Rolls-Royce's coachbuilt masterpiece Boat Tail makes its global public debut at the prestigious Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este In Cernobbio, Italy ..
Since it's announments back in May images of the car have been shared and admired around the world; however, this is the first time Boat Tail itself has been displayed in public. It was a unique opportunity for guests and journalists to examine the car's remarkable coachbuilt construction and extraordinary Bespoke detailing, which were designed and hand-built at the Home of Rolls-Royce in a highly demanding technical and creative project lasting almost four years.
Boat Tail represents a pivotal moment for the wider luxury goods sector. As a truly hand-built, one-of-a-kind creation, in which both the bodywork and interior are designed and produced to the client’s specification, Rolls-Royce Coachbuild redraws the boundaries of luxury and opens vast new possibilities for patrons of contemporary design and fine craftsmanship.
"It is a truly historic moment for the marque. We are leading a modern coachbuilding movement that takes the wider luxury industry into an entirely different space, where hyper-personalisation and contemporary patronage provide essentially limitless possibilities."
Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
The blue exterior of Rolls-Royce Boat Tail is remincisecent of a boat floating on water at nearly 5.8m long, its generosity of proportion and clarity of surface present a graceful and relaxed stance.
In profile, nautical references are very suggestive. The wrap-around windscreen recalls the visor on motor launches, while the gentle rearward lean of the A-pillar, the large, crisp volumes at the front and the tapered rear create a gesture that recalls a motor launch rising out of water under power. A progressive negative sculpture in the lower bodyside creates a lithe impression, while making an historical reference to the running boards of prominent heritage Rolls-Royce designs.
Viewed from dead rear, the body resolves in a gentle sharpening of the form. As with the front, a horizontal emphasis is established at the rear with wide, deep-set lamps – a break from the expected vertical Rolls-Royce lamp iconography.
Indeed, it is at the rear where the nautical references become more apparent. The aft deck, a modern interpretation of the wooden rear decks of historical Boat Tails, incorporates large swathes of wood. Caleidolegno veneer is applied in a feat of Rolls-Royce engineering; the grey and black material which is typically housed in the interior, has been specially adapted to be used on the exterior, with no compromise to the aesthetic.
The interior leather reflects the bonnet’s colour tone transition with the front seats swathed in the darker blue hue, recognising Boat Tail’s driver focused intent, while the rear seats are finished in the lighter tone. A soft metallic sheen is applied to the leather to accentuate its pairing with the painted exterior while detailed stitching and piping is applied in a more intense blue inspired by the hands of the car’s timepieces
And as one would expect the luxury car comes packs full of opulent features, including a double refrigerator developed to house vintages of Armand de Brignac champagne
plus a complete set of crockery by Christofle of Paris along with a cocktail tables, chairs and umbrella.
The Boat Tail cost a whooping $28 million limited to just 3 units
Images provided courtesy of Rolls Royce Media
