Just like a treasure hunt the new Rolls-Royce Wraith from the Kryptos Collection contains a secret that waits to be unlocked.
Rolls says the key is contained within the very fabric of the car, starting with the Spirit of Ecstasy — the winged mascot that has adorned the bonnet for more than a century.
An engraving in green enamel introduces the Rolls-Royce cipher at the base of the enigmatic figurine.
Only those who hold the key will be granted the opportunity to unravel a series of clues, which Rolls says leads to “an enlightening conclusion”.
The name Kryptos is derived from Ancient Greek and refers to something unseen, hidden and coded — even mythical.
Apparently the code is so secret that only two people in the organisation know the answer, the designer and the Chief Executive officer.
The answer has been placed in a sealed envelope, in a safe in the office of the Chief Executive Officer at the home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood in Sussex.
Buyers of the car can either ignore the challenge or embrace it and try to solve the riddle.
Clients will be invited to submit their efforts at cracking the code via the members only Rolls-Royce Application, Whispers.
It’s a fascinating concept but one that you will need a Rolls-Royce Wraith from the Kryptos Collection to tackle — and there’s only 50 of them.
For the rest of us, Rolls-Royce has launched an online game, a brainteaser that is open to the public — to celebrate the release of the Kryptos collection.
Inspired by, but not linked to, the Wraith Kryptos Collection, anyone with a penchant for cryptography may enter the online challenge.
Players can access the game at rolls-roycemotorcars.com where they can take part in a cryptic, interactive challenge that consists of four levels, each of which becomes progressively harder.
Consisting of four different levels, players are initially invited to guide an orb through a maze by tilting their mobile device in the direction they wish to travel, in a time-pressured challenge.
Next, a series of questions will reveal just how keen the cryptographer player really is.
The third level will test the observation skills of the participant – only the most cunning will succeed!
The final phase consists of cryptographic ciphers, designed to boggle and bewilder.
This level is the reserve of the most agile and determined minds alone.
Rolls says the first 10 people to complete the game will receive their very own, personalised Rolls-Royce tread plate.
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