The Rolls-Royce Wraith “Inspired By” Collection
Driving a Rolls-Royce is a singular experience that’s enjoyable in multiple ways. Your eyes take in the stately lines stretching out in front of you, your ears are soothed by the gentle, muted roar of its massive engine, and your fingertips are met with the sensation of polished metal, exotic wood, or soft leather wherever they land. Perhaps that’s why Rolls-Royce decided to create a new line of Wraith coupes whose personalities stimulate those three senses: “Inspired by Film,” “Inspired by Music,” and “Inspired by Fashion.”
Although the music-influenced car was not present at the Rolls-Royce event I recently attended at the Park Place dealership in Dallas, Texas, champagne and hand-painted chocolates were in ample supply to take my mind off of its absence. The models that showed up after I took my pictures had a similar effect.
They were soon joined by dozens of well-dressed people in the fashion industry and Rolls-Royce clients. I navigated my way through them and waiters offering hors d’oeuvres to talk with Gerry Spahn, the head of Rolls-Royce’s North American communications department, about his company’s newest offerings.
An homage to the silver screen, the “Inspired by Film” Wraith looked the part in its combination of Silver and Jubilee Silver. Even the hand-cast Spirit of Ecstasy up front was silver – literally.
The interior’s pairing of Anthracite and Casden Tan leather with Maccassar Ebony open pore wood veneers formed an attractive and elegant setting, made all the more picturesque by the dazzling optional Starlight Headliner.
Spahn told me the cinematic Wraith is the kind of car you’d expect a movie star to drive and I believed him. I knew he wasn’t acting. Its fastback design gave it an aura of drama, but its restrained exterior and interior color schemes kept it from aesthetically going over the top. Think Sean Connery in “Goldfinger,” not Al Pacino in “Scarface.”
Thanks to a DJ, there was an aural backdrop of remixed popular songs. Unfortunately, it was not coming from the “Inspired by Music” Wraith. Rolls-Royces are created by blending a multitude of luxurious materials; this particular model prominently features copper, which is used in high-end audio systems. Flecks of the metal are also incorporated into the Wraith’s appropriately named Lyrical Copper paint job.
More copper can be found in the cabin, which Spahn called a “chic and cool place” to listen to the car’s created-from-scratch 1,300-watt, 18-channel Bespoke Audio system. That’s composed of two bass speakers, seven tweeters, and seven mid-range speakers. According to Rolls-Royce, “Two ‘exciter’ speakers hand-fitted in the car’s headlining play a vital role in bringing the sound to the listener at ear-level; ensuring the output perfectly imitates the way music is experienced in a live setting.”
Copper’s warm color covers the speaker grilles and the dashboard’s bookmatched fascia. Of course, the use of leather hasn’t been overlooked. For instance, strips of it have been woven together to form the Wraith’s floor mats and door panniers and bring to mind the appearance of speakers and amplifiers.
All of those elements make up what Spahn called the “ultimate listening venue.” I hope to be able to hear what he was talking about at some point in the future.
On the other hand, I was able to touch and feel the “Inspired by Fashion” Wraith. I almost didn’t want to get near it for fear of dirtying its pristine two-tone Andalucian White and Arctic White exterior. I soon overcame my reluctance. I’m glad I did because things which were invisible from a distance became clearer. The haute-couture-influenced Wraith is available with a choice of three accent colors, including the low-key Jasmine used in the flecks that made the Andalucian White gleam even more and the hand-applied feature line that ran down the shoulders of the car I photographed.
Additional Jasmine accented the plush Arctic White and Black interior. For instance, it was showcased on the Wraith’s flawlessly smooth steering wheel. The seamless stitching used to wrap it in leather is a technique borrowed from the fine tailoring world. The silk door pockets offered additional pops of Jasmine. So did the welting – from a page taken out of the book of high-end shoemaking – found on the Wraith’s door panels and the unusual white piano wood trim.
As beautiful and lavishly appointed as these Wraiths are at starting prices of roughly $375,000, they can be further enhanced with Bespoke touches. However, the twin-turbo V12 will continue to produce 624 horsepower.
Each “Inspired by” car is built to order, but Rolls-Royce will only make these special Wraiths for 12 months. Dealers are currently accepting orders for them. Manufacturing will begin in September; the first client deliveries will be made this fall.
Before then, you can see, listen to, and touch Rolls-Royce’s “Inspired by Film,” “Inspired by Music,” and “Inspired by Fashion” Wraith show cars at the 2015 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
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studio pictures [Rolls-Royce]
