Limited To Just 56 Units Globally, Rolls-Royce Landspeed Collection Pays Tribute To Legendary Racer!

“It’s human nature to want to go further, do more, be more significant than ourselves. The innate desire to extend horizons and define new limits is an instinct we’ve always understood at Rolls-Royce, and we have acted upon it once again with our new Landspeed Collection.

“The Collection, which includes both Wraith and Dawn Black Badge, celebrates someone with precisely that dauntless, fearless, pioneering spirit. His name was Captain George Eyston, a Cambridge University graduate, racing driver, gifted inventor and engineering genius.

In the late 1930s, he broke the world land-speed record three times with his car Thunderbolt, powered by two Rolls-Royce R V12 aero engines. He was a true hero from the age of epic endeavours, yet both he and Thunderbolt have been all-but-forgotten for more than 80 years.

“With this Collection, we have revived Eyston’s memory and retold his remarkable story. Throughout Wraith and Dawn Landspeed, clients will find numerous subtle design elements and narrative details that recall and commemorate his amazing achievements, grand vision and exceptional courage,” said Rolls-Royce Motor Cars chief executive officer Torsten Müller-Ötvös.

For more than a century, Rolls-Royce has been known for its world speed records on land and water. 

After 80 years, under the Wraith and Dawn Black Badge Landspeed Collection, Rolls-Royce will be going back in time to revisit the history of British hero Captain George Eyston and his remarkable car, Thunderbolt. 

George Eyston, who was born in 1897, was a lifelong fan of motorsport. Despite still being in school at the time, he competed in both cars and (under an assumed name) motorcycles. 

While studying for his engineering degree at Trinity College, Cambridge, he was interrupted by the Great War. During this time, he served with distinction and was raised to the rank of captain, where he then won the Military Cross. 

Being such a skilled inventor, Eyston spent the 1920s and 30s building and driving race cars. Not only that, but he was also a patent holder for many inventions but specifically in the field of supercharging.

Following that, he set new 24-hour and 48-hour endurance speed records in 1935 after being one of the first British racers to travel to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. When he received the Segrave Trophy, he was awarded to ‘the British national who demonstrates Outstanding Skill, Courage and Initiative on Land, Water and in the Air.

Fast forward to two years later, Eyston had gone back to the Flats and managed to set three world land-speed records with Thunderbolt. Equipped with three axles, eight wheels and weighing seven tonnes, the body of this one of a kind machine was built from aluminium and was topped with a large triangular tailfin.

Something that should be highlighted is that Eyston set his records on a uniquely compacted section of the Bonneville Salt Flats that is 10 miles (16 km) long and 80 feet (24 m) wide. This was known as the International Speedway. 

It was mentioned that this course was challenging to endure at high speeds due to the absence of landmarks and aggressive glare. 

“On the salt bed, which has to be carefully prepared by dragging, we paint one or more black lines along the whole length. These lines act as guides and prevent the driver from straying, for errors of a few feet in steering might culminate in disastrous results. You see, you might drive a few feet away from the absolute line, something else might happen, and you get a few feet more and, believe me, you will never get back,” said Eyston. 

Due to the challenging course of the speedway, as well as the vehicle’s hefty weight, Eyston’s brilliant team figured out a solution. His team painted darkened track lines onto the course specifically for him to follow, and all he had to do was keep Thunderbolt above 350 mph (563.27 km/h).

Inspired by Eystons’s extraordinary life and achievements, the Rolls-Royce Landspeed Collection includes the Collection Car duo that comes in a two-tone finish, paired with Black Diamond Metallic, as well as a new Bespoke colour called Bonneville Blue. 

This hue was uniquely designed for the Collection. Did you know that it includes a colour that transitions from blue to silver under sunlight? 

Under the hood, Thunderbolt is equipped with a pair of Rolls-Royce R supercharged 37-litre, V-12 aero engines that each produce more than 2,000 hp (1491.4 kW). 

Thunderbolt engines are extremely limited as only 19 machines were ever made. Not only that, but these engines also had a career in the Schneider Trophy-winning Supermarine S6B seaplane that had established the foundations of the one-of-a-kind Spitfire. 

So, where are they now? Sadly, the car was destroyed in 1946 after being placed in storage with 27,000 bales of wool that had caught on fire. However, Thunderbolt’s two R engines are displayed at the Royal Air Force Museum, Hendon, and the Science Museum in London. 

As mentioned above, many parts of the Collection were inspired by Eyston and the Bonneville Salt Flats. Among them are the subtly perforated dark detail in the upper centre of the steering wheel that goes all the way through to the centre-line of the driver’s seat. This helps to highlight the driver-focused appeal for both Wraith and Dawn. 

In addition to that, the wooden veneer of Landspeed Collection’s fascia and console lids resemble the surface of the Bonneville Salt Flats. 

As for the interior, the anodised aluminium surface of the Landspeed Collection’s front tunnel is inspired by Thunderbolt’s unique silhouette. Other than that, there is the outline of the Silver Island mountains that has been engraved on the upper ‘waterfall’ between the rear seats.

It was recorded that for 341 days, Eyston’s final land-speed record was 357.497 mph (575.336 km/h). To honour that, an engraving of the name ‘Bonneville’ was put onto the dashboard clock’s housing in the new Collection Cars. 

Initially, the Thunderbolt was not painted, which caused an issue where the photo-electric timing equipment could not detect the polished aluminium body against the searing white of the Salt Flats’ surface. 

To resolve this, Eyston suggested painting a large black arrow with a yellow circle on the side. This allowed for better visibility when driving at a higher speed. This issue inspired the two-tone yellow and black bumper inserts on the Landspeed Collection. 

Not forgetting the clock’s design that includes yellow and black details and black-tipped hands that were inspired by the arrows painted on Thunderbolt’s exterior.

Next to that, there are also 2,117 individually placed fibre-optic ‘stars’ featured in the Rolls-Royce Wraith Starlight Headliner which was a tribute to the constellations on the day Eyston and Thunderbolt set their final world land-speed record, September 16, 1938. 

Among the awards that Eyston has won throughout his lifetime of adventures were the Military Cross (MC) after serving in the Great War in 1938, Chevalier of the Légion d’honneur, France’s highest civilian decoration, as well as the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1948. 

His awards can also be seen in both the Wraith and Dawn Landspeed, such as the subtle details in the driver’s side door and the armrests on both the passenger side. 

Due to the exclusivity of the Landspeed Collection, only 25 and 35 examples of the Dawn and Wraith, respectively, have been allocated to customers. 

“Rolls-Royce has been synonymous with adventure, daring and pushing boundaries throughout its history. We are delighted that with the Landspeed Collection, we can add another hitherto unsung hero to the illustrious roll call of pioneers associated with our great marque. With his vision, boldness, determination and genius for innovation and invention, George Eyston embodies so much of what makes Rolls-Royce unique. These cars are a fitting and long-overdue tribute to a truly inspiring character,” added Müller-Ötvös.