British auto manufacturer Rolls-Royce recently announced a series of nine remarkable Wraith vehicles inspired by British Music. Baroque Ground has all the details
The series of nine exquisite Rolls-Royce Wraith cars ‘Inspired by Music’ have been created in collaboration with some of Britain’s most loved rock and vocal artists to celebrate their legacy. Each car is a one-of-a-kind creation that is a collaboration between the artist and auto-maker Rolls-Royce’s master craftsmen. For these cars, bespoke designer Matthew Danton, under the leadership of Design Director Giles Taylor worked with each artist to capture their work’s most iconic and personal elements. The result is a true collector’s piece with the artist’s name is engraved on the door treadplates and on the base of the Spirit of Ectasy adorning the bonnet of the Wraith.
The first four Rolls-Royce Wraith vehicles were unveiled this month in London. They include a Wraith dedicated to Sir Ray Davies of The Kinks, two Rolls-Royce Wraiths created by Roger Daltrey, CBE, frontman of the band The Who, and one created by Giles Martin, son of producer and songwriter Sir George Martin.
Roger Daltrey, CBE, lead singer and frontman of the band The Who, committed to creating two Wraith Rolls-Royce cars for the project. The first one is inspired by Daltrey’s own personal music legacy and includes the band’s famous ‘bullseye’ logo on the dashboard clock and stitched into the leather ‘waterfall’ between the two back seats. The headrests are embroidered with Daltrey’s signature and one of the musician’s most memorable experiences is depicted in unique embroidery– it shows Keith Moon’s drum kit, which exploded at the end of the band’s 1967 performance on American TV show Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.
The second Wraith car for The Who includes a collaboration with artist Mike McInnerney, who famously created the band’s 1969 album, Tommy. The rock opera’s iconic sleeve design has been immortalized on the bonnet of the vehicle, whilst other elements of the album’s artwork is found all over the Wraith. This unique collector’s item will be sold to help raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust, for which Daltrey is a patron.
The third vehicle is a tribute to band The Kinks, created by Sir Ray Davies in collaboration with Rolls-Royce. Sir Ray selected lyrics from two songs from the band’s 1969 album Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire) to adorn part of the car, and Sir Ray’s handwriting was digitized and is engraved on the vehicle as well.
Songwriter and producer Giles Martin created a tribute Wraith in honor of his father, Sir George Martin, who was nicknamed ‘The Fifth Beatle’ by Sir Paul McCartney, as he was responsible for writing 30 number-one hit singles for the famous band, including the much-loved song, Yesterday.
Forthcoming collaborations to be released this year include one created by Dame Shirley Bassey to bring to life some of her memories from over 60 years in the music industry, another to celebrate the band the Status Quo, created by Francis Rossi OBE, lead singer and lead guitarist of that band, and the last created in collaboration with Rolls-Royce by Rolling Stones member Ronnie Wood to celebrate his solo career.