Wraith: Power Redefined • An Epic Journey Through Austria • Charitable Getaways
Designed without compromise Unmistakable from any angle, Rolls-Royce motor cars display peerless quality, luxury and engineering. Elegant yet dynamic; when a Rolls-Royce drives by the world stands still. Contact us to experience the ultimate luxury motor car.
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited, Asia Pacific Office (Singapore Branch), 1 Harbourfront Avenue, #15-02 Keppel Bay Tower, Singapore 098632 Tel: +65 6838 9674 Fax: +65 68389671 www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com Š Copyright Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited 2013. The Rolls-Royce name and logo are registered trademarks.
Rolls-Royce in Asia Pacific
In 2003, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars produced what was to become an iconic, ultra-luxury model – Phantom. No other brand had ever created a motor car at this level or with this degree of commitment, engineering and craftsmanship. It was unchartered territory. And arguably no other motor car has the proportioned stance that gives Phantom its strong sense of authority and peerless comfort. For many, Phantom remains the most inspirational, uplifting sight in motoring. That momentum has been brought through a truly remarkable range of cars: Phantom Extended Wheelbase, Phantom Drophead Coupé and Phantom Coupé. With the expansion of the Rolls-Royce range to include Ghost, Ghost Extended Wheelbase and now Wraith, the brand’s appeal has been significantly broadened among customers across Asia. “Small things make To maintain our position as the most prestigious marque perfection, but perfection in the world of motor cars requires a consistent ethos is no small thing”. that fits the brand’s distinguished clientele: the drive for – The late Sir Henry Royce perfection, the marriage of time-honoured craftsmanship and cutting-edge engineering and technology, and a highly bespoke philosophy. It is said that a Rolls-Royce owner does not “buy” a motor car – he or she “commissions” it. This mark of exclusivity, or seal of personalisation, ensures every Rolls-Royce is unique. For many owners, a Rolls-Royce dealership is a partnership that extends beyond mere order slips. It is a collaborative experience that elevates a motor car to the level of art. It was with this notion that the first showroom in the Asia Pacific region was opened in Singapore, followed closely by Sydney, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Seoul. In total, Rolls-Royce has 25 showrooms in 14 countries, where customers can design their perfect motor car.
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Dealers’ Listing AUSTRALIA / NEW ZEALAND Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Melbourne Eureka Tower 80 City Road Southbank Victoria 3006 Tel +61 3 8866 3188 Fax +61 3 8866 3100 Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Sydney 75-85 O’Riordan Street Alexandria New South Wales 2015 Tel +61 2 8338 3998 Fax +61 2 8338 2169 Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Perth 354 Scarborough Beach Road Osborne Park Western Australia 6017 Tel +61 8 9231 5999 Fax +61 8 9231 5911 Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Queensland 179 Nerang Road, Southport Queensland 4215 Tel +61 7 5509 7197 Fax +61 7 5532 0177 Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Auckland 7-15 Great South Road Newmarket Auckland 1049 Tel +64 9 969 3350 Fax +64 9 969 3354
HONG KONG Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Hong Kong Shop 4, G/F Wu Chung House 213 Queen’s Road East Wanchai Tel +852 2870 1692 Fax +852 2893 7388
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Hyderabad 6-3-569 Opposite RTA Office Khairatabad Hyderabad 500082 Tel +91 40 4465 6565 Fax +91 44 4291 1100
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Macau Shop A2, G/F, FIT Center Avenida Commercial De Macau Tel +853 2872 3631 Fax +853 2872 3632
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars New Delhi A-19 Mohan Co-operative Industrial Estate Mathura Road New Delhi 110044 Tel +91 11 4343 0000 Fax +91 11 4343 0055
INDIA
INDONESIA
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Ahmedabad E-Block Ajanta Corporate House Titanium Square, Thaltej Crossroad S.G Highway Ahmedabad 380054 Tel +91 79 4035 9999 Fax +91 79 4035 9995
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Jakarta 51 Jl. Sultan Iskandar Muda Arteri Pondok Indah Jakarta 12240 Tel +62 21 725 9000 Fax +62 21 7278 6000
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Mumbai 48 Atria Millennium Mall Dr. Annie Besant Road Worli Mumbai 400018 Tel +91 22 2481 3326/ 3335 Fax +91 22 2481 3336 Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Chandigarh City Emporium Mall Plot No. 143 A Industrial Area Phase 1 Chandigarh 160002 Tel +91 99 1133 2203 Fax +91 172 5101000
JAPAN Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Osaka 1-13-40, Nishi-honmachi Nishi-ku Osaka-shi Osaka 550-0005 Tel +81 6 4393 8823 Fax +81 6 6541 8850 Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Tokyo 2-7-17 Shiba Minato-ku Tokyo 105-0014 Tel +81 03 5413 2100 Fax +81 03 5413 2288
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Yokohama 2-2-1 Minato Mirai Nishi-ku Yokohama-shi Kanagawa 220-8172 Tel +81 45 680 4500 / 0120 188 250 (Free dial for Japan) Fax +81 45 680 4501
TAIWAN
KOREA
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Taipei No. 39, JiHu Road NeiHu District Taipei City 11492 Tel +886 2 2658 3333 Fax +886 2 2657 3388
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Seoul 100-17 Cheongdam-dong Kangnam-Ku Seoul 135-100 Tel +82 2 512 5834 Fax +82 2 512 0557
MALAYSIA Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Kuala Lumpur Ground Floor, Quill 9 112 Jalan Semangat Petaling Jaya Selangor 46300 Tel +60 3 7960 2333 Fax +60 3 7960 2072
PHILIPPINES Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Manila Blk 15, 2nd Floor FGC Building Rizal Drive, Crescent Park West Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Metro Manila 1634 Tel +632 856 7555
SINGAPORE Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Singapore 29 Leng Kee Road Singapore 159099 Tel +65 6475 3113 Fax +65 6479 4333
Roll-Royce Motor Cars Taichung No. 403, Sec. 4 HeNan Road NanTun District Taichung City 40874 Tel +886 4 3600 8333 Fax +886 4 3600 8555
THAILAND Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Bangkok 999 Rama 3 Road Bangkhlo, Bangkholaem Bangkok 10120 Tel +66 08 7560 3737 Fax +66 2670 6090 Boutique Showroom 2nd Floor, Siam Paragon 991 Rama 1 Road Bangkok 10330 Tel +66 2610 6788-9 Fax +66 2610 6787
VIETNAM Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Hanoi Ground floor, HCO Building 44B Ly Thuong Kiet Hoan Kiem Hanoi 10000 Tel +84 43 786 8462 Fax +84 43 786 8459
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Foreword
The View From Here
The word “pinnacle” is used the world over to describe the Rolls-Royce brand. Ever so often, the word “Rolls-Royce” is used to denote excellence, even in reference to things that have no connection with motor cars. A century ago, four Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts embarked on the Austrian Alpine Trials, the most arduous test of automotive endurance of that time. Performing faultlessly over 1,820 grueling miles (about 3,000km) of near impassable mountain terrain, the Rolls-Royce works team and privateer James Radley cemented the marque’s reputation for peerless reliability and mechanical excellence. The company proudly retains this reputation to date, and that defining moment in our history is beautifully retold in this issue of Pinnacle. Also in this issue, we celebrate a decade of success at our manufacturing plant in Goodwood. This is a place where, it is said, the art of creating motor cars truly takes form – virtually all of the cars that leave this hallowed ground for the Asia Pacific are adorned with some form of bespoke element. We identify with the artistic values of our matchless artisans, and we pay tribute to them while celebrating craftsmanship in every issue of Pinnacle. Rolls-Royce continues to maintain its leading position in the super luxury market thanks to the influence of our iconic Phantom and Ghost models. But we are not ones to rest on our laurels. We are staying true to the philosophy of our founder Sir Henry Royce: When it does not exist, design it. Our designers and engineers now bring you the most powerful and dynamic Rolls-Royce ever – Wraith. Seating four in unparalleled comfort behind a twin-turbo V12 engine capable of producing 624bhp and 800Nm of torque, this two-door, fastback coupé is destined to change the ultra luxury market. Pinnacle goes on the world’s first drive. The brand’s appeal is steadily widening across Asia. Five years ago, in the regions outside the Chinese mainland, we had a presence in only nine cities. By the end of this year, we will potentially be represented in 26. Our approach is to grow sustainably with partners who will deliver the best that Rolls-Royce customers deserve. That said, we have no interest in having a Rolls-Royce on every corner in Asia’s metropolises. Rolls-Royce motor cars are highly bespoke and exclusive creations, and will always remain so. I hope you enjoy this issue of Pinnacle.
