08 July 2022
Rolls-Royce debuted A New Exclusive Boat Tail at the 2022 Concorsa d’Elegance, Villa d’esme.
A client whom I understand is a patron of the arts with extensive knowledge of luxury commissioned the car. The car, or should we say ‘her’ as is customary when referring to matters maritime, has been customised to his tastes.
The use of mother-of-pearl is evident throughout; the client supplied Rolls-Royce with a selection of pearl shells from his collection and selected four specific shells for their unique colouring.
This motor car is the second creation of a Boat Tail. The 2017 Rolls-Royce Sweptail inspired the previous wonderment. The Boat Tail name is after the tapered rear end, a style which dates back to the 1920s, when cars like the Auburn 851 Speedster, the work of designer Gordon Buerhig and the 1929 Bentley Speed Six Boat-Tail were the talk of the town.
The latest £20 million coach-built Rolls-Royce Boat Tail features an opening rear deck finished in royal walnut veneer. Built entirely by hand, the car has a unique exterior finish, with an impressive butterfly-style rear deck opened at the press of a button, revealing a built-in parasol and bespoke cutlery and crockery.
One eagle-eyed hack asked, ‘where do you put the dirty cutlery and crockery?’
For reference: BMW, the parent company of Rolls-Royce, trademark protected the Boat Tail Concept with the European Union Intellectual Property Office on 30 May 2018.