Carmudi
Meet the US$28-M, ultra-luxurious Rolls-Royce Boat Tail
In 2017, the Rolls-Royce Sweptail was reportedly considered the most expensive car in the world. Now, the Boat Tail has taken its place with an estimated price tag of US$28 million (roughly P1.3 billion). Rolls-Royce said the Boat Tail was commissioned at the request of a “successful couple” whose brief was: “Show me something that I have never seen before.” The extremely limited-edition car also announced the new Rolls-Royce Coachbuild program, in which vehicles are designed and manufactured to cater each customer’s taste. Based on the same basic platform as the Phantom, Rolls-Royce has hand-built a total of three Boat Tails for customers who “share a deep appreciation of contemporary nautical design.” The car’s styling takes inspiration from is J-Class yachts and classic “boat tail” Rolls-Royce cars, which were created when coachbuilders attached “the hull forms of sailing boats” onto RR chassis in the ’20s and ’30s. “The Boat Tail is the culmination of collaboration, ambition, effort, and time. It was born out of a desire to celebrate success and create a legacy. In its remarkable accomplishment, Rolls-Royce Boat Tail forges a pivotal moment in the history of our brand and in the contemporary luxury landscape,” Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös said. The bodywork of the Boat Tail is 100-percent hand-built, while the exterior wears a peculiar shade of blue, the customers’ favorite color. The color is described as subtle and retro, while the metallic and glass flakes embedded in the paint sparkle in the sunlight. The car creation took four years. During the time, a virtual model was made and when finished, aluminum sheets were manually forged. While finalizing the designs with the clients, Rolls-Royce’s aluminum chassis and architecture were entirely reconfigured to support the generous proportions of the Boat Tail, a process that took another eight months. The Boat Tail’s highlight is, well, found in its tail. With a press of a button, the trunk opens in a split, “butterfly gesture” at an angle of 15 degrees, the perfect measure according to the British marque. Once opened, an umbrella from the center line and an “intricate and generous hosting suite” unfurls. It’s a sweet hosting suite, indeed, as it includes folding chairs, glasses, and a pair of bespoke coolers. These coolers hold bottles of Armand de Brignac Champagne, which is considered to be one of the world’s most exclusive beverages. The refrigerators are designed to maintain a temperature of six degrees Celsius, the recommended temperature for this drink, Rolls-Royce said. Also in the hosting suite are fans to keep caviar from spoiling in the warm temperatures. Apparently, Rolls-Royce has tested the fans up to 80 degrees Celsius. A couple of tables and storage compartments for two stools complete the suite. The British marque added that the Boat Tail’s “minimalist fascia accentuates the jewel-like features of the completely unique Bovet 1822 timepieces and instrument panel dials adorned with Guilloché–a technique perfected in workshops of fine jewellers and watchmakers.” In the glove compartment, there’s a Mont Blanc pen, while that Bovet 1822 watch is a flexible one. It can either be fitted to the car’s dashboard, or to the wrists of the insanely wealthy owner and would-be owners of this Boat Tail. The owners would have a grand time driving, too, as this car is road-legal. RR claimed this rare car underwent all the same tests as its stablemates. Photos from Rolls-Royce Also read: Rolls-Royce presents bespoke builds ahead of ‘official’ announcement Limited Rolls-Royce Phantom Tempus Collection debuts in China