Rolls-Royce Takes The Majestic Dragon On A Spin With 2024 Lunar New Year Cars

Images courtesy of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

Rolls-Royce, reputed for its elegant, quiet cars, is rolling into the Lunar New Year with a legendary, expected roar. The automaker has rolled out a commissioned Year of the Dragon lineup consisting of three bespoke Phantom Extended models and one Cullinan, each one a wheeled masterpiece paying homage to Chinese traditions.

The special vehicles, crafted at the esteemed Goodwood home of Rolls-Royce, are set to journey worldwide, embodying the essence of the dragon—a symbol of power, prosperity, and success across cultures.

Image courtesy of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

Image courtesy of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

Drawing from the mystique of the beast, Rolls-Royce has reimagined this formidable emblem in a contemporary, minimalist style that still harks back to its traditional roots. Each automobile sports interior fascia panels adorned with red, hand-painted dragon artworks by a dedicated artist at the marque, embodying prosperity and fortune.

Video screenshot via Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

Rolls-Royce’s fiery character, each requiring over two weeks of meticulous work, comprises a painstaking layering technique to deliver a 3D flame-like effect, breathing life into the dragon.

The interiors further celebrate this mythical motif, with Phoenix Red stitching on the headrests of the luxurious black or white leather seats. Meanwhile, precision in the stitch direction and density creates a dynamic, fluid design, emphasizing the dragon’s continuous movement. Additionally, the rear picnic tables in three of the commissions bear a stainless steel inlay of the Chinese zodiac calendar, with the dragon distinctly highlighted in gold.

But reaffirming the existence of this majestic creature is the Starlight Headliner, an abstract graphic of a dragon formed by over 1,300 hand-placed fiber-optic lights. This intricate design, especially a unique red ‘stars’ version for the Shanghai-bound car, symbolizes the auspicious color red in Chinese culture, and took over 20 hours of careful placement to perfect.

Image courtesy of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

Each Rolls-Royce creation is finished with an exclusive coachline in Phoenix Red. The dragons are “orientated to face right, which symbolically represents the East—the direction of the rising sun,” the brand details.

Image courtesy of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

“Our aim was to create a modern interpretation of the dragon capturing its essence as a symbol of power. The design evokes a sense of motion and energy, expressing the dragon as a driving force, all rendered with a depth and complexity to reflect its commanding spirit and Presence,” shares Rebecca Davies, bespoke designer at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

Image courtesy of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

[via Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, images courtesy]