Rolls-Royce Motor Cars PressClub · Article.
BOAT TAIL: THE NEXT CHAPTER
20.05.2022 Press Release
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is honoured to present the next chapter of its Boat Tail coachbuilt commission – one of just three that have been, and ever will be made.
Press Contact.
Malika Abdullaeva
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
Tel: +447815244874
send an e-mail
Author.
Emma Rickett
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
- Rolls-Royce Motor Cars to present next coachbuilt Boat Tail
- Global public unveiling at Concorso d'Eleganza, Villa d’Este on 21 May 2022
- Boat Tail represents the apex of the marque’s coachbuilding capabilities
- Created by a client in homage to his father and family heritage
- Unique exterior finish and interior detailing inspired by mother-of-pearl
“Coachbuild elevates our work as a House of Luxury into a new
space; it is the haute couture of our industry. For the
commissioning patron it offers the ultimate in individuality,
self-expression and Bespoke service. Far more than just a beautiful
motor car, a coachbuilt creation becomes a legacy that embodies
something extraordinarily personal and emotionally resonant for each
client. For our designers, too, Coachbuild provides unparalleled
creative freedom; opportunities to take design, materials,
engineering and craftsmanship to the very highest levels. For
Rolls-Royce as a marque, it is both a return to our roots and a
contemporary revolution, in which we deliver the impossible in
conventional automotive manufacturing into a stunning reality.”
Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce
Motor Cars
“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 honour 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."
Alex Innes, Head of Coachbuild Design, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is honoured to present the
next chapter of its Boat Tail coachbuilt commission – one of just
three that have been, and ever will be made.
The essence of Rolls-Royce Coachbuild is that each commission
tells a story entirely unique and personal to its owner, reflecting
their own history, tastes and sensibilities. With this in mind, Boat
Tail, revealed at Concorso d'Eleganza, Villa d'Este 2022, on the
shores of Lake Como in northern Italy, is a masterwork of restraint,
sophistication, elegance and attention to detail.
Boat Tail is entirely hand-built, with the body panels fashioned
from vast, single sheets of aluminium to create the distinctive
outline inspired by the racing yachts of the early 20th
century. In every respect, this remarkable motor car is entirely unique.
It was commissioned by a patron whose family business has grown
from his father's origins in the pearling industry. Widely travelled,
internationally educated and cosmopolitan in his tastes and
influences, the client is an established patron of the arts, who
additionally owns a sizeable collection of classic and modern cars,
housed in a dedicated private museum.
A level of sophistication, garnered from the client's extensive
knowledge of luxury, is clearly visible in this coveted objet
d'art. The overall design aesthetic is restrained; a study in
carefully considered materials and precise details that together
create a highly personal and emotionally resonant homage to the
client’s father.
At the onset of the commissioning process, the client presented
Rolls-Royce Coachbuild Designers with a selection of four pearl
shells, personally chosen from his private collection for their unique
colour and complexity. The shells provided inspiration for the
exterior colour, which is one of the most complex Bespoke finishes
ever created by Rolls-Royce.
The foundation of the colour is a shimmering blend of oyster and
soft rose, with large white and bronze mica flakes adding a unique
pearlescent quality that changes subtly under different light
conditions. The contrasting cognac-coloured bonnet, created
specifically for this Boat Tail, contains fine bronze and gold
coloured aluminium mica flakes complete with a layer of crystal and
iced matt clear coat, adding significant warmth and depth to the car's
appearance. The technical fibre lower sills of Boat Tail incorporate a
rose gold woven thread.
The rear deck, which houses Boat Tail's unique
'butterfly-design' hosting suite, is swathed in Royal Walnut veneer,
inlaid with rose gold-plated pinstripes with a satin-brushed finish to
ensure a sensitive and sophisticated appearance. The Royal Walnut was
specifically selected by the client for its beautiful properties as it
matures over time, a material that will gradually transition to the
tonal properties of the cognac colour. From above, one observes a
harmonious balance and satin effect of the iced bonnet and tactile
wooden rear deck, in contrast with the high-gloss front and side perspectives.
From the front, the Pantheon Grille, milled from a single, solid
billet of aluminium, is graced with a Spirit of Ecstasy fashioned in
rose gold.
The interior is a beautifully curated combination of perfectly
matched cognac and oyster-coloured leathers and Royal Walnut veneer,
with rose gold and mother-of-pearl accents throughout. The leathers,
complete with a pearlescent finish, accentuate the surfaces and forms
of Boat Tail's seats and interior design. The transmission tunnel is
formed from Royal Walnut veneer with rose gold pinstripes, drawing a
direct visual reference to the rear deck and adding a glowing warmth
to Boat Tail's interior.
The centrepiece of the dashboard is a timepiece made from
mother-of-pearl, chosen and supplied by the client from his own
collection; the fascia of which is pure and minimal in its appearance
so as not to detract from the precious material. The same prised
substance graces the control switches and instrument dials, creating a
strong visual and material connection between the car, the owner, and
his family heritage.
Alex Innes, Head of Coachbuild Design, said, “Boat Tail is a
step-change in ingenuity and creative liberty. Building a motor car by
hand offers a new realm of exploration and possibility: we can
accomplish things and resolve challenges that normal industrialised
methods would prohibit. This is the tale of two worlds: a modern motor
car of contemporary design, made possible by historical techniques and
time-honoured craft. It is truly, one-of-a-kind.”