The Rolls-Royce Ghost might not be as prestigious as the majestic Phantom flagship, but every now and then, Rolls-Royce decides to inject some pizzazz into its “entry-level” sedan. Meet the Ékleipsis Private Collection, a limited-run special edition based on the sportier Black Badge variant. It draws inspiration from a total solar eclipse and its official debut comes two days ahead of the annular solar eclipse visible in parts of the Western Hemisphere, on October 14.
Rolls-Royce has given the sumptuous sedan a Lyrical Copper paint with powdered copper pigment. Depending on how the light hits the body, the color appears darker or brighter. The special hue has been combined with Mandarin accents noticeable on the brake calipers, below the grille, and for the coachline painted by hand. The line is interrupted on the rear fenders to echo the transition from sunlight to darkness.
As with all Rolls-Royce cars, the real magic is inside. The Black Badge Ghost Ékleipsis has an animated Starlight Headliner with no fewer than 940 stars arranged in the shape of a circle to mimic the corona of light around the lunar silhouette. An extra 192 stars that light up have been carefully inserted around the circle to replicate the stars observable during the day when there’s a total eclipse.
Rolls-Royce has configured the Starlight Headliner to remain animated for exactly 7 minutes and 31 seconds, which represents the maximum possible duration of a total solar eclipse. After that, the constellation of stars is restored. The ultra-luxury brand part of the BMW Group says it needed a year and three prototypes to perfect the design and the sequence in which the stars light up.
A further laser-etched 1,846 stars adorn the illuminated dashboard on the passenger side. A single Rolls-Royce specialist was tasked to position each and every star during a process that required more than 100 hours. Those Mandarin accents on the outside continue in the lavish cabin where RR has installed two-tone seats with a whopping 200,000+ individual perforations. The finishing touch is a bespoke watch featuring a 0.5-carat diamond with a design that was finalized after 14 attempts.
To no one’s surprise, the Goodwood-based marque says all 25 units that make the Ékleipsis Private Collection have already been sold.
Source: Rolls-Royce