Storied Carmaker Pushes the Envelope With Special Edition Luxury Coupes

After a storied 13 years, Rolls-Royce has announced that the ultra-luxurious Phantom Coupe and Drophead Coupe models will cease production at Goodwood in November — but, like any celebrated product, it’s going out not with a whimper, but with a bang. A special collection of 50 “Zenith” editions will be produced to celebrate their magnificent run.

Among the special features of the “Zenith” edition are a tailgate hosting area; laser-etched armrests depicting the original launch locations of both the 100EX and 101EX models in Villa D’Este and Geneva, respectively; bespoke instrument dials, and a special treatment of the iconic Spirit of Ecstasy figurine. Each client will also receive what Rolls-Royce calls a “money cannot buy” portable memento of his or her purchase, while the vehicle will be offered in a series of color combinations evoking the brand’s historic legacy.

The seventh-generation Phantom essentially ushered Rolls-Royce into the modern era and was the brand’s first model built under parent BMW AG’s ownership, in 2000. In 2014, the company sold more than 4,000 cars globally for the first time — many of which found their way to garages in Texas homes.

Rolls says the new Phantom, debuting in 2018, will use an aluminum architecture, which will underpin all future cars from early 2018 on.

The new model will be a “contemporary and beautiful Phantom enhanced with cutting-edge technologies and design innovations,” Torsten Mueller-Oetvoes, chief executive officer of the 112-year-old carmaker, said in a statement.

Rolls hasn’t released pricing for the “Zenith,” but if the basic Phantom crowns at $400,000, this will undoubtedly be quite a bit more. That said, as far as collectibles go, Rolls-Royce makes some good ones. The “Zenith” edition marks the culmination of a Phantom heritage that has included the likes of “Waterspeed,” “Aviator,” “Metropolitan,” “Maharajah” and “Serenity” bespoke editions.