The Rolls-Royce Bespoke Waterspeed collection made its Middle East debut in Jeddah at the recent unveiling at the Mohamed Yousuf Naghi Motors showroom, sole dealer of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars in the Kingdom. The eye-catchingly beautiful Waterspeed Collection celebrates Sir Malcolm Campbell's historic and seminal act of British daring and endeavor. On 1 September 1937, Campbell headed out onto the calm blue waters of Lake Maggiore on the Swiss-Italian frontier to establish his legend as he set the world water speed record of 126.32 mph in a Rolls-Royce-powered Bluebird K3 hydroplane boat. Campbell's momentous achievement not only captured the world's attention, but also reaffirmed the Rolls-Royce R-Type engines' record-breaking superiority after triumphs on land and in the air. Revealed globally for the first time last month, the Collection was launched at the world-renowned Concorso D'Elegenza at Villa D'Este, on the shores of Lake Como, one of Italy's world-famous lakes and directly adjacent to Lake Maggiore where Campbell famously established his legend. Stavros Paraskevaides, Managing Director of Mohamed Yousuf Naghi Motors, said: “With only 35 cars of this Phantom Drophead Coupés set to be produced and distributed around the globe, we are very proud to be a part of an exclusive international community, able to place an order for what is an inspired nod to a unique and storied racing heritage, and also for being chosen to unveil the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Waterspeed for the first time in the Middle East.” Showcasing the very best of the Rolls-Royce Bespoke programme, the Phantom Drophead Coupé Waterspeed Collection features a number of exquisitely designed and crafted personalised features. Taking inspiration from Campbell's record-breaking watercraft, only the finest contemporary materials – never used before on a Rolls-Royce – furnish the Waterspeed Collection. Taking further inspiration from the setting of the historic moment, the Phantom Drophead Coupés' brushed steel perfectly complements an exclusively developed Maggiore Blue colour scheme. Handcrafted wood inlays further reinforce this outstanding heritage as it evokes the sense of a boat effortlessly gliding through water at pace. Discussing the Collection earlier this year, Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, said: “Sir Malcolm Campbell's successful pursuit of world-speed records on land and water were the result of his commitment to the most exacting standards of British design and engineering excellence. Such attributes are hallmarks of every Rolls-Royce motorcar, ensuring the marque's position at the pinnacle of super-luxury manufacturing. This special Collection, and those to follow in 2014, serve to display the breadth of Bespoke personalization available to every Rolls-Royce customer.” Highlighting the level of precise detail that Rolls-Royce is known for, it will take over 80 hours for a Rolls-Royce craftsperson to manufacture and hand brush each car's striking brushed steel deck. The coachline, complete with Bluebird motif, will take another four hours to handcraft using a unique squirrel-hair brush. — SG
