“Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Leeds has been an important part of our trusted dealer network ever since JCT joined the Rolls-Royce family in 2018. The opening of this new space is a momentous occasion – it illustrates a bold and exciting step for the brand, bringing the essence of Goodwood to Yorkshire. This new expansive and contemporary space – with its wealth of digital technologies, and sophisticated, elegant design – is the perfect embodiment of the brand. It is the ideal space for the highly professional team to offer patrons a hyper-personalised client experience characterised by luxurious encounters. It really captures the spirit of the marque and brings our visual identity to life, reaffirming our position as a leading House of Luxury.” Boris Weletzky, Regional Director, United Kingdom, Europe and Central Asia
“After adding Rolls-Royce to our stable of luxury car marques in 2018, we were keen to create a new home for it which would do justice to this world-leading brand. Bringing a touch of Goodwood to Yorkshire and the North East, the Leeds showroom is simply stunning. From a multi-media curtain of ‘dancing’ kinetic lighting to a unique ‘cabinet of curiosities’ showcasing our Yorkshire heritage, a visit here is designed to be an engaging experience for customers where they can see the very best of the Rolls-Royce brand.”
Kristian Keighley, Head of Business for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Leeds, JCT600 Brooklands.
Rolls-Royce has a profound understanding of its clients, their expectations, their needs and their wishes. This is an essential element in the marque’s ongoing success as a renowned House of Luxury. The new Rolls-Royce showroom in the heart of Yorkshire is the perfect place for clients to learn more about the marque and experience the elegance of the world of Rolls-Royce.
Located in a prominent location in Leeds, this space showcases the marque’s exquisite products and provides clients with an unparalleled experience, in line with Rolls-Royce’s position as a true global luxury goods brand. The new showroom, with the front doors modelled on Rolls-Royce’s famous Pantheon grille, offers clients a fully immersive brand experience from the moment they enter the building.
Inside, the new showroom exudes cool modern luxury, yet still recognises the importance of heritage for the marque, with citations from the founding fathers of the brand throughout the showroom. The Cabinet of Curiosities, an eclectic mix of intriguing, timeless and legendary design objects, sparks the imagination and client conversations as part of the commission process. It also celebrates the local area with unique objects and books which reflect the legends that hail from Yorkshire.
The pièce de résistance, the Atelier, is the place where, with the help of the marque’s highly skilled and professional team, clients can envisage their dream commission coming to life. Housing some of the marque’s most exquisite examples of craftsmanship, including wood veneers, leathers, embroidery threads and lambswool samples, in a variety of vivacious hues, the Atelier is a sensory-inspired room; it showcases the marque’s fluency in Bespoke and luxury. The surface-finish samples are presented in the familiar Rolls-Royce speedform shape, making it easy to imagine the almost endless two-tone colour combinations; the leathers are rolled on wands with handles from Rolls-Royce’s famous umbrellas, while the veneers are shaped like the cross-section of an aerofoil, recalling the aviation exploits of the marque’s founding father, The Hon. Charles Stewart Rolls.
The remarkable space that is the Leeds showroom is a further sign of the dealership’s commitment to excellence and extraordinary journey since joining the marque in 2018. In 2020, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Leeds was honoured to receive the title of ‘Global Whispers Dealer’. Whisper’s is the marque highly exclusive members only club.
A Rolls-Royce is unapologetically luxurious, it is unmistakable, synonymous with beauty and elegance, a true design icon, and so, in the new Leeds showroom, each model rightfully enjoys its own dedicated space, framed, and is presented according to its distinctive personality and characteristics.
MODELS OF THE MARQUE: THE 1940s THE ROLLS-ROYCE SILVER DAWN
The latest in the ‘Models of the Marque’ series showcases the Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn. Launched in 1949, it marked a profound change for Rolls-Royce, reflecting the realities of the post-war market.
