Rolls-Royce's Second Boat Tail Coachbuild Is Inspired by Pearls
So much so that the clock and various touchpoints are made from Mother-of-Pearl while the paint and leather are pearlescent.
The luxury British marque Rolls-Royce shocked the automotive world last year when it unveiled its $28,000,000 USD Boat Tail Coachbuild, which was rumored to have been purchased by JAY-Z and Beyoncé. Now, in an unlikely turn of events, Rolls-Royce has unveiled the next chapter of its Boat Tail story, unveiling the second of only three cars that will ever be built under this moniker.
Like the one that came before it, this new iteration is a work of art and a true expression of the manufacturer’s capabilities. Telling a completely unique story that relates only to its new owner, the Boat Tail is described by Rolls-Royce as being “a masterwork of restraint, sophistication, elegance and attention to detail.”
As such, it is completely hand-built from vast, single sheets of aluminum that reminisce the racing yachts of the early 20th century. It has been commissioned by a client known for his pearling enterprise, which in turn inspired the car itself. Upon commissioning, the client presented Rolls-Royce with four pearl shells, each chosen from his private collection. These shells inspired the exterior color, which happens to be one of Rolls-Royce’s most complex “Bespoke” paint jobs ever applied to one of its cars.
The details of course do not stop here. Inside the shimmering blend of oyster and soft rose paint scheme is white and bronze mica flakes that add the desired pearlescent effect, while the cognac-colored bonnet contains fine bronze and gold-colored aluminum mica flakes complete with a layer of crystal and iced matt clear coat.
Elsewhere, Royal Walnut veneer, inlaid with rose gold-plated pinstripes with a satin-brushed finish, decks the rear end, while at the front you’ll find the Pantheon Grille milled from a single, solid billet of aluminum, with its Spirit of Ecstasy fashioned in rose gold.
Inside, Rolls-Royce continues the luxury with pearlescent-finished cognac and oyster-colored leathers and Royal Walnut veneer, as well as rose gold and mother-of-pearl accents throughout the car. Mother-of-pearl has also been used for the dashboard timepiece — differing from the Bovet Tourbillons of the previous car — as well as the control switches and instrument dials.
Speaking on the project, Alex Innes, Head of Coachbuild Design, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, said: “Every Rolls-Royce Coachbuild commission is, of course, incredibly special; but in this case, there was an additional depth of feeling. Creating a motor car in honor of a revered client’s father and family history is an extraordinary privilege; a responsibility that we took very much to heart. The commissioning patron’s deep-rooted connection to Boat Tail is an inspiration — the result far exceeds a means of conveyance to become, quite literally, a moving work of art.”
Take a look at the Rolls-Royce Boat Tail Coachbuild above, and see the car in the flesh at Concorso d’Eleganza, Villa d’Este on May 21.
Elsewhere, Brabus has given the Rolls-Royce Ghost a carbon fiber-clad, 700 HP makeover.
