<a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/lifestyle/motoring/2023/08/20/rolls-royce-droptail-expensive/" target="_blank">Rolls-Royce</a> has unveiled a one-off Phantom Extended to mark the 60th anniversary of the 1964 James Bond film <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/film/2022/10/07/which-is-the-best-james-bond-film-best-to-worst-ranked-as-spy-franchise-turns-60/" target="_blank"><i>Goldfinger</i></a>. The bespoke car takes its inspiration from the 1937 Phantom III Sendanca de Ville owned by film's villain, <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/film/from-goldfinger-to-scaramanga-56-years-of-james-bond-villains-1.776495" target="_blank">Auric Goldfinger.</a> The <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/2024/04/04/rolls-royce-puts-middle-east-at-centre-of-five-year-goal-of-quadrupling-profits/" target="_blank">British luxury car brand </a>debuted the unique piece, which will be handed over to an anonymous private collector, at the Stoke Park private sporting estate in Buckinghamshire, England – the filming location of the scene when James Bond first encounters the original vehicle. The custom version of a currently available Phantom Extended includes numerous nods to the car and character from the film, including the colour scheme of the original, a golf putter fitted to the boot lid modelled <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts/the-cars-are-the-stars-a-look-at-the-iconic-cars-in-the-james-bond-franchise-1.6837" target="_blank">after Goldfinger's own</a> club, and a solid 18-carat gold bar shaped like the car in the centre console. <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/lifestyle/2024/02/08/rolls-royce-spectre-review-electric/" target="_blank">Rolls-Royce </a>has been working on the project for three and a half years, with the lead designers watching the film countless times to find details they could add to the custom car, Phil Fabre de la Grange, general manager of <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts/emirati-artist-mohammed-kazem-designs-bespoke-rolls-royce-1.48710" target="_blank">Rolls-Royce Bespoke</a>, tells<i> The National</i>. “We originally had the idea linked to the anniversary,” says Fabre de la Grange. “We have a strong relationship with Eon Productions, the company behind the James Bond films, and we had a desire to properly celebrate. We then started looking for one of our existing clients that would be enchanted and receptive to that kind of story. Things blossomed from there.” In addition to the golf club in the car's boot, there is also a hidden umbrella made to resemble the one Goldfinger owned in the film, and a custom “tracking device”, modelled after one that Bond placed in the same spot in <i>Goldfinger</i>. While the device does not actually track the driver's whereabouts, it does project the famed 007 logo onto the floor of the boot. There are also numerous subtle tributes to the Furka Pass sequence through the Swiss mountains, scenes in which Bond tracks Goldfinger. The front dash is hand-painted to resemble the topography of the mountains, complete with gold flourishes at the exact locations where the characters were depicted. The starlight headliner on the car's upper interior is designed to reflect the constellations that were positioned above the location on July 11, 1964, the final day of filming at the location. "We tracked down a call sheet from the film to find that date, and then coordinated with a local astronomical agency to make sure that it matched perfectly," says Nick Rhodes, bespoke designer at Rolls-Royce. There are also numerous hidden gold inlays throughout the car in reference to the villain's love of the precious metal, including a unique solid silver “Spirit of Ecstasy” hood ornament seemingly worn away to reveal gold plating underneath. The car's number plate, AU 1, is the one used in the film, with AU being the scientific symbol for gold. There are also picnic tables that feature a fictional map of Fort Knox's gold bullion reserve, which the character intended to destroy in the film, done in 22-carat gold inlay. A quote from the character appears on the lid of the glovebox: “This is Gold, Mr Bond. All my life, I have been in love with its colour, its brilliance, its divine heaviness.” Chris Brownridge, chief executive of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, adds: “This particular project really invigorated our team of creatives, giving them the freedom to explore the reaches of their imagination. The final creation is a testament to the power of collaboration and the extraordinary ability of our designers, craftspeople, and engineers.” Fabre de la Grange also hints that more unique Rolls-Royces that pay tribute to historic or movie cars could be produced, though there will never be another quite like this. Even the yellow colour, which is a meticulous recreation of the original's, will never be used again on a future Rolls-Royce, he adds. “We've got other things in the pipeline … other stand-alone projects,” Fabre de la Grange says. “We look for inspiration in all different kinds of areas.” The price of the one-of-a-kind car was not released.
