering, and at 3084lbs (dry) the W1 has a 278lbs advantage over the Ferrari F80. Plus, Ferrari uses figures for cars fitted with every single carbon fibre option. In reality, the gap is probably wider still. The impression of agility and stunning control continues as the track is unravelled at startling pace. The electric motor mounted to the side of the new 8-speed dual-clutch transmission is good for 342bhp and 324lb ft and it boosts any low rev lethargy the new flat-plane crank V8 might have (spoiler alert: It doesn’t appear to have any), so the W1 just feels massively, almost impossibly powerful at any revs. Even so, there’s real reward for wringing it out to 9200rpm and the power curve feels superheated but organic, too. In Race mode the steering – still hydraulically powered – has less assistance and it is noticeably heavier than other McLarens. However, that resistance is welcome as it gives you something to push against and imparts so much information about the front grip level. New Pirelli Trofeo RS tyres with a bigger front footprint than P1 or Senna really help. The front-end feels incredibly secure and the rear-axle follows with perfectly-aligned precision. The whole car feels super-stiff, completely locked into the surface and inspires confidence, but there’s an inherent agility and adjustability that means you’re quickly confident to push at its limits and really impose yourself on the chassis. It’s such a complex car but the driving experience is intuitive, and the driver feels a key contributor rather than just amazed (or terrified) observer, holding on for dear life. Every dynamic ingredient really is shockingly effective and yet has a subtlety and lightness of touch. From that delicious steering to the incredible brakes, the W1 just feels so mission-focussed, so hooked-up. Only the new 8-speed gearbox is a slightly disappointment. It’s fast and punchy, but after the scintillating energy of the Ferrari F80 ’box it feels competent rather than inspired. Other quibbles – it’s okay to quibble when the starting price is $2.1-million before tax and destination charge. Well, that new twin-turbocharged V8 sounds tightly wound and aggressive but if you have a P1 tucked in the garage you’ll miss the snorting, Darth Vader-style soundscape and all the drama that goes with it. Ferrari does this better, too. The F80 sounds deathly dull from the outside but is a riot of turbochargers, electric motors and all sorts of mechanical fury within the cockpit. Even so, the W1 is wildly entertaining on track, and the rear-drive configuration makes it more of a challenge and more satisfying than the F80 when chasing lap times or just sliding around for fun. In the Ferrari, you must second-guess what the front e-axle might do, whereas in the W1 it’s all on you. There are plenty of tools to help, including the ingenious Variable Drift Control, but somehow the W1 is more heroic. Or at least fools you into feeling more heroic – which is surely the point! On the road? Nimble, loaded with feel and sublime response. The ride is noticeably tougher than, say, a 750S but the control is ramped-up too, and with a bit more speed the whole car finds a delicious rhythm. Sport mode for the drivetrain brings some nice turbo whooshes and chirps, but the noise remains high-quality rather than extreme excitement. It is perhaps the one area the W1 feels just a little too tame. Of course, there’s nothing tame about the raw performance… which is genuinely shocking and literally hurts your neck muscles after a few hours. How McLaren has given the W1 such immense traction through just two driven wheels is beyond me. So, is it worthy of that ‘1’? I think so. Perhaps we won’t be talking about $25-million auction results for the W1 in 30 years from now, as we are for the F1. Perhaps it doesn’t quite have the amazing presence and jaw-dropping star quality of the simply gorgeous P1. But it is such an intense experience and the way it marries stunning track performance with delicate poise and entertainment on normal roads is something akin to magic. Maybe not ‘the one’ but definitely a searing, outrageous addition to McLaren’s fiercest family line. Just 399 W1’s will be built and they’re all sold. I’m not surprised at all. View All McLarens For Sale Images: McLaren Automotive

Rolls-Royce News

Rolls-Royce news from duPont REGISTRY News, updated as each story breaks, covering the Phantom, the Ghost, the Cullinan and the electric Spectre, alongside the Coachbuild commissions built in single figures. Our reporting takes in reveals, bespoke builds, first drives and the auction results that set values for the earlier cars. Rolls-Royce builds to order more than it builds to a model year, so each commission tells you where the brand is going. This is where our marketplace becomes useful. Many of the Rolls-Royces covered here are listed for sale on duPont REGISTRY, which places the reporting and a genuine asking price side by side. For Rolls-Royce news today, and the luxury car market news around it, begin below.

