At a private event held during Monterey Car Week in Pebble Beach, Rolls-Royce unveiled its most recent one-of-a-kind masterpiece. The first of four Droptail designs to be produced by Rolls-Royce’s Coachbuild division over the coming years is known as the La Rose Noire Droptail. The Sweptail, a unique type created by the British manufacturer, served as the Coachbuild’s official launch vehicle. The three-unit Boat Tail coach-built grand tourer, the first of which became the most expensive new car in the world and was reputedly ordered by entertainment power couple Beyonce and Jay-Z, came next. According to rumors, the newly unveiled La Rose Noire Droptail’s owners shelled out a whooping £25 million for the magnificent masterpiece, which should enable it surpass the Sweptail as the most expensive new car in the world.
According to Rolls-Royce, the Black Baccara rose, a rare hybrid rose bred in France and renowned for its velvety texture of the petals and distinctive color, served as the inspiration for the La Rose Noire Droptail. Apparently, the grandmother of the family who ordered the unique object adores the Black Baccara rose. The bespoke model was the result of four years of arduous labor by a dedicated team at Rolls-Royce. The marque worked closely with the owners throughout this time to develop a customized car that represents their love for one another, art, cars, and champagne.
The Droptail is not based on the same Architecture of Luxury platform as the Cullinan, Ghost, and Phantom, in contrast to the Rolls-Royce Sweptail and BoatTail. Instead, a new monocoque chassis for the Droptail is constructed of steel, aluminum, and carbon fiber. In addition, it has a two-seat arrangement for the first time in a contemporary Rolls-Royce. The Droptail is an extremely opulent roadster that resembles hot rods from the 1920s. The brand’s 6.75-liter twin-turbocharged V12 engine under the hood cranks out 593 horsepower and 620 lb-ft (840 Nm) of torque. The roadster, according to Rolls-Royce, can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in less than 5.0 seconds and reach a top speed of 155 mph.
It won’t take you long to recognize that the Droptail is unlike any other Rolls-Royce vehicle we’ve seen thus far. The outside is painted in a custom color called True Love, which has a rich pomegranate hue and is incredibly lustrous and complex. Under direct sunlight, the paint’s hue changes to a deep red with an iridescent sheen. According to Rolls-Royce, iterating the paint over 150 times resulted in the perfect finish.
The Pantheon Grille, which is finished in the distinctive Hydroshade dark shade, maintains the instantly recognizable Rolls-Royce design DNA on the front. On the other hand, the 22-inch alloy wheels have a Mystery paint finish that, though it appears black from a distance, up close exposes shimmering dark crimson undertones.
When utilized or stored, the Droptail’s removable hardtop can drastically alter the nature of the custom vehicle. When a button is pressed, an electrochromic glass part in it changes from opaque to nearly transparent. Leather, wood, and carbon fiber are expertly used in the cabin’s two-seat design. The wraparound parquetry that runs from the back of the seats to the dashboard is the focal point. It’s the most intricate item Rolls-Royce has ever produced, and it’s comprised of 1,603 triangles of black wood veneer that are meant to resemble falling rose petals. It took two years to develop and nine complete months to craft.
Another eye-catching feature of the inside is an Audemars Piguet handcrafted timepiece that is located directly in the middle of the dashboard. It is a 43mm wearable AP Royal Oak Concept watch that also functions as a dash clock. The self-winding Calibre 4407 movement inside the 43mm Royal Oak Concept Split-Seconds Chronograph GMT Large Date has a flyback chronograph and a split-seconds mechanism.
Made on a special request by the male owner, the custom timepiece is color-matched to the Droptail, with a red inner bezel and red counters, and a black dial. The owners also requested a matching Rolls-Royce Champagne Chest that is decorated with the same petal parquetry. Housed inside is an “intricate” champagne set, which includes a serving trailer, hand-blown crystal champagne flutes, two hammocks, and a pair of owners’ special edition of Champagne de Lossy.
It’s not unexpected that Rolls-Royce has kept the owners’ identities a secret, other than to remark that they are a “international” family with connections to the fashion and automotive industries. At a discrete gathering during Monterey Car Week, the owners received the custom-made creation. La Rose Noire is rumored to cost roughly $31.8 million, although the British automaker has also chosen to withhold the pricing.