This one-off Rolls-Royce Phantom celebrates 60 years since ‘Goldfinger’

Ironically, Ian Fleming picked the name ‘James Bond’ because it sounded humdrum, incapable of drawing attention and thus perfect for a spy. Connery’s proud, assured proclamation sixty years ago in 1964’s Goldfinger that he was in fact ‘Bond, James Bond’ turned that narrative on its head.

Yes, sixty years. To celebrate, two of the most heavyweight car names in the business – names loaded with as much brand recognition as Mr Bond himself – have revealed their odes to the 007 classic.

First we saw that glorious Aston Martin DB12 Goldfinger edition, and now there’s this: the equally glorious, definitely yellower and definitely not humdrum Rolls-Royce Phantom Goldfinger. This one takes the homage a little more literally: it’s the exact spec used by Auric Goldfinger’s 1937 Phantom II from the movie.

Which means it gets a lovely two-tone yellow and black finish. And because this is a Rolls-Royce, it is not just any two-tone yellow and black finish. The yellow is the exact shade of yellow used by Goldfinger’s Rolls. Ditto the floating hubcaps designed to recall the design of the ’37 Phantom II.

Even the Spirit of Ecstasy is a subtle, knowing wink to the film: it’s been made to look as though it’s hiding gold underneath, so the solid silver has gold-plating in parts. Indeed, there’s a hidden ‘vault’ in the centre console housing an illuminated 18-carat gold bar, and gold detailing everywhere you look, including the seat bases, the picnic tables, heck, even the glovebox.

And when you open the glovebox, a quote: “This is Gold, Mr Bond. All my life, I have been in love with its colour, its brilliance, its divine heaviness.” OK, bit on the nose, that one, but we’ll let it slide.

Speaking of slides, the Phantom’s ‘Gallery’ – running the full width of the inside front fascia – is a 3D map of the Furka Pass (where Bond trailed Goldfinger’s Rolls in his Aston DB5), taken from a hand-drawn sketch. This itself took a year of development.

But there’s detail, and then there’s ‘what was the universe doing on this day?’ detail. Take the shape of the Phantom’s headliner, for instance: it represents – and this is not a joke – the constellations over the Furka Pass on 11 July 1964. That was the final day of shooting the Swiss scenes in the film.

Then there’s the bespoke clock surround which mimics the ‘gun barrel’ sequence at the beginning of every Bond movie (this shoulda’ been on the Aston, to be honest). Then there’s the navy leather, walnut veneer, gold seat stitching and a raft of really very lovely touches that hark back to the film.

Like the gold-plated golfing instrument… thing, stored under the bootlid. A light that shines the 007 logo into the boot when opened to indicate it’s being ‘tracked’. Umbrellas detailed in the same colours as the ones Oddjob loads into his boss’s car. And of course, there’s the numberplate.

“This particular project really invigorated our team of creatives, giving them the freedom to explore the reaches of their imagination,” said Rolls Royce boss Chris Brownridge.

Do you expect to buy one? Well, no, you can’t – unlike the Goldfinger DB12, this is strictly a one-off.