► New Rolls-Royce Phantom collection
► Scintilla edition celebrates the Spirit of Ecstasy
► Just 10 are being created
Rolls-Royce has announced its latest craftsmanship project: the Phantom Scintilla. This low-volume commission has been created to celebrate the famous Spirit of Ecstasy, the Rolls-Royce mascot.
Just 10 Phantom Scintilla models are being created, with the crown jewel of the creation being a Spirit of Ecstasy made out of ceramic. Rolls-Royce says the use of ceramic for the Scintilla model is a nod to the original inspiration for the Spirit of Ecstasy: the Greek sculpture, ‘The Winged Victory of Smothrace.’
If you’re not a Greek history buff, the sculpture was discovered on the island of the same name and currently stands in the Louvre museum in Paris. With regards to the Spirit of Ecstasy, then-MD Claude Johnson commissioned illustrator Charles Sykes to create a mascot for the luxury car brand. Sykes took inspiration from the sculpture, but made it more delicate.
The Scintilla models all come finished in a two-tone colour combo: Andalusian White and Thracian Blue with hand-painted coachlines and wheel pinstripes.
Inside, the Scintilla’s ‘gallery’ element is called ‘Celestial Pulse’ and uses ribbons of solid aluminium arranged into a piece of art. Rolls-Royce says 869,500 stitches are present in the rear half of the car. On top of that, the brand’s Starlight Headliner – an option you can spec on any current Rolls-Royce – has been given bespoke animations meant to mirror the Spirit of Ecstasy’s flowing gown.