By Tyler Rampersaud – October 08, 2025

100 Years Of Bespoke Rolls-Royce Phantoms

Rolls-Royce looks back on a century of bespoke Phantom excellence. Known today as one of the world’s most coveted and celebrated ultra-luxury automotive manufacturers, Rolls-Royce is responsible for creating some of the greatest luxury cars of all time. One of those is, of course, the Phantom, the flagship model from Rolls-Royce whose name has represented the pinnacle of Rolls-Royce luxury for a century since it was first introduced in 1925. Having 100 years of ultra-luxury excellence to look back on, Rolls-Royce has spent the year celebrating the centenary of the Phantom, and its latest retrospective explores bespoke versions of the ultra-luxury model throughout the years. Today, Rolls-Royce Bespoke reaches daring heights of craftsmanship, allowing clients to express themselves to an incredible degree with bespoke paint colors, unique interior finishes, stunning embroidery, painstaking woodwork, and unique art displays in the case of the Phantom Gallery. However, bespoke iterations of the Phantom have been a part of Rolls-Royce’s repertoire for almost the entire century that the nameplate has been in existence. Some of the first commissions of the Rolls-Royce Phantom I featured elaborate details for owners like Indian Maharajas, and a Phantom VI made for the Lord Mayor of London featured an armrest made to hold the ceremonial mace during public appearances. Many early Phantom owners opted for privacy curtains in the cabin, a feature still available today, and a Phantom IV for the British Royal Family featured seats that could slide back and forth to hide occupants when need be. Another Phantom V featured a Perspex dome for a transparent view, with a cover for privacy. John Lennon’s Phantom V was one of the first cars in Britain to feature tinted rear windows, and in 1928, Otto Oppenheimer, who ran the London operations of De Beers at the time, opted for a secret compartment to transport uncut diamonds in a Phantom, and only he, Rolls-Royce, and the coachbuilder knew its location. Bespoke Rolls-Royce Phantoms also evolved with style movements throughout the century of its existence, with many of the first being inspired by the Art Deco movement with opulent treatments, and more minimal approaches taking over with luxurious materials still being used in later examples, like the Queen’s Light Grey and Baroda Blue Phantoms in the 1950s and ‘60s. During the era of Prohibition in the United States, Bespoke Rolls-Royce Phantoms featured secret compartments for liquor, with the end of Prohibition ushering in vehicles with prominent and visible drinks cabinets. Other features seen in Rolls-Royce Phantom commissions include a Phantom II with a gramophone, radios in Phantoms from the 1930s, and a television in a Phantom from the 1960s. One Phantom owned by Elvis Presley even had a microphone installed. Today, features like the Starlight Headliner, Phantom Gallery, and other stunning ultra-luxury craftsmanship touches from Rolls-Royce are highlights of the Bespoke Phantom experience, and while it features cutting-edge technology and artisan craftsmanship now, the tradition of bespoke excellence in the Rolls-Royce Phantom is one that stretches back roughly 100 years. View All Rolls-Royce Phantom For Sale Image Source: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

