Property Of The Week: 4305 Frankston-Flinders Road, Shoreham, VIC

Hijacked by marketing departments, the word “bespoke” has become so overused and misapplied by the luxury industry that its true meaning is dangerously close to being irrevocably diluted. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, however, has been advancing the actual definition for 116 years, best evidenced by the new Phantom Syntopia, a collaboration with acclaimed fashion designer Iris van Herpen. Revealed today, the exquisite one-off is being touted as the “most technically complex bespoke model” made to date by the storied British marque.

“We have a good relationship with the designer Iris van Herpen and know what she is envisioning in the world of fashion,” says Anders Warming, Rolls-Royce’s design director, in a recent conversation with Robb Report. “We started a dialogue with her saying, ‘wouldn’t it be great to bring this client together with your vision, in our car.”

Warming described the creative experience as “three minds coming together” in what vacillated between “planned process” and “spontaneous event.” It was a balancing act to be sure. “We’re very conscious of what is a Rolls-Royce statement,” says Warming, “but, at the same time, [we] had to make sure that the dreams and aspirations of the client met with the dreams and aspirations of this incredible designer, Iris van Herpen.”

The singularity of this extended Phantom Series II is first apparent with its one-of-a-kind Liquid Noir colour scheme for the body, an opalescent-black paint treatment—with hints of purple, orange, magenta and blue—featuring a reflective-pigment application. That customisation element alone took a reported 3,000 hours to perfect.

Yet the spectacle of the exterior tailoring is only the warmup act for the headliner inside—the actual headliner. “You have this impression of weaving water when you look up,” says Warming. “You’re basically watching a progression of shape; it’s the first time we’re bringing a true three-dimensional sculpture, in this case out of leather, to the Starlight Headliner.” To complement this, the hood of the car carries its own representation of the same stylistic element.

Within the cabin, the overhead installation is made from one piece of leather that is claimed to have been chosen out of more than 1,000 hides. The dimensionality is enhanced by numerous and carefully located slices revealing the nylon fabric that’s hand-stitched behind the hide. The headliner is also accented with 162 glass-organza petals. Each petal is paired with a fiber-optic light from among the total of 995 luminaries that comprise the heavenly effect. The elaborate ornamentation took approximately 300 hours to complete by hand, and was done by van Herpen’s own artisans after they had temporarily relocated to the automaker’s headquarters in Goodwood.

The same labour-intensive embellishments are found in the Gallery installation on the dash, which includes an 85-petal arrangement, while the rear-passenger tables and select surfaces of the cabin impress with glass-particle-laced lacquer.

“For this special collaboration, I was inspired by the concept of ‘Weaving Water’ and transformed the sense of being in movement into an immersive experience of fluidity inside the Phantom,” stated van Herpen in the official announcement. “The powerful movement of the Phantom is woven into the shifting three-dimensional waves inside the car to embody the ingenuity of nature.” The automotive artistry was born from van Herpen’s Syntopia fashion line from 2018, one that was heavily influenced by design elements of the outdoor environment.

The interior tells a carefully curated tactile story as well. “We see the use of textile as a fashion statement,” Warming says regarding Rolls-Royce’s increased use of fabric. “You don’t need to omit leather, but you can use leather as a contrast to textile.” Exemplifying this, the Syntopia’s front seats are dressed in hides coloured Magic Grey, while those in the back are draped in a custom silk blend intended to visually dance like the reflection of the moon on a sea or lake.

Adding to the Syntopia’s inner allure is a feature never before incorporated in a vehicle bearing the Spirit of Ecstasy, and that’s a designated scent developed for the car. The fragrance—ever-so-subtly diffused through the headrests—is evocative of cedarwood with hints of leather, rose, lemon and, fittingly, the Iris flower.

To complement the avant-garde vehicle, Iris van Herpen is designing a dress for the stateside owner that will be imbued with the same “Weaving Water” stylistic approach taken with the sartorial sedan. While the garment is projected to take six months to complete, delivery of the Phantom Syntopia will occur in May.

