Luxury cars are more than mere transportation – they are cultural artefacts woven into the fabric of history, art, and aspiration. Across decades, they’ve symbolised power, success, and an unrelenting pursuit of beauty. Few brands have achieved this with the same enduring influence as Aston Martin, Rolls-Royce, and Mercedes-Maybach, each crafting a legacy that extends far beyond the just automotive world and into film, music, and the lifestyles of the rich and famous.
In celebration of the tastemakers who define motoring luxury, we pay tribute to the visionary designers behind these legendary marques.
Aston Martin & The Bond Legacy: The Car That Defined a Spy
Few cars in cinematic history have had the cultural impact of the Aston Martin DB5. Since its debut in Goldfinger (1964), it has been as much a James Bond trademark as the tailored tuxedo and the shaken-not-stirred martini. The DB5, with its gadgetry and effortless charm, transcended its role as a vehicle, becoming a co-star, a statement of British engineering, and a timeless symbol of adventure.
Over the decades, Aston Martin has remained synonymous with the Bond franchise. From 2006’s Casino Royale (where the DBS rolled seven times during the iconic cinematic crash, setting a Guinness World Record for the most cannon rolls in a car) to No Time to Die (featuring the DB5, the V8 Saloon, the DBS Superlegger, and the Valhalla), Aston Martin has continuously redefined the image of the modern gentleman. Marek Reichman, executive vice president and chief creative officer of Aston Martin, stands at the forefront of this evolution, shaping the next generation of luxury performance vehicles. His decade-long tenure has brought some of the brand’s most prolific model introductions, reinforcing its status as the ultimate automotive tastemaker.
As the world anticipates the next Bond, one thing is certain – Aston Martin’s legacy in cinema and luxury culture is as unshakable as 007 himself.
Rolls-Royce & The Spirit of Ecstasy
To own a Rolls-Royce is to own a piece of history. In 1909, John Douglas-Scott-Montagu, 2nd Baron Montagu of Beaulieu, commissioned sculptor Charles Robinson Sykes to create a unique mascot for his Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost. Inspired by Montagu’s secret love for his secretary, Eleanor Velasco Thornton, Charles crafted The Whisper, a figurine of Eleanor in flowing robes with her finger to her lips, symbolising their hidden romance. This design became the precursor to the iconic Spirit of Ecstasy, also known as Eleanor, Silver Lady, or Flying Lady, which continues to adorn Rolls-Royce bonnets today. Their story, rooted in love and secrecy, lives on, with The Whisper now displayed at the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu, while the Spirit of Ecstasy instantly retracts into the radiator shell if struck from any direction.
From the stately Phantom to the commanding Cullinan, Rolls-Royce vehicles have become the ultimate status symbol, often seen gliding through London’s Mayfair, Beverly Hills, and the private estates of royals and Hollywood and African elites. Beyond the driveways of the world’s wealthiest, the brand’s presence in music, film, and art has cemented its influence in popular culture. It was encouraging to see Daytona, the local distributors of Rolls-Royce in South Africa, partnering with Black Coffee recently for the opening of the refurbished Rolls-Royce showroom in Melrose Arch, Johannesburg.
Now, with Domagoj Ducek, director of design at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, steering the brand into an era of electric and new energy vehicles, the challenge lies in maintaining the legacy of Sir Henry Royce while redefining automotive luxury for the future. If history has shown anything, it is that Rolls-Royce does not follow trends – it sets them.
Maybach & Hip-Hop
If Rolls-Royce represents generational wealth, then Maybach is the epitome of new-school luxury – an emblem of ambition, success, and reinvention. Still Mercedes-Benz’s luxury brand, Maybach was revived in the early 2000s and swiftly became the status symbol of hip-hop royalty.
Rick Ross named an entire record label after it (Maybach Music Group). Jay-Z and Kanye West deconstructed a 2004 Maybach 57 in their video for Otis from their joint album titled Watch The Throne. It’s even rumoured that Jay-Z and Beyoncé commissioned a custom-built, $28 million Azure Blue Rolls-Royce Boat Tail convertible, potentially setting a record as the most expensive new car ever purchased. Nautically themed to reflect Jay-Z’s love of yachts, the one-of-a-kind vehicle features fold-out cocktail tables with matching chairs and a premium picnicking set. The interior has metallic-blue leather from “stress-free” Bavarian cows, black Caleidolegno open-pore wood, a Guilloché-styled instrument panel, a champagne chiller, and removable His and Her watches that double as the car’s clock.
The Maybach 57 and 62 were not just vehicles – they were rolling declarations of affluence, parked outside studios, penthouses, and red-carpet events. Today, the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class and GLS continue this legacy, making regular appearances in music videos and the garages of Grammy-winning artists.
At the core of Maybach’s success is Gorden Wagener, chief design officer at Mercedes-Benz Group AG, a tastemaker redefining automotive luxury through futuristic design and technological elegance. In a world where cars are no longer just modes of transport but statements of identity, Maybach remains the chosen symbol for those who have arrived.
