Dubai gets all the attention but never forget that Abu Dhabi is the one with the oil, and hence the actual cash. Dubai’s King Midas daydreaming is propped up solely by the good graces of the sheikhs in Abu Dhabi who sometimes seem like an indulgent uncle tolerating the antics of a debt-prone, spendthrift nephew. That’s why smart luxury brands like Rolls-Royce don’t waste their breath doing everything for Dubai’s faux-rich while ignoring Abu Dhabi. Hence two new special edition Phantoms from Rolls’ bespoke bureau designed especially for good ol’ AD in the UAE, both inspired by the emirate’s rich culture and landscape.
The Phantom Drophead Coupe is called Shaheen, after the local word for the prestigious peregrine falcon used for hunting. It featres a marquise-white exterior with Tudor red lines and a red and seashell leather interior, brass falcon inlays and falcon embroidered head-rests. The Phantom sedan is named Baynunah after Abu Dhabi’s the sand dune covered western region. Fittingly finished in shades of brown and tan, it features hand-crafted inlay and marquetry, some of it applied with tweezers to ensure maximum precision, and a solid gold Spirit of Ecstasy on the hood. Yes indeed – hideous.
