Anant Ambani has added another masterpiece to his already remarkable collection of luxury cars, this time a Rolls-Royce Phantom VIII Extended that turns heads not just for its size but for its color. The car has been finished in a vivid saffron-orange shade known informally as “Star of India Orange,” a hue that instantly connects India’s modern elite to its royal motoring past.
Spotted outside Mumbai’s Siddhivinayak Temple during the Diwali week, the Phantom stood out even in a convoy of Range Rovers, G-Wagens, and police escorts. The white-painted hood contrasted elegantly with the deep marigold body, hinting at a thoughtful design narrative rather than random flamboyance.
The Ambani family’s fondness for Rolls-Royce is well documented. Their garages across India and abroad house more than a dozen of the marque’s finest examples, ranging from Cullinans to earlier Phantoms.
For a family known for precision, heritage, and artistry, the Phantom VIII Extended in this historic color is more than an automobile. It is a bridge between old-world royalty and new-age industrial might.
History behind “Star of India”
The phrase “Star of India” does not refer to any catalog color offered by Rolls-Royce. It originates from a single 1934 Rolls-Royce Phantom II commissioned by the Maharajah of Rajkot. That car, built by coachbuilder Thrupp & Maberly, featured a saffron-orange body with polished aluminum elements and an extravagant lighting arrangement that reflected India’s royal opulence. The nickname “Star of India” became iconic within collector circles, not as an official factory color but as a symbol of regal individuality. Modern references to “Star of India Orange” informally recall that saffron hue, which shifts tone under sunlight, pairing especially well with bright metallic finishes.
Rolls-Royce today allows patrons to commission completely new colors through its Bespoke program. The company maintains an extensive paint library but can mix and reserve a brand-new pigment exclusively for one client if requested. The 2017 Phantom VIII unveiling featured a show car in a similar saffron-orange tone, but that shade was never added to the public catalog. A client like Anant Ambani could, however, privately recreate it through Goodwood’s color development process, complete with sampling, durability testing, and archival preservation.
The pairing of a white hood on this Phantom is no accident. It pays visual homage to the 1934 car’s polished bonnet while modernizing the aesthetic with a paint finish instead of metal. For Rolls-Royce, a one-off pigment of this kind can add six figures to the final invoice, making it not just a statement of taste but a display of patron-level exclusivity. In reviving the “Star of India” spirit, Anant Ambani has honored history while defining a personal legacy of Indian grandeur in motion.
Note – As of writing, according to Forbes, Mukesh Ambani is worth $97.5 billion.
