Rolls-Royce Phantom Goldfinger is a modern take on the James Bond villain’s daily
The 60th anniversary of Goldfinger saw the release of a new Aston Martin, and now Rolls-Royce has joined the party by unveiling a one-of-one Phantom Extended in tribute to the film.
Taking inspiration from villain Auric Goldfinger’s 1937 Phantom III Sedanca de Ville, the modern interpretation comes with bespoke features linked to the film and is the result of three years of development by the British company. There’s gold, gold and (you guessed it) even more gold.
Exterior
The yellow used on the Phantom Goldfinger matches the exterior colour of the film car and is part of a two-tone design, which incorporates a black finish that wraps around the coachwork as a single graphic. The Phantom sits on 21-inch wheels finished in black with ‘floating’ silver hubcaps in tribute to the original.
The Spirit of Ecstasy figure Rolls-Royce is so famous for has been given a subtle gold finish using an 18-carat finish on silver plate material, a nod to the plot of the film, where Goldfinger uses the car’s bodywork to smuggle gold from Britain to his bullion depository in Switzerland.
Interior
The most unique and bespoke parts of the Phantom Goldfinger however are to be found inside, with both 18 and 24-carat gold used on several features. A hidden vault created in the centre console between the front seats has been reengineered to house an illuminated sold 18-carat gold bar in the shape of a mini Phantom.
More gold can be found on the base of the front and rear centre soles, air vents and speaker frets, as well as the inside of the glovebox, which is etched with Auric Goldfinger’s iconic quote: “This is Gold, Mr Bond. All my life, I have been in love with its colour, its brilliance, its divine heaviness.” The treadplates have also been designed to look like the gold bars collected by Goldfinger in the film.
Even the starlight headliner of the Phantom Goldfinger has a loose connection to the film, using the positioning of the constellations over the Furka Pass location to form the 719-star pattern. These glow with a subtle gold hue, of course.
The Royal Walnut picnic tables have a 0.1mm 22-carat gold inlay featuring a fictional map of Fort Knox, where the USA’s gold reserves are stored and the location of one of the film’s final scenes. The design took six months to finalise after three prototypes were made.
There is a relief from all the gold with the use of navy leather and Royal Walnut veneer, inspired by the original, in the interior seating. The gold is instead used on the RR monograms, stitching and seat piping caps.
Further Details
One of the most iconic scenes in the film is the game of golf between James Bond and Goldfinger at Stoke Park in Buckinghamshire. The villain’s gold putter has been recreated with an ‘AG’ monogram and fitted to the underside of the boot lid.
After Bond defeats Goldfinger on the course, the British agent attaches a tracking device to the villain’s Phantom III in order to follow him across Europe. Rolls-Royce’s Bespoke Collective has created an homage to this, with a device projecting the 007 logo onto the carpet of the luggage compartment whenever the lid is opened.
Rolls-Royce has also secured the ‘AU 1’ Goldfinger license plate, seen on sale last year, for the one-off car which will now be delivered to one lucky client and collector.
“Bringing Phantom Goldfinger into being was one of the Bespoke Collective’s greatest creative journeys to date. The elegant and whimsical features that reference the film’s most memorable moments are an exquisite demonstration of the power of Bespoke in adding a new chapter to an existing story. It was a privilege to be a part of the creative team that brought this highly sought-after collector’s piece to life.”
Nick Rhodes, Bespoke Designer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
READ: Aston Martin creates James Bond inspired pop-up to mark 60th anniversary of Goldfinger - here.
READ: Aston Martin DB5 - The Cars of James Bond - here.
words: Mike Booth
pictures: Rolls-Royce