What's all this about?
The Rolls-Royce Collection series has seen some really special cars over the years, and now there's a new one for the Paris Motor Show crowds to gawp over - the Phantom Metropolitan Collection.
I take it by the name it has something to do with cities?
How very astute of you. This car is supposed to celebrate some of the finest cities across the globe, so there's a strong urban theme to the exquisite detailing inside and outside this car.
Such as?
Such as an exterior paint finish called Darkest Tungsten, with abstract silhouette skyscraper motifs depicted in hand-applied coachlines - the body colour is said to evoke urban landscapes. As is the Aetherius Greyleather interior, which is not some character from Game of Thrones but in fact the shade of the seats, again said to be inspired by the concrete jungle.
I'm not looking at the leather in the interior, though; what's all that wood about?
Ah, this is the Metropolitan's USP - marquetry. Or rather, the art of making pictures out of wood, by using lots of differently coloured veneers to create a sort of timber mosaic. And the Rolls craftsmen have, if you'll forgive the pun, gone to town on this one.
Explain more about the marquetry smartarse.
Explain more about the marquetry smartarse.
Wow! And is there anything else to do with conurbations within the Rolls?
Yes, the clock has a rotating bezel on which you can tell the time in 24 major cities of the world. Paris is included, naturally...
Any word on whether it will be for sale?
Apparently, 20 of these cars will be 'available for commission', which is Rolls-speak for '20 very, very rich people can buy one'. These lucky few won't have to have the car in this colour scheme, though, as 44,000 colours are available in the Rolls-Royce palette and if that's not a large enough variety of hues, Rolls will colour match to any sample in the world if needs be.
Matt Robinson - 4 Oct 2014