Rolls-Royce’s New One-Off Phantom Is Fillled With Humminbird Details
Here’s yet more proof that no one does automotive personalization like Rolls-Royce.
The British luxury marque has just unveiled its latest one-off creation, the Phantom Hummingbird. The stunning saloon offers up a number of bespoke details inspired by its pint-sized namesake, some of which were made from abalone shells.
The one-of-a-kind vehicle was commissioned through the automaker’s Dubai Private Office and was conceived as a tribute to the client’s wife. Its graceful design is meant to celebrate the intricate beauty of the natural world.
The Rolls-Royce Phantom Hummingbird’s hand-painted coachline
Tom Bunning/Rolls-Royce
The Phantom Hummingbird, at least from the outside, lands on the subtler end of the customization spectrum. The extended-wheelbase variant looks like any other two-tone example of the commanding saloon, with its lower body finished in Wildberry and the upper in White Sands. But closer inspection shows a clever nod to the hummingbird hiding above the rear wheel. It’s there that the hand-painted coachline features an image of the small bird feeding on a flower.
The avian design flourishes are more prominent inside the vehicle. That’s because the rear of the cabin has handcrafted, hummingbird-inspired marquetry in three locations: the center waterfall between the rear passengers and the picnic tables located on the back of both front seats. Thin pieces of abalone shell and mother of pearl were fitted into wood and then lacquered to create the imagery. The former, which the marque’s artisans have never used to create marquetry, was chosen for its resemblance to the birds’ iridescent plumage. Each of the hummingbirds is made up of 53 pieces, while the botanical motif between the seats consists of 84 pieces. The trio of pieces took nine months to develop and 45 hours to complete.
The Phantom Hummingbird’s marquetry uses abalone shells for the first time in marque history
Tom Bunning/Rolls-Royce
The rest of the cabin was designed to complement the marquetry. The space is done up in Crème Light leather with Moccasin and Tan detailing, along with Ash Burr and Silver Birch veneers. Other unique touches include shell carpeting, a Starlight headliner, and a dashboard that features abalone cutouts surrounding its clock.
Unfortunately, the Phantom Hummingbird is a one-off creation. Luckily, those inspired by some of its details can reach out to Rolls-Royce about commissioning a vehicle decorated using similar methods. The automaker won’t say how much these builds cost, but we imagine this customer paid significantly more than the Phantom Extended’s $632,000 starting price.
Click here to see more photos of the Rolls-Royce Phantom Hummingbird.
Tom Bunning/Rolls-Royce
