I’ve always been fascinated by space, especially since my dad enjoys taking pictures of stars in his spare time. It’s always interesting to see cars that draw inspiration from outer space, whether it’s a simple design or a luxury car made with materials from the moon. The latest luxury car that falls into the latter category is the Rolls-Royce Spectre Lunaflair.
Rolls-Royce’s head of bespoke design, Martina Starke, explains that the Lunaflair is inspired by the “ethereal beauty of a lunar halo.” The idea for this unique car came from a previous creation by the Rolls-Royce Bespoke division. The Phantom Syntopia, a collaboration with fashion designer Iris van Herpen, featured a dark iridescent paint with color-shifting pigment. This inspired the owner of the Lunaflair to request a paint with a “light and luminous” quality.
The result is a one-of-a-kind holographic paint that will never be used on another Rolls-Royce, unless requested by the same owner. The rainbow effect of the paint is truly unique and took a year to develop. The paint was inspired by the optical phenomenon of a lunar halo, which creates a colorful ring of light around the moon. This effect is caused by moonlight passing through ice crystals in high-altitude cirrus clouds, refracting light to create a technicolor ring similar to light passing through a diamond.
Creating this bespoke paint finish required extensive experimentation over a year. The paint chemistry, application timings, and base coat were all carefully tested to meet the client’s vision. The final finish includes seven layers of lacquer, including a pearlescent coat infused with fine flakes of magnesium fluoride and aluminum. This creates a deep metallic effect in low light and a rainbow technicolor effect in bright sunshine.
The Lunaflair’s interior features a Navy Blue color with accents of Arctic White and Peony Pink. The owner opted for the Starlight doors, which have 4,796 hand-placed fiber-optic stars in the panels. However, the standard Starlight headliner was chosen instead of a more unique design inspired by the moon or galaxy, like other bespoke Rolls-Royce models.
Martina Starke spoke about the collaboration with the client and the inspiration they draw from other custom Rolls-Royce cars. She mentioned that the diversity of ideas from clients helps foster creativity and innovation within the Bespoke design team. This collaboration allows for a continuous flow of new ideas and concepts, delivering unparalleled value to clients who trust Rolls-Royce with their vision.
While the owner of the Lunaflair remains unknown, the left-hand drive car with U.S. side marker lights suggests it may be headed to North America. The Spectre Lunaflair is truly a unique piece of automotive art that combines luxury with inspiration from the beauty of the moon.