Paul Harris Regional Director, Asia Pacific Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
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Contents
The Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Owners’ Magazine
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22
DOSSIER
VANTAGE
8 New dealerships and showrooms 10 Wraith events around the world 12 Festival of Speed
30 An Intangible Luxury
AURA
JOURNEYS
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Regional Director Paul Harris talks about the importance of time.
14 Always Perfect The First Time
32 A Road Trip Like No Other
ON THE COVER Wraith, the most powerful Rolls-Royce motor car ever created, made its debut this year.
Ben Oliver gets in the driving seat of Wraith for a world exclusive drive.
Glen Watson takes part in the 2013 Centenary Alpine Trial in Austria.
19 A Celebration of Perfection
PASSION
PHOTOGRAPHY TAN MENG CHOON
Rolls-Royce craftsmen work their magic in creating a highly bespoke collection of cars to commemorate the marque’s 10th anniversary at Goodwood.
38 A Fortuitous Irony
Wraith: Power Redefined • An Epic Journey Through Austria • Charitable Getaways
Interview with a Chinese Rolls-Royce motor car owner. GLITTERATI
INDULGE
40 Launches & Celebrations
22 Wanderlust with a Purpose
Asia’s elite were out in force at these exclusive Rolls-Royce events.
Pay it forward and help the needy even when you’re on a luxurious holiday.
26 The Simplicity of Style
THE ROLLS-ROYCE FAMILY 44 Vehicle specifications of Rolls-Royce motor cars.
Famous Belgian architect Jean-Michel Gathy talks about his design philosophy.
LAST LOOK
VISIONARY
48 Touching Ecstasy MASTERPIECE
28 Emblems of Majesty Fabergé eggs seem to be making a comeback.
Wraith’s rotary touchpad brings power and control to your fingertips.
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Contributors
The Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Owners’ Magazine
BEN OLIVER is a
GLEN WATSON’s love of
KAREN FONG has
KARL PESKETT is
LIM SIO HUI is a design
contributing editor and
automobiles progressed
spent the last few years
a highly respected
and travel journalist who
columnist for CAR
from toy cars to the
travelling across Asia and
international motoring
roams the world to
magazine as well as
real thing when he was
reviewing the latest in
journalist from Australia.
report on the latest in
other major publications
just eight. Since earning
spa, wellness and luxury
When not road-testing
design and architecture.
around the world. He has
a degree in journalism
travel as an editor for
the latest sports or luxury
She writes for Blouin
interviewed everyone
from Toronto’s Ryerson
AsiaSpa magazine. Having
vehicle, he can be found
Artinfo, Travel + Leisure,
from the heads of the
University, he has
lived in Canada, Hong
interviewing the CEOs
The Business Times
world’s most prominent
test-driven luxury and
Kong and Singapore,
of car manufacturers.
newspaper, and is the
car companies to the
sports cars on roads and
her appreciation for the
With experience in radio,
author of the insider
former head of the CIA.
racetracks around the
finer things in life drew
television, print and online
tome on her hometown,
He is also a partner in a
world – despite the fact
her away from a career
media, Karl’s passion and
Graffiti Travel Guide:
public relations company
that he has lived on a car-
in advertising to one in
enthusiasm for the car
Singapore.
and a recording studio in
free island in Hong Kong
luxury publishing.
industry makes him the
London’s Mayfair.
since 1996.
perfect fit for Pinnacle.
Pinnacle is a publication for owners and enthusiasts of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and is published by SPH Magazines Pte Ltd on behalf of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited, Asia Pacific Office (Singapore Branch). Publisher
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited, Asia Pacific Office (Singapore Branch) 1 Harbourfront Avenue #15-02 Keppel Bay Tower Singapore 098632 www.rollsroycemotorcars.com Editorial Advisors
Brenda Pek
Publishing Agent
Caroline Ngui
Dennis Pua
Joanna Lee-Miller
Christopher Chan
Editorial & Creative
Sales & Client Management
Group Editor-in-Chief Group Editor
Dora Tay
Senior Editor
Alywin Chew Editor
Annabelle Bok Sub-Editor
Head of Marketing, Asia Pacific
Jayson Ong
Hal Serudin
Stephanie Teo
Corporate Communications Manager, Asia Pacific
Senior Art Director Art Director
Managing Director
General Manager
Kaz Lim
Associate Account Director
Stanley Gan
stangan@sph.com.sg Senior Account Manager
Christine Chionh
Assistant Manager, Business Development & Client Management Publishing Services
Matthew Joseph Nah mattnah@sph.com.sg
Pinnacle is published by SPH Magazines Pte Ltd (Registration No: 196900476M) for BMW Asia (Registration No: 198502157D) on behalf of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited (Registration No: 03522604). Copyright of the materials contained in this magazine belongs to SPH Magazines Pte Ltd and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited. Nothing in this publication shall be reproduced in whole or in part in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written consent of SPH Magazines Pte Ltd and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited. Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of SPH Magazines Pte Ltd nor Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited and no liabilities shall be attached thereto. All rights reserved. Editorial enquiries should be directed to asiapacific@rolls-roycemotorcars.com. While every reasonable care will be taken by the Editor, no responsibility is assumed for the return of unsolicited material. All information is correct at time of printing. MCI (P) 154/08/2013. Printed in Singapore by KHL Printing Co Pte Ltd (Registration No: 197801823M). For advertising enquiries, please e-mail jrani@sph.com.sg.
Dossier
New Dealerships
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The Real Deal 01 Regal Motor Cars Corporation was appointed as the official dealer for Hanoi. 02 Barbagallo Group was appointed as the new Perth Dealer. 03-04 The announcement of the new Manila dealer (right) was closely followed by the opening of another new dealership in Taichung, Taiwan.
The appointment of a new Rolls-Royce dealership is always big news, especially when it is in a brand new market. This past June, British Bespoke Automobiles was tapped as the official importer-dealer for the Philippines. The company will be responsible for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Manila, with the goal of importing Phantom, Ghost and Wraith models. The arrival of Rolls-Royce in the Philippines is a validation of the country as one of Asia’s fastest growing economies. A new Manila showroom – with a bespoke lounge and expertly staffed aftersales facilities – is scheduled to open early next year, though an interim facility will be operational by the fourth quarter of 2013. Another first took place in Hanoi with the appointment of Regal Motor Cars Corporation as
the official Rolls-Royce dealer for the city. The move is a timely one, reflecting the company’s Asia Pacific plan for sustainable growth on the heels of growing interest in the Rolls-Royce brand. A dealership in Vietnam has long been on the cards, thanks to its rising economy, the steady growth of local entrepreneurs, and thriving appreciation for the craftsmanship and attention to detail that Rolls-Royce is renowned for. An official showroom for the new Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Hanoi is scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2013. Over in Perth, Rolls-Royce’s expansion plans in Australia continued with Barbagallo’s appointment as a Rolls-Royce dealer. Founded in 1967, the Barbagallo Group has an exceptional track record and extensive experience in automotive luxury retailing.
Text Daven Wu
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Showrooms
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Show and Tell
01-04 Rolls-Royce unveils new showrooms in Osaka, Hyderabad, Singapore and Bangkok as part of its global expansion plans.
