The Phantom Drophead Coupé Waterspeed Collection car was created by the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Bespoke department to celebrate the incredible act of speed by Sir Malcolm Campbell during his quest to make Great Britain the fastest nation on the water.
It was on the morning of September 1, 1937 that Campbell established his legend, setting a world-record speed of 126.33mph in the famous Bluebird K3 boat powered by a Rolls-Royce R-Engine. The following day he went one better, piloting his craft to 129.5mph, emphatically breaking the United States’ five-year stranglehold on the world water-speed record.
Campbell’s momentous achievement captured the world’s attention and reaffirmed the Rolls-Royce R-engines’ record-breaking superiority after triumphs on land and in the air.
Echoing the cutting-edge technology employed in the construction of the K3, only the finest contemporary materials have been used to furnish the 35 specially designed Waterspeed Collection cars.
Brushed steel decking perfectly complements an exclusively developed Maggiore Blue color scheme while hand-crafted book-matched Abachi wood veneer evokes the sense of a boat effortlessly gliding through water at a pace. The exterior coachline and laser etchings inside the car bring to life a new interpretation of Campbell’s ‘Bluebird’ motif.
For the first time in history the exterior finish extends to the engine, creating a visually striking homage to the power behind Campbell’s R-engine and his accomplishments.
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The attention to detail extends throughout the vehicle with a Windchill Grey interior leather scheme, two-tone steering wheel, dials hewn from a billet of aluminum and a Bespoke clock adorned with the Bluebird’s infinity symbol evoking Campbell’s K3 further.
Within the glove compartment, a debossed panel expressing the records Campbell achieved at Lake Maggiore is a direct tribute to his achievement.
With a series of bespoke elements never featured before on a Rolls-Royce, Waterspeed’s contemporary design evokes the spirit of this historic accomplishment and reflects the pioneering qualities of the Bluebird.
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(Source: Rolls-Royce)
