Rolls-Royce showcases a distinctive fusion of rock music culture and pool landscape in a one-of-a-kind extravaganza.

Rockstars, Royals, and Rolls-Royces: A Tale of Iconic Vehicles

Rolls-Royce has long been synonymous with luxury, elegance, and prestige. Over the years, the brand has captured the hearts of many celebrated figures, from musicians to actors, and their iconic vehicles have become as legendary as the stars who drove them.

In the 1960s, John Lennon unveiled his yellow, hand-painted Phantom V, arguably the most famous rock-and-roll-Rolls-Royce of all time. This vehicle, adorned with swirls of red, orange, green, and blue, with floral side panels and Lennon's star sign, Libra, was a symbol of the Beatle's flamboyant spirit. When it sold in 1985, it reached an astounding $2,299,000, making it the most expensive piece of rock 'n' roll memorabilia at the time.

Another music icon who graced the Phantom V was Elvis Presley. In 1963, he bought a Midnight Blue Phantom V, complete with bespoke features. The original mirror-polished paint of Elvis's Phantom V famously attracted the attention of his mother's chickens, who would peck at their reflection in the coachwork.

Elton John, too, owned a Phantom V, which he updated with a bespoke audio system so powerful that the back windscreen had to be strengthened to prevent it from shattering when the volume was turned up. This Phantom VI, bought in 1973, was later given to his percussionist, Ray Cooper, in lieu of a cash fee.

The genre of hip hop has played a key role in popularizing one of Rolls-Royce's most distinctive features: Starlight Headliner. Artists like Pharrell Williams and Snoop Dogg have showcased this feature in their music videos and performances. Pharrell Williams and Snoop Dogg also featured a Phantom VII in the 2004 music video for Drop It Like It's Hot.

Lil Wayne's album Tha Carter II features Phantom on its cover, and the Lido served as a backdrop to a photograph of The Beatles taken on 12 September 1967 during their visit while filming for The Magical Mystery Tour.

In the world of film, Michael Douglas recreated the short but famous journey of Liberace's Phantom V in the Liberace biopic, Behind the Candelabra. Liberace's 1961 Phantom V was covered in tiny mirror pieces and used to drive on stage during his residency at the Las Vegas Hilton.

The list of artists who have owned Rolls-Royce vehicles is extensive. It includes Duke Ellington, Fred Astaire, Count Basie, Ravi Shankar, Édith Piaf, Sam Cooke, Salvador Dalí, Andy Warhol, and Cecil Beaton; Marlene Dietrich received a green Rolls-Royce Phantom I in 1930 upon her arrival in California. Dietrich's Phantom also took its share of the spotlight, appearing in the film's closing scenes and publicity images.

By 2016, Rolls-Royce had become the most name-checked brand in song lyrics, driven in part by the rise of hip-hop. This trend continued, with 50 Cent appearing in the TV series Entourage in a Phantom VII Drophead Coupe.

In a unique display of marketing, Rolls-Royce submerged a Phantom Extended body shell in the swimming pool at Tinside Lido in Plymouth, UK as part of the Phantom's 100th anniversary celebrations.

These iconic vehicles, driven by legends, have become more than just luxury cars. They are symbols of a bygone era, a testament to the enduring allure of Rolls-Royce and the stars who drove them.

Rolls-Royce showcases a distinctive fusion of rock music culture and pool landscape in a one-of-a-kind extravaganza.