Rolls-Royce ushers in the Year of the Dragon with 4 bespoke commissions

In Chinese culture, the dragon is a symbol for power, success and prosperity. And with China being the British carmaker’s second-largest market in the world, it is only fitting that the marque at the pinnacle of luxury has created four beautiful commissions to mark the Chinese New Year. 

“These bespoke creations, inspired by the Year of the Dragon in 2024, celebrate the international reach and influence of Chinese culture, which transcends national boundaries,” said Jonathan Simms, head of Bespoke, Rolls-Royce. “These creations are both a powerful expression of our respect for Chinese culture, and a contemporary, minimalist statement in line with trends we see among luxury consumers worldwide.”

Designed and hand-crafted at the home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, the four examples – three Phantom Extended and one Cullinan – are imbued with “personal meaning” and are destined for clients around the world.

Rolls-Royce’s Bespoke designers created unique colourways for the coachwork of the different models: A duotone Cherry Red with Crystal finish over Selby Grey with a Crystal finish for the Cullinan, and a two-tone Silver and Cherry Red or monolithic Black with a Crystal finish for the Phantom Extended model.

Each commission features meticulously executed details inspired by the dragon symbol, starting with the motif subtly applied to the exterior coachline, hand-painted in Phoenix Red and orientated to face right, which symbolically represents the east – the direction of the rising sun.

Inside, the dragon appears on the front passenger panel, individually hand-painted by a dedicated Rolls-Royce artist. To create this complex artwork, the artist used multiple hues of red, applied on top of each other in four stages over a two-week process. First, the initial outline of the symbol was painted using a ‘feathering’ technique to create a flame effect, as if the dragon were suspended in fire, reflecting its festive, celebratory nature. This was followed by three further layers in darker shades of red, allowing the artist to add more details and depth. The result is a three-dimensional effect so realistic that the artwork appears to have been carved into the fascia.

Now achieving such fine detailing is a feat reserved for Rolls-Royce’s master artisans. After each layer of paint, lacquer was painstakingly applied in a delicate process ensuring that not a spot of imperfection nor stray particle of red paint is transferred onto the white background. The Rolls-Royce artist then spotlessly cleaned and finely sanded every completed layer before the next lacquering stage.Besides the fascia panels, the dragon motif also finds its way throughout the car interior, making a subtle appearance on the headrest of each of the four seats. It is depicted in Phoenix Red embroidery, offering a bold contrast to the black or white seat leather. Again, this required utmost precision in strategically aligning 5,449 stitches to create a fluidity of motion, taking almost 20 hours to complete each motif.  

The most dramatic expression of the mythical creature is perhaps found on the ceiling – a total of 677 red fibre-optic ‘stars’ individually hand-placed to form an abstract dragon figure for the first time ever in a Rolls-Royce – an example of the creativity available through Rolls-Royce’s Bespoke Starlight Headliner feature.

“Our aim was to create a modern interpretation of the dragon capturing its essence as a symbol of power. The design evokes a sense of motion and energy, expressing the dragon as a driving force, all rendered with a depth and complexity to reflect its commanding spirit and presence,” shared Rebecca Davies, Bespoke Designer of Rolls-Royce.