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Rolls-Royce Ghost Black Badge Ekleipsis Private Collection is an eclipse on wheels

Demand for Rolls-Royce's Black Badge models has been high, so the brand is going further down this dimly-lit avenue with a limited-edition version of the Ghost called Ekleipsis Private Collection. The sedan features several specific astrology-inspired styling cues inside and out. As its name implies, the Ekleipsis is a tribute to the eclipse (the one that you see in the sky, not the one built by Mitsubishi). It's based on the Ghost Black Badge, but it's finished in a special color called Lyrical Copper that captures "the mysterious, ethereal light cast by a total solar eclipse," according to Rolls-Royce's design team. Mandarin exterior accents on the body and the brake calipers add a touch of contrast to the look, and the thin line that stretches from the front part of the fenders to the rear part of the quarter panels is applied entirely by hand. Inside, the Ekleipsis features Rolls-Royce's signature Starlight headliner with a special animation that mimics an eclipse. When the doors close and the engine starts, the stars in the headliner darken and a specific sequence plays to replicate a full solar eclipse. We'll save you the trouble of counting them: The circle that appears consists of 940 "stars" while the background includes an additional 192 "stars." This lasts for seven minutes and 31 seconds, the longest duration of a total solar eclipse, and the standard Starlight headliner returns at the end. Fine-tuning this feature was easier said than done. Rolls-Royce spent a year on it, and it built three complete prototypes to perfect it. Rolls-Royce didn't stop there. The dashboard gains an analog clock whose bezel incorporates a brilliant-cut 0.5-carat diamond. Surprisingly, this is the first time that the company has integrated a gemstone into the clock's bezel. The passengers sit on two-tone leather-upholstered seats with over 200,000 perforations, and the list of standard features includes umbrellas with Mandarin piping as well as a car cover. Production of the Rolls-Royce Black Badge Ghost Ekleipsis Private Collection is limited to 25 units globally. Pricing information hasn't been announced, but it's of little interest to us because the model was sold-out before its public unveiling. Besides, if you need to ask ... Related video: Here's a tiny taste of Rolls-Royce Spectre color and customization options!

Rolls-Royce Wraith gets Inspired by Fashion

A little over a month ago, Rolls-Royce revealed a special-edition Wraith that was "Inspired by Film." Now the British luxury automaker has returned with another unique take on its fastback coupe in the form of the Inspired by Fashion edition. Unveiled at the Pratt Institute in New York – one of the country's top design schools – the Wraith Inspired by Fashion is well, just that. It features a tone-on-tone white exterior, complemented by the customer's choice of accent color: green, red, or purple. The accents are also applied inside, where the cabin is done up in white and black leather, with a unique steering wheel and clock, wood trim that takes nine days to complete, welt leather door panels, and special embroidery. If nothing else, the Inspired by Fashion edition just goes to show the extent of personalization options that await the Rolls-Royce customer, the vast majority of whom take advantage of those choices when ordering their new ride. ROLLS-ROYCE MOTOR CARS UNVEILS 'WRAITH – INSPIRED BY FASHION' 8 May 2015, Goodwood Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and the world of Haute Couture have long been bound by a common philosophy – to take the very finest materials and craft them into the most exquisite and desirable luxury goods, appointed to the customer's exact specifications. In this spirit, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is delighted to unveil 'Wraith – Inspired by Fashion'. Fittingly, the marque's first showroom in Conduit Street, Mayfair was founded a short step from London's famous centre of tailoring excellence, Savile Row. Here, Sir Henry Royce and his partner The Honourable Charles Rolls echoed the offerings of their illustrious neighbours by providing London's most stylish denizens with the automotive equivalent of the finest cloths; a perfectly engineered Rolls-Royce chassis and running gear. The customer would then call upon their preferred coachbuilder, who would furnish the car with personal touches and accoutrements specified perfectly to their requirements. A century later, a bold new generation of customers continue to share the same appetite for commissioning expressions of their taste and lifestyle. 'Wraith – Inspired by Fashion' provides a modern take on this grand tradition. Akin to commissioning a fine suit or elegant piece of couture, the journey of creating a highly Bespoke Rolls-Royce motor car begins at the marque's equivalent of the tailor's atelier, the Bespoke Design Studio at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, England.

Rolls-Royce Phantom celebrates decade of decadence

Ten years ago, Rolls-Royce opened its Goodwood manufacturing facility and handed over the keys to the very first Phantom. Back then, parent company BMW was cranking out Phantom sedans at the blistering pace of one unit per day. By the end of 2003, that number had tripled, and today, the Goodwood plant builds a total of 20 Phantoms in sedan, coupe, drophead and extended-wheelbase models during a single day's working hours. Originally, there were fewer than 400 workers on staff responsible for hand-building the big cruisers, but now the plant boasts over 1,400 craftsmen, with 100 of those positions added in 2012 alone.
Rolls-Royce boasts one of the lowest staff turnover rates of any brand in the industry, thanks in part to a successful apprenticeship and internship program, and the company notes 80 percent of its workers live within 15 miles of the facility. You can read the full press release on the 10th anniversary of both the Phantom and the Goodwood plant below.