“For the first 40 years of its existence, Rolls-Royce built only rolling chassis, onto which independent coachbuilders installed bodywork specified by the client. It wasn’t until the late 1940s that the marque produced its first complete motor car – the Silver Dawn. Launched in 1949, it marked a profound change for Rolls-Royce, reflecting the realities of the post-war market while giving the marque more control than it had ever enjoyed over the exterior design of its products. It was also the second model to be built on a single, variable underlying structure, foreshadowing the Architecture of Luxury upon which all Rolls-Royce motor cars of the modern era are built.” Andrew Ball, Head of Corporate Relations and Heritage, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
Although Rolls-Royce suspended motor car production between 1939 and 1945 to focus on building aero engines, design work on a new model continued in the background.
During the 1930s, Rolls-Royce offered three models, each of which included numerous parts that were unique to it and could not be shared between them. This significantly increased the manufacturing costs per car, which quickly became unsustainable during the austerity of the post-war years.
Rolls-Royce therefore faced the problem of reducing production costs without compromising quality or performance. The solution was new models that could share common parts, a new engine that could be offered in straight-four, six or eight-cylinder variants, and a single chassis that could be configured in variable dimensions. The latter can be seen as a precursor of the proprietary aluminium spaceframe, known as the Architecture of Luxury, that underpins every motor car built at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood today.
These ideas came together in a development programme for what would be known as the ‘Rationalised Range’. In 1946, Rolls-Royce launched the first such model: the Silver Wraith. This was a direct replacement for Phantom III, introduced in 1936. Like its predecessor, and indeed all the pre-war models, Silver Wraith was a rolling chassis designed to be fitted with third-party, coach-built bodywork.
Rolls-Royce knew that to be commercially successful in these more challenging times, it needed a model that was less expensive and could be produced in greater numbers than was possible with traditional coachbuilding. So, for the first time in its history, Rolls-Royce decided to produce a complete motor car, with coachwork assembled in-house. In the same way that Silver Wraith replaced Phantom III, this new model would assume the mantle of the small-horsepower cars the marque had built in previous decades.
The second model in the ‘Rationalised Range’, the Silver Dawn, was launched in 1949, initially only as an export car mainly for the North American and Australian markets; it became available to UK clients in 1952. Of the 761 Silver Dawns produced, most were supplied with the ‘Standard Steel’ four-door saloon bodies produced in-house. But in deference to clients’ requirements, Rolls-Royce also offered the Silver Dawn as a rolling chassis, with some 64 coach-built examples completed in a production run that lasted until 1955.
As further proof of the Rationalised Range approach, by 1952, clients could specify both the smaller, complete Silver Dawn and larger Silver Wraith rolling chassis with automatic gear selection. Indeed, Silver Dawn would be among the very last Rolls-Royce models to be offered with a manual transmission. It would be more than half a century before the advent of the satellite-aided, eight-speed ZF automatic transmission fitted to all of today’s V12 Rolls-Royce motor cars – but the die had been cast.
Towards the end of its lifespan, Silver Dawn’s rear section was reworked by the then newly hired John Blatchley, who had learned his craft with renowned London coachbuilder Gurney Nutting before joining Rolls-Royce. His deft eye for detail not only allowed for greater luggage capacity, but also enhanced the motor car’s looks considerably; perhaps not surprisingly, he would go on to become the marque’s Chief Styling Engineer. In 2015, the nameplate was revived with Dawn, which was the best-selling drophead in Rolls-Royce’s history by the time production ended in 2023.
The ‘youngest’ Silver Dawn is now almost 70 years old. Yet even now, it offers an exhilarating experience for the driver and a restful ride for passengers over long distances in modern traffic conditions. It was and is, in every sense, entirely a Rolls-Royce.
The new dealership will operate under the name Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Bucharest. Automobile Bavaria becomes first authorized Rolls-Royce dealer in Romania since the foundation of the brand 120 years ago.
