One-off Boat Tail is homage to Rolls-Royce client's father, family heritage

MANILA: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has presented another Boat Tail coachbuilt commission — with one of just three to be made by Rolls-Royce Coachbuild.  

The one-off Rolls-Royce Boat Tail was revealed at Concorso d'Eleganza, Villa d'Este 2022, on the shores of Lake Como in northern Italy. The car was commissioned by a patron whose family business has grown from his father's origins in the pearling industry.

"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," Rolls-Royce said. 

The Boat Tail is entirely hand-built, with the body panels fashioned from vast, single sheets of aluminum to create the distinctive outline inspired by the racing yachts of the early 20th century. 

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 color and complexity. The shells provided inspiration for the exterior color, which is one of the most complex Bespoke finishes ever created by Rolls-Royce.

The foundation of the color 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-colored bonnet, created specifically for this Boat Tail, contains fine bronze and gold colored aluminum mica flakes complete with a layer of crystal and iced matte clear coat, adding significant warmth and depth to the car's appearance. The technical fiber 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.

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 color. 

From the front, the Pantheon Grille, milled from a single, solid billet of aluminum, is graced with a Spirit of Ecstasy fashioned in rose gold.

The interior is a beautifully curated combination of perfectly matched cognac and oyster-colored 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.

Royal Walnut veneer with rose gold pinstripes adorn the transmission tunnel, drawing a direct visual reference to the rear deck and adding a glowing warmth to Boat Tail's interior.

The centerpiece of the dashboard is a timepiece made from mother-of-pearl, chosen and supplied by the client from his own collection The same prized substance graces the control switches and instrument dials, creating a strong visual and material connection between the car, the owner, and his family heritage.

Photos from Rolls-Royce

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