This is proving to be a busy year for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, as it celebrates the opening of four sleek showrooms in Asia. The goal of the new spaces is to ensure, more than ever, that customers will have greater choice of and accessibility to Rolls-Royce’s latest product offerings. The company continues to expand its presence in India with the opening of its third showroom in Hyderabad, the country’s fourth largest city. The 5,400 sq ft three-car space also features a bespoke lounge where customers can personalise the various detailings of their cars in privacy. The Hyderabad showroom is part of an ambitious expansion plan in India that includes new showrooms in Chandigarh and Ahmedabad. Over in Singapore, the re-opening of the showroom on Leng Kee Road coincides with record
country sales in 2012 and the company’s tenth anniversary. The 5,350 sq ft showroom, one of the largest in Southeast Asia, can hold up to eight cars. Those currently on display include the Phantom and Ghost family cars and Rolls-Royce’s latest – Wraith. The strength of the super-luxury car market in Japan – where Rolls-Royce has seen increased demand, and where Phantom Series II is one of the company’s bestsellers – is reflected by new, upgraded showrooms in Tokyo and Yokohama alongside a brand new showroom in Osaka. Finally, the new Rolls-Royce boutique in Bangkok’s exclusive Siam Paragon is the first in Asia to be set in a luxury retail hub. The boutique complements the seven-car showroom in Rama 3, which is the first in Asia Pacific to feature two levels and secure underground parking for customers.
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Dossier
Wraith Events
Power Play
Bold lines, sumptuous interiors, powerful delivery, dramatic refinement. These words are barely adequate descriptions of the full impact of one’s first encounter with Wraith. The latest model in Rolls-Royce’s range of ultra-luxury models, Wraith is the most powerful automobile ever to display the famous Spirit of Ecstasy figurine. The elegant fastback styling of the two-door coupé is complemented by satellite aided transmission, voice activated connectivity and Canadel panelling to create not just an unparalleled drive of immense power (0-100km/h in 4.6 seconds), but also one that bears all the hallmark attributes of Rolls-Royce luxury, refinement and craftsmanship. Wraith made its global debut to universal applause in March at the blue-chip Geneva Motor Show. Since then, it has taken to the road in a series of high-profile
events, winning new fans at every stage. At the prestigious Goodwood Festival of Speed in the United Kingdom, with Goodwood House and the manufacturing plant as a dramatic backdrop, Wraith dominated the Goodwood hill climb with its twinturbo V12 engine during the Supercar Run. In London, Wraith was showcased in a bespoke window display at luxury department store Harrods, while its arrival in Belgium marked an incredible century since the first Rolls-Royce sale to a Belgian customer in 1913. And in Italy, the shores of Lake Como recalled Rolls-Royce’s past glories when the elegant grounds of the Concorso d’Eleganza, Villa d’Este hosted the unveiling of the gran turismo. At every stage, Wraith’s reception has been nothing less than overwhelming. In Australia, it made its national debut at a closed-door event at the Sydney
Text Daven Wu
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03 01 Wraith gets a spectacular reveal at the Geneva Motor Show. 02 Wraith on a revolving platform during its launch in Singapore. 03 Wraith makes for a unique window display at Harrods in London.
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Overseas Passenger Terminal in the iconic Sydney Harbour. In Bahrain, the limited allocations for 2013 were completely sold out on the first day of its debut. Wraith’s Japanese debut at the Yokohama Concours d’Elegance saw the select group of guests bowled over by the super-luxury model’s effortless power delivery, style, and craftsmanship. A similarly enthusiastic reception greeted the coupé at the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Academy in both Guangzhou and Beijing Art Zone. That did not come as much of a surprise, seeing as one in every four cars produced at Goodwood is being driven on Chinese streets. In Singapore, the Southeast Asian debut of Wraith came hot on the heels of record sales for Rolls-Royce, a true testament to the marque’s enduring allure among car enthusiasts in the region. 05
04 Wraith launched in Sydney on the harbourfront, with the famous Opera House in the background. 05 Wraith at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
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Dossier
Festival of Speed
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RollsRoyce at Goodwood
They came in record numbers – 196,000 to be exact – and they found Rolls-Royces almost everywhere they looked.The Festival of Speed, based around the 1.9km-long Goodwood hill climb in West Sussex, is now widely considered to be the world’s premier car culture event. Despite the temperature exceeding 30ºC, well-known musicians, sportsmen and politicians mingled with motor sport legends and a hugely enthusiastic public. Together they watched a priceless collection of cars take to the hill. This year was the event’s 20th anniversary, and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars’ involvement was bigger than ever. Every group on the hill climb – whether it comprised new or historic Formula One machines, Le Mans prototypes or pre-war classics – was led by
a stunning black Phantom Coupé pace car. Wraith – the most powerful Rolls-Royce ever – made its general public debut in the Supercar Paddock. It was surrounded by the latest sports cars including the McLaren P1 and Eric Clapton’s uniquely-bodied Ferrari SP12 EC. Wraith too had a chance to show its paces on the hill (it can bullet from a standstill to 100km/h in 4.6 seconds), and it impressed with its agility on the narrow and tricky ribbon of bitumen. A second Wraith took pride of place in the nearby Moving Motor Show. Members of the public queued up for a chance to sit on its sumptuous white leather seats and discuss its design with Rolls-Royce staff. Another major highlight of the event was the presentation of the works team from the recent 2,800km-long re-enactment of the 1913 Alpine Trial.
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Text Anthony Llewellyn
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The Silver Ghost driven by James Radley in the original event and a 2013 Alpine Trial Centenary Collection Ghost have been finished in the same shade of blue. To the delight of the crowd, the two cars – separated by 100 years – travelled past the main stands side by side. In the Cartier Style et Luxe open air exhibition and design competition, a 1908 Silver Ghost, one of the earliest built, lined up alongside dozens of other icons, including a 1929 Bugatti Royal. On a lighter note, two soapbox racers built by Rolls-Royce engineers took part in the gravity challenge. One exceeded 110km/h. The Festival of Speed soundtrack is one of racing engines, squealing tyres, jazz bands and military jet fly-bys. On the south-east corner of the estate is the Rolls-Royce manufacturing plant and head office, and
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about 100 staff helped with the festivities. Some drove a fleet of 20 Rolls-Royce cars, ferrying guests around. “The Festival of Speed is unique and extraordinary,” Andrew Ball, the company’s corporate communications manager and spokesperson, said. “Almost every motor manufacturer is represented here, so it is important that we, as the pinnacle luxury manufacturer, are here too. This is our home turf.” Ball added that the event is also an opportunity to showcase Rolls-Royce products to the broader public, including youngsters who may be tomorrow’s buyers. “But it’s more than that,” he said. “We are a British manufacturing success story… an actual part of British society and British history. We take our responsibility as custodians of the brand very seriously. Part of that is in sharing our produce with the British and international public.”
01 The 1913 Radley Silver Ghost (right) is driven past the main stands alongside the Alpine Trial Centenary Collection car – a modernday bespoke Ghost built to celebrate the Alpine Trial. 02 Guests discuss the design elements of Wraith. 03 A blue Wraith speeds down the roads during the event. 04 A regal Phantom arrives at the event grounds.
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Aura
Wraith Drive
Always Perfect The First Time Ben Oliver gets into the driving seat of Wraith for a world exclusive drive.
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Aura
01-02 Guests learn about Wraith from Global Director of Communications Richard Carter.
A decade ago, I arrived at Rolls-Royce’s new home at Goodwood to collect the very first Phantom released for testing. And all it took was a hundred metres before I reached a verdict for the UK’s century-old Autocar magazine – that Phantom was “a real Rolls-Royce, and right the first time.” The release of a new Rolls-Royce motor car is not a frequent occurrence, but my reaction has been the same for every new model that has rolled out from the marque’s headquarters in the Sussex Downs. Each has shown deep engineering integrity as well as beauty and originality in styling. The quality of materials and construction goes beyond the automotive and is better compared with the finest furniture the world has to offer. I’m sorry if I’m giving the game away too soon, but the new Wraith is no exception. It, too, is exceptional. It is, however, also a Rolls-Royce unlike its predecessors. The 624bhp twin-turbocharged V12 engine is the marque’s most powerful ever. Wraith also features intriguing new technology, chiefly the satellite-aided eight-speed transmission that knows when the car is approaching a
03 High tech car keys for a technologically advanced vehicle. Wraith has a satellite-aided eight-speed transmission system that ensures maximum performance on the road. 04 Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös speaks to guests at the event. 05-09 Guests spend an eventful day learning about the interior detailing of Rolls-Royce’s most powerful car to date.