By Tyler Rampersaud – October 02, 2025

New Bespoke Rolls-Royce Spectre Bailey Is Dedicated To A Dog

This bespoke Rolls-Royce is inspired by its owner’s best friend. Bailey is a Labrador-Golden Retriever mix, and he is the beloved dog of a family of passionate car collectors. When it came time for the family to commission a bespoke example of the first all-electric ultra-luxury car from Rolls-Royce, the Spectre, Bailey, and his family’s love for him served as the perfect inspiration. The clients, lifelong animal lovers, decided to turn their Rolls-Royce Spectre into a tribute to Bailey, and “something beautiful which would remind us of him for decades to come.” That is the new Rolls-Royce Spectre Bailey, a stunning new bespoke Rolls-Royce that was commissioned through the Rolls-Royce Private Office New York, one of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars’ Private Offices across the globe, that recreates the commissioning experience Rolls-Royce’s home in Goodwood typically offers in the world’s luxury hubs. The new bespoke electric ultra-luxury coupe boasts features inside and out that honor Bailey, like the paint colors, the painstaking interior treatments, and more. An iridescent two-tone finish adorns the exterior of the new Rolls-Royce Spectre Bailey, and it consists of Crystal Fusion and a bespoke color called Beautiful Bailey, which is inspired by the soft fur on Bailey’s ear. The Coachline is finished in Rose Gold and completed with an exact replication of Bailey’s paw print. The interior features myriad bespoke details dedicated to Bailey. Moccasin and Crème Light leather upholstery complemented by Dark Walnut veneers and Dark Spice and Casden Tan accents. The centerpiece is a portrait of Bailey, which is crafted from 180 pieces of veneer. Positioned on the waterfall between the two rear seats, the veneer took four months to complete, using a range of 22 natural shades with no staining or artificial treatment to capture what Bailey looks like with wood alone. The tongue alone used four veneers never before used by Rolls-Royce: Purple Heart, Tulipwood, Louro Faia, and Pear. The commissioning clients’ love for Bailey was the main inspiration for the new Rolls-Royce Spectre Bailey, and that love shows in the incredible craftsmanship and attention to detail paid in the stunning commission, from a bespoke exterior color to the choice of leathers used in the interior and the stunning veneer portrait of Bailey between the rear seats. View All Rolls-Royce Spectre For Sale Image Source: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

By Tyler Rampersaud – September 30, 2025

Rolls-Royce Unveils Its Most Intricate Woodwork Yet

Some of Rolls-Royce’s greatest craftsmanship yet comes out of the woodwork. Rolls-Royce Bespoke is the avenue through which clients of the ultra-luxury manufacturer are able to turn the opulent vehicles into incredibly unique personal statements, heirlooms, and ultra-exclusive masterpieces with the greatest degree of luxury that Rolls-Royce is able to offer. With the introduction of Private Offices from Rolls-Royce across the globe, the Rolls-Royce Bespoke configuration experience that was typically only available at Rolls-Royce’s home of Goodwood is now featured in some of the world’s most important luxury hubs. As the Rolls-Royce Phantom celebrates its 100th anniversary since its introduction in 1925, the flagship Rolls-Royce nameplate is looking back on a century of dominating the automotive ultra-luxury arena, and a new Rolls-Royce Bespoke Private Collection is set to debut soon to mark that milestone. Created to celebrate a hundred years of pinnacle luxury, the new Private Collection is set to feature some of the most incredible craftsmanship Rolls-Royce Bespoke has ever produced, including the most intricate woodwork in Rolls-Royce history. The new woodwork brings new techniques to the fold that have never been seen before in a Rolls-Royce: 3D marquetry, 3D ink layering, and 24-carat gold leafing. As part of the incredibly meticulous process involved in creating the special woodwork, Rolls-Royce artisans underwent special training as part of the year-long development process. Originating in hand-drawn sketches, the special techniques used on the woodwork are employed to visually tell the story of places and moments that were pivotal to the Rolls-Royce Phantom’s hundred-year legacy. With an unprecedented level of artisan craftsmanship, fastidious technique, and opulence, the upcoming Rolls-Royce Bepsoke Private Collection is about to be the most captivating rendition of the Phantom yet, worthy of an ultra-luxury legend celebrating 100 years of excellence. View All Rolls-Royce Phantom For Sale Image Source: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

By Khris Bharath – September 24, 2025

Phantom at 100: Rolls-Royce Traces the People and Locatio...

