Rolls-Royce is synonymous with the pinnacle of luxury, and most car lovers can only dream of owning one or even renting one. Rolls-Royce specializes in customization, and each of its models is custom-ordered, with virtually every aspect of the car hand-selected by the soon-to-be owner. And as you might expect from a custom ultra-luxe car that often costs close to a half-million dollars, most Rolls have everything you’d want in a vehicle.

In addition, Rolls-Royce produces limited runs of themed collections. But glimpsing one of these ultra-rare coupes is like seeing a ghost.

The 2021 Rolls-Royce Wraith at a glance

Even with no changes from previous years, the 2021 Rolls-Royce Wraith is the ultimate bespoke luxury coupe. And owners can customize theirs like “commissioned works of art,” Car and Driver reports.

These exquisite sculptures boast a twin-turbocharged 6.6-liter V12 paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Harnessing 624 hp and 605 lb-ft of torque, the Rolls-Royce Wraith floats from 0 to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds. As you might expect, the fuel economy isn’t spectacular, with an EPA-estimated 12 mpg in the city and 18 mpg on the highway.

The interior, with four bucket seats, is a mix of old-world craftsmanship and modern touches. The front seats have a massaging feature, optional ventilation, and heating. Also, expect dual-zone automatic climate control, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and an 18-speaker audio system.

Additional features include rain-sensing windshield wipers, adaptive headlights, and power-folding, auto-dimming side mirrors. Standard driver assists include a lane-departure warning system and front and rear parking sensors. 

Then there’s an even rarer model: the Rolls-Royce Wraith Kryptos.

The duPont Registry listed an ultra-rare Rolls-Royce Wraith Kryptos for sale

The Rolls-Royce Wraith Kryptos is so rare that glimpsing one is like seeing a ghost. Like an apparition, these models are elusive.

In fact, Rolls-Royce created only 50 examples for its special Kryptos collection. The duPont Registry briefly listed one for sale, but this ultra-rare car was gone in an instant. The asking price was a cool $450,000. And like a ghost, this coupe brings mystery and secrets.  

Why does it have ‘Kryptos’ in its name?

The story behind the model name, Kryptos, is actually pretty cool. No, it isn’t a play on the word “crypt,” which you might assume when reading about this ghostlike car. “Kryptos” refers to “cryptographic” because hidden within the design is a secret message.

According to MotorTrend, the collection’s designer, Katrin Lehmann, has a passion for cryptography puzzles. So the Kryptos brims with ciphers that, when combined, form a message. In fact, only two people at Rolls-Royce know the message — the designer and the CEO. The answer lies in a sealed envelope in the CEO’s safe. 

So far, no Kryptos owner has claimed to have decoded the message, or if they have, they’re not spoiling it for anyone else.

Though the secret message likely isn’t an earth-shattering revelation, such as the secret to life or how life actually began, trying to figure it out could be a lot of fun if you enjoy puzzles. Maybe it answers one of life’s most-asked questions: What was in the briefcase in Pulp Fiction?