THE ULTIMATE DRIVE

With three extraordinary commissions, British carmaking proves that the highest expression of luxury remains not in speed, but in the meticulous art of creation.

- ANANDHI GOPINATH

Luxury, at its core, has never been about excess. It is about mastery, knowing when to add, when to edit, and when to stop. Nowhere is that philosophy more deeply ingrained than in Britain, where the art of building cars has evolved into something approaching cultural expression. In 2025, three of its most storied marques—Rolls-Royce, Bentley and Aston Martin—have each unveiled special commissions that go beyond performance or price. They are acts of devotion, each revealing a different facet of British craftsmanship: the intelligence of the hand, the precision of the eye, and the patience of the engineer.

ROLLS-ROYCE PHANTOM — STORIES BENEATH THE SURFACE

For a century, the Rolls-Royce Phantom has represented the summit of automotive craftsmanship. To mark its 100th anniversary, the marque has unveiled Stories Beneath the Surface, a Private Collection of 25 cars that features the most elaborate woodwork ever attempted at Goodwood.

The project introduces three new techniques—3D marquetry, 3D ink layering and 24-carat gold leafing—developed exclusively for this commission. Each door alone took a full year to perfect.

Laser engraving at multiple depths etches intricate designs directly into the veneer, creating shadow and dimension. The 3D ink layering then builds those patterns outward, producing a sense of movement beneath the lacquer. Finally, artisans apply sheets of gold leaf, each just 0.1 micrometres thick, by hand—an undertaking so delicate it required training at West Dean College in Sussex to adapt ancient gilding methods to modern automotive conditions.