We've been on a journey with Rolls-Royce for much of 2025, with extensive coverage on how the British marque is celebrating the Phantom's centenary. It began in January, when Rolls-Royce first officially announced the anniversary, and from there, we watched the brand honor its flagship sedan or saloon (if you’re British) in a series of powerful moments throughout the year. In May, we covered the famous people who've owned a Phantom, from royalty, music legends, to film stars. That same month, we also touched on how a one-off Phantom Goldfinger stole the show at Villa d'Este. The celebrations peaked in August, when all eight generations of the Phantom appeared at Pebble Beach, followed by a tribute to the car’s place in music history. The anniversary came full circle, more recently at the Goodwood Revival, where Rolls-Royce reunited historic Phantoms with period racing. As the year comes to a close, and to better understand why the Phantom has remained the ultimate motoring benchmark, Rolls-Royce is now taking a moment to reflect upon the Phantom's journey, highlighting some of the key figures and places that defined its century-long legacy. From the onset, Rolls-Royce positioned itself as the car for people at the pinnacle of their careers. The partnership between Charles Rolls, an aristocrat with a passion for racing, and Henry Royce, the self-taught engineer who built a reputation for reliability, was a perfect match. Their historic collaboration in 1904 would lead to the Silver Ghost, a legendary model that solidified their reputation for building the finest motorcars in the world. Claude Johnson, often called the "hyphen" in Rolls-Royce, convinced the duo to build it in 1907, and the rest, as we know, is history. After completing a 15,000-mile trial with less than $10 in repairs, the car became a rolling statement: quality outlasts price. That fastidious pursuit for perfection and craftsmanship carried through into the Phantom, which first hit the scene in 1925. From his winter retreat in France, Sir Henry Royce personally oversaw the first Phantom's development at Villa Mimosa, testing cars on the sweeping coastal roads of the Côte d’Azur on the French Riviera. Today's Canadel wood paneling and Duality Twill fabric can directly trace their origins to that time and place. Back in England, Royce also personally signed off on every component in West Wittering, making 400-mile round trips just to do it. You have to wonder: what other founder would commit to that level of oversight? London, meanwhile, gave Phantom its cultural gravitas as Charles Rolls had established one of the city’s first luxury car showrooms as early as 1905, near Savile Row, in the upscale Mayfair district. Decades later, in the late the early 2000s, in a Hyde Park studio known as "The Bank," designers created the modern Phantom, borrowing the "waft line" from a 1930s Phantom II. At precisely 12:01 a.m. on January 1, 2003, the very first Goodwood-era Phantom (now under BMW ownership) began a 4,500-mile crossing of the Australian outback, showing that Rolls-Royce wasn’t just back, but it was once again redefining luxury travel on a global scale. Earlier this year, that same car returned to Goodwood for inspection, a powerful symbolic full-circle moment. In 2011, Phantom Experimental Electric, or 102EX, hinted at the EV era long before the all-electric Rolls-Royce Spectre coupe became a reality, laying the groundwork for the marque’s future direction. Rolls-Royce’s legacy, of course, extends beyond its cars, because the company’s Merlin engines famously powered Spitfires and Hurricanes during the Battle of Britain, and their post-war expansion into commercial aviation subsidized the craftsmanship of their hand-built cars. As for the Phantom, if its 100-year legacy has been shaped by geography and people, we wonder how the future of this Stately limousine will be shaped over the next century. View All Rolls-Royce Phantoms For Sale " width="680"> Source: Rolls-Royce

By Tyler Rampersaud – September 15, 2025

Rolls-Royce Brings Historic Phantoms To Goodwood Revival

A century of ultra-luxury comes to the Goodwood Revival. The Rolls-Royce Phantom is a nameplate that has been undeniably revered and celebrated by the automotive industry for decades. Representing the pinnacle of the luxury that Rolls-Royce offers, few vehicles have ever been able to exude the level of opulence and prestige that the Rolls-Royce Phantom has possessed over the years, and in 2025, the Rolls-Royce Phantom is celebrating its 100th anniversary as the manufacturer’s flagship model. Part of that year-long celebration took place at this year’s Goodwood Revival, an event bringing classic cars to race at the iconic venue right next to Rolls-Royce’s own home in England for an unabashed celebration of automotive history. Meanwhile, the Rolls-Royce Phantom was proudly on display as it celebrated a century of ultra-luxury excellence with five examples from throughout that 100 years. The first was an incredibly early Phantom: a 1926 Phantom I Brougham de Ville, commissioned by Clarence Warren Gasque as a gift for his wife, and featuring gorgeous custom details throughout, highlighting the incredible level of craftsmanship that would personify the Phantom throughout its history. The second is a Phantom II Continental Touring Park Ward, which was the production version of a car made for Henry Royce’s personal use. The specific example shown at Goodwood featured a sunroof. The third was a 1937 Phantom III, the fourth a Phantom IV Landaulette, an example of the rarest Phantom and the only Rolls-Royce with a straight-8 engine. The fifth is a 1963 Phantom V, which was ordered by Marks & Spencer for its chairman, Lord Marks. With a stunning spectrum that represents much of the Phantom’s respected legacy and rich history, the display of five historic Phantoms at the Goodwood Revival is a triumphant recollection of one of the greatest heritages in the automotive world. View All Rolls-Royce Phantoms For Sale Image Source: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

By Jordan Aquistapace – August 26, 2025

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Unveils Bespoke Spectres Inspired ...

