There isn’t anything obscure or cryptic about a Rolls-Royce. Imposing, grand and ostentatious, a Rolls-Royce is the most attention-grabbing way to announce your affluence and social stature. Except for the umbrella that’s hidden within the rear doors, every other feature in a Rolls-Royce is conspicuous. But now, the uber-luxury marque is offering 50 of its elite clientele a chance to acquire a special edition Wraith that incorporates a series of secret messages.
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Named Kryptos Collection, these special edition Wraiths are said to carry encrypted ciphers that evolve throughout the car. Clients are invited to start a “journey of discovery and intrigue” by attempting to uncover these cryptic messages and to decipher the secrets within.
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The Wraith Kryptos Collection is the result of Rolls-Royce Bespoke Designer, Katrin Lehmann’s passion for cryptography. “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,” says Lehmann. “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.”
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These ciphers would appear to be design features purely for aesthetic purposes and devoid of any discernible pattern. However, Rolls-Royce says those that look closer will arrive at “an enlightening conclusion.”
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Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, commented; “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!”
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An engraving with green enamel detailing introduces the Rolls-Royce cipher on the base of the Spirit of Ecstasy gracing the bonnet of every car from Goodwood, as does the recrafted bumper inserts. The Delphic Grey exterior hue that reveals blue and green mica flakes under sunlight also points to the cryptic character.
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Apparently, the code is so secret that only two people at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood hold the key to the sequence – the designer and the Chief Executive. To add to the ultra-exclusive aura of the whole exercise, the answer has been placed in a sealed envelope, in the safe of the Chief Executive Officer no less! Clients will be invited to submit their efforts at cracking the code via the members only Rolls-Royce Application, Whispers.
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The cabin is crafted in bespoke Kryptos Green leather, which has been developed to incorporate a metallic effect, set against either Selby Grey or Anthracite. Apparently one of the most obvious clues are elements of the cipher embroidered into the special Wraith’s headrests. Will you be able to crack the code? Maybe. But first, you need to crack the list of clients who will be able to afford one of these!
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