Rolls-Royce has unveiled a one-off Phantom Extended to mark the 60th anniversary of the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger.
The bespoke car takes its inspiration from the 1937 Phantom III Sendanca de Ville owned by film's villain, Auric Goldfinger.
The British luxury car brand debuted the unique piece, which will be handed over to an anonymous private collector, at the Stoke Park private sporting estate in Buckinghamshire, England – the filming location of the scene when James Bond first encounters the original vehicle.
The custom version of a currently available Phantom Extended includes numerous nods to the car and character from the film, including the colour scheme of the original, a golf putter fitted to the boot lid modelled after Goldfinger's own club, and a solid 18-carat gold bar shaped like the car in the centre console.
Rolls-Royce has been working on the project for three and a half years, with the lead designers watching the film countless times to find details they could add to the custom car, Phil Fabre de la Grange, general manager of Rolls-Royce Bespoke, tells The National.
“We originally had the idea linked to the anniversary,” says Fabre de la Grange. “We have a strong relationship with Eon Productions, the company behind the James Bond films, and we had a desire to properly celebrate. We then started looking for one of our existing clients that would be enchanted and receptive to that kind of story. Things blossomed from there.”
In addition to the golf club in the car's boot, there is also a hidden umbrella made to resemble the one Goldfinger owned in the film, and a custom “tracking device”, modelled after one that Bond placed in the same spot in Goldfinger. While the device does not actually track the driver's whereabouts, it does project the famed 007 logo onto the floor of the boot.
There are also numerous subtle tributes to the Furka Pass sequence through the Swiss mountains, scenes in which Bond tracks Goldfinger. The front dash is hand-painted to resemble the topography of the mountains, complete with gold flourishes at the exact locations where the characters were depicted. The starlight headliner on the car's upper interior is designed to reflect the constellations that were positioned above the location on July 11, 1964, the final day of filming at the location.
"We tracked down a call sheet from the film to find that date, and then coordinated with a local astronomical agency to make sure that it matched perfectly," says Nick Rhodes, bespoke designer at Rolls-Royce.
There are also numerous hidden gold inlays throughout the car in reference to the villain's love of the precious metal, including a unique solid silver “Spirit of Ecstasy” hood ornament seemingly worn away to reveal gold plating underneath. The car's number plate, AU 1, is the one used in the film, with AU being the scientific symbol for gold. There are also picnic tables that feature a fictional map of Fort Knox's gold bullion reserve, which the character intended to destroy in the film, done in 22-carat gold inlay.
A quote from the character appears on the lid of the glovebox: “This is Gold, Mr Bond. All my life, I have been in love with its colour, its brilliance, its divine heaviness.”
Chris Brownridge, chief executive of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, adds: “This particular project really invigorated our team of creatives, giving them the freedom to explore the reaches of their imagination. The final creation is a testament to the power of collaboration and the extraordinary ability of our designers, craftspeople, and engineers.”
Fabre de la Grange also hints that more unique Rolls-Royces that pay tribute to historic or movie cars could be produced, though there will never be another quite like this. Even the yellow colour, which is a meticulous recreation of the original's, will never be used again on a future Rolls-Royce, he adds.
“We've got other things in the pipeline … other stand-alone projects,” Fabre de la Grange says. “We look for inspiration in all different kinds of areas.” The price of the one-of-a-kind car was not released.
TICKETS
Tickets start at Dh100 for adults, while children can enter free on the opening day. For more information, visit www.mubadalawtc.com.
The biog
Favourite books: 'Ruth Bader Ginsburg: A Life' by Jane D. Mathews and ‘The Moment of Lift’ by Melinda Gates
Favourite travel destination: Greece, a blend of ancient history and captivating nature. It always has given me a sense of joy, endless possibilities, positive energy and wonderful people that make you feel at home.
Favourite pastime: travelling and experiencing different cultures across the globe.
Favourite quote: “In the future, there will be no female leaders. There will just be leaders” - Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook.
Favourite Movie: Mona Lisa Smile
Favourite Author: Kahlil Gibran
Favourite Artist: Meryl Streep
Greatest Royal Rumble results
John Cena pinned Triple H in a singles match
Cedric Alexander retained the WWE Cruiserweight title against Kalisto
Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt win the Raw Tag Team titles against Cesaro and Sheamus
Jeff Hardy retained the United States title against Jinder Mahal
Bludgeon Brothers retain the SmackDown Tag Team titles against the Usos
Seth Rollins retains the Intercontinental title against The Miz, Finn Balor and Samoa Joe
AJ Styles remains WWE World Heavyweight champion after he and Shinsuke Nakamura are both counted out
The Undertaker beats Rusev in a casket match
Brock Lesnar retains the WWE Universal title against Roman Reigns in a steel cage match
Braun Strowman won the 50-man Royal Rumble by eliminating Big Cass last
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
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Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City, Tuesday, 11pm (UAE)
Matches can be watched on BeIN Sports
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
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Launched: March 2017 on UAE Mother’s Day
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Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
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AT4 Ultimate, as tested
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Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
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ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
The biog
From: Ras Al Khaimah
Age: 50
Profession: Electronic engineer, worked with Etisalat for the past 20 years
Hobbies: 'Anything that involves exploration, hunting, fishing, mountaineering, the sea, hiking, scuba diving, and adventure sports'
Favourite quote: 'Life is so simple, enjoy it'
more from Janine di Giovanni
Children who witnessed blood bath want to help others
Aged just 11, Khulood Al Najjar’s daughter, Nora, bravely attempted to fight off Philip Spence. Her finger was injured when she put her hand in between the claw hammer and her mother’s head.
As a vital witness, she was forced to relive the ordeal by police who needed to identify the attacker and ensure he was found guilty.
Now aged 16, Nora has decided she wants to dedicate her career to helping other victims of crime.
“It was very horrible for her. She saw her mum, dying, just next to her eyes. But now she just wants to go forward,” said Khulood, speaking about how her eldest daughter was dealing with the trauma of the incident five years ago. “She is saying, 'mama, I want to be a lawyer, I want to help people achieve justice'.”
Khulood’s youngest daughter, Fatima, was seven at the time of the attack and attempted to help paramedics responding to the incident.
“Now she wants to be a maxillofacial doctor,” Khulood said. “She said to me ‘it is because a maxillofacial doctor returned your face, mama’. Now she wants to help people see themselves in the mirror again.”
Khulood’s son, Saeed, was nine in 2014 and slept through the attack. While he did not witness the trauma, this made it more difficult for him to understand what had happened. He has ambitions to become an engineer.
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
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RESULTS
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 Group 1 (PA) Dh119,373 (Dirt) 1,600m
Winner: Brraq, Adrie de Vries (jockey), Jean-Claude Pecout (trainer)
7.05pm: Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Taamol, Connor Beasley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
7.40pm: Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (Turf) 1,800m
Winner: Eqtiraan, Connor Beasley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
8.15pm: UAE 1000 Guineas Trial (TB) Dh183,650 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Soft Whisper, Pat Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor.
9.50pm: Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Hypothetical, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,000m
Winner: Etisalat, Sando Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
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