Rolls-Royce’s Swish ‘Boat Tail’ Car Takes Sea Legs To Land

By Mikelle Leow, 28 May 2021

Image courtesy of Rolls-Royce

Land ho! The latest bespoke Rolls-Royce car embodies nautical themes, even down to the way it is constructed.

The swanky Rolls-Royce Boat Tail—commissioned by an unnamed husband and wife—captains the luxury automaker’s foray in coachbuilding as a permanent service. Starting now, clients can have cars intensively customized to their heart’s desires. During this process, full-scale clay models are prepared, allowing Rolls-Royce designers to sculpt the car’s design by hand and honor a story unique to the buyer.

For the Boat Tail, its new owners’ awe for contemporary nautical design is apparent. The wooden “aft deck” with a Caleidolegno veneer at its rear is an ode to the wooden rear decks of old boat tails. It also sports a wrap-around windshield, a nod at the visor on motor launches; and a leaning A-pillar.

Its exterior is splashed in a deep blue that, while subtle in the shadows, glisten under sunlight with its metallic and crystal flakes. Its inside matches this with blue leather, stitching, and piping, along with 55-degree-angle elements that “emulate the spill of a water’s wake.”

Rolls-Royce likens the building process to “yacht building,” relying on age-old handcrafting skills to shape the car’s aluminum body into a silhouette “unable to be achieved by machine alone.” The car’s construction also replicates early boat tail design, which saw the hull being attached to the rolling chassis of a car.

Most prominently, the Rolls-Royce Boat Tail comes with a button that, when activated, springs up “butterfly’s wings” with panels revealing the hosting suite. A treasure chest storing food, champagne, and silver cutlery turns lounging into an al fresco dining experience. Not to mention, a parasol extends to protect guests from sun and rain.

While there’s no mention of the price for this bespoke car, Robb Report suggests that—given the US$13 million price tag of its predecessor, the Rolls-Royce Sweptail—there’s a chance the Boat Tail could be the priciest new car ever.