More car manufacturers are embracing vegan interiors than ever before, offering more sustainable alternatives to traditional cabin materials. Volvo is going leather-free by 2030 and will instead use bio-based and recycled interior materials. Mini will also no longer offer leather interiors in future models.

Even Bentley, a manufacturer renowned for its luxurious handcrafted interiors lavished with the finest leathers and high-quality wood trims, offers animal-friendly vegan interior options as part of its commitment to becoming an eco-friendlier company. Rolls-Royce, on the other hand, does not offer any vegan options for its luxurious interiors. And there is a simple reason for this - nobody has ever requested it.

"Nobody has ever asked us for a vegan interior," Rolls-Royce boss Torsten Muller-Otvos said in an interview with Autocar when asked if the brand would ditch leather. "Sustainability is very important to us but it should not compromise luxury." However, the CEO did not rule out the possibility of building a vegan interior one day, adding that Rolls-Royce is open to customer requests if any of its wealthy clients don't want a leather interior. The luxury marque has a long list of bespoke commissions for anyone who can afford them, but such people have always wanted the very best in materials and finishings.

This also doesn't mean that sustainability isn't a priority for Rolls-Royce. The CEO called Rolls-Royce's Goodwood factory "a leader in sustainable production."

Rolls-Royce is also moving away from combustion engines and will become an electric-only brand by the end of the decade. Due to go on sale for the 2024 model year, the luxury brand's first-ever electric car will be the Spectre. Details are scarce, but the camouflaged prototype shown in teaser photos features a familiar design echoing that of the Rolls-Royce Wraith.

Whether the Spectre will have a sustainable interior that complements the luxury EV's eco-friendly powertrain remains to be seen, but Rolls-Royce has promised that it will retain the brand's signature Pantheon grille, indicating that tradition will be of utmost importance as the brand forges a new future.