When luxury manufacturers advertise limitless configuration options when spec'ing a car, there's often a fine line where some asks just aren't possible. And where others politely decline those bespoke requests, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars prides itself on stepping up to the plate to deliver dream cars to its global customer base. Rolls-Royce has revealed something a little different with the Spectre inspired by Primavera, a Bespoke series inspired by spring. Primavera, Italian for "spring," sets the tone for the collection, which leans into the season's sense of revival, light, and beauty. Instead of chasing performance figures or flashy tech headlines, Rolls-Royce focused on turning the mood of spring into a tangible driving experience with Spectre. It's less about horsepower and more about design, which feels refreshing in today's supercar-obsessed world. On the outside, the collection sports hand-painted cherry blossom motifs along its Coachlines as a small but vivid detail that gives each one personality. There's also a new 23-inch alloy wheel design shaped like a flower in bloom, making the connection to nature pretty obvious without going over the top. Each of the three expressions, Evanescent, Reverie, and Blossom, has a distinct color palette, from crisp whites to softer blues and richer orchid tones. Inside, the Primavera theme gets even more interesting. Rolls-Royce designers etched cherry branches into Blackwood panels using laser work that took countless tests to perfect. The headrests feature embroidered blossoms, and the famous Starlight Doors are set with thousands of tiny lights that mimic spring constellations. It feels more like sitting inside a piece of art than a typical luxury car, which is probably the point. Each version of the Primavera collection reflects spring in its own way. Evanescent goes light and airy with Arctic White and turquoise details that pop just enough without being loud. Reverie takes a calmer route with Duck Egg Blue and soft accents, creating a more peaceful cabin. Blossom turns up the vibrancy with a deep orchid exterior and pink highlights inside, an homage to spring flowers at their peak. None of these cars will be built in big numbers, which means they're likely to become favorites among collectors who share a love for bespoke Rolls-Royce builds. At the end of the day, the Spectre inspired by Primavera is all about bottling up the brief magic of spring and giving it four wheels. View All Rolls-Royce Spectres For Sale Source: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

By Charles Bradley – August 22, 2025

From Keith Moon, Elvis and Lennon to Hip-Hop: Rolls-Royce...

