Last week, Rolls-Royce demoed the future of luxury when they presented the Vision Next 100 (also known as 103EX) at London’s Roundhouse.
An intriguingly dynamic look at what the future of automotive luxury will look like, the Vision Next 100 is an autonomous Rolls-Royce experience, wrapped in aesthetically appealing design that ensures an unmistakeable and unforgettable arrival at any destination.
With Vision Next100, Rolls-Royce is making a confident statement to its patrons that the brand will not be condemned to the “down-to-earth” future of other luxury carmakers—Vision Next 100 will meet the demands of the future without compromising on the luxury and glory of the past.
The Four Tenets of the Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100 – a vision of the future of luxury mobility
Designing the VISION NEXT 100 started with a simple question:
What makes a Rolls-Royce a Rolls-Royce?
The answer, they discovered, lay in four key tenets:
- Personal Vision
- Effortless Journey
- Grand Sanctuary
- Grand Arrival
The challenge was finding a way to keep those four tenets in place when prevailing wisdom suggests the automotive industry will make a philosophical design shift towards function-without-form.
Rather than roll with the tide of prevailing wisdom, Rolls-Royce engineers decided to reject it, and craft a vehicle that refuses to compromise on style, elegance, or splendour—a personalised vehicle current Rolls-Royce customers could stand behind and invest-in with confidence.
Personal Vision
The Rolls-Royce Vision Next 100 is a glimpse of what Rolls-Royce Bespoke design will hold in the decades ahead.
Influenced by customer tastes and the coach-built cars of yesteryear, the Rolls-Royce chassis of the future will be hand-built from the most advanced materials and powered by a zero-emissions engine.
Ever evolving manufacturing technologies will enable customers to become intimately involved in the manufacture process, where they’ll be able to fully customise their Rolls-Royce to perfectly match their own vision—each Rolls-Royce will become a Bespoke masterpiece, serving and supplementing the owners lifestyle in every capacity imaginable.
Effortless Journey
The Rolls-Royce Vision Next 100 is a taste of what an effortless future might hold.
Empowered by a digitally savvy A.I. named ‘Eleanor’, Rolls-Royce Vision Next 100 will be able to stay finely tuned to every aspect of its owners’ life and environment.
‘Eleanor’ is both chauffeur and personal assistant, alleviating owners from any possible encumbrance, fully cognisant of itineraries, schedules, and preferences.
When owners are ready for travel, ‘Eleanor’ brings the car around.
Once safely en-route, ‘Eleanor’ briefs owners on the details of their next destination, while subtly offering personalised suggestions and recommendations, completely eliminating the headaches most often associated with travel.
The Effortless Journey will be capped off by one of the signature features of Vision Next 100—a seamless, potentially magnet-based suspension that makes even the roughest of roadways impossible to notice as a passenger.
Grand Sanctuary
Upon entering the Rolls-Royce Vision Next 100, owners will find themselves immersed in the uncompromising luxury of tomorrow.
Though astonishingly technical in function, the interior will remain a handcrafted lounge, complete with a coach door and clamshell canopy that glide to a close in order to create an environment of uninterrupted tranquillity.
Because the steering-compartment will be rendered unnecessary thanks to the autonomy of the vehicle, owners and their passengers ridding in the cabin will be able to enjoy uninterrupted views looking in any direction.
As one would expect from an automotive manufacturer of Rolls-Royce’s prestige, the 100 Vision Next will be crafted from the finest contemporary materials and classic accoutrements; fine Macassar wood panelling, OLED screens, and a centrepiece sofa in the main cabin comprised of world’s most opulent fabric—silk.
The final touchpoint of the cabin will be the handcrafted deep-pile ivory wool carpet, woven especially in London by master craftsmen.
Grand Arrival
Fine vehicles—from the chariots of Roman Emperors to the Phantom IV used for Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation—have always been used to project the importance of the individuals inside.
Rolls-Royce believes its patrons of the future will still seek the projection of power and status upon arrival. That belief is captured in the most magnificent aspect of the Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100 – its iconic, imposing presence, anointed by the classic symbols of Rolls-Royce: The Spirit of Ecstasy, the Pantheon grille, the long bonnet and the iconic proportions of the entire vehicle.
From these timeless signatures of design come the sweeping lines and striking surfaces that create a dramatically progressive vision of tomorrow’s Rolls-Royce exterior.
A two-tone design scheme, the top-half of the Vision Next 100 is an all-encompassing canopy of inky-glass that provides privacy for the occupants without denying them the freedom to gaze upon the stars or rolling landscape beyond. The contrasting bottom-half leans on a ‘Crystal Water’ colour scheme and unique chassis placement to create an aura of lightness whether at-rest or in-motion.
The cabin itself floats above the road surface, suspended from the vehicle’s wheels via exposed arms and struts, effectively making the Vision Next 100 a catamaran of the road.
Though the ground-breaking design of the Rolls-Royce Vision Next 100 undeniably contributes to the airs of grandeur necessary for an imposing arrival, the signature feature doesn’t come into play until the vehicle comes to a halt. That’s when the hinged glass canopy lifts to allow the owner to stand tall and striking. The coach door then sweeps open while a step simultaneously emerges from below the running board, with a crimson light projecting a carpet-like glow for a celebrated welcome.
A truly flawless final touch that eloquently surmises everything it means to be a true luxury brand.
Experience the Vision Next 100
Those interested in seeing what the future of Rolls-Royce will look like up close can visit the concept car personally in London, or—for those unable to travel—explore the Vision 360 CGI experience, which takes viewers on a virtual tour of the fantastic futuristic craftsmanship that is the Rolls-Royce 103EX.
