- Pays tribute to Captain George Eyston who set land-speed record in 1938
- Based on Wraith and Dawn Black Badge
Rolls-Royce seems to be quite busy lately. After the Boat Tail and Bespoke department, the British marque has come up with a new tribute model based on the Wraith and Dawn Black Badge. This time around, the RR pair is paying homage to Captain George Eyston who broke the land-speed record in 1930 with the new Landspeed Collection.
Captain George Eyston was a Cambridge University graduate, racing driver, gifted inventor and engineering genius. And he also broke the world land-speed record thrice with his car Thunderbolt, powered by two Rolls-Royce R V12 aero engines. Rolls-Royce saw that both he and Thunderbolt have been all but forgotten for more than 80 years and hence decided to pay a tribute with the special edition models – just 35 examples of Wraith and 25 of Dawn will be made.
The interior details of the Landspeed Collection recall the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, where Eyston pursued his record-breaking endeavours in 1937-38. There are Salt Flats’ fissured textures reproduced in the engraved fascia. And the steering wheel details mimic the dark track-line marked on the surface during record runs.
Moreover, the characteristic Starlight headliner depicts the night sky that was on the 16th of September in 1938 when Eyston set his third and final land-speed record of 357.497mph (575.33kmph). What’s more, the silhouettes of the long-lost Thunderbolt, and its three record-breaking speeds, are laser-engraved on the front tunnel as well. Lastly, there are subtle details in the driver’s-side door that reflects the ribbon colours of the honours awarded to Eyston during his lifetime.
