“Cullinan is designed to conquer the most demanding conditions and terrain on Earth - and few places are more challenging than the remote regions and high latitudes of Europe in winter. But winter also brings a special magic to these places, and it is their grandeur and beauty that we've sought to capture in the Frozen Lakes Creation; truly a motor car for all seasons and settings.”
Boris Weletzky, Regional Director Europe, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
As much of Europe lies in the winter's grip, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has unveiled a series of new Bespoke creations celebrating the magic and majesty of the season.
'Frozen Lakes' comprises just 14 examples of the marque's super-luxury SUV, Cullinan. For these exclusive creations, the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective of designers, engineers and craftspeople took inspiration from the winter mood on and around lakes from Siberia to the Swiss Alps, and from Karelia to the Carpathian Mountains.
The Collective developed two new Bespoke exterior finishes - Crystal over Midnight Sapphire and Blue Crystal over Arctic White - that capture the sharpness, clarity, reflections and contrasts of the lakes' icy surfaces.
Illuminated treadplates engraved with ‘Frozen Lakes’ greet driver and passengers as they enter the cabin. The interior is finished in Arctic White or Navy Blue with Turchese accents. A wooden veneer has been specially created for the fascia and picnic tables, which mimics the patterns of cracked ice typically seen in permafrost regions. Long strands of frozen 'water' are delicately painted by hand, then sealed under a clear lacquer layer. The process, which takes up to two weeks for each iteration, is repeated with different colours to give a three-dimensional effect. Each car has five separate elements with this unique finish, so all are painted in strict sequence, by the same In-house artist, to ensure absolute consistency and continuity.
The cars also feature a new interpretation of the marque's signature Starlight Headliner. Finished in Turchese with illuminated shooting stars, the Cracked Ice Starlight Headliner is made entirely by hand, a task that takes a minimum of 18 hours to complete.
Yohan Benchetrit, Bespoke Designer, says, “This project reawakened memories of my childhood escapes to the French Alps. It is especially rewarding to work on projects with such a personal connection; I'm delighted to think that these Bespoke iterations can create or evoke similar feelings for those who enjoy owning these unique motor cars."
