Each car in the Rolls-Royce Year of the Dragon collection is specially designed with a two-tone paint job, with the hand-painted coachline featuring a right-facing dragon motif, symbolizing the East – the direction of the rising sun. Inside three out of the four cars, the dashboard on the driver’s side features a hand-painted dragon artwork. Rolls-Royce states that the red-colored dragon symbols represent luck and prosperity in the Eastern culture.
These pieces of artwork took over two weeks to complete as the British carmaker wanted the drawings to have a 3D form for added vividness. The unique point comes from the artists using multiple shades of red, layered on top of each other in four distinct stages. Rolls-Royce claims that the 3D effect creates such authenticity that “the artwork seems to be etched into the panel itself.” The fascia isn’t the only unique highlight as there are red dragon motifs on the headrests. Each car takes about 20 hours to complete and requires 5,449 stitches.
Three out of the four models have a picnic table in piano black at the rear with a round zodiac sign inlay made of stainless steel. On top of that, “the names of the creatures representing each year are engraved in the traditional Chinese calligraphy style, with the dragon highlighted in gold.” The fourth car stands out as it features a piano black veneer and an inlaid dragon detail made of stainless steel.
The real highlight is the first-ever illuminated headliner featuring a dragon composed of 677 individually placed fiber optic lights to create a “flying dragon” and is surrounded by an additional 667 lights. This unique headliner took three months to design and develop, and the installation of the lights alone takes over 20 hours.
Last but not least, there are specially crafted lambswool carpets and unique pieces of artwork in the Display Gallery within each Rose Garden of the Phantom Extended. Rolls-Royce states they are made from carbon fiber and evoke “dynamism and movement.”
Sơn Phạm (forum.autodaily.vn)