Only 4 Rolls-Royce Cars in This World Have Headliners With Dragons Made of Light

The start of a new Chinese year has always been a reason for celebration, and not only for the people who observe such things. Given China's power and prestige on the international stage, even companies that don't technically have anything to do with it try to take advantage of such moments.

It was earlier in February when we got wind of the first Chinese year-related product in the automotive industry coming our way. The Italians from Vespa are responsible for it, as they announced a special version of the 946 meant to celebrate the Year of the Dragon.

An exciting product in itself, the Vespa 946 Dragon is not exactly something many of us can enjoy, either because we're not into scooters, or because we don't like dragons tattooed on things, or simply because we're not really fans of Chinese culture of traditions. But all of us, no matter where we stand, can clearly appreciate a luxury vehicle meant to honor the Lunar New Year and crafted around the same central idea.

Sorry, not a single vehicle, but four of them. And not just any vehicles, but ones wearing the badge of British luxury brand Rolls-Royce.

With just a week left until the Dragon year gets here, the Brits showed the world three unique versions of the Phantom Extended and one of the Cullinan. They have been specifically made for "clients residing around the world" (but also for the Rolls-Royce Private Office Shanghai) and are filled to the teeth with dragon motifs.

To address the elephant in the room, we'll tell you that as usual when it comes to bespoke Rolls-Royce cars, the mechanical bits, for both the Phantoms and the Cullinan, remain unmodified, down to the 6.75-liter V12 engines that power them both. But each of these four particular models is styled radically different than what you normally get from the factory floor.

We'll start with the exterior, where the Brits designed fascia panels wearing artistic reinterpretations of the dragon. On top of that, the paint jobs are unique: for the luxury SUV Rolls opted for a duotone approach in Cherry Red with Crystal finish over Selby Grey with a Crystal finish, while the Phantoms come in two-tone Silver and Cherry Red or Black with a Crystal finish.

It's inside where Rolls-Royce went nuts with the depiction of the dragon. We get them, in eye-popping red (but with touches of white, yellow, and brown), on the front passenger panels, on the headrests, and even on the roofs.

That's right, for these four unique vehicles Rolls opted to arrange its infamous bespoke starlight headliner in the shape of the dragon. It's the first time ever such a thing has been designed, and the work is impressive to say the least.

The company's people used no less than 677 individual fiber optic stars, which they fitted above the passenger's heads in such a way as to form an "abstract dragon motif." An additional 677 lights surround this center dragon.

But the wonders and powerful numbers don't stop there. The dragons on the headrests, for instance, have been made by putting together no less than 5,499 stitches, requiring 20 hours from the life of the single person who worked on this (just as long as it took to design the headliner dragon).

Worth noting is the fact that, regardless of what dragon we're talking about, they are all facing right on all four builds. That's a subtle nod to the cardinal point east, the the place from where the Sun rises.

The Chinese zodiac calendar is represented inside three of the vehicles in stainless steel inlaid in the rear piano black picnic tables. The designers also included the names of the animals the Chinese usually identify with different years, in Chinese caligraphy. The dragon, obviously, is highlighted in gold.

The cherry on the cake is the carbon fiber veil gallery inserted in the front fascia of the dashboard. Finally, on the floors there are lambswool carpets.

Rolls-Royce says the design on each of the four cars was executed by a single artist, and it took over two weeks to complete each of the vehicles.

The company does not say for whom these builds were made, nor are we given any details on how much the finished products end up costing. Just to give you an idea of where to start, it's enough to say the Phantom is selling from close to half a million dollars, while the Cullinan will set you back at least $400,000.