This Is Why The Rolls-Royce Boat Tail Costs $28 Million
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Rolls-Royce is an absolute staple of the luxury car market. They have developed a reputation for making extremely comfortable and exuberant pieces of engineering. In their years of development and production, Rolls-Royce has unveiled a few limited runs of some very rare and special cars.
Updated October 2021: If you're interested in the ridiculously opulent Rolls-Royce Boat Tail, a fan of its owners, Jay-Z and Beyonce, or just curious about the lifestyles of the super-rich, you'll be pleased to know that we've updated this article with more facts about Rolls-Royce's flagship vehicle.
This comes as Rolls aims to get back into the artistry that is coachbuilding, something which they have been trying to showcase the last few years. The new Rolls-Royce Boat Tail, however, is something else. Priced at a ludicrous $28 Million, it is the most expensive brand-new car ever. With this price tag there comes an extremely limited clientele.
With Jay-Z and Beyonce placing an order , it leaves 2 more up for grabs. So let's take a look to find out why Rolls-Royce has priced the Boat Tail at $28 Million.
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Extreme Levels Of Craftsmanship
Rolls-Royce's coachbuilding history is extensive. Since 1904 they have built and crafted some of the most detailed and elegant automobiles for the world's elite. After the release of the sweep tail a couple of years ago, Rolls-Royce dove headfirst into their coachbuilding ancestry.
The original owner of that car flew it out to South America the next day and really used it. This concept inspired the revival of the bespoke coachbuilding from the brand. The British legacy brand has now overtaken the recently announced Bugatti La Voiture Noir as the most expensive new car to date.
Rolls-Royce has tried to change the way we look at cars with the boat tail, it's been hand-crafted extremely intricately to serve more than just the purpose of getting to the destination.
The car is the result of direct inspirations and influence from the original 1932 Boat Tail model and the lines and functions from racing yachts. The revived 'Coachbuild' division of Rolls-Royce says: "Coachbuild presents individuals of extraordinary achievement, culture, and vision to craft an entirely original motor car — and stake claim in the marque’s legendary history. With Coachbuild, one realizes a dream in partnership with the world’s finest designers, engineers, and artisans." And this is something that is reflected in the price point.
Telling the time with digital screens is clearly not chic enough, as the Boat Tail comes with not one but two uniquely "his and hers" handcrafted Bovet swiss timepieces , which can be removed and worn on the wrist. The pair of watches have been exclusively manufactured for the Boat Tail and Bovet says they have no intention of selling them to the public. The price is irrelevant because if you want one of these watches you'll have to buy the car.
The tailgate is the main talking point however because with the touch of a button it opens to reveal a yacht-style deck set up that comes fully loaded with a parasol, cooled champagne holder, and a pair of stools to sit on. It comes loaded with two fridges, plates, and cutlery, making the boat tail, not just a car but an event.
The owners, Jay-Z and Beyonce, love hosting dinner parties, and what could be more perfect than a car with a rear deck that opens into a "hosting suite"? Rolls-Royce's Head of Coachbuild Design, Alex Innes, called it an "engineering marvel". The two lockable panels are hinged at the center and open in a butterfly motion at a 67-degree angle. On the underside, the panels are chrome-covered, and the elaborate interior cabinets are made of carbon fiber.
Once the panels are open, two chests emerge at a 15-degree angle. The one on the right side has a complete set of dishes and silverware, while the one on the left is a double refrigerator, and contains Champagne glasses, napkins, and all other essentials needed for enjoying a fine glass of Champagne. Apparently, Jay-Z and Beyonce are also Champagne enthusiasts, and the car comes stocked up with Armand de Brignac of their favorite vintage. The fridge has even been set to the perfect serving temperature for that specific Champagne.
On each side, there's a rotating cocktail table finished in matching wood, and stowed under them is a pair of folding stools made from leather and carbon fiber. When the panels are open, it's possible to use a parasol that's hidden in the center of the rear deck.
Of course, everything is custom-made and engraved, and according to Rolls-Royce there are no spares, so if any of these things are broken, Rolls-Royce will have to make new ones.
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The Boat Tail Has Bespoke Detailing
The Boat Tail is completely bespoke, and every single option is left at the hands of the client. From the color of the trim to the embroidery on the seats, Rolls is not skipping any detail, and as they should for a car with this price tag. It's not quite sure who ordered the other 2 iterations of the Boat Tail, but the one used for all the press shots was commissioned by Jay-Z and Beyonce.
Due to its colors which coincide with their daughter's name and the timepieces being one of the couple's favorite brands, it would make sense then that the price point of this car is no object to one of the richest, most successful couples in the music industry. We are not quite sure who approached who here, but one thing we do know is that when the spec of this car was being chosen, absolutely everything was thought of and personalized. Monogrammed silverware and plates, as well as crystal champagne flutes, help add to this eccentric mix of luxury and engineering.
Rolls's Royce has gone above and beyond to ensure that the Boat Tail is fit for purpose and exactly how the customer imagined it to be, hence the hefty price tag. If you wanted to cut corners, Rolls' newly revived coachbuilding department wouldn't let you, they are driven by extreme detail and the new car shows.
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The details continue, as in the glovebox you'll find a completely custom aluminum Mont Blanc pen with a leather case. We must also mention the gorgeous paint that adorns the body of the Boat Tail. A tasteful oceanic blue color is permeated with gleaming crystals that reflect off the changing light conditions to really accentuate the lines of the car. Also, another point of extreme craft is that the body of the boat tail is hammered from a single piece of metal, something which is extremely rare and special in the mass car market of today.
The Boat Tail is one of those cars that blurs the line between automobile and art. The details that Rolls-Royce has undergone to ensure that the boat tail is perfect is truly a marvel of craftsmanship. The most expensive car ever could just be the revival that Rolls-Royce's coachbuilding arm needed. The world is a different place now, and more and more people are now in the market for extremely bespoke and limited cars.
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