ROLLS-ROYCE MOTOR CARS TO PRESENT EUROPEAN DEBUT OF GHOST ZENITH AT SALON PRIVÉ

ROLLS-ROYCE MOTOR CARS TO PRESENT EUROPEAN DEBUT OF GHOST ZENITH AT SALON PRIVÉ

The Rolls-Royce Ghost Zenith

The Directors of Salon Privé are delighted to confirm the European debut of the stunning, limited edition Rolls-Royce Ghost Zenith which made its North American debut recently at Pebble Beach.

The Rolls-Royce Ghost Zenith will be a true collector’s item with just 50 of these extraordinary motor cars being made available by the marque. It comes to being as Rolls-Royce Motor Cars acknowledges the success and global adoration that has been lavished on one of the world’s most luxurious motor cars during its ten-year life cycle and with Ghost now truly at its apex, now is the time to celebrate the ultimate in craftsmanship and automotive perfection. 

It was the Silver Ghost of 1908 that established Rolls-Royce Motor Cars as manufacturers of ‘The Best Car in the World’ and just over 100 years later, an experimental, contemporary expression of the iconic nameplate, 200EX was shown at the Geneva Motor Show. Since its introduction in 2009, Ghost has gone on to become the most successful Rolls-Royce motor car ever built, attracting a new and much younger group of owners to the marque, resulting in the average age of owners now being just 43.

The original 200EX concept was intended to be both driver and passenger-focused, and no other car combines performance and dynamic driver experience with luxury in the way that Ghost does. The Ghost Zenith Collection retains the car’s dynamism but takes luxury to a new level, drawing many references from 200EX, the most significant being the inclusion of a commemorative ingot, made from the original concept’s Spirit of Ecstasy, melted down and set into the centre console. Engraved with the three key design lines of Ghost, the plaque details its significant origins and even the Collection’s own Spirit of Ecstasy and clock are engraved with the name of this highly anticipated motor car. In the centre console, a blueprint inspired artwork enlarged to a point of abstraction has been divided into 50 distinct pieces, allowing each Ghost Zenith customer their own individual work of art.

The interior of the car is a testimony to the incredible skill of the master craftsmen and women in the marque’s legendary Woodshop as well as the members of the Bespoke Collective from the Home of Rolls-Royce’s Leather shop. Three different finishes are offered; wood, Technical Fibre or Piano finished veneer, all of which perfectly compliment the exquisitely embroidered leather interior. Unique to the Ghost Zenith Standard Wheelbase, the famed Starlight Headliner is presented in a Shooting Star configuration, depicting shooting stars randomly firing across the cabin roof.

Externally, the Ghost Zenith Collection is presented in a stunning two-tone application with a high gloss contrast paint finish and Silver Satin bonnet, first seen on 200EX. Three different colour-ways are available; Iguazu Blue with Andalusian White, Premiere Silver with Arctic White or a daring Bohemian Red with Black Diamond, with multiple variants available highlighting the flexibility of the model.

Commenting on the Ghost Zenith Collection, Salon Privé Co-Founder & Sales Director, David Bagley commented,“It is a real honour for us to host the European debut of the Rolls-Royce Ghost Zenith at this year’s event straight after its reveal at Pebble Beach. Henry Royce had an instinctive desire for perfection and his fabled ethic of taking the best that exists and making it better is demonstrated here today as Rolls-Royce have taken the most successful car they have ever produced – and made it better. The workmanship and expertise that has gone into creating this limited-edition luxury collector’s item is simply extraordinary and we are thrilled to be presenting this sensational new luxury car on the lawns of Blenheim Palace during Salon Privé.”

“NELLIE”, THE EX-MAHARAJA 1912 ROLLS-ROYCE SILVER GHOST WINS THE ICONS AWARD AT THE LONDON CONCOURS

“NELLIE”, THE EX-MAHARAJA 1912 ROLLS-ROYCE SILVER GHOST WINS THE ICONS AWARD AT THE LONDON CONCOURS

“Nellie”, the ex-Maharaja 1912 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost

The 2019 London Concours Icons Award, sponsored by Footman James, in association with Azure, was won by the 1912 ‘Taj Mahal’ Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost of Katie Forrest.

In a category comprising 13 truly special vehicles, the iconic cars were all invited to attend the prestigious international concours held in the manicured and historic grounds of the Honourable Artillery Company in the heart of the City of London.

After much deliberation by the judges, the 1912 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost was awarded the trophy for its incredible condition, remarkable provenance and engaging back story. 

Ordered new by Rolls-Royce Bombay, it was built for the Indian market and was designed to withstand tropical climate and usage. Specified with additional features, including higher coachwork to protect occupants from wildlife and with upgraded wiring to survive the Indian heat, the Silver Ghost was named the ‘Taj Mahal’. It was purchased new from the dealership by the Maharaja of Nabha in 1912 and remained in his ownership until the 1990s when it was returned to the UK and purchased by its current owner for use on club events and rallies.

