Rolls-Royce Droptail Limited to Four Units

author: FutureCar Staff    

The Rolls-Royce Coachbuild division has just unveiled its latest masterpiece during Monterey Car Week, the uber-exclusive Droptail. Limited to just four units worldwide, the car presented in California is the first of those four and is known as La Rose Noire.

The La Rose Noire Droptail takes inspiration from a French rose known as the Black Baccara, a favorite flower of the mother of the family that commissioned it. It is painted in a unique red finish that's been designed to look almost like black in the shade but has a pearlescent red glow under the sun. Rolls-Royce made this special paint by combining two shades of red that it dubs True Love and Mystery.

Unlike the Rolls-Royce Sweptail and Boat Tail, the Droptail is not based on the same Architecture of Luxury platform as the Cullinan, Ghost, and Phantom and instead has a new monocoque chassis made from steel, aluminum, and carbon fiber. Although the underpinnings are new, the powertrain takes the form of the marque's 6.75-liter twin-turbocharged V12 that pumps out 593 hp and 620 lb-ft (840 Nm) of torque. While a car like this isn't about straight-line performance, it is understood that it can hit 62 mph (100 km/h) in less than 5.0 seconds while continuing through to a 155 mph (250 km/h) top speed.

A unique exterior design immediately distinguishes the Droptail from all other Rolls-Royce models. The front end is relatively conventional with a large chrome grille and slim LED headlights with daytime running lights. The bodywork then adopts a smooth and flowing design along the sides, tapering to a rear end with a set of taillights unlike any other we've seen from the brand before. Rolls-Royce has also equipped the Droptail with a stylish spoiler and an eye-catching decklid. It even features a removable roof panel made from carbon fiber that includes electrochromic panels.

Rolls-Royce describes the interior as the "most remarkable element" of the car. It took almost two years to perfect and is dominated by complex artwork that represents an expression of falling rose petals, individually crafted from 1,603 pieces of black wood veneer. The seats are bathed in a combination of True Love red and Mystery red leather while sitting in the center of the dash is a custom timepiece by Audemars Piguet. This 43 mm chronograph incorporates red counters and a red inner bezel and features a flying chronograph. Interestingly, the timepiece can be detached at the press of a button and worn with a strap.

As if that wasn't enough, the family that commissioned the car also ordered a one-off Rolls-Royce Champagne Chest to match the car. This champagne chest can be opened at the press of a button and includes hand-blown crystal champagne flutes and a serving tray.

Rolls-Royce has not said how much each of the four Droptail models will cost but one source pegs each at around $25 million.

FutureCar Staff