Bond, bullion, and bespoke: Rolls-Royce's tribute to Goldfinger

This isn't merely another special edition – it's a masterwork of automotive artistry that required three years of continuous development. Like the villain whose car inspired it, this Phantom harbors an almost obsessive relationship with gold, though executed with considerably more taste than Auric Goldfinger himself might have managed.

The exterior presents an exact match to the 1964 film car's distinctive yellow hue, complemented by a sophisticated black wrap-around detail that creates an uninterrupted graphic worthy of Ken Adam's original production design. But it's in the details where this Phantom truly reveals its Bond heritage. The Spirit of Ecstasy herself plays along with the film's smuggling subplot – sections appear to reveal gold beneath a silver surface, achieved through a complex process of gold-plating solid silver.

Inside, the car is a temple to calculated extravagance. The centerpiece is a hidden vault between the front seats, housing an illuminated 18-carat gold bar shaped as a Phantom 'Speedform.' The dashboard's Gallery features a three-dimensional steel and gold rendering of the Furka Pass, complete with precise elevation lines – a feature that required ten prototypes to perfect. Even the Starlight Headliner is historically accurate, replicating the exact constellation visible above the Furka Pass on July 11, 1964, the final day of filming the chase sequence.

For the true Bond aficionado, the details become even more delightful. The boot lid conceals a gold-plated putter, echoing the club used in Bond and Goldfinger's memorable golf match at Stoke Park. Open the boot, and a cleverly hidden projector casts the 007 logo onto the carpet – a playful nod to Q Branch's tracking device from the film. Even the umbrellas stowed in the rear doors sport the same harlequin colors as those carried by Goldfinger's imposing henchman, Oddjob.

The final touch? The car bears the prestigious British number plate 'AU 1' – the same plate featured on Goldfinger's Phantom III, and a clever reference to gold's chemical symbol. This exceptional motor car has already found its home with a distinguished British collector, who, one hopes, will appreciate both its cinematic heritage and its extraordinary craftsmanship more than its weight in gold.

As Goldfinger himself might say, "This is gold, Mr. Bond. All my life, I've been in love with its colour, its brilliance, its divine heaviness." In this singular Phantom, Rolls-Royce has created something that even the notorious villain would have to admire – though perhaps with a touch more envy than he'd care to admit.