Sympathetically restored over two decades, the Silver Ghost has been regularly enjoyed ever since and has covered more than 75,000 miles in this time. Affectionately known by the owner’s family as ‘Nellie’, owing to its grey colour and elephantine proportions, the car was presented on the lawn of the HAC by the owner’s daughter, who has herself competed in motorsport events, in the vehicle, on many occasions.

Katie Forrest was presented the Icon award by Managing Director of Footman James, David Bond.

She said: ‘It is a great surprise and huge honour to win this award when up against such a collection of wonderful cars in this category. ‘Nellie’ is not usually shown at these sorts of events as she is used so often over the summer, but it’s a pleasure to display her for the public to enjoy. It’s also a real joy to share this moment together with my parents, as we have always enjoyed the car together as a family.”

David Bond added: “It is a pleasure to be able to present this award to a vehicle that is not only historically important but also wonderfully cared for and regularly used by its owner and his family. In a category that included many stand-out vehicles, the decision was not an easy one but we felt this vehicle was deserving of recognition as a true icon of the motoring world.”

GHOST OF LOST 1907 PEKING PARIS VEHICLE RE AWOKEN DRIVING THE ABSolute IMPOSSIBLE

GHOST OF LOST 1907 PEKING PARIS VEHICLE RE AWOKEN DRIVING THE ABSolute IMPOSSIBLE

A 112-year-old Mototri Contal three-wheeler is set to take on the 2019 Peking to Paris, aiming to finish a 13,840 km journey it started in 1907.

The first Peking to Paris (P2P) ran in 1907, five competitors accepting a seemingly impossible challenge. Amongst them was a French three-wheeled Mototri Contal piloted by an ambitious duo, Frenchman Auguste Pons and Oscar Foucauld. A story of struggles and triumphs eventually saw them, and their three-wheeler, stranded in the Gobi Desert. The story ended with the crew attempting to walk back to Peking, almost losing their lives in the process.

But now Anton Gonnissen (58) a successful architect from Sint-Martens-Latem near Ghent in Belgium will attempt to rewrite history by starting the 2019 Peking Paris Rally in a rebuilt second Mototri Contal and bring her back to Paris, a feat the brave Pons failed to do in 1907. Inspired by the story that almost cost Pons and his co-driver Foucauld their lives, Anton Gonnissen set about acquiring an original Mototri Contal. He reached out to many for support and all, including the Rally Director of the Endurance Rally Association, who asked: “Are you mad Anton?”

On the contrary, Anton Gonnissen is an accomplished modern-day adventurer who has finished three Dakars, four Rallies of Egypt, and one UAE desert rally variously in a car, truck and on a quad bike. He is taking this bold venture very seriously and intends to make the impossible journey possible, using all his experience from his previous adventures.

Gonnissen eventually found one of the very few Mototri Contal’s left in the world together with its original manual and went about making the necessary study of the antique machine following a structural test by Ghent University. Some improvements have been made to the chassis, wheels and engine, although, as with the original Mototri Contal, there is no rear suspension together with the 1906 crude springing still on the front. The navigator will sit over the front axle perched out front in what has long been christened the ‘suicide seat’, or as the French said: ‘le tue belle-mère’.

Brave navigator, Belgian Herman Gelan, an interior architect from Ghent, will be in that seat perched out front as Foucauld was all those years ago. Herman is an accomplished triathlon and marathon runner, a passion he shares with Anton. However, he is being thrown in at the deep end as this will be his first motor sport event, he is a total novice. 

Anton Gonnissen will be behind him steering the trike from over the rear wheel for 36 days, 13,840 km (8,600 miles) aiming to finish in Paris six weeks later. The only concession to comfort for the endurance rally specialist from Belgium is a Harley Davidson saddle in place of the original bottom crusher.

Anton Gonnissen: “The story for Auguste Pons was a short one. Stranded without petrol early in the race they couldn’t be rescued by the other competitors as they were ahead of them. They ended up drinking the water out of the radiator and then started their perilously long walk back to Peking in the heat. They nearly died and the Contal is still out there covered by sand somewhere.

“Auguste Pons and navigator Oscar Foucauld were the only men not to eventually make it back to Paris so we intend to lay that ghost to rest and exercise their long lost spirits. Pons was certainly the bravest of the five competitors in the race, as he attempted the absolute impossible race. He lost everything in the Gobi Desert, even his 1906 driving licence was left in the trike when the Contal was abandoned. However, we did find his 1908 replacement document.

“As it is one of the few original Mototri Contal, we have tried to keep as many original parts as possible which is why some components of the original trike will be in place. In some cases, we have simply had to beef up the chassis with the endurance rally and the finish in mind.

 “We are nearly ready to start testing the Mototri Contal which has to be ready to be shipped to China in early March. We want to be prepared but I am not underestimating the formidable challenge ahead. We know this will be a life-changing event, but it could turn us, ordinary men, into heroes if we can get the Mototri Contal all the way to Paris and finish the job for Auguste Pons 112 years on.”

*Testing of the Contal Mototri will begin in February. A further release with VT/ photos from the tests will be distributed in early March. Please kindly indicate if you would like to receive the material and follow the story as it unfolds.

*Please also follow Anton Gonnissen’s blog here.