Rolls-Royce reveals new collection inspired by Sheikh Zayed and the UAE – in pictures

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Rolls-Royce has unveiled a new collection of cars with design touches inspired by Sheikh Zayed, Founding President of the UAE, as well as Abu Dhabi landmarks and Emirati history and traditions.

The Wisdom Collection features seven bespoke Rolls-Royces: a Phantom VII, two Phantom Coupés, two Wraiths, a Ghost and a Dawn. The concept was put together by Joseph Tayar, Rolls-Royce brand manager at Abu Dhabi Motors, the British carmaker’s official dealer for Abu Dhabi and Al Ain.

The Wisdom Phantom VII is the centrepiece of the collection, inspired by the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. Its complex embroidery comprises more than 390,000 stitches and took 800 hours to complete.

The other inspirations for the cars in the collection are Qasr Al Hosn and the desert rose (the two Phantom Coupés – the latter a Drophead), falconry and Sheikh Zayed Bridge (the two Wraiths), pearling (the Dawn) and the ancient trade routes (the Ghost).

Each vehicle features an embroidered logo reading “hikmah” in calligraphy – meaning “wisdom” in Arabic – plus a quote in Arabic from Sheikh Zayed hand-carved on the passenger side of the dashboard.

“The UAE’s founding father and his vision for the UAE has been a great inspiration for our designers to draw from,” said Abu Dhabi Motors’ general manager Arno Husselmann. “The Wisdom Collection is a remarkable representation of the rich history, culture, practices and sites in the seven Emirates.”

The cars in the collection are exclusively available from Abu Dhabi Motors and cost from Dh1.85 million each. Four have already been sold, with just the two Wraiths and the Ghost still available.

aworkman@thenational.ae