If someone has enough cash on hand to commission an entirely rebodied Rolls-Royce from one of Italy's most famous coachbuilders, you can bet he's not going to be wearing an off-the-rack watch, either. That's why Girard-Perregaux crafted the special timepiece you see here. As we reported with the initial news of the Pininfarina Hyperion, this one-of-a-kind tourbillon is specially designed to be removed from its ivory leather wristband and mounted into the dashboard of the unique Rolls-Royce. Its meticulously-hand-crafted 30-jewel movement has 72 components but weighs less than a third of a gram, encased in 18-karat white gold with a face colored the same light blue as the Hyperion it was made to accompany. Like the one-off Hyperion is based on the Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe, the watch is based on the Girard-Perregaux Vintage 1945 Tourbillon. But again, like the car, there was only one built.
Spend enough time roaming the streets of Rome and you're likely to encounter a fair share of people who fancy themselves more Catholic than the Pope. No wonder, then, that the Italians have now tried to out-Rolls-Royce Rolls-Royce, presenting a one-off drop-top Drophead that endeavors to embody an even greater presence than the Phantom cabrio itself. The Pininfarina Hyperion was unveiled just this past weekend at Pebble Beach, and our man Drew was on hand to bring you the best shots of the one-off coachbuilt special from the show stand as it was unveiled and from the fairway where it was displayed in all its glory. But just in case you didn't get enough, Pininfarina has released ten more high-res shots of its one-off Roller for your viewing pleasure.
The one-off Pininfarina Hyperion made its debut tonight at the Gooding & Company auction tent, and we were on hand to see the cover come off this highly anticipated coach-built convertible. Their was a somewhat somber mood among the Pininfarina team, who dedicated the car to the car to the late Andrea Pininfarina, but their spirits were lifted as the Hyperion received an excellent reaction from the crowd as it was unveiled. The car looks truly stunning in person, and we prefer the styling of the Hyperion over the standard Drophead Coupe. The hood is incredibly long, due in part to the extra 400mm created by moving the windscreen back, and we especially loved the unique headlights. We will have additional photos for you on Sunday when the car is displayed during the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.
As we count down to this year's Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, one of the most highly anticipated concept cars scheduled to make its debut there has popped up a bit early. Based on the Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe, the Pininfarina Hyperion has been commissioned by one lucky and presumably very wealthy customer. The unique creation does away with the rear seats and moves the front ones, along with the swept windscreen, back by 400 mm. If you can believe it, a gun rack has been fitted in front of the cabin (yeah, we're serious), while famed watchmaker Girard Perregaux has crafted a special tourbillon timepiece for the Hyperion that can be removed from its wrist-strap and mounted in the dashboard. Meanwhile, word has it that Rolls-Royce could be collaborating with Zagato or Bertone on another special model as well.
Pininfarina announced yesterday that the legendary Italian design house has been commissioned to create a one-off version of the Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe for an unnamed client. Said client apparently wants to make a big splash with his (or her) bespoke coupe, so they've given Pininfarina the go-ahead to debut the Hyperion at the Pebble Beach Concours in August.
The press release (posted below the fold) doesn't reveal any more details about the swoopy Roller, aside from saying that it is "firmly rooted in the history and heritage of the two Brands" and that the Hyperion is an homage to the pre-war cars of yore. We'll be on hand to see the unveiling of the Hyperion when it makes its debut in less than two months.
Pininfarina is working on a new privately-commissioned one-off based on the Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe. Ordered by an as-yet unnamed collector, the vehicle will bear the name Hyperion from ancient Greek mythology and is stylistically inspired by the pre-war Rolls-Royce automobiles.
Coachbuilding for individual clients is becoming an important part of Pininfarina's business, as automakers worldwide are outsourcing to independent carrozzerias less than they used to. Following in the footsteps of Peter Kalikow's lightly modified Ferrari 612 K and Jim Glickenhaus' more radical Enzo-based Ferrari P4/5, the Hyperion is anticipated to debut at Pebble Beach in August.