Wraith Drive
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corner and will hold a lower gear, readying it for acceleration as you exit the bend. This drivetrain, installed in Wraith’s gorgeous two-door fastback body, plainly indicates that this is a more dynamic car than its stablemates. But Rolls-Royce’s engineers have an aversion to the term “sporty”, and before I took Wraith out on the road I wondered how they would resolve the seeming incompatibility of their goals: producing a more dynamic chassis and also preserving the brand’s hallmark refinement to give its customers the perfect “magic carpet ride”. I needn’t have worried. Wraith is titanically fast when you need it to be. With the steering just a fraction crisper to suit, and the ride just a hint more taut, it communicates just a shade more of the surface beneath, without breaking that fabulous, almost-eerie “spell” of grace that only a Rolls-Royce can cast. It is perfectly judged. And the greatest achievement of the satellite-aided transmission is that you barely notice it at work – you will simply get a sense of the car being smarter, more cooperative, and better-prepared for your next instruction. In a Rolls-Royce, technology should be effective but not apparent, and that is certainly the case here.
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Aura
10 Wraith speeds down a bend. It takes just 4.6 seconds to accelerate from 0-100km/h.
And so there is nothing to distract you from enjoying another extraordinary Rolls-Royce cabin, the highlight here being the vast, stunning one-piece Canadel door veneers. The extra power may have you arriving at your destination earlier, but it also means you get to open the coach doors sooner to admire the striking exterior once more. The car certainly makes good on the promise of that deeply recessed Pantheon grille and flowing, pillarless side-glass. I was lucky enough to see Wraith prior to its launch at the Geneva Motor Show. Speaking to Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös, he explained that the car has no natural rivals – it is unique in the marketplace, different enough that loyal customers will not hesitate to add Wraith to their current stables of Rolls-Royce cars. And that is exactly what he and his team at Goodwood have produced – a car that has achieved the perfect balance between dynamism and all the definitive traits of the marque. Just as I described Phantom ten years ago, Wraith is a real Rolls-Royce. And once again, right the first time.
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Wraith Drive
Aura
Home of Rolls-Royce Collection
A Celebration of Perfection Rolls-Royce commemorates 10 years of success at Goodwood with an exclusive collection of bespoke motor cars. Karl Peskett learns about the intricacies of the design. Rolls-Royce aficionados will well remember New Year’s Day of 2003 as a historic occasion for the brand. While everyone else toasted the beginning of yet another 365 days, Rolls-Royce staff were busy gathering in the Chichester countryside. The resolutions they made that day weren’t just about spending more time with the kids or going on a nice holiday. It was about creating perfection. Rolls-Royce’s Goodwood facility was officially opened on January 1, 2003 and the first Phantom was presented to its owner at a minute past midnight. This was the car that not only reinvigorated the brand, but also placed Rolls-Royce at the pinnacle of automotive engineering. And those who have since made the trip to Goodwood will undoubtedly agree that the factory is as much of an enigmatic marvel as the Phantoms which are created within. With the entire roof of the facility covered in green sedum plants, the building has been
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Aura
Home of Rolls-Royce Collection
designed to blend into its surrounds. And because it is also set low in the grounds, there’s hardly any way to see the factory until you’re virtually on top of it. The chrome signage, with the iconic Rolls-Royce logo emblazoned across it, is perhaps the only giveaway. With minimal impact on its surroundings, the Goodwood plant is rated as one of the least invasive factories in the motoring world. Over 400,000 trees and shrubs were planted during the landscaping of the grounds, and skylarks have been known to nest and brood on the roof. And the facility has managed to expand over the past 10 years while still remaining completely unobtrusive. The expansion of Goodwood was primarily for the accommodation of new Phantom variants and the production of Ghost and Wraith models. But with incessant orders being placed for personalised Phantoms, it has also been necessary to increase the bespoke team’s footprint in terms of space as well as headcount. Rolls-Royce has also seen unprecedented demand for its cars on the back of its bespoke business, and Richard Collar, Head of Bespoke Sales and Marketing, can vouch for this. He says: “In the past decade, we’ve had a steady increase in our personalised business. For example, in the Middle East, virtually 100 per cent of Phantom and Ghost production have an element of personalisation.” The scope of the team is quite simply a spectrum of possibilities, according to Collar. “It can be something as simple as a certain thread for contrast stitching. It can also be a unique leather colour, a new paint, a specific wood veneer, a personalised headrest embroidery, or a personalised treadplate,” he says. “Take the best that exists “Bespoke can be something understated and modest, or it can be bold and make it better. When it and outrageous, and yet it’s everything in the middle.” This year, the bespoke team is tasked with creating a special series of doesn’t exist, design it.” – The late Sir Henry Royce cars to celebrate a decade of success at Goodwood. Staying true to the philosophy of Rolls-Royce co-founder Sir Henry Royce, the team has created the impressively intricate Home of Rolls-Royce Collection. The glovebox in this exclusive series features a “celebration” marquetry accent made of no less than 11 different types of wood. Echoing the different veneers used throughout Ghost and Phantom interiors, sycamore, holly and satinwood were chosen, and applications of various techniques lend a shadow effect that creates an illusion of depth. Rolls-Royce vehicles are exported to every corner of the globe, and this explains why the motif used throughout the car’s design is that of a compass. Stitching the complex patterns onto the armrests and consoles is an arduous affair – craftsmen spend over an hour completing each piece, with 112,533 stitches applied using precision embroidery machines that perform 1,000 stitches per minute. After a week, and a 22-stage paint process, Rolls-Royce’s coachline painter Mark Court then spends six gruelling hours painting not only the coachline, but also a half-compass motif. The final touch sees the coordinates of Goodwood engraved onto the treadplates, the umbrella handles, and the pedestal of the Spirit of Ecstasy figurine. Regardless of how onerous the creation of each design element is, there is no rushing production at Goodwood. Because perfection takes time.
THE HOME OF ROLLS-ROYCE COLLECTION IN NUMBERS
450 Individual leather pieces cut and fitted to each Rolls-Royce Phantom 112,533 Stitches comprise Home of Rolls-Royce Collection Phantom embroidery 672 Metres of thread in every Home of Rolls-Royce Collection Phantom 11 Individual varieties of wood veneer, cut and applied to “celebration” motif by hand 20,000 Wood veneer combinations available in every Rolls-Royce 44,000 Individual exterior paint colours to choose from 58 Layers to every Phantom wood part 100 Pounds of paint applied to every Rolls-Royce 60 Pairs of hands take 400 hours to construct each Rolls-Royce motor car
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Indulge
Travel Philanthropy
Wanderlust with a Purpose You can do your part for needy communities while enjoying a getaway from your hectic schedule, says Karen Fong.
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Luxury hotels and travel agencies constantly endeavour to make exotic and isolated locations accessible to those eager to explore the world. Recently, a growing sense of environmental awareness and social responsibility within the industry is seeing many companies look for ways to give back to the very areas they have established themselves in. And as it turns out, travellers have proven eager to contribute and make a difference too, whether monetarily or via a hands-on approach. “We are seeing big growth among tour operators offering philanthropic travel or ‘voluntouring’,” says Tim Russell, Director for Sales and Marketing in the Asia-Pacific for Remote Lands, a bespoke luxury travel agency. He adds: “We and our clients gain an enormous amount from meeting local communities. Without them, we would not be able to offer many of the unique experiences that make our trips so special. It is only right that we give something back and spread the message that tourism isn’t just a one-way street.” Giving back can be as easy as booking a trip. Soul Sanctuaries, a Hong Kong-based agency, has a programme called Give A Little Soul that works with credible charities like Bali Kids and Angels For Orphans, who receive a percentage of the total payment. For those who prefer getting into the
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thick of the action, agencies like Remote Lands can arrange tie-ups with the Tibetan Village Project, a Remote Lands-affiliated NGO located an hour’s drive from Lhasa. Visitors can help villagers build greenhouses and hiking trails, perform site clean-ups, and construct waste bins. Luxury resorts are also getting more involved with social initiatives, and travel agents have been quick to leverage on this. Lightfoot Travel collaborates with Indonesian resort Nihiwatu, which supports The Sumba Foundation’s community development and funding efforts in the area. Travellers who visit the foundation can help with the distribution of eyeglasses, the repairing and painting of local schools, and the feeding of malnourished babies. At other luxury resorts in Asia, travellers are presented with the opportunity to learn more about wildlife and the ecosystem. Resorts like Coco Collection in the Maldives employ resident marine biologists, who conduct regular sessions for guests to learn about marine biodiversity in their vicinities. Coco Collection’s environmentally-friendly fishing expeditions allow guests to embark on research fishing expeditions to help monitor and document marine species in the area, and its Coral Nursery Project supports coral reef care and regrowth. Chiara Fumagalli, the group’s marine
01-05 Coco Collection in the Maldives educates guests about marine life during their stays in luxury villas with breathtaking views of the ocean.
