Riddles, codes and puzzles are generally limited to movies and Easter egg hunts but Rolls Royce has a penchant for creating cars that elevate the experience of luxury even further, this time with cryptology! The Rolls Royce new Wraith Kryptos Collection offers a labyrinth of complex cyphers if correctly deduced would lead to something? Or maybe not?
‘Kryptos’ is derived from Ancient Greek, referring to something unseen, hidden and coded. Cyphers have been used to transfer certain messages and knowledge to a certain population and thus marks a marvel of capturing the imagination of some of the world’s most brilliant minds. Rolls Royce Wraith Kryptos Collection is limited to 50 motor cars. The encrypted cyphers evolved throughout the car will certainly be for the clients’ pleasure and amusement, leading them on a journey of discovery and intrigue.
On the first glance, the Wraith shines in its exuberant glory, but on careful examination are when the secrets unveil. The Wraith Kryptos is born from a designer at the brand’s bespoke division, Katrin 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 cyphers. Finding the key becomes integral to appreciating the full meaning of an item that can otherwise be viewed simply as a work of art,” said Lehmann.
The adventure begins from the Symbol of Ecstasy nestling at the bonnet of the marque’s motor cars for over a century – quite an effective start. A Morse code with green enamel detailing introduces the Rolls-Royce cypher on the base of the enigmatic figurine. According to Rolls Royce, the headrests, where the customary ‘double-R’ emblem nestles, hold the most apparent clue to solve the code.
This series of encrypted codes that evolve throughout the car that lead to a singular answer. There are only two people that know the series and the final solution to the codes, the designer and the chief executive officer. The answer is placed in a sealed envelope in the safe of the CEO, at the home of Rolls-Royce, in Goodwood, West Sussex. Once solved, the clients would be invited to submit their efforts at cracking the code via the members-only Rolls-Royce application, Whispers- the attention to detail is impeccable!
The cryptic veil that covers the car only enhances the look of the car; the delphic grey with a solid anthracite base colour that reveals the blue and green mica flakes when in contact with the sunlight. The hand-painted coachline ends further takes it to the next level as the lower part of the line acts as the shadow in dark grey. The line also holds a section of the code finished in Kryptos green and dark grey. Further complementing the exterior aesthetic are the part polished wheels, with orbit grey coloured centres featuring a coloured pinstripe.
For the interiors of the car, the illuminated treadplates, door pockets and the Rolls-Royce woven leather and Kryptos green thread stitching are installed light up in transmission tunnels. The bespoke Kryptos green leather hue on the seats has been developed to incorporate a metallic effect. Another intriguing aspect is an intriguing screenprint flows across the metal fascia – entirely for the driver’s enjoyment. Enrapturing Wraith’s occupants with light, Wraith Kryptos Collection features a beautifully elaborate, bi-coloured headliner depicting an in-motion data-stream inspired motif.
One of the two people on the planet who know the answer, Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, commented; “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 cypher. I look forward to seeing whether any of our clients will crack the code!”
Rolls-Royce has also launched an entertaining and interactive online game, for members of the public and enthusiasts around the world with a penchant for cryptography who may enter the challenge. Players can access the game at rolls-roycemotorcars.com from 12pm BST on 23rd July, where they can take part in a cryptic challenge, consisting of four levels, each getting progressively harder. The first ten individuals to complete the game will receive their very own personalised Rolls-Royce tread-plate.
Players are initially invited to guide an orb through a maze by tilting their mobile device in the direction they wish to travel, in a time-pressured challenge. Next, a series of questions will reveal just how keen the cryptographer player really is. The third level will test the observation skills of the participant – only the most cunning will succeed! The final phase consists of cryptographic ciphers, designed to boggle and bewilder. This level is the reserve of the most agile and determined minds alone.
Rolls-Royce brings a new generation of collection car; one that brings with it an intriguing and entertaining challenge that will be sure to delight. Who will crack the code? And what answers will the code bring? Only time will tell. Or will it?
