April 28, 2024

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Rolls-Royce Motor Cars' 2024 Year of the Dragon Phantom Extended models in monolithic Black (left) and the other in two-tone Silver and Cherry Red. (Rolls-Royce Motor Cars)

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is commemorating the year 2024 ahead of the Lunar New Year with limited Year of the Dragon Bespoke Commissions, featuring four distinctively designed vehicles, exactly 12 years after its first dragon-themed Phantom in 2012, which sold out in China within two months of release.

Introduced last Friday, the 2024 exclusive collection includes three extended versions of the Phantom and one Cullinan sport utility vehicle, each adorned with design elements inspired by the dragon, a symbol of prosperity and good fortune in Chinese culture.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars' 2024 Year of the Dragon Culinan model in duotone Cherry Red and Selby Grey. (Rolls-Royce Motor Cars)

Each vehicle in the series showcases a distinct color scheme, enhanced by a bespoke Phoenix Red coachline featuring a right-facing dragon motif, representing the east and the rising sun. The Cullinan sport utility vehicle is finished in cherry red, a color symbolic in Chinese culture, signifying joy and luck. It is complemented by gray exterior accents and wheel centers bearing the Rolls-Royce emblem in red.

The two Phantom models in the collection display two-tone color themes. One model features a striking combination of a silver body and a red roof, while the second Phantom opts for a more subdued black exterior with red accents that trace the car's profile and accentuate the wheels.

The Rolls-Royce 2024 Year of the Dragon edition's interior features a hand-painted dragon dashboard, Phoenix Red stitching, and a starlit dragon silhouette on the headliner.

Inside, the dragon theme continues with a hand-painted red dragon stretching across the dashboard. This theme extends to the detailing, including Phoenix Red stitching on the headrests and rear Piano Black picnic tables. The tables also feature a stainless steel inlay of the Chinese zodiac calendar, with the dragon symbol taking prominence. This intricate stitching process alone takes an estimated 20 hours of labor, the company said.

A Rolls-Royce craftsman trims the edges of the Phonix Red embroidery. (Rolls-Royce Motor Cars)

The dragon motif even extends to the Starlight Headliner, a signature feature of Rolls-Royce, which in this series features a constellation of lights arranged to depict the silhouette of a dragon. This creates a semi-virtual experience for the passengers as if cruising under a celestial dragon.

Recognized for craftsmanship, the brand's market presence in South Korea has significantly grown, with sales nearly doubling over five years: from 123 cars in 2018 to 234 in 2022. In June last year, the brand launched its first all-electric car, the Spectre, in South Korea, achieving the highest number of pre-orders in the Asia-Pacific region.

China is by far the biggest market in the region and the second-biggest market for Rolls-Royce, accounting for 25 percent of its global sales in 2022 with approximately 1,500 vehicles sold.

By Moon Joon-hyun (mjh@heraldcorp.com)