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Indulge
Travel Philanthropy
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biologist, says: “Having guests discover that some of their usual activities or practices may be harming the environment, and prompting them to then ask what they can do differently or how they can help preserve the Earth, is a fabulous thing.” In northern Thailand, the Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle partners with the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation (GTAEF) to give guests the chance to get up close and personal with these majestic mammals. Guests can also help with research activities investigating elephant behaviour, and this in turn enhances GTAEF’s ability to care for the animals. Other resorts go the extra mile to ensure that their operations methods are aligned with conservation efforts in their vicinities. The Song Saa Private Island Resort in Cambodia, which has 27 luxurious villas, adopts a “triple bottom-line” business model which measures the company’s success in revenue as well as the positive impact it has had on the people and the environment. This involves running sustainability programmes such as establishing the country’s first marine protected area, and teaching local fishermen sustainable methods that will ensure fish populations remain healthy. But even as jumping onto the do-good bandwagon becomes increasingly popular, Brenton
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Whittaker, Project Coordinator for Bali Kids, warns travellers to be wary of scams. Some “orphanages” around the world are reported to be seedy operations that prey on tourists’ eagerness to give back. It has also been discovered that some “orphans” were bought off their parents to populate these private ventures. “Do your homework first and do not make vast outlays when volunteering,” says Whittaker, who advises that reliable bespoke agencies often have direct contact with the charities and initiatives they support. It is imperative to exercise discretion when choosing travel agencies, or you could end up causing more damage instead of helping. A study done by British and South African academics several years ago revealed that short-term philanthropy missions could actually be counterproductive – affluent traveller-volunteers may prevent locals from getting paid jobs; orphans or abused children may suffer additional trauma from severed emotional connections when their benefactors leave for home. Scams and ill-intentions aside, however, this sort of travel always promises greater rewards than the getaways themselves – when undertaken correctly, of course. You would, after all, have played a part in making the world a better place.
06 Travellers get to find out more about elephants at the Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle in Thailand. 07 Wind down on the luxurious grounds of Nihiwatu after helping out with community development efforts in the day.
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Visionary
Master Architect
The Simplicity of Style Lim Sio Hui speaks to renowned architect Jean-Michel Gathy and finds out that when it comes to the creation of the world’s most stunning luxury hotels, comfort comes first. “Is the Rolls-Royce about the headlights, or the seat you’re driving in?” Architect Jean-Michel Gathy is musing about hotel design, or more specifically, about the secret behind his firm’s award-winning projects. “It’s the whole thing,” the Belgian replies. “A hotel is like a Rolls-Royce – it has to be all-rounded and seamless.” Based in Asia for most of his professional life, the 57-year-old is the brains behind Denniston, an architecture firm responsible for designing some of the world’s most renowned luxury hotels. Whether it’s his Aman-branded retreats in exotic destinations such as India’s Rajasthan National Park or LVMH Moet Hennessy - Louis Vuitton’s upcoming Cheval Blanc Randheli resort in the Maldives, he believes that the success of his hotels is derived from the way every element of the design is in harmony with the others. “All our contracts state that we will do the architecture, interior, and landscape,” explains Gathy. “You will never feel that the conformation of the windows does not match the facade, or that the swimming pool is not easy to access from the bedroom. We seamlessly relate things.” Looking at his stilted villas, strung discreetly along the coral atolls, lagoons and private beaches of One&Only Reethi Rah in the Maldives, or the magnificently perched monastic design of the St Regis Lhasa Resort, you begin to understand Gathy’s magic, which stems from a respect for the site. “If you’re on the lake, I’ll give you the view of the lake. If you’re on the mountain, I’ll face the sun, because it’s cold,” he shares. “The most fundamental point is to be appropriate to the site and make the guest comfortable.” Gathy recently launched two Aman hotels – the Aman Canal Grande, a heritage-listed restored palazzo on Venice’s prime waterway, and Amanoi, a massive project spanning 40 hectares in the mountains close to the sea in Vinh Hy, Vietnam. While the two projects are on opposite ends of the style spectrum, there’s one signature trait that is easily recognisable – a carefully orchestrated balance in each space. “I believe that being intentionally chaotic in a design is unpleasant. You see a geometry, an axis, a physical balance: like the Champs-Elysees, the Egyptian pyramids, or the Taj Mahal – my projects are like that. “Often, when somebody says, ‘this is beautiful,’ you don’t know why – it just looks good,” proposes Gathy. “Actually, it’s because it’s balanced. When something is balanced, it is always more pleasant and peaceful.” Gathy would know. After all, he has 50 years of experience in the study of travel and architecture. At the age of seven, he was already saving up his weekly allowance to indulge his passion for seeing the world, albeit through the study of maps. He says, “I would study a country from an atlas all week – the names of the cities, the number
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03 01 The living room of a villa at the Cheval Blanc Randheli in the Maldives. 02 & 03 There is a sense of serenity at the St Regis Lhasa Resort, built high in the mountains of Tibet. 04 Jean-Michel Gathy says his love for travelling and architecture has been a life-long affair.
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of people living in the cities, the highest mountains, the roads; the names of the harbours, rivers and gorges. Then on Friday, I would take the money I have saved, and buy ‘blind’ maps of the world, and test myself by filling in the blanks.” Later, after his parents found out about his secret hobby, Gathy was tasked to organise family holidays. At just 10 years of age, he became the family’s navigator and tour guide for the first time. He studied road maps and organised visits to a cathedral, a castle and other heritage buildings, and recounted each location’s history to his family. “That’s what gave me the love of architecture and travelling,” recalls Gathy. Powered by Gathy’s love for his job, it is no wonder that Denniston is a world leader in hotel design today. “We win every famous commission, not because we’re smarter or better,” he shares. “Basically, I have been accumulating knowledge since I was seven years old. It has been my life.”