As an authorized dealer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Bucharest will have the capability to offer the complete range of products and services directly. Clients in Romania will enjoy enhanced access to the Rolls-Royce portfolio and services, supported by the exceptional commitment and support for which Automobile Bavaria is renowned.
Rolls-Royce is set to open a showroom worth nearly 1 million euros in the north of Bucharest. This marks also the first time the British luxury car manufacturer will establish an authorized dealership in Romania. BMW’s brand is distributed in Romania through Automobile Bavaria, which also manages the official Rolls-Royce service center in Bucharest.
Consequently, Romania is poised to become the third country in the Balkans, alongside the Czech Republic and Turkey, to inaugurate an official Rolls-Royce showroom, located within the Automobile Bavaria complex in Băneasa. Automobile Bavaria has been inaugurated as a Rolls-Royce service partner in 2010. The new dealer Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Bucharest forms part of Schmidt Premium Cars, as does Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Munich.
The announcement was made during a press conference held at the British ambassador’s residence in Bucharest. The event was attended by Giles Portman, the British Ambassador to Bucharest, Michael Schmidt Owner of Automobile Bavaria, Frank Tiemann – Head of Corporate Communication for Central/Eastern Europe and Central Asia Rolls at Royce Motor Cars, Leonhard Georg Pfeffer, CEO Automobile Bavaria, Cristian Bednar -Brand Manager at Rolls-Royce Authorised Service Workshop Bucharest and Ciprian Bercea – Marketing & Digitalization Director at Automobile Bavaria, along with members of the Romanian press.
The third instalment of the ‘Models of the Marque’ series celebrates the Rolls-Royce 20 H.P. – the ‘Twenty’. Launched in 1922, this transformative motor car was the first Rolls-Royce expressly designed for owner-driven motoring.
A brief history of the Rolls-Royce 20 H.P. – known as the ‘Twenty’ – launched in 1922
A transformative motor car for the marque, it was the first Rolls-Royce ever designed expressly to be owner-driven rather than chauffeured
Third in a series celebrating landmark models from each decade of the marque’s history, from its foundational years in the 1900s to the contemporary Goodwood era
Year-long retrospective marks the 120th anniversary of the first meeting between Henry Royce and The Hon. Charles Stewart Rolls in 1904
“The legendary 20 H.P., known simply as the ‘Twenty’, was launched on 6 October 1922. Designed by Henry Royce, it ranks among the most important and transformational models ever produced by the marque. Its technology was highly advanced for the time and set the mechanical template for generations of Rolls-Royce motor cars that followed it. Smaller, lighter and less complex than its predecessors, it was also the first Rolls-Royce specifically intended for owners to drive themselves, rather than chauffeured use, reflecting the changed world in which Rolls-Royce found itself operating after 1918. More than a century later, its influence can still be seen in contemporary automotive engineering and design, including the models we build at Goodwood today – a remarkable motor car with an extraordinary legacy.” Andrew Ball, Head of Corporate Relations and Heritage, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
A CHANGED WORLD
Even before the Armistice was signed in 1918, Henry Royce was preparing for what he knew would be a very different post-war world. He reasoned that, given the likely difficulty of recruiting, retaining or affording a mechanic or chauffeur as they had done previously, some customers would no longer be able or willing to run the marque’s most popular pre-1914 model, the 40/50 H.P. ‘Silver Ghost’. He needed to create a motor car that was simpler to maintain – and, even more importantly, that the owner could more easily drive themselves. At the same time, Royce knew these discerning clients would expect and accept nothing less than the Rolls-Royce standards of excellence they were accustomed to – and neither would he.
THE ‘TWENTY’
On 6 October 1922, Rolls-Royce unveiled its new ‘small horsepower’ motor car, the 20 H.P., the first Rolls-Royce ever designed expressly to be owner-driven rather than chauffeured. It was immediately obvious that the ‘Twenty’, as it quickly became known, represented a huge technical leap forward. Its straight-six cylinder, 3.1-litre engine was less than half the size of the Silver Ghost’s 7.5-litre unit: however, the new model also weighed around 30% less. This meant the performance gap between them was far less than the raw numbers might suggest. Indeed, with its light controls and more advanced steering, braking and suspension systems, the ‘Twenty’ made the Silver Ghost seem rather outdated, although the larger model remained significantly ahead of its direct competitors.
