Rolls-Royce just dropped a one-of-a-kind gem: the Phantom Arabesque. It’s their first-ever laser-etched hood, decked out in intricate mashrabiya patterns inspired by Middle Eastern architecture. Tailor-made for a savvy client in Dubai, it fuses top-tier engineering with pure cultural elegance.
Michelle Lusby, Bespoke Lead Designer at the Private Office Dubai, explains the vision behind the design:
“Mashrabiya is one of the Middle East’s best-known and most enduring design languages. For Phantom Arabesque, we were inspired not only by its beauty but also by the privacy, light and airflow it creates. Our aim was to interpret these qualities in ways that feel both culturally rooted and unmistakably Rolls-Royce.”
A Five-Year Journey to Perfection
The technology behind the Phantom Arabesque is as impressive as the aesthetic. It took Rolls-Royce engineers five years to perfect the laser-etching technique used on the bonnet, a process that is now patented.
The methodology is akin to an artist building a canvas. It begins with a dark base coat followed by protective clear coats, and finally, a lighter top layer. A specialized laser then delicately etches away just 145 microns of that light paint to reveal the darker shade underneath. A final round of hand-sanding brings out the crisp, intricate Mashrabiya pattern.
This technique draws inspiration from Sgraffito, an ancient Italian artistic practice of scratching away surface layers to reveal contrasting colors beneath.
Inside the Phantom Arabesque
Step inside the Phantom Arabesque and the mashrabiya story continues. The geometric pattern flows through carefully selected woods: rich Blackwood and Black Bolivar create visual rhythm across surfaces, while Selby Grey and Black leathers wrap the cabin in sophisticated elegance. But the designers didn’t stop there. The glowing tread plates even mirror that stunning hood engraving in cross-section detail—so every time you step in, it’s a little reminder of the artistry hiding underneath.
The Price of Exclusivity
What’s the true price tag on this artistry? Rolls-Royce isn’t telling. A base Phantom starts at $520,000, but the Arabesque? It’s surely a massive leap—maybe even seven figures. The owner’s name stays secret, but its starring spot in their elite collection says it all about its legendary status.
Tobias Sicheneder, General Manager of the Exterior Surface Centre, highlights the future implications of this technology:
“Laser engraving allows us to create a surface that is both technically precise and visually alive. Developing this patented process required years of experimentation by the entire team. Phantom Arabesque is the first expression of a technique that opens entirely new creative possibilities for future clients.”
Images Courtesy of Rolls-Royce