05 Enjoy a super-exclusive getaway at One&Only Reethi Rah in the Maldives.
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Masterpiece
Cultural Artefacts
Emblems of Majesty Once derided as markers of decadence, gem-encrusted FabergĂŠ eggs are making a comeback. By Hong Xinyi
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Image Corbis
Tokens of love, emblems of imperial splendour, showcases for breathtaking craftsmanship, poignant reminders of a violence-soaked history, and now, controversial status symbols for a new breed of wealthy tastemakers – the iconic Fabergé eggs bear different meanings. The first Fabergé egg was made in 1885 for the Romanov Tsar, Alexander III, and presented to his wife, Empress Maria Feodorovna, as an Easter present. Jeweller Peter Carl Fabergé was tasked with creating what is known as the Hen Egg. Its gold shell covered with opaque white enamel, the egg opens to reveal a matte yellow gold yolk containing a gold hen with ruby eyes, which opened to reveal a diamond replica of the imperial crown and a ruby pendant. The commissioning of imperial easter eggs became a tradition that Alexander III’s son, Nicholas II, continued. Over the next 32 years, until the Romanov dynasty was overthrown in 1917, Fabergé made an estimated 50 such eggs for the royal family, as well as eggs for other aristocrats and captains of industry. Says Mark Moehrke, Fabergé expert and Director of Russian Works of Art at Christie’s: “Fabergé eggs are the ultimate trophy for collectors because they have imperial provenance and reflect the romance of the lost Russian Empire. Rarity is one of the most appealing qualities of the Fabergé eggs.” One apocryphal anecdote claims that Fabergé eggs were among the Fabergé eggs are the valuables sewn into the clothes of Nicholas II’s young daughters before ultimate trophy for the family faced the Bolshevik firing squad. Later, under Joseph Stalin’s collectors because they have regime, many Imperial Eggs were sold to collectors outside Russia. The most prominent of these buyers was the tycoon Malcolm Forbes, imperial provenance and whose collection of Fabergé objects included nine Imperial Eggs. reflect the romance Some striking Imperial Eggs include the 1911 Fifteenth Anniversary of the lost Russian Empire. Egg, an enamel and diamond creation featuring scenes from the private and public lives of Nicholas II and his family. The 1913 Winter Egg, auctioned in 2002 for US$9.6 million, is admired for its thin rock crystal shell, with platinum and diamond decorations designed to look like frost. In 2007, a 1902 gold and enamel Fabergé egg owned by the Rothschild banking family made headlines for fetching US$16.5 million at an auction. “Since this market came into being following the Russian Revolution, collectors from all over the world have become interested in them. Fabergé collectors have diverse backgrounds, coming from America, Europe and Russia,” Moehrke notes. “Although there is always the risk of acquiring fakes, Fabergé eggs have been very well documented for the past century, so they are easily traceable. Collectors can always seek expert advice from auction house specialists.” In 2004, as part of his personal mission to recover Russian cultural artefacts that were lost during the 20th century, Russian oligarch Victor Vekselberg bought the Forbes collection for a sum estimated at more than US$100 million. Another 10 of the Imperial Eggs are displayed at Moscow’s Kremlin Armoury Museum. The rest are in private and state collections and in museums all over 01 Model illuminated by light from a Russian Imperial the world. Eight Imperial Eggs remain missing. Easter egg made by Fabergé. She wears a lacy collar The Fabergé brand itself has staged a comeback. Purchased by businessman Brian Gilbertson of square-cut emeralds in 2007, with Peter Carl Fabergé’s great-granddaughters Tatiana and Sarah acting as advisors, the and round diamonds, and matching diamond ring, all company launched two collections of egg pendants in 2011 – the first new creations from the from Harry Winston circa House of Fabergé since the dark days of 1917. December 1958.
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Vantage
Waxing Lyrical
An Intangible Luxury Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Regional Director Paul Harris ponders time and its connection to success.
I once said to an audience of business principals, some of whom were Rolls-Royce clients, that time was possibly the most important factor in their businesses. As many of us know, of all the resources at our disposal, time is perhaps the only one which we cannot acquire more of and therefore need to use wisely. Time is needed to embrace new challenges, new customers and therefore new approaches. It certainly was time for me to reflect as we had introduced more new models to our Rolls-Royce range with Ghost, Phantom Series II and the promise of a magnificent new car – now revealed to be Wraith. Our business in the Asia Pacific region was also expanding. Everyone knows that markets fluctuate, and in the long-term, Asia will become the heartbeat of the world’s economy. It is only a matter of time. I then began to reflect on how important time is to me, how technology has progressed since I started my career in the car industry nearly 30 years ago, and how the Rolls-Royce brand has evolved in 109 years since that seminal moment when Charles Rolls and Henry Royce met over lunch. Time is hugely important to me, as it probably is to you. We need to juggle “Increasingly, I see myriad responsibilities – jobs, family, health, relationships, “me” time and, in many time as a luxury. It’s a cases, giving back to society. I remark on the latter as I see more and more conundrum that the philanthropists giving up their time and money for worthy causes every day. I have observed over the years that we tend to have an unhealthy obsession greater the success, with speed. Sometimes the race to achieve success means significant things the greater the are left behind. The rush to modernisation in Asia, for example, has left some time burden.” cityscapes sterile. While it is always a pleasure to visit one’s favourite coffee chain in a foreign city, I cannot help but wonder if globalisation has left us with nothing more than mirror images in each Asian metropolis which possess little local flavour or flair. Some may assume that the key to success is devoted work time and a strong work ethic. Studies show that the upcoming generation values work-life balance more than their elders, who place emphasis on loyalty, job security or rewards. Yet, the aspiring youth of today are no less competitive. Management gurus exhort that time is “precious” and “irreplaceable”, so we speed up. But paradoxically, the business of handcrafted, bespoke cars thrives on well-apportioned time in order to ensure quality, excellence, and attention to detail. Today’s rush for accomplishment can be brutal. In modern, professional sports culture, an athlete’s success is generally defined as his or her becoming a world champion in his or her early 20s. But following the flurry of media attention and public adoration, it is all over by the time the athlete is 30. How do we sustain repeated success? I think there is no clear answer. The word
“authenticity” comes to mind: staying true to one’s values consistently (brand and product) while also moving with the times; balancing some time-honoured virtues. For ultra-luxury products, the need to be timeless in terms of design and craftsmanship comes to mind – a feat that I believe we at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars have managed to achieve since this new era, in which Rolls-Royce began production in Goodwood, began in 2003. However, innovation is also a constant challenge as product cycles are becoming shorter. Many innovative high-tech companies are advocates of “20 per cent time”. The core idea behind this — that knowledge workers are most valuable when they are given space in which to experiment — is apparently more relevant than ever. We do something akin to this at Rolls-Royce, and some of our best ideas make it to the production line. Time also allows us to reflect, reinvent, and re-adapt. I fondly remember this quote that someone once said to me: “However we remember the past, or anticipate the future, we live in the present.” This has been a mantra that I share with my team. We certainly cannot change what has happened, but we can definitely programme ourselves to create a tomorrow. Increasingly, I see time as a luxury. It’s a conundrum that the greater the success, the greater the time burden. The usual advice dispensed is that we can get it all done with better organisation. But this surely is a fallacy. We will always have challenges to face and activities to do. The solution is to rethink how we manage our time. I recently received an email from a highly satisfied customer who was on a 2,500km journey in one of our cars. He is certainly enjoying his life with a passion. Perhaps this is the way to go. The reward is in making the time, not just the money.
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Journeys
2013 Centenary Alpine Trial
A Road Trip Like No Other Glen Watson goes on an unforgettable jaunt through Austria with Rolls-Royce during the 2013 Centenary Alpine Trial.
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Journeys
01 An Alpine Trial Centenary Collection Ghost (bottom left) retracing a historic route amid breathtaking views of snow-capped mountains. 02 Silver Ghosts parked outside a Rolls-Royce store in the 1910s. 03 The colour of the Alpine Trial Centenary Collection Ghost (left) was inspired by that of the legendary Radley Ghost (right). 04 An old advertisement for the Alpine Trials.
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2013 Centenary Alpine Trial
British aviator and adventurer James Radley must have been quite a fellow. Among his accomplishments, he participated as a privateer in several editions of the annual Alpenfahrt (Alpine Trial) before the First World War. He was forced to retire from the 1912 race by a gear problem; that route took competitors from Salzburg to Innsbruck, Riva, Toblach, Trieste and Klagenfurt, then back to Vienna – in seven days. In 1913, Radley returned with the four-speed chassis 2260E, an exact duplicate of the three official Rolls-Royce entries that could reach 120km/h in top gear, as well as climb steep mountain roads in first. With its Radley-Morison coachworks completed at the privateer’s Huntingdon aeroplane hangar, this car was slightly larger and had fuller wings than its three Rolls-Royce counterparts. Louvres had been added along the bonnet to improve airflow, helping to cool the 7.4-litre engine that could reach 2,500rpm. Most of the other 43 entries had 3.5- to 4.5-litre engines. Interestingly, Radley’s car was dynamometer-tested before the rally, and produced 10 per cent more power than the team cars. Uniquely, the car (now known as the Radley) also had electric lighting – the others still used acetylene. He started out in fourth place on June 21, but Radley soon took the lead and held it every day thereafter until the finish in Vienna, earning the City of Trieste and Austrian Motor Volunteer Corps prizes as well as a silver badge. He was victorious again in 1914, returning with the Chassis 18PB to achieve his ambition of a clean sheet with no points lost. So here we are, 100 years later, with the 20-Ghost Club and the now BMWowned Rolls-Royce Motor Cars teaming up to organise a special centenary celebration of Radley’s 1913 accomplishment. Undoubtedly, the highlight of the event is seeing that legendary vehicle taking part in the Alpenfahrt alongside 47 other pre-1940 Silver Ghosts and a bespoke Alpine Trial Centenary Collection Ghost saloon whose exterior hue is inspired by the Radley’s. Featuring a distinct blue-grey colour and painted black rims and grille (a first since Rolls-Royce Motor Cars began production in Goodwood), the modern edition also pays tribute to the original with a clock displaying the rally stages, as well as inlays in the picnic tables and fascia showing the topography and distances of the Alpine route. It is nothing short of stunning. I join the 2013 Alpine Trial in Lake Bled, Slovenia, in time to see Prince Edward and his wife Sophie leaving the Queen’s birthday garden party at the Grand Hotel Toplice, accompanied by members of the 20-Ghost Club. All of the participating cars are lined up on the street beside the lake; Bled Castle, perched high upon its mountain, overlooks us. The sight is spectacular. I soon meet up with Sir Michael Kadoorie of Hong Kong. He owns the Peninsula hotel group and hosts The Quail, A Motosports Gathering during the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California every year. He is participating in the Trial with a 1912 Silver Ghost Penny Holmes Tourer, acquired in 1999 and completely rebuilt over three years. The car features a unique “underslung suspension”, and there are only six others like it in the world. “I do it for the pleasure of driving the car,” says Kadoorie about being a part of this year’s event. He last took part in the Alpine Trial 10 years ago. Commenting that he has since travelled at least
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05 Steep gradients, sharp bends and untarred roads add to the challenge of the Alpine Trials. 06 John L. Kennedy (left), the current caretaker of the Radley, speaks with writer Glen Watson during their memorable trip through Austria. 07 Sir Michael Kadoorie of Hong Kong smiles for the camera from his 1912 Silver Ghost Penny Holmes Tourer. 08 Prince Edward and Princess Sophie attend the Queen’s birthday party at Lake Bled, Slovenia.
