Rolls-Royce unveils the Boat Tail - The first of its new coachbuilding arm

Rolls-Royce has unveiled the Boat Tail, the first commission from its new and now permanent coachbuilding arm.

The new arm, Rolls-Royce Coachbuild, is said to have been developed in response to the ever-increasing demand for ever more ambitious commissions, which have reached well beyond the scope of Bespoke competencies and capacity. The marque has thus decided to return, permanently, to one of its historical roots, in order