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Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, at the behest of its Dubai Brand Manager, Mohammed EL-Arishy, has created a one-off version of the Phantom Coupé called Chicane. It apparently began with a spark of imagination while he was having dinner in the hotel next to the home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood.
Speaking at the unveiling of the finished car, EL-Arishy said: "I wanted to create a motor car that captures the unique atmosphere and history of the Goodwood Motor Circuit. The home of Rolls-Royce's connection to such an important centre of British motoring heritage is something that fascinates my customers. The experience of working with Rolls-Royce's world-class designers to create the beautifully executed Chicane Phantom Coupé was exhilarating. The creativity, vision, skill and attention-to-detail employed in the crafting of these one-off motor cars is unsurpassed in the super-luxury world."
Exterior
The standard Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupé (if there is such a thing as standard) is an imposing car at the best of times, but the Chicane Phantom Coupé adds to this with gunmetal grey paintwork that is complemented by a bonnet and windscreen surround that are finished in matte black giving the car an air of menace. The ten-spoke alloy wheels are colour-coded to match the car's paintwork - the first time such a thing has been carried out by the factory.
Interior
As the Chicane Phantom Coupé was partly inspired by the motorsport history around Goodwood, the traditional wood panels on the inside have been replaced in this instance by carbon fibre panels. A chequered flag motif has been stitched into the seats while a metal plaque bearing the car's name and a map of the Goodwood circuit is located discreetly inside the glove compartment.
Mechanicals
Although Rolls-Royce can offer an almost endless number of bespoke features for its cars, it refrains from carrying out any performance related works. So the Chicane Phantom Coupé is powered by the same 6.75-litre V12 engine that is found in all other Phantom Coupé models. Its 459hp enables the car to reach 62mph from a standstill in just 5.8 seconds and carries it on to a top speed that is limited to 155mph.
Anything else?
The Bespoke Design Team at Rolls-Royce are not averse to carrying out unusual commissions; in the past it has created paint finishes to perfectly match a customer's particular eye shadow. To have a bespoke Rolls-Royce made can take anything up to a year depending on just how much unique work is needed in order to create the finished item.
Dave Humphreys - 6 Nov 2013