Rolls-Royce Wraith Kryptos contains hidden codes known only to two people
- The Rolls-Royce Wriath Kryptos has a secret code hidden ‘in plain sight’
- Just 50 of the special edition cars were produced
- Only two people at Rolls-Royce know the code
Published on Jun 12, 2024 at 11:11 AM (UTC+4)
by Claire Reid
Last updated on Jun 13, 2024 at 6:43 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
Rolls-Royce hid a real-life ‘Easter egg’ in its Wraith Kryptos with each code containing a hidden encrypted message. Pretty cool, right?
The special edition – and achingly exclusive – Kryptos was released in a special run of just 50 cars; meaning only a few lucky people were even given a chance to crack the code.
Deriving from ancient Greek, the name ‘Kryptos’ refers to all that is concealed and befitting that each car comes with a secret message hidden in plain sight.
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According to Rolls-Royce, this particular Wraith variant was ‘designed as an homage to the clandestine world of cryptology’ and hoped to ‘beckon those with an inquiring mind’.
A secret message hidden in ‘plain sight’
A statement on the Rolls-Royce website teases: “Hidden in plain sight on each Wraith Kryptos is a coded message, denoted by four ciphers developed in absolute secrecy at Goodwood, the Home of Rolls‑Royce.”
As the first lucky Krypstos buyers took ownership of their new vehicles in 2021, Rolls-Royce sent out an email sharing the first clue – alongside the offer of a prize to the first person to work it out.
Dan Brown eat your heart out.
In an email at the time, Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, told Kryptos owners: “Wraith Kryptos is a Rolls-Royce Collection like no other.
“It is embedded with a cryptographic cipher and filled with mystery and intrigue.
“Today, we reveal the first clue for clients as they begin to receive their cars around the world.
“The Spirit of Ecstasy, the figurine that graces the bonnet of every Rolls-Royce motor car, holds the key to uncovering this code.
“The word KRYPTOS is engraved in Rolls-Royce cipher around the base of the figurine, and with this information, clients will be able to embark on their cryptographic journey.
“The first client to decrypt this code will receive a unique gift from Rolls-Royce in recognition of their extraordinary talent!”
Who knows the secret Kryptos code?
Designer Katrin Lehmann said finding this ‘key’ was the secret to decoding the mysterious messages found within elements of the motor car’s interior and exterior.
Intriguingly, just two people at Goodwin – the home of the Rolls-Royce – know the full sequence: Lehmann and Torsten Müller-Ötvös.
The answer remains in a sealed envelope in the CEO’s safe.
The Kryptos isn’t the only limited edition variant of Rolls-Royce’s Wraith; it joins the Black Badge – one of which was recently put up for sale by Supercar Blondie– and Landspeed Edition.
And one designer even dreamed-up the yacht-inspired Rolls-Royce Regatta – a custom version of the Wraith, that sadly never got made.
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Claire Reid is a journalist who hails from the UK but is now living in New Zealand. She began her career after graduating with a degree in Journalism from Liverpool John Moore’s University and has more than a decade of experience, writing for both local newspapers and national news sites. Across her career she's covered a wide variety of topics, including celebrity, cryptocurrency, politics, true crime and just about everything in between.
