If you happen to be particularly wealthy but also a code-breaking genius, Rolls-Royce has created the perfect car for you. The Rolls-Royce Wraith Kryptos Collection is a strictly limited edition run of 50 cars that contain a secret code known only to two people in the world.
This Wraith comes from the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective, a specialist branch of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars which offers some of the widest-ranging personalization services in the business. Bespoke will not only upgrade and modify existing materials and trim to individual specifications, it can even build you a completely unique vehicle like the $13m Sweptail.
For the Kryptos Collection, Bespoke is working to become one designer’s signature piece. Although Rolls-Royce isn’t entirely clear on the details — preserving some of the mystery and challenge — these special Wraith models incorporate secret messages throughout the vehicle, and challenges owners to solve them.
The code is part of both the exterior and interior, starting right at the Spirit of Ecstasy on the nose. A series of markings — some green, some not — around the figurine’s base is the first step in the rather elaborate code. One big clue seems to come on the embroidered head rests where, instead of the traditional double-R, there’s further green and silver markings.
Elsewhere in the cabin there’s a very Matrix-like roof lining, adapting the starlight headliner into a pattern inspired by streams of data. You’ll also find that pattern on the gallery in the front of the cabin.
The Wraith Kryptos also sports a custom paint color scheme. While it appears like a simple gray affair, with dark gray and “Kryptos Green” coachlines (which also end in a series of markings at the tail), it’s actually a two-layer finish. Delphic Grey features a solid black base color and a mica upper coat, and you’ll see the blue and green flecks under direct sunlight.
If you fancy trying your hand at solving the puzzle, there’s a little bad news: you need to be a Rolls-Royce owner. Only owners have access to the Whispers app that Rolls-Royce has developed to provide unique ownership experiences, and you have to submit your solutions via the app. We don’t know how much the car costs, nor what the reward is for a correct solution…
However, only two people know what the code is. They are Bespoke designer Katrin Lehmann, and Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Muller-Otvos — who has the answer in a sealed envelope in his safe at Goodwood.
Lehmann commented:
“The name Kryptos is derived from Ancient Greek, referring to something unseen, hidden and coded, mythical even. Ciphers can be traced through millennia, capturing the imagination of some of the world’s most brilliant minds.
“As a designer, I’ve always been fascinated by the notion that you can communicate messages that are understood by only an elite few, using symbols, pictograms, and ciphers. Finding the key becomes integral to appreciating the full meaning of an item that can otherwise be viewed simply as a work of art.”
Muller-Otvos adds:
“The brilliant and creative minds of our Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective have excelled once again, creating an extraordinarily contemporary and compelling iteration of Wraith. The Wraith Kryptos Collection, on first glance, is a statement of dynamism. On closer examination, a series of messages are hidden behind a unique Rolls-Royce cipher. I look forward to seeing whether any of our clients will crack the code!”
Of course, should any Kryptos owners feel like they’re not up for the challenge, GTPlanet’s keenest minds are always available for a reasonable fee…
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