According to Martin Fritsches, president and CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Americas, the Phantom Syntopia is not just a benchmark but a bellwether of the marque’s expanding client demographic. Fritsches tells Robb Report; “More than ever, we’re attracting a new customer base, a younger customer base, and they are also more creative and have a clear understanding of ultra-luxury. Because of that, they’re extremely demanding, which, in a healthy way, is putting pressure on us to come up with more creativity, which will ultimately create more value.” As for the Phantom Syntopia’s value, a seven-figure price is rumored to be what the car wears quite well.

OK, so it’s not a Moonshine Gold-encased MoonSwatch…but that wouldn’t have made much sense would it?

Omega and Swatch’s much-anticipated follow-up to its wildly popular $390 MoonSwatch (which was going for up to $1,800 in the secondary market at the height of its hype last year) has landed. And while it still has a bioceramic case—a.k.a. plastic—it received a drop of Moonshine Gold as a coating on the seconds hand. The tiny touch elevated the cost to approximately $445 at current exchange. But, of course, its price tag in the pre-owned space will be what everyone is watching.

While no exact production number was disclosed, according to the official press release, availability will be “not enough.” You know what that means…they will be exceedingly hard to come by. The stock is made even more elusive because the new Moonshine Gold MoonSwatch can only be purchased in four locations on Tuesday, March 7.

The Moonshine Gold coating on the seconds hand may seem lame to some, but it’s the kind of thing some collectors go crazy for, especially when the brand is already controlling the rarity of the piece. Besides, it wouldn’t have made sense for the case to be made of Moonshine Gold. The whole point of the MoonSwatch is to offer a taste of Omega at Swatch price points.

However, if you end up grabbing the Moonshine Gold Swatch second-hand then you could be paying up to four times retail if last year’s drop was any indication. Or, perhaps the addition of a hand coated in Moonshine Gold won’t move the needle. Commenters on an Instagram post from @Swatch mostly skewed toward disappointment. “Can I buy just the seconds hand? I have the watch already,” read one comment from @swisswatchgang. Another from @horological_dicktionary stated, “Y’all need to start selling whatever Moonshine™ your marketing guys drink.” Nevertheless, we expect these will sell, at least somewhat over retail, the second time around. Time will tell.

In the meantime, stay tuned for our report on what’s happening at the drop in London.

We don’t know what the Lamborghini Aventador successor will be called or look like, but we now know what will power it.

The Raging Bull released the first official details about the hybridized V-12 powertrain that will be in the vehicle, which is currently being referred to as the LB744, on Tuesday. There’s a lot to be excited about, especially the news that the plug-in setup will include three electric motors that push power above 1,000 hp.

Lamborghini may have embraced electrification, but it hasn’t left the old ways behind completely. At the heart of the new powertrain is a naturally aspirated V-12, as has been the case with nearly all of the marque’s flagships. The 6.5-litre L545 engine tips the scales at 481 pounds, which is 37 pounds lighter than the one in the Aventador, but produces more power and revs. The automaker says the mill will be able to produce 814 horses at 9,250 rpm and 725 Nm of twist at 6,750 rpm (output from the Aventador’s V-12 topped out at 769 hp and 715 Nm of torque). The engine has also been rotated 180 degrees, which allows it to send power to a newly developed eight-speed dual-clutch transmission that is mounted behind it, as opposed to in front like on past models.

The LB744’s ferocious V-12 is joined by not one, not two, but three electric motors. Two are located on the front axle at each wheel, while the third is incorporated into the new gearbox. This last can act as either a starter motor or add power to the rear axle. Lamborghini says that each motor will be able to generate up to 148 hp on its own, but that they cannot operate at peak output at the same time. Still, the maximum combined output for the engine and motors is an impressive 1,001 hp. As Car and Driver points out, that makes the new supercar more potent than the Ferrari SF90 Stradale, which has a hybrid powertrain that produces up to 986 hp.

The trio of electrical motors will get juice from a 3.8-kWh battery pack located in what would normally be its transmission tunnel. The battery has a lower capacity than those found in the SF90 Stradale or McLaren Artura, suggesting it will be lighter but also produce less all-electric range. You’ll be able to recharge the pack using one of three methods: plugging it into an outlet, regenerative braking or using its V-12 as a generator. Lamborghini claims the supercar’s engine will be able to fully replenish the battery in just six minutes.

Fortunately, we won’t have to wait much longer to find out more about the LB744. Lamborghini’s latest supercar, and its first series-production hybrid, is expected to make its full public debut later this month. A production timetable is still unknown, though CEO Stephan Winkelmann has already said the vehicle will go on sale in late 2024.

