autoevolution
 

Rolls-Royce Unveils Bespoke Phantom Featuring Hawaii-Exclusive Koa Wood

The Rolls-Royce ‘Koa Phantom’ was commissioned by one Jack Boyd Smith Jr, whose vision was to own a bespoke Rolls-Royce flagship that features Koa Wood, a rare species of tree that can only be found in Hawaii.
Rolls-Royce Koa Phantom 13 photos
Photo: Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce Koa PhantomRolls-Royce Koa PhantomRolls-Royce Koa PhantomRolls-Royce Koa PhantomRolls-Royce Koa PhantomRolls-Royce Koa PhantomRolls-Royce Koa PhantomRolls-Royce Koa PhantomRolls-Royce Koa PhantomRolls-Royce Koa PhantomRolls-Royce Koa PhantomRolls-Royce Koa Phantom
His dream came true recently after years of collaboration between himself and the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective, consisting of designers, engineers, and craftspeople. The Koa Phantom joins his personal collection of more than 60 bespoke vehicles, all part of the JBS Collection Museum.

“It is our honor to present Jack Boyd Smith, Jr. with his latest Rolls-Royce Phantom. This Bespoke creation joins a collection of truly notable and historic motor cars," stated Rolls-Royce CEO, Torsten Muller-Otvos.

The Koa Phantom demonstrates the extraordinary skill of the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective – a precious and rare example of a naturally sourced material, Koa Wood, is masterfully incorporated into Phantom’s contemporary interior. It took more than three years for this commission to come to life and we are delighted that it will take an important place in The JBS Collection of Jack Boyd Smith, Jnr.”


The reason why this car took so long to build is that the state of Hawaii protects the Koa tree, which can only be harvested from private agricultural land. Furthermore, finding a unique log is extremely rare, with one Rolls-Royce wood specialist describing the find as a “one in a million chance.”

Mr. Smith waited for three years for the ideal veneer, as more commonly available Koa Wood specimens simply wouldn’t do, at least not by his standards. This one, however, had a unique depth, with a grain figure that replicated the effect of velvet. It was really nice, in layman's terms.

Looking at the interior, we can see that Koa Wood is offset by contrasting Navy Blue highlights and piping, while the starlight headliner on navy-blue leather shows the constellation of the night sky above Cleveland, Ohio, just as it was on the day of Mr. Smith’s birth.

Rolls\-Royce Koa Phantom
Photo: Rolls-Royce
The car also comes with a hand-crafted Koa Wood Picnic Hamper, which holds hand-made wine glasses and decanters from the Ajka Crystal factory in Hungary, as well as stainless steel cutlery and Wedgwood porcelain plates.

As for the exterior, it was painted Packard Blue, after Mr. Smith’s 1934 Packard Twelve Coupe, one of the cars in his personal collection. Furthermore, the Dove Grey coachline matches the wheel center pinstripes, while the driver’s door holds the initials JBS Jr, and the passenger door says ‘LAS’, which are Mrs. Smith’s initials.

The Rolls-Royce Phantom Extended is the long-wheelbase version of the regular Phantom, although both are powered by the same 6.75-liter V12 engine, producing 563 hp (571 PS) and 664 lb-ft (900 Nm) of torque. Top speed is rated at 155 mph (250 kph), while 0-62 mph (100 kph) takes 5.4 for the LWB car.
If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
press release
About the author: Sergiu Tudose
Sergiu Tudose profile photo

Sergiu got to experience both American and European car "scenes" at an early age (his father drove a Ford Fiesta XR2 supermini in the 80s). After spending over 15 years at local and international auto publications, he's starting to appreciate comfort behind the wheel more than raw power and acceleration.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories