Screen & Culture

Chinese Zodiac Cars: Why Carmakers Celebrate the Lunar New Year

By DARTZ Editorial · 23 October 2026

Each Lunar New Year opens the year of one of twelve zodiac animals, and some carmakers mark it with special cars for Chinese clients. Rolls-Royce built Ghost Majestic Horse cars for the Wood Horse year of 2014 and four Year of the Dragon commissions for 2024. DARTZ has marked the Dragon in 2012 and 2024, the Snake in 2013, the Horse in 2014 and the Tiger in 2022. 2026 is the Year of the Fire Horse, which began on 17 February 2026.

In China the calendar has a face. Each Lunar New Year opens the year of one of twelve animals, and for a car built to be given, shown or remembered, that animal is a natural theme.

Twelve animals, sixty years

The Chinese zodiac runs in a cycle of twelve animals: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. Each year also carries one of five elements, so a given combination returns only once in sixty years. The Wood Horse of 2014 was one; the Fire Horse of 2026 is another.

The Dragon, symbol of strength and good fortune, is the most celebrated. The Horse stands for energy and success, and the Tiger for courage.

Hand-chased gold dragon scales with a ruby eye, extreme close-up

Rolls-Royce: horses and dragons

For the Wood Horse year of 2014, Rolls-Royce built the Ghost Majestic Horse collection, with horses in the dashboard marquetry, embroidered on the headrests and hand-painted along the coachlines. For the Year of the Dragon, which began on 10 February 2024, it presented four Bespoke commissions, three Phantom Extended and a Cullinan, each with a dragon on its coachline and a dragon drawn in fibre-optic stars in its headliner. (Rolls-Royce press club)

DARTZ: a zodiac of its own

DARTZ entered China in 2011 and has marked the lunar years with its cars ever since.

2012, the Dragon. The Black Dragon Pullman, built for China only, 600 mm longer than the standard car, with a jewelled dragon badge.
2013, the Snake. The Black Snake 2K13, in black and gold.
2014, the Horse. The White Horse.
2022, the Tiger. The Black Alligator Black Tiger, in orange and black.
2024, the Dragon again. The Black Dragon CLV on the Mercedes-Maybach GLS, with a special Chinese version, open for orders from 3 December 2023.

The DARTZ Black Alligator Black Tiger edition in orange and naked carbon, on a rooftop car park

The DARTZ Black Snake 2K13 head-on, with its gold grille and bumper

Cars DARTZ sells in China carry a gold DARTZ badge set with 55 diamonds. Read DARTZ in China, the Black Dragon and the Black Snake 2K13.

The Year of the Fire Horse

2026 is the Year of the Horse, a Fire Horse year, from 17 February 2026 to 5 February 2027. DARTZ’s flagship already carries the horse in its name: the Black Stallion, named for Sikorsky’s Stallion helicopters. Read the Black Stallion.

About DARTZ

DARTZ is a Riga carrosserie that builds bespoke, opulent vehicles, armoured or non-armoured, in strictly limited numbers. It calls them BONDs: Bespoke Opulent Noble Drives.

Its heritage runs back to the Russo-Baltic Wagon Factory (RBVZ), founded in Riga in 1869, whose automobile department built its first car in 1909. Leonard F. Yankelovich revived that heritage as DARTZ in 1988. The group, DARTZ Grupa OÜ, is registered in Tallinn, Estonia.

Its Prombron’ models, from the Iron Diamond and Black Dragon to the Black Shark, Black Alligator and Black Stallion, have been covered by Top Gear, Forbes, Robb Report and Fox News, among many others.

Questions we are asked

What is the Chinese zodiac year in 2026?

The Year of the Horse, a Fire Horse year, which runs from 17 February 2026 to 5 February 2027.

Which carmakers make Chinese zodiac editions?

Rolls-Royce has built Bespoke cars for the Year of the Horse in 2014 and the Year of the Dragon in 2024. DARTZ has built cars for the Dragon, the Snake, the Horse and the Tiger.

What was the Rolls-Royce Year of the Dragon collection?

Four Bespoke commissions for the Lunar New Year of 10 February 2024: three Phantom Extended and one Cullinan, each with a dragon motif on its coachline and a dragon of fibre-optic stars in its headliner.

What zodiac cars has DARTZ built?

The Black Dragon Pullman of 2012, built for China only; the Black Snake 2K13 for the Year of the Snake; the White Horse for the Year of the Horse; the orange Black Alligator Black Tiger for 2022; and the Black Dragon CLV with a special Chinese version for 2024.

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