An off-the-rack Rolls is not good enough

IN the rarefied world of ultraluxury cars, buyers can already own some of the most lavish vehicles on the planet.

But these days, just owning a Rolls-Royce or a Bentley is not enough. Now, buyers are looking for even more exclusivity, and carmakers are more than happy to serve them, offering custom-tailored cars and limited-production "special edition" sedans - especially to lucrative overseas markets - as owners try to distinguish themselves among the one per cent.

This month, for example, Rolls-Royce unveiled the Inspired by Fashion edition of its Wraith at an extravagant event in Lower Manhattan with models and fashion industry insiders. The details are intended to satisfy even the most persnickety of buyers: leather door panels accented with welting and silk, a steering wheel stitched using an invisible seamless technique from English tailors, and headlights with the Rolls-Royce logo etched into them. The lacquering process for the wood on the dashboard alone took nine days.