Are you still annoyed that you missed out on Rod Stewart’s Lamborghini Miura a few years back? Well, here’s your chance to buy another Raging Bull that spent some time in the rocker’s collection.

A 1989 Countach 25^th Anniversary edition that once belonged to the “Maggie May” singer just popped up for bid on the ever-popular Bring a Trailer. Stewart didn’t just drive the car a couple of times, either; he actually held on to it well into the next decade.

How do you say goodbye to a vehicle like the Countach that changed the way people think about sports cars? The 25^th Anniversary edition was Lamborghini’s answer. Before retiring the iconic supercar, the brand tapped Horacio Pagani to rework Marcello Gandani’s original design and make it even bolder. That wasn’t all, though. The chassis and engine were both upgraded, making it the fastest and most refined version of the car. Only 658 examples were built between 1988 to 1990, and it is considered, justifiably, the ultimate version of the original Countach.

The sharp lines and enlarged aerodynamic elements of Stewart’s 25th Anniversary edition are finished in a glossy coat of black. The car is a US-spec example, but it has been fitted with the less chunky European market bumper and multi-part OZ racing wheels since leaving the factory. Most people may not notice the subtle modifications, but they give the car an even more athletic look. The Countach’s infamously cramped interior, meanwhile, is covered in black leather and comes equipped with an Alpine CD stereo.

In the engine bay, you’ll find a 5.2-litre DOHC V12 with Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection paired with a five-speed manual transmission. When the car was brand new, the massive mill was capable of pumping out 455 hp and 501 Nm of torque. Thanks to all that oomph, the car could launch from zero-to-100 km/h in 4.5 seconds and hit a top speed of 297 km/h. This example has actually been driven since leaving the factory, but has just 11,700 km on the odometer. It comes with basically all its original hardware, though its brake master cylinder and battery have been replaced and its brake calipers rebuilt. Stewart took delivery of the car in the US in 1989 and sold its six years later. The car’s second owner’s family held on to the car until selling it to its current owner last year.

Interested in buying the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member’s old Countach? You’ll have until next Tuesday, March 14, to bid on the car. As of press time, bidding had reached $518,000, but you can expect that figure to climb in the days to come. Hagerty puts the value of the 25^th Anniversary edition at $600,000, while RM Sotheby’s sold another example for $1,147,000 earlier this year.

Aston Martin’s Formula 1 presence is growing.

The British marque’s powerful DBX707 SUV will be used as an Official FIA Medical Car for the upcoming Grand Prix 2023 season, the brand announced on Thursday. Meanwhile, another of the automaker’s models, the Vantage, returns as one of the Official FIA Safety Cars.

Aston Martin signed a multi-year deal with FIA to supply medical and safety cars for Formula 1 in 2021, so news of the DBX707’s new role is not a complete shock. Both vehicles will wear the same Racing Green livery as the automaker’s F1 race cars, which will be driven this season by two-time champion Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, the son of the team’s part-owner and Aston Martin executive chairman, Lawrence Stroll.

It’s easy to see why the DBX707 is being used as the competition’s new medical car. The most powerful version of the brand’s debut SUV is a true high-performance beast (and our Car of the Year runner-up). It packs all the same perks as its peers—a spacious cabin, cargo space and plenty of luxury amenities—but still drives like a sports car, thanks to a specially tuned twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 that pumps out 697 hp and 898 Nm of torque. The brand has said the SUV can accelerate from zero-to-100 km/h in 3.1 seconds, which should allow the medical team to get where it needs to do quickly.

The DBX707, like the Vantage safety car before it, has been equipped with special gear for its new role, including fire extinguishers, medical equipment and FIA-approved bucket seats with six-point harnesses. It’s also equipped with a communication system so it can converse with Race Control when needed. The medical car will be driven by Alan van der Merwe, while Bernd Mayländer will be behind the wheel of the safety car.

The DBX707 and Vantage won’t be the only medical and safety cars you’ll see during the 23-race F1 season. Mercedes-AMG vehicles will also be used for the same purpose this year. The German performance marque had yet to unveil what its new emergency vehicles will look like, but you can expect to see them during the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix this Sunday.