You'd think they would have got together, but they didn't. Rolls-Royce and Aston Martin cars both played pivotal roles in the seminal 1964 James Bond movie Goldfinger, in the same scenes even, and both companies have created special models to celebrate the film's 60th anniversary. Separately.
Rolls-Royce's "one-of-one" Phantom Extended takes inspiration from the 1937 Phantom III Sedanca de Ville owned by the eponymous villain in the movie, Auric Goldfinger.
The company's Bespoke division spent three years creating a suite of "playful" custom features that reference the film.
Paint specialists precisely matched the exterior yellow hue to the original 1937 Phantom used in the film; a unique "long-side" two-tone design was developed in which the black finish wraps around the body as a single, uninterrupted graphic.
The 21-inch disc wheels are finished in black with silver "floating" hubcaps, creating an effect that recalls the wheel design of the 1937 car.
The Spirit of Ecstasy has a unique finish, as an extremely nerdy reference to the Goldfinger plot. Auric Goldfinger smuggles gold in body panels of his Phantom; sections of the new car's figurine appear to reveal gold underneath, suggesting it is made of solid gold, concealed with a silver coat.
But since it's not possible to silver-plate gold, Rolls-Royce used a solid silver Spirit of Ecstasy and plated it with 18-carat gold to achieve the effect.
A hidden vault between the front seats houses an illuminated solid 18-carat gold bar, shaped as a Phantom "Speedform" – a stylised representation of the car’s design in miniature.
The inner lid of the glovebox carries Goldfinger’s iconic quote: “This is Gold, Mr. Bond. All my life, I have been in love with its colour, its brilliance, its divine heaviness.”
The treadplates, designed to look like the gold bars that feature in Goldfinger, are gold-plated and embossed using the same font developed for the film in 1964. The 24-carat gold-plated VIN plaque is engraved with a specially obtained vehicle identification number, which ends in "007".
The Bespoke artwork installed in Phantom’s Gallery, which runs the full width of the front fascia, is hand-drawn: a map that shows the contours of the Furka Pass, where Goldfinger is followed by Bond to his smelting plant in the Swiss Alps.
The clock surround at the centre of the artwork is inspired by the iconic "gun barrel" sequence, which has been featured in every official Eon James Bond film since Dr No (1962).
The car pays another subtle tribute to the memorable Furka Pass scene: the Starlight Headliner perfectly reflects the constellations as they were positioned over the Furka Pass on 11 July 1964 – the last day of filming the scene in Switzerland. The 719 stars, which glow with a subtle gold colour, are surrounded by a further eight shooting stars – all individually placed by hand.
The Royal Walnut picnic tables are adorned with a 22-carat gold inlay with a depth of only 0.1mm, which feature a fictional map of Fort Knox, the bullion depository where the United States’ gold reserves are stored.
James Bond’s initial encounter with Goldfinger takes place at Stoke Park in Buckinghamshire, UK, where 007 challenges him to a round of golf. Goldfinger uses a gold putter, which is safely guarded by his henchman, Oddjob. For the 2024 Phantom Goldfinger, the gold-plated putter has been recreated and mounted on the underside of the boot lid.
During the Stoke Park scene, Bond is nearly caught interfering with the Phantom by Oddjob, who loads Goldfinger’s golf clubs and a harlequin umbrella into the boot. For the 2024 Phantom Goldfinger, the umbrellas that fit into the rear doors have been finished in the same red, blue, green, and yellow colours.
As a finishing touch, the British numberplate "AU 1", which was fitted to the Goldfinger Phantom III in the film, has been secured — a reference to the chemical symbol for gold on the periodic table of elements.
This will remain with Phantom Goldfinger, which has now been delivered to a "significant Rolls-Royce client" and collector based in England.
Aston Martin DB12 Goldfinger Edition
Meanwhile, Aston Martin has created a DB12 Goldfinger Edition, developed by its bespoke personalisation service, Q by Aston Martin.
It's not quite 1-of-1, but just 60 examples will be released worldwide. While the movie car was all about gadgets, the DB12 is "focused on providing a more indulgent James Bond driving experience, incorporating subtle touches from the Goldfinger film", says the company. So no gadgets then. Boo.
It's finished in the iconic Silver Birch colour synonymous with the DB5 in Goldfinger. The 21-inch wheels are a unique silver colour with a diamond treatment finish, with black brake calipers, bespoke gold side strakes and a unique Aston Martin logo in silver with a black enamel. There's a bright chrome "Q" fender badge.
The leather Sports Plus seats are finished in a DB5 fluted style with Prince of Wales check perforation pattern, intended as a reference to classic James Bond suits of the 1960s. The pattern extends to the door inserts and headliner, as well as being etched onto a unique treadplate.
A polished sill plaque carries a Goldfinger anniversary logo.
Gold plated interior accents decorate the drive-mode rotary dial and the roller controls, as well as the notched gear selector which takes design inspiration from the golden tracking device used by Bond in the film.
Aston can get nerdy, too: a subtle nod for Bond aficionados is the "eight of hearts" embroidered onto the drivers’ sun visor, which references the playing card seen in the last draw during the Miami pool scene in the film.
The gifts that come with the car might be the highlight, though. Each Aston Martin DB12 Goldfinger Edition comes with a custom car cover and luxury key presentation box, along with a Silver Birch Speedform model and a section of the iconic Furka Pass scene in Goldfinger on 35mm film.
The gifts are presented in a Globe-Trotter attaché case, which replicates the design of the car; a Silver Birch body and a Prince of Wales check interior.
Owners will also enjoy a magnum of 2007-vintage Champagne Bollinger, individually numbered, with four exclusive Bollinger 007 glasses, presented in a bespoke Globe-Trotter Air Cabin Case.