Journeys
2013 Centenary Alpine Trial
15,000km with this car, he adds: “I think these cars bring people of like passion and enthusiasm together. When you consider that most of the cars participating are 100 years old or more, it’s kind of an extraordinary experience.” I’m honoured with an invitation to be the Radley’s navigator on the final two legs back into Austria and past the finish line in Vienna. At the wheel is its current caretaker, John L. Kennedy of New Zealand, who has researched everything there probably is to know about the car and its famed original driver. It is clear that he adores driving the Radley with his wife, Rae, by his side, but today he is stuck with me while Rae enjoys the massage seats in the modern Ghost. As soon as we set off, Kennedy chatters incessantly about the car and the late Radley as we travel through green alpine valleys, up and over 1,000m- to 2,200m-high summits with ease. We zip back and forth on the countless switchbacks and push beyond the 100km/h mark on flatter straights. The 100-year-old Silver Ghost occasionally lets out little backfire burps, reminding me of an excited horse enjoying itself. It rides and runs like a dream. Kennedy’s hands never stop moving – he is constantly steering, moving levers, and pumping the handbrake mounted 05 06 outside the door on the driver’s side (this door is useless when entering or exiting the car). Kennedy is a driving force behind the Alpenfahrt recreations, which were last held 10 and 20 years ago. His attention to detail and his passion for this event lead me to think he’s actually Radley reincarnated. Or perhaps he is just channelling Radley’s spirit 07 08 through the 1913 Silver Ghost. “When you consider that most We experience fluctuating weather conditions as we move closer to the finish of the cars participating line in Vienna, and even the windburn is not are 100 years old or more, enough to wipe the smiles off our faces. it’s kind of an extraordinary I wear an Austrian army officer’s outfit on experience.” the final day in portrayal of the scrutineer who rode to victory with Radley. It has been an amazing experience, and any relief I feel at the finishing line is quickly replaced by sadness that the epic adventure has finally come to an end. “We knocked the bastard off,” quips Kennedy to his mates, echoing Sir Edmund Hillary’s words after the latter returned from Mount Everest’s summit in 1953. Handed glasses of champagne to celebrate, we shake hands and pose for photos with the Radley. This has certainly been a trip to remember, and I’m already looking forward to driving with Kennedy again. I just hope I don’t have to wait 10 years for the next Alpine Trial celebration to do it.
09 09 Silver Ghosts lend a touch of nostalgia to the convoy during their trip through Europe. 10 An Alpine Trial Centenary Collection Ghost provided a touch of modernity as it travelled amid vintage Silver Ghosts during the event.
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Passion
Rolls-Royce Motor Car Owner
A Fortuitous Irony Chinese real estate mogul Chen Daoyi tells Wang Fangqing how he made a fortune doing what he once swore never to do, and how his Phantom is a reflection of his philosophy of life. As a boy, Chen Daoyi would cringe seeing his parents toil on their farm in the scorching summer heat, and he resolved never to go down the same road. “No more outdoor jobs,” he said to himself. At the age of 16, Chen left his hometown of Taishun, then an underdeveloped, isolated village in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, to seek new opportunities. He travelled to many cities and was so intrigued by the buildings he saw that his career, ironically, started outdoors in the concrete jungle of Guangdong province. “That job was obviously against my earlier wish,” the 41-year-old says with a laugh. He explains that he took up that first job primarily because he was eager to learn more about the industry. His keen interest in the business soon led him to enrol in a local university from which he graduated with a degree in civil engineering. “Many of my friends Through a friend, Chen then managed to get a job in Zhongyu own Phantoms and they Construction Group, a state-owned real estate company in Wenzhou. were telling me how Fueled by his passion for the real estate business, Chen steadily ascended great the car is. the company’s ranks. Within 10 years, he had worked his way up from an entry-level construction worker position to being the company’s regional Rolls-Royce is no doubt a manager in charge of 32 operations. trustable brand.” With a wealth of hands-on and managerial experience under his belt, Chen then felt it was time to run his own business. In 2009, together with another company, he bought real estate developer Yuanyang for RMB$63 million (US$10.3 million). “In my life, I have never been afraid of taking risks,” Chen says, when asked about the secret behind his success. “That was a huge risk I took in 2009 because, firstly, I had already achieved a good and stable career in Zhongyu. Secondly, the takeover coincided with the beginning of the financial crisis.” But just having an appetite for risk is hardly enough for one to run a successful business. Chen has a flair for planning too, and the first thing he did after acquiring Yuanyang was to revamp its original management model. “Poor management exposes companies to high risks and affects their efficiency,” Chen says, explaining why he built a core management team and made vast improvements with regards to transparency and risk management. Now, almost 30 years later, that childhood resolution of never having to toil in the open has finally been cemented. Gone are the days when he had to don work boots, hard hats and dirty overalls and work at construction sites. Sitting in his spacious office in downtown Hangzhou, Chen now manages a multi-billion-yuan business as the president of Yuanyang Group. But unlike his peers who like wearing designer labels to work, Chen prefers a simple white shirt and grey pants.
“I prefer wearing a ‘uniform’ when I’m at the office,” he says with a smile. Chen’s taste in cars, however, is a little more sophisticated. The businessman owns seven cars, and among them is a wine red Rolls-Royce Phantom Extended Wheelbase, bought just last year. Chen believes that his business philosophy is reflected in his Phantom. “Yuanyang doesn’t have to be a mega company, but I want it to evolve and last,” Chen says, before expressing his concerns about the fact that the average lifespan of a Chinese private company is only five years. His focus on stability resulted in his decision to buy a Rolls-Royce. He says, “The car has an advanced, powerful engine in a classic, high-end façade that the historical, respectable British brand always keeps. I enjoy the speed, stability and status it offers.” Chen admits that he is highly discerning in his choice of cars, as they will have to take him on demanding journeys – he frequently makes five-hour trips back to Taishun to visit his parents, as well as manage a new company that helps local farmers sell tea leaves and fruits outside Wenzhou. “Many of my friends own Phantoms and they were telling me how great the car is,” Chen adds. “And Rolls-Royce is no doubt a trustable brand.”
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Hong Kong Distinguished guests from around the Asia Pacific region were treated to a sneak preview of Wraith, the latest addition to the Rolls-Royce family, in Hong Kong. They were treated to the presence of artisans from Goodwood who flew in especially for the event.
Kuala Lumpur Malaysia’s successful elite gathered at JW Marriott for the launch of Wraith – the most powerful and dynamic Rolls-Royce ever.
Glitterati
Wraith Asia Pacific Launch
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Singapore Making its Southeast Asian debut in Singapore, the highly-anticipated Wraith thrilled guests with its contemporary two-door, sweeping fastback design and luxurious interior. A series of events were held. And for some, knowing that the car seats four comfortably, it was a family affair.