The ‘Twenty’ quickly became a firm favourite both with established Rolls-Royce owners and those new customers for whom, as Royce had predicted, purchase price and ongoing running costs were more important considerations than they had been a few years earlier.
In letters to the motoring press, one happy owner praised it as ‘a charming piece of mechanism’ while another declared, ‘I have never handled anything as sweet-running’. A company advertisement quoted an expert assessment of the car as ‘everything a motorist can want… motoring with a high degree of refinement and its simplicity of construction will delight the driver’. After taking delivery of his car, a contented customer wrote to the company from his home in France declaring: ‘I drove my 20 H.P. here from Liverpool and am very satisfied with the running of the engine, not having to change gear between Liverpool and Versailles’.
WEIGHTY ISSUES
Like all Rolls-Royce models of the era, the ‘Twenty’ was produced as a ‘rolling chassis’, on which owners commissioned bespoke bodywork from an independent coachbuilder. Royce had always intended that it should primarily be an owner-driver car and hoped coachbuilders and customers alike would embrace this by keeping their creations as svelte and lightweight as possible.
However, he was unable to change the habits of a lifetime among some customers. Many owners persisted in specifying their preferred style of solid, formal coachwork that was both heavier and produced greater wind resistance. To Royce’s understandable irritation, these massive, overbuilt bodies inevitably compromised performance.
Ever the pragmatist, Royce knew there was only one way to improve the weight-to-performance ratio. In 1929, the ‘Twenty’ was replaced by the 20/25 H.P., powered by an enlarged capacity engine, followed in 1935 by the 25/30 H.P. with a 4.25-litre powerplant. The ‘small horsepower’ era finally came to an end with the Wraith of 1938. These later iterations, all direct developments of the ‘Twenty’, add further lustre to its record and reputation.
A LASTING INFLUENCE
The ‘Twenty’ had a profound influence on Rolls-Royce long after production ceased in 1929, by which time no fewer than 2,940 examples had been built. In particular, the straight six-cylinder engine – with detachable cylinder head and overhead valves – would provide the template for Rolls-Royce engines for years to come. Open the bonnet of any six-cylinder Rolls-Royce right up to the Silver Cloud model (1955-9) and their shared heritage is clear to see, albeit with many internal improvements. And when the by-then venerable Silver Ghost was replaced with the new Phantom in 1925, its engine also adopted the essential ‘Twenty’ pattern.
Guidetothe10 Best Romantic Getaways around the world, by Luxury Lifestyle Awards
Luxury Lifestyle Awards knows how to select the best luxury brands in different industries around the world. In honour of the month of love, we are thrilled to bring you our Guidetothe10 Best Romantic Getaways around the world! Celebrating love on a whole new level we have selected the World’s finest for a romantic experience of a lifetime.
Many different places are suitable for the year-round celebration of the month of love, and Constance Lemuria is one of them. Here you and your partner can experience an everyday celebration of love and romantic perfection. Start the day by indulging in fine food. Take time to unwind in a coastal paradise nestled among the empty white sandy beaches, lush flora, and fauna. Treat yourself and your partner to a customized spa treatment to revive your senses. Constance Lemuria also offers a Kids Club, run by fully trained coordinators that will lead your children to wonderful island exploration trips, culinary activities, scavenger hunts, and more, to give couples with little ones, a much-needed break for some one one-on-one time.
