Rolls-Royce Wraith Eagle VIII Coupe
Captain John Alcock and Lieutenant Arthur Brown made the first nonstop flight across the Atlantic ocean in 1919, piloting a Vickers Vimy biplane powered by two Rolls-Royce Eagle VIII engines. The 20.3-liter V12s made 350 horsepower, helping Alcock and Brown average 115 MPH for the flight — and performed flawlessly the entire time. The journey was fraught with trouble from the beginning, with the pilots becoming lost in a freezing cloud bank before breaking through and navigating by the stars to Ireland and safety. To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the heroic feat, Rolls-Royce is building 50 Wraith Eagle VIII special edition coupes, loaded with special features recalling the flight. Gunmetal and Selby Grey two-tone paint mark the night skies, and interior paneling of smoked eucalyptus vacuum metalized in gold with copper and brass that recall nighttime images of Earth from above. The starlight headliner is a map of the stars on the day of the flight in 1919, with red fiber optics marking the moment the pilots broke through the clouds, and constellations and the flight path embroidered in brass thread — a fitting tribute to Rolls-Royce's illustrious history.