Tokyo Wraith received a warm welcome in Tokyo during a nationwide launch. Japan is destined to become one of the largest markets for the model in the Asia Pacific, outside of China. Japan is a market which has had a long love affair with fastback designs – but none, to date, as luxurious as Wraith.
Glitterati
Wraith Asia Pacific Launch
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The Rolls-Royce Family
In A League of Its Own
There is a faint but discernible line between sophistication and tasteless decadence; a difference between splurging because one can afford to do so, and doing the same because one appreciates the poignance of his or her choice. Rolls-Royce owners know this, and that is why they have put their faith in a brand which has been at the forefront of engineering excellence, ingenuity, and timeless elegance for over a century. To own a Rolls-Royce is to be a rare connoisseur of the finest craftsmanship the
automotive world can offer. To our exclusive group of owners, a Rolls-Royce is more than just a mode of transport or display of status – it is a physical manifestation of its owner’s belief that mankind’s never-ending quest for perfection stops, albeit temporarily, at his or her Wraith, Ghost or Phantom. But there is so much more to the brand than just a car becoming a work of art. Rolls-Royce’s belief in the highest of standards is a holistic one, and it promises to excite and impress owners whether they are in or outside the car. Form and function are paramount in any
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design. In a Rolls-Royce, these two elements come together to create a harmony that is second to none. The beauty of its form lies in its simplicity, which is complemented with state-of-the-art technology that lies beneath the hood. Deep tufted carpets and sumptuous leather in the interior cocoon a driver in his or her very own sanctuary, while V12 engines provide effortless power. Exceptional vehicle handling and suspension systems ensure a ride so refined and smooth that it is as enigmatic as the car’s name. Rolls-Royce Assist also provides peace of mind. This Emergency SOS call function in the
car ensures that help is never too far away. In the case of a rare malfunction or road accident, the owner is linked to the nearest emergency service call centre, which will promptly provide the necessary assistance. Service continues even off the road. Rolls-Royce dealerships provide unparalleled levels of personalised customer service, and owners will never have to worry about aftercare. A new Rolls-Royce is covered by a comprehensive service and recovery package for the first four years, regardless of mileage. This is why people choose Rolls-Royce. Because only the finest will suffice.
01 A family of Phantoms (From left: Phantom Extended Wheelbase, Phantom Coupé, Phantom and Phantom Drophead Coupé). 02 Wraith is Rolls-Royce’s latest offering, and the brand’s most powerful motor car in history. 03 Purists love the simple, yet elegant designs of Ghost and Ghost Extended Wheelbase.
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The Rolls-Royce Family
PHANTOM Phantom is an unmistakable symbol of luxury; its classic, timeless design exudes a sense of power and this car is the result of Rolls-Royce’s desire to build only the best automobile in the world. Coupé versions are also available for those who prefer a more informal sporting drive.
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PHANTOM
PHANTOM COUPÉ
Dimensions
Dimensions
Vehicle length Vehicle width Vehicle height (unladen) Wheelbase Boot
5842 mm / 230.0 in 1990 mm / 78.3 in 1638 mm / 64.5 in 3570 mm / 140.6 in 460 litres / 16.2 cubic feet
Performance*
Top speed Acceleration 0-60 mph Acceleration 0-100 km/h
Vehicle length Vehicle width Vehicle height (unladen) Wheelbase Boot
5612 mm / 220.9 in 1987 mm / 78.2 in 1598 mm / 62.9 in 3320 mm / 130.7 in 395 litres / 13.9 cubic feet
Performance*
149 mph / 240 km/h (governed) 5.7 sec 5.9 sec
Top speed (governed) Acceleration 0-60 mph Acceleration 0-100 km/h
155 mph / 250 km/h 5.6 sec 5.8 sec
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PHANTOM EXTENDED WHEELBASE
PHANTOM DROPHEAD COUPÉ
Dimensions
Vehicle length Vehicle width Vehicle height (unladen) Wheelbase Boot
Dimensions
6092 mm / 239.8 in 1990 mm / 78.3 in 1640 mm / 64.6 in 3820 mm / 150.4 in 460 litres / 16.2 cubic feet
Performance*
Top speed Acceleration 0-60 mph Acceleration 0-100 km/h
Vehicle length Vehicle width Vehicle height (unladen) Wheelbase Boot
5612 mm / 220.9 in 1987 mm / 78.2 in 1566 mm / 61.7 in 3320 mm / 130.7 in 395 litres / 13.9 cubic feet
Performance*
149 mph / 240 km/h (governed) 5.8 sec 6.1 sec
Top speed Acceleration 0-60 mph Acceleration 0-100 km/h
149 mph / 240 km/h (governed) 5.6 sec 5.8 sec
Engine (All Phantom models)**
Max torque @ engine speed Power output @ engine speed
720 Nm / 531 lb ft @ 3500 rpm 453 bhp / 460 PS (DIN) / 338 kW @ 5350 rpm
WRAITH
GHOST
The most powerful and technologically advanced Rolls-Royce in history, Wraith can accelerate from 0-100km/h in 4.6 seconds. A benchmark of power and style, its elegant design makes this gran turismo a contemporary homage to fastback cars.
Its simplistic, dynamic design makes Ghost an elegant ride, while Blenheim carpets and cashmere-blend roofs add to the openess of space. A low sill height ensures that the driver is able to exit and enter with as much grace as the car.
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WRAITH
GHOST
Dimensions
Vehicle length Vehicle width Vehicle height (unladen) Wheelbase Boot
Dimensions
5269 mm / 207.4 in 1947 mm / 76.7 in 1507 mm / 59.3 in 3112 mm / 122.5 in 470 litres / 16.6 cubic feet
Vehicle length Vehicle width Vehicle height (unladen) Wheelbase Boot
Performance*
Performance*
Top speed
Top speed
155 mph / 250 km/h (governed) Acceleration 0 – 60 mph (UK) 4.4 sec Acceleration 0 – 100 km/h 4.6 sec Engine (Wraith)
Max torque @ engine speed
800 Nm / lb ft @ 1,500-5,500 rpm Power output @ engine speed 624 bhp / 632 PS (DIN) / 465 kW @ 5,600 rpm
Acceleration 0-60 mph Acceleration 0-100 km/h
5399 mm / 212.6 in 1948 mm / 76.7 in 1550 mm / 61.0 in 3295 mm / 129.7 in 490 litres / 17.3 cubic feet 155 mph / 250 km/h (governed) 4.7 sec (4.8 sec) 4.9 sec (5.0 sec)
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GHOST EXTENDED WHEELBASE Dimensions
Vehicle length Vehicle width Vehicle height (unladen) Wheelbase Boot
5569 mm / 219.3 in 1948 mm / 76.7 in 1550 mm / 61.0 in 3465 mm / 136.4 in 490 litres / 17.3 cubic feet
Performance*
Top speed Acceleration 0-60 mph Acceleration 0-100 km/h
155 mph / 250 km/h (governed) 4.8 sec (4.9 sec) 5.0 sec (5.1 sec)
Engine (Ghost and Ghost Extended)**
Max torque @ engine speed
780 Nm / 575 lb ft @ 1500 rpm Power output @ engine speed 563 bhp / 570 PS (DIN) / 420 kW @ 5250 rpm
* Manufacturer’s test results. Actual acceleration results may vary depending on specifications of the vehicle, road and environmental conditions, testing procedures and driving styles. These results should be used for comparison only and verification should not be attempted on public roads. **All Rolls-Royce motor cars are powered by direct-fuel-injected V12 engines.
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Last Look
Rotary Controller
characters, allows you to access your music or the Internet by simply “writing” the commands with your fingers. Its “pull and pinch” function also enables you to zoom in and out for
easy viewing. Prefer a more vocal approach? Activate speech recognition using the controller and tell the car your demands. It’s more than a driving seat – Wraith places you on a throne.
Touching ecstasy Wraith’s Spirit of Ecstasy Rotary Controller places power at your fingertips. Literally. The touchpad, which recognises English, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Arabic and Chinese
BEING UNIqUE Is AN ArT.
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