Rolls-Royce has revealed a new ultra-exclusive bespoke model that will spearhead the expansion of its coachbuilding service into a distinct business.
The most expensive model that the British marque has yet produced takes the name Boat Tail. Last used for a series of coachbuilt Rolls-Royces in the 1920s and 1930s, it refers to a distinctive rear end that mimics a J-class yacht’s hull.
A bold and imposing two-door, four-seat grand tourer, the car is 232 inches (5900mm) long and has a removable ‘canopy’ roof. Three examples have been hand-built, heavily customised to the desires of their buyers, who were involved throughout the entire design process.
Rolls-Royce Coachbuild Design boss Alex Innes called the creation of the Boat Tail “a unique collaboration” between Rolls-Royce and its clients.
He added: “The clients were totally empowering and encouraging for us to project our future of the brand, and I can stand proudly and say that this is our car; this is the car that we wanted it to be.”
Innes said the Boat Tail showcases the refinement of Rolls-Royce’s ‘post-opulent’ design trend, which began with the Mk2 Rolls-Royce Ghost last year.
“The clients established at the very beginning that they wanted to create something they had never seen before,” Innes said. “They appreciated the hallmarks of Rolls-Royce design and encouraged us to move beyond the familiar traits that we see today and design something that points towards the future.”
Rolls-Royce boss Torsten Müller-Ötvös said the project has led to the expansion of Goodwood’s bespoke commissioning service into a full Coachbuild division that will henceforth become a core part of its business plan.
“Rolls-Royce Coachbuild is the return to the very roots of our brand,” Müller-Ötvös said. “It represents an opportunity for a select few to participate in the creation of utterly unique and truly personal commissions of future historical significance.”
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