Legend has it that Keith Moon, the brilliantly chaotic drummer of The Who, marked his 21st birthday by driving a Rolls-Royce into a swimming pool at the Holiday Inn in Flint, Michigan. The details vary – Moon later insisted it was a Lincoln Continental belonging to another guest, while others claim no car went into the pool at all. Yet the story grew so powerful that the only car anyone could imagine in the water was a Rolls-Royce. To celebrate Phantom’s 100th anniversary and its long-standing connection to rock mythology, Rolls-Royce recently brought the legend to life by submerging a retired Phantom Extended body shell into a swimming pool. That act underscores a legacy stretching back to the earliest days of modern music. Long before rock ’n’ roll, legends such as Duke Ellington, Fred Astaire, Count Basie, Ravi Shankar, Edith Piaf, and Sam Cooke recognized Rolls-Royce as the ultimate symbol of success, artistry, and personal style. Even the titans behind the music – Brian Epstein, Berry Gordy, and Ahmet Ertegun – chose Phantom as their statement of arrival. Marlene Dietrich: Falling in Love Again When Marlene Dietrich traveled to Hollywood in 1930 to film Morocco, she was already a star thanks to her breakout role in The Blue Angel and her signature song, Falling in Love Again. The Phantom became part of her journey as she crossed from Europe to America, embodying Hollywood glamour in its earliest years. Elvis Presley: All Shook Up By 1963, Elvis Presley was at the height of his fame and rewarded himself with a Midnight Blue Phantom V. Among its many bespoke features were a rear microphone, a writing pad in the armrest, and even a mirror and clothes brush so “The King” was always ready to make an entrance. The flawless paint finish, however, proved too tempting for Elvis’s mother’s chickens, which famously pecked at their reflections. Eventually refinished in Silver Blue, the car remains a charming piece of Presley lore. Liberace: I’ll Be Seeing You Flamboyant entertainer Liberace, once the highest-paid performer in the world, made Phantom part of his act. His 1961 Phantom V was covered in thousands of mirrored tiles and driven on stage during his Las Vegas residency – an audacious expression of his nickname “Mr. Showmanship.” John Lennon: Love Me Do In 1964, John Lennon commissioned a Phantom V in all black – windows, hubcaps, bumpers – complete with a cocktail cabinet, television, and even a refrigerator in the trunk. A few years later, reflecting his new minimalist aesthetic alongside Yoko Ono and The White Album, Lennon ordered a white Phantom V, which he used as both transportation and personal statement during a transformative period in his life. Sir Elton John: A Ride for the Rocketman Liberace’s influence carried into the next generation, inspiring a young Reginald Dwight – later known as Sir Elton John. By the 1970s, Elton had amassed his own collection of Phantoms. In one memorable story, while en route to a concert in Manchester in 1973 in his white Phantom VI, he spotted a newer Phantom in a showroom, ordered his chauffeur to stop, bought it immediately, and drove it to the show. Hip-Hop and Modern Music Icons The Phantom’s reputation has only grown in the modern era. Since the brand’s move to Goodwood in 2003, Rolls-Royce has been increasingly embraced by contemporary artists. By 2016, it had become the most name-checked luxury brand in hip-hop lyrics, appearing in songs by everyone from 50 Cent to Pharrell Williams. That lyrical dominance is no accident – the Phantom’s presence communicates success, artistry, and influence in a way no other automobile can match. A Century of Creative Expression Across generations, genres, and continents, Phantom has remained far more than a luxury car. From Dietrich and Presley to Lennon, Liberace, Elton, and today’s hip-hop stars, Rolls-Royce represents the ultimate canvas for personal expression and the definitive reward for creative brilliance. A century after its debut, the Phantom remains the “icon of icons” – forever linked with the legends who shaped the sound of modern music. View All Rolls-Royce Phantoms For Sale Source: Rolls-Royce Motors Cars

By Tyler Rampersaud – August 06, 2025

How The Rolls-Royce Phantom Inspired The World's Greatest...

As one of the world’s most opulent luxury cars, the Rolls-Royce Phantom is adjacent to the world of art. The Rolls-Royce Phantom is one of the most celebrated ultra-luxury cars in the world. What with its timelessly elegant design, uncompromising luxury features, iconic V12 engine, and a century of history behind its nameplate, the 100th anniversary of the Rolls-Royce Phantom nameplate, which is being celebrated this year, includes celebrating its status as one of the world’s most desirable luxury vehicles for an entire century, and an icon of the pop culture and art worlds. Specifically in the art universe, Rolls-Royce, and specifically the Phantom, have been adjacent to contemporary art and artists since the beginning. Artists like Salvador Dalí, Andy Warhol, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Christian ‘Bébé’ Bérard and Cecil Beaton were famously driven in Rolls-Royce cars. Dame Laura Knight used a Rolls-Royce as a mobile studio to paint in, and art collectors like Jacquelyn de Rothschild, Peggy Guggenheim and Nelson Rockefeller were also near and dear to the Rolls-Royce brand. The Phantom specifically has been owned and used by some of the world’s favorite creatives, its luxury and iconic design even making it a canvas for art itself, with the car being put on display at museums and galleries around the world. Salvador Dalí famously borrowed a friend’s Phantom, filling it with cauliflower for an artistic display, and also depicted a frozen Phantom as part of an illustrated book, Les Chants de Maldoror. Andy Warhol owned a Rolls-Royce Phantom, a 1937 model that was purchased in Zurich. Charles Sykes, however, is one of the most important artists to Rolls-Royce, being the designer of the original Spirit of Ecstasy, an emblem that remains a part of Rolls-Royce’s legacy today. Until 1948, Sykes himself, and his daughter after, personally supervised the production of the Spirit of Ecstasy ornaments. Rolls-Royce is also celebrating the Phantom’s connection to art with new original artworks being commissioned to celebrate the rich history the ultra-luxury car has with art and artists, a fitting celebration for a car that has served as a muse, an inspiration, and a canvas for some of the world’s greatest artists. View All Rolls-Royce Phantom For Sale Image Source: Rolls-Royce

