For more than a century, the Spirit of Ecstasy has inspired countless works of art. In 2024, to mark its 120th anniversary, Rolls-Royce is paying tribute to its timeless muse with a private Phantom Scintilla collection, limited to just ten units.
It is the symbol that marks the history of Rolls-Royce, the protagonist and the guiding thread of the entire model. It was in 1910 when the general director of Rolls-Royce, Claude Johnson, commissioned the sculptor Charles Sykes to create an emblem for the brand. Johnson, on a visit to the Louvre, had been greatly impressed by the statue of the Winged Victory of Samothrace, from 190 BC. He ended up discarding the idea and was inspired (or so they say) by Eleanor Thornton, secretary and lover of Lord Montagu. With the Rolls-Royce Phantom Scintilla they wanted to recover Johnson’s original inspiration, with new materials and references to the statue.
The name Phantom Scintilla is derived from the Latin word for “spark” and refers to Claude Johnson’s moment of inspiration. The figure of the Spirit of Ecstasy has received a ceramic finish which imitates Paros marble, a fine-grained white marble quarried during the classical era on that Greek island.
The exterior of the Rolls-Royce Phantom Scintilla is finished in a two-tone Bespoke finish by the brand’s specialists in bespoke preparations. The upper part of the body is Andalusian white and the lower part Thracian blue, inspired by the colours of the sea surrounding the island of Samothrace where the statue of the Winged Victory of Samothrace was found. A metallic sheet imitates the glint of sunlight on the water.
The interior features elements, textures and a continuous graphic inspired by the dynamics of the Spirit of Ecstasy. This graphic moves around the cabin, embracing the occupants. The lead craftswoman tasked with bringing this idea to life, Brienny Dudley, experimented with a variety of stitches and shades before selecting the tatami stitch, which was applied over six layers, interwoven in varying degrees of density and complexity. The entire interior composition consists of 869,500 stitches and took over 40 hours to complete.
The embroidered motif on the doors – the most intricate door design ever seen on a Rolls-Royce – is made using 633,000 stitches combining blue-grey, arctic white, spirit blue, powder blue and pastel yellow threads, complemented by illuminated perforations. At night, the embroidery takes on a hypnotic luminescent glow and appears to glow from within.
The seats are upholstered in a twill fabric with a subtle reflective sheen, bringing additional complexity to the interplay of materials inside. 236,500 stitches applied in blue-grey, arctic white and spirit blue thread continue the complex graphic that runs across all four doors. In addition, the roof has an animation inspired by the Spirit of Ecstasy’s flowing dress – 1,500 fibre optic “stars”, placed and adjusted by hand in a unique pattern. The design is completed by a further 4,450 deliberately larger-than-usual perforations to reveal flashes of a metallic silver fabric beneath, creating a subtle play of light.
The Collection name has been engraved on the polished stainless steel tread plates. As a finishing touch, each order is delivered with a Bespoke car cover.
