$28 Million Rolls-Royce Boat Tail Commission Leaves Port

By Somnath Chatterjee - News

Published: 25 May 2022, Last Updated: 13 June 2023

Rolls-Royce knows its owners unlike any other brand and its bespoke automotive division has been kept busy of late with a string of exclusive one-offs stretching both the imagination and the price- tags of these elusive creations. To recap, the first Boat Tail, rumoured to be made for Jay Z and Beyonce, was based around yacht design while the second one has taken inspiration from the pearl industry. Revealed at Concorso d’Eleganza, Villa d’Este 2022, on the shores of Lake Como in northern Italy, the Boat Tail coach-built commission would only be limited to three cars including the second one being revealed here.

Image: Rolls-Royce

So who’s the lucky owner? The owner who commissioned it is from the pearl industry and the car is said to be a homage to his father. Hence, the paint scheme contains a blend of oyster and soft rose, with large white and bronze mica flakes being embedded for a glittering effect. This is in fact the most complex and time-consuming paint finish ever done by Rolls-Royce!

The pearl theme continues to the contrasting cognac-coloured bonnet which contains bronze and gold coloured aluminium mica flakes. If that isn’t decadent enough, the lower sills have a rose gold woven thread. The choice of lavish materials and craftsmanship moves to the rear deck which has a Royal Walnut veneer with rose gold-plated pinstripes along with a satin-brushed finish. Amidst all this, the vast Pantheon Grille stands out with the Spirit of Ecstasy draped in rose gold of course.

The interior mimics the exterior design philosophy with cognac and oyster-coloured leathers while the walnut veneer is matched with rose gold and mother-of-pearl accents. The dashboard timepiece comes from the owner’s personal collection and is made from, you guessed it, mother-of-pearl. Even the interior has been stripped of needless fripperies and maintains a clean fascia dominated by this material. In essence, the Boat Tail series emphasises the era of coach-built cars and how materials dictate the interior ambience rather than a smattering of touchscreens. No wonder then that the price tag is north of $28 million but in the grand scheme of things, it somehow seems good value considering it isn’t merely a ‘car’ but an exclusive piece of art.

The final Boat Tail is set to be revealed next year and just like the first two, there would be a unique theme being centred around the owner while also being entirely hand-built. More information about the Boat Tail series can be found via the link below. In other news, Rolls-Royce recently redesigned the Spirit of Ecstasy for an all-electric future.

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