By Tyler Rampersaud – July 28, 2025

Rolls-Royce Brings Client Experiences To Saint-Tropez

Rolls-Royce gives its clients a signature ultra-luxury experience in one of the world’s most luxurious destinations. Located in the South of France’s Côte d’Azur along the Mediterranean coastline, Saint-Tropez has long been one of the world’s favorite vacation destinations, and also one of the most luxurious and ultra-exclusive. This summer, even more luxury is coming to Saint-Tropez, with Rolls-Royce, one of the most cherished and venerated names in automotive ultra-luxury, announcing its presence in the French Riviera jewel offering a series of client experiences, including private appointments, driving opportunities, and private gatherings. Rolls-Royce clients will get a special taste of Saint-Tropez in true Rolls-Royce style from July 28 to August 3, where iconic locations like La Réserve and Althoff Villa Belrose will host a series of events that combines Rolls-Royce’s automotive excellence with the time-honored summer splendor of Saint-Tropez. The venues feature 12 Bespoke Rolls-Royce cars that represent the full current product lineup from the manufacturer, and the roads they will be driven on are some of the favorite roads of Sir Henry Royce himself. Whether it’s for the opportunity to drive some of the greatest current cars in Rolls-Royce’s lineup, or it’s simply to bask in the ultra-luxurious spirit of the brand and the destination, Rolls-Royce’s presence in Saint-Tropez is making this summer even more exciting for clients. View All Rolls-Royce For Sale Image Source: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

By Tyler Rampersaud – July 24, 2025

Rolls-Royce Unveils Bespoke Trio Inspired By Ancient Chin...

A trio of bespoke Rolls-Royces honors ancient Chinese history. Dunhuang, China is known for a network of caves in nearby mountains, located on the edge of the Gobi Desert. Inside those caves, the Mogao Caves, artist created one of the greatest collections of mural art in the world over a thousand years ago, with the artwork uniquely shaped by Dunhuang’s position along the Silk Road, the legendary ancient venue for early cross-cultural exchange. Rolls-Royce, an ultra-luxury manufacturer known for its incredible expertise in artistry, craftsmanship, and attention to detail, paid homage to that stunning piece of history in a trio of new bespoke cars. Commissioned through the Rolls-Royce Private Office in Shanghai, the group comprises a Phantom Extended, a Black Badge Cullinan, and a Black Badge Spectre. The connecting design motif the three share is called Silken Spirit, inspired by both ancient Chinese history and the Rolls-Royce Spirit of Ecstasy. Its most dramatic interpretation, of course, is present in the Phantom Gallery artwork in the Phantom Extended. Outside, the Phantom Extended boasts a two-tone exterior configuration with Ningye Purple and English White. With Black and Cashmere Grey leather upholstering the interior, the Silken Spirit motif is embroidered and present throughout, with a Starlight Headliner completing the Rolls-Royce ultra-luxury treatment. Meanwhile, the Black Badge Cullinan is finished with a Danqian Pink exterior, with Blushing Pink leather front seats with placed perforation, and Navy rear seats with Blushing Pink stitching and piping, with the Silken Spirit motif throughout in gorgeous details. The Black Badge Spectre is finished with an Aero two-tone color scheme, pairing Qingshan Blue with Diamond Black, along with the Silken Spirit motif and an illuminated grille. Turchese and black leather upholsters its interior, with illuminated treadplates proudly showcasing the Silken Spirit motif. With an incredible inspiration that boasts over a thousand years of history, this new trio of Rolls-Royce Bespoke creations uses ancient art to express incredible automotive luxury. View All Rolls-Royce For Sale Image Source: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

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