Rolls-Royce has reinvigorated its Coachbuild division with some of the most exclusive, extravagant and expensive cars of recent years. We’ve had Sweptail, Boat Tail and now comes Amethyst Droptail, built for one lucky customer with the imagination and pockets deep enough to create something unique. These one-of-a-kind builds give the designers, craftspeople and engineers at Rolls-Royce a chance to spread their wings. Surprisingly, the result is focused minimalism. The theme is amethyst, the patron’s son’s birthstone, with a drop tail design reminiscent of coach-built Rolls-Royce two-seater roadsters from the 1930s. The high-collar profile of the Droptail, created by Alex Innes and his team, has Great Gatsby vibes and is unlike anything in the current Rolls-Royce lineup.

The paintwork has an iridescent sheen that incorporates amethyst and a delicate silver named after the Globe Amaranth desert wildflower. The Pantheon grille gets a first-ever, part-brushed, part-polished finish, a technique seen more commonly in horology – one of the client’s passions. This is also evidenced in the choice of timepiece that adorns the fascia. Named “Les Cabinotiers Armillary Tourbillon”, it’s handmade in Geneva by Vacheron Constantin. A standout feature is the rear wooden aft deck. Created from calamander light open-pore wood, it is book- and slip-matched to form the company’s largest wood surface. It acts as an aerodynamic piece, but also pleases the eye, which neatly sums up this car’s reason for existing.

rolls-roycemotorcars.com