Phantom

Segment
Sedan

The vast majority of Rolls-Royces that are sold are entirely unique, customized to the specific tastes of their fortunate customers. Just days ago, the Rolls-Royce Phantom 'Iridescent Opulence' was unveiled in Abu Dhabi; it featured an artistic dashboard display crafted from real feathers. The latest bespoke Rolls-Royce creation is the Koa Phantom Extended, designed for Jack Boyd Smith Jr. He is a keen car enthusiast and one of Rolls-Royce's most valued clients. We've seen some outlandish Rolls-Royce commissions in the past, but this one is made special by the stunning use of good ol' glossy wood within the majestic cabin - not just any wood, mind you, but one of the rarest kinds on the planet, Koa wood.

This is now the first Rolls-Royce Phantom to make use of Koa wood, which is sourced from a rare species of a tree that is native to Hawaii. Mr. Smith and his wife are said to have had a long appreciation for the "warmth and character" of this wood and they even have a Koa wood rocking chair as a prized possession in their home. It took three years to realize Mr. Smith's vision of the Koa Phantom for the ideal veneer, which was eventually sourced from a specialist. Climbing inside this Phantom, the combination of Dove Grey leather upholstery and the velvety effect of the Koa wood is truly beautiful. The wood has been liberally applied to the dashboard, steering wheel, picnic tables that fold down from the front seatbacks, and other areas of the interior.

Other lovely details like the famous starlight headliner - with no less than 1,420 fiber optic lights - personalized treadplates, and Navy Blue highlights and piping ensure that every trip in this car will be one to savor. There is even a hand-crafted Koa wood picnic hamper, hand-made wine glasses from Hungary's Ajka Crystal factory, and stainless-steel cutlery.

With all the focus on the Koa wood cabin, it's almost easy to forget how imposing this Rolls looks from the outside. Mr. Smith selected a deep, dark blue shade called Packard Blue for the body with a coachline finished in contrasting Dove Grey, perfectly matching the cabin. The exterior color was color-matched to Mr. Smith's own 1934 Packard Twelve Coupe, with a rigorous testing process to ensure a perfect match.

"It is our honor to present Jack Boyd Smith, Jr. with his latest Rolls-Royce Phantom commission," said Torsten Muller-Otvos, Chief Executive at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. "The Koa Phantom demonstrates the extraordinary skill of the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective - a precious and rare example of a naturally-sourced material, Koa wood, is masterfully incorporated into Phantom's contemporary interior." Although Mr. Smith's car collection contains over 60 models, the Koa Phantom must surely rank high up on that list as one of the most special.