The picturesque Hanging Gardens of Bali always provide you with an ambiance of relaxation and calmness. This is one of the best and most memorable getaways with a loved one. The luxurious Bali villa resort is located in the heart of the Bali jungle, North of Ubud, Payangan. The stunning views of the Ayung River and Dalem Segara temple are surrounded by lush rainforests and picturesque rice terraces creating a special location. This destination is one of the most sought-after destinations in the world, holding the title of the “World’s First Seven Stars Boutique Hotel” and is one of the best Bali honeymoon resorts.
Best of the Best in Hospitality Industry in the TOP 100 Hotels & Resorts
Luxury Lifestyle Awards Reveals the Best of the Best in Hospitality Industry in the TOP 100 Hotels & Resorts
TOP 100 Hotels & Resorts
In all the diversity of hotels and destinations, quality and exclusivity have become cornerstones. Quality recreation is something that successful people are not willing to compromise on.
The strict criteria that Luxury Lifestyle Awards experts apply during market research and evaluation of nominees meet the highest standards and expectations of travellers. The LLA team has prepared a list of the top 100 establishments that will bring the most positive emotions to sophisticated vacationers.
The pandemic events of recent years have made humanity appreciate in a special way the opportunity to travel and discover the world in all its diversity and beauty.
In the TOP 100 Hotels & Resorts, you will find establishments that have convincingly demonstrated their commitment to impeccable service and attention to guest needs.
Mountain Hub Gourmet, a Michelin-starred restaurant, is the new Fine Dining Restaurant of the Hilton Munich Airport. Reopened in September 2021, is set against the majestic backdrop of the Alps, right next to Munich Airport. The restaurant’s 33-year-old chef, Stefan Barnhusen has been head chef at Mountain Hub Gourmet since September 2020. He previously worked in the Michelin one-starred Jellyfish restaurant in Hamburg, and at Seehotel Überfahrt on Lake Tegernsee under the three-star chef Christian Jürgens.
The restaurant itself is spacious and boasts a stylish, modern design with an unusual semi-circular floor plan. It’s everything that you would expect it to be, and more, with an attentive and helpful service team, headed up by maître d’ Johannes J. Gahberger. Service-driven they aim to inspire while staying true to their ethos of generous hospitality.
A sophisticated world-class establishment, of the highest excellence, that celebrates the diversity of its guests by offering a sublime food experience. Intended for those with an appreciation for the exceptional, Mountain Hub Gourmet caters to international visitors and locals alike, whether it’s for a business lunch between flights or dinner and an evening of romance.
Using only the best ingredients and fresh, seasonal produce from the area, together with his refined ability, the food is meticulously and magically transformed by a passion to another level. Not only a symphony of flavours but a feast for the eye, each dish is beautifully and playfully presented with the utmost precision and extravagant artistic flair, perfectly balanced by colour, texture, and attention to detail.
Sofitel Baru Calablanca Beach Resort – Celebrated for Colombia’s First Luxury Resort
Sofitel Baru Calablanca Beach Resort is Colombia’s first luxury resort and is set on the idyllic white sandy beaches of Isla, Barú. The highly anticipated resort opened its doors on December 1st, 2021.
The new hotel is the third Sofitel in Colombia and the country’s first-ever opulent beach destination. The picturesque property sophisticatedly combines Sofitel’s French heritage with the essence of the Caribbean.
Located just 25 minutes from the city of Cartagena, the resort is nestled amid the natural beauty and cultural affluence of Barú. The hotel features an impressive 187 modern and chic rooms, including a presidential suite and 22 luxurious suites, all equipped with terraces and balconies facing the tranquil and turquoise Caribbean Ocean.
This hidden gem of a resort has been awarded by the experts at the Luxury Lifestyle Awardsfor Best Luxury New Resort in South America 2022, and it’s easy to see why. It features four restaurants, seven bars, and a food truck all under the culinary direction of Patrice Guaus, the world-renowned French chef. These include Calablanca Restaurant and bar, which is a combination of divine Mediterranean and Colombian cuisines, prepared with farm-to-table ingredients and ancestral techniques, Bahía Restaurant & bar overlooking the magic waters of the Caribbean, our unique slow-cooking grill offers mouthwatering dishes that will be perfectly coupled with local cocktails, Humo Restaurant offers dinner-only featuring a robata grill concept inspired by Asian fare.
Guests can enjoy cocktails throughout several social spaces around the resort. La Pergola rooftop terrace is the perfect space to watch Barú’s magical sunsets and our new gastronomic proposal on wheels El Manglito Food truck that is a fun and innovative way to serve guests and visitors who are enjoying the beautiful beaches of Barú.
A wide-body superyacht with Raised Pilot House (RPH) and the possibility of adding a third level for an additional sundeck
– Superior construction technology, with a pure carbon fiber superstructure, a D2P hull with wave piercer, and reduced noise and vibration
– Side garage for tender and jet ski
– Two big beach clubs in the stern and bow
– An owner’s suite with the largest extending terrace on the market
– Uniquely styled interiors designed by Achille Salvagni
– Exterior design by Stefano Righini
The Azimut Grande 35 Metri is the new flagship in Azimut Yachts’ most exclusive line, the Grande Collection. Drawing on Azimut carbon fiber technology and the expertise of Stefano Righini, who defined the concept and designed the exteriors, the yacht offers unprecedented solutions for a boat this size, representing a masterpiece of style and space.
The yacht has a Wide Body with Raised Pilot House (RPH) and supremely sleek exteriors, featuring exceptionally sized full-height windows in both the bow and salon. Unique in this category is the option to add an additional sundeck (almost 30 m2) on a third level, with access from the upper deck in the stern. This solution doesn’t affect the balance of volumes and retains the model’s overall dynamism.
The Azimut Grande 35 Metri delivers the best build quality in its category. The entire superstructure and hardtop are made from pure carbon fiber, which Azimut uses with great success to increase the volume of the structures, and so to offer more space and comfort, but without adding weight to the boat. Epoxy, the non plus ultra of resins, is used alongside the carbon because it has superior mechanical characteristics to the resins normally used.
Luxury meets Luxury – this was the essence of the party organized by Idea Events, Private Luxury Group’ events division, on the 12th of December. In the glamorous decor of the historical villa Oromolu – Qreator by IQOS, the guests were welcomed by renowned travel & lifestyle brands, such as Gulfstream, Tudor. Personal Tailor, Simona Semen of Private Luxury Travel and had the chance to spend a quality evening, sprinkled with Luc Belaire’s sparkling wine.
The event also marked the launch of the new edition of the travel & lifestyle magazine Rhapsody – The Luxury Standard. This number celebrates innovation in luxury and brings forward brands and destinations that put excellence in the core of their business.
Gulfstream, one of the main luxury aircraft producer in the world, is such an example, whose presence was enjoyed at the event. The model of the latest G650 aircraft and the exclusive images from the inside of the aircraft introduced the guests into the atmosphere of a luxury trip. The new aircraft sets a high standard in the business travel industry and achieves notable performance in terms of engineering, functionality, precision and comfort.
The picture of a perfect trip was completed by Private Luxury Travel, which offers concierge services, through its VIP Travel Club – Rhapsody. The cards grant access to VIP lounges in the airport and other exclusive venues in the world, facilitate flight and boarding procedures and provide a complete meet & assist package throughout a trip.
The guests were also delighted with two fashion presentations, first of them bearing the signature of the Romanian designer Simona Semen and the second one, signed by Tudor. Personal Tailor. In discreet shades of grey, peach or pale pink, Simona Semen’s creations have outlined a romantic image, through delicacy and femininity, simple lines and fluid materials. Tudor. Personal Tailor’ creations brought a touch of extra elegance and masculinity through British inspired costumes and the highest attention to details.
The event was organized with the support of our partners: Gulfstream, Private Luxury Travel, Private Jets Europe, Luc Belaire, Qreator by IQOS and Leonidas.
