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[ The CAR ]
A MUSE IN BLUE Inspired by the nautical world and a singular made-to-order model built in 1932, the Boat Tail is the pinnacle of Rolls-Royce’s Coachbuild concept. Absolutely unique – and it has a pair of Bovet timepieces… by Diego Tamone
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The Boat Tail is the brilliant pinnacle of the one-off concept. A total of 1,813 components were made especially to create this dazzlingly radical Rolls-Royce. The eponymous Boat Tail, of course, converts to an al fresco dining area
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[ The CAR ]
The side view, with the car’s high bonnet and tapered lines, is reminiscent of the silhouette of a motor launch. Facing page, an aerial view of the tail. Trimmed with Caleidolegno veneer to encapsulate the essence of teak, a favourite in the nautical arena
T
o protect the privacy of its owners, its exact price will
stamp of the person who imagined and commissioned it.
never be revealed. Rumours, however, are circulating of a
The Boat Tail is the perfect counterpoint to mass production. It
figure in the region of 20 to 28 million euro. This would
is no coincidence that in the good old-fashioned way, the Boat
make the Boat Tail, the car commissioned from Rolls-Royce by a
Tail took shape very gradually via a rigorously manual process:
pair of anonymous lovers of both exclusivity and uniqueness, the
from paper to clay to metal. It is a model of which Rolls-Royce
most expensive car ever built. Both its completely clean-sheet
will produce just three with different specs, inspired by a
technical development and styling were developed hand-in-glove
particularly joyous time in the history of “made to order” cars:
with the clients.
the 1930s during which the original, rather surprising “woodie”
This is a very different approach to the “Bespoke” service
Boat Tail was produced. Its name hints at its unconventional
that for many years allowed clients vast space for manoeuvre
aesthetic which somehow harmoniously married a four-wheel
in terms of personalisation but still imposed something of a
platform with an open-top cabin borrowed from a wooden boat.
controlled environment on them. The Boat Tail, on the other
A new take on that seductive nautical line is clear to see in
hand, is the product of the Rolls-Royce Coachbuild service,
the contemporary version. It has a high imposing bonnet with
which marks a spectacular return to the past. Not just any old
a tapering profile that ends in a conical tail reminiscent of
past but a glorious era in which authentic luxury was expressed
the silhouette of a motor launch. This impression is further
by imbuing the lines of each car with the owner’s personal taste
heightened by the rear deck trimmed in Caleidolegno, an
thanks to the creativity of incredibly talented panel-beaters
open pore teak-like veneer with a distinctive nautical look. An
whose mantra was “mind, hand, materials”.
element that is aesthetic and functional at once, with wings
That philosophy has now roared back to life and over a four-year
that open out to reveal an al fresco dining area complete with
arc spanned everything from the conception of the original idea
elegant parasol for shade. This is a completely unprecedented
to the building of the stunning one-off.
feature – as is the fixed canopy roof. A sophisticated flourish
As Alex Innes, Head of Rolls-Royce Coachbuild Design, is quick
for a car as expensive and exclusive as a megayacht.
to point out, the resulting automobile bears the very personal
www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com
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[ The CAR ]
Clockwise form top: the onboard timepiece, which detaches so it can be worn on the wrist, was made by Bovet 1822; the glove compartment complete with luxury pen; the rear “hosting area” shaded by a telescopic parasol
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