Rolls-Royce has revealed the third example of its £20 million coachbuilt roadster, the Droptail, hailing it as an example of “daring in minimalism and subtlety”.
Called the Arcadia Droptail, it follows the Amethyst and La Rose Noire cars shown last year as part of a production run of four.
The Arcadia is said to be inspired by the architecture and design from its commissioner’s favourite regions, including Indonesia, Singapore and Vietnam.
The car’s white paint features aluminium and glass particles to create “a level of intrigue upon further study”, according to Rolls-Royce.
The firm added that the Arcadia’s commissioner was “very particular and involved” in determining the intensity of the contrasting silver finish.
Unlike on the three other Droptails, the lower section of the Arcadia’s carbonfibre tub is painted, receiving the same silver finish.
Inside, the Arcadia’s wood panelling was developed with reference to the commissioner’s favourite houses and classic cars.
Santos Straight Grain rosewood was selected for its “rich texture” but, having one of the tightest grains of any timber thus far used in a Rolls-Royce, presented a significant engineering challenge. Apparently it easily tears when machined and is prone to cracking while it dries.
A bespoke lacquer also had to be developed to protect the wood for the lifetime of the car in tropical climates. Superyacht coatings were initially considered but would have required regular reapplications, according to Rolls-Royce.
In all, developing the coating and working the 233 pieces of wood took more than 8000 hours of development, the firm said.
The dashboard also features a clock of Rolls-Royce’s own design, said to be the most complex such part it has ever developed, requiring two years of research and five months of assembly.
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Even allowing for the need (or the desire, at least) for luxury car makers to charge big markups where they can get them, this model looks like extreme hubris from Rolls Royce.
Judging from the likes of AutoTrader, 'bog standard' Rolls Royce cars from the last 20 years are now becoming very cheap to buy - but running costs and future depreciation don't make them good buys.
I can't see these 'special' cars from Bentley and Rolls Royce holding their value over the long term. Just becasue they are being made in small numbers and ICE car production is on a clock does not make them special.
Roof and C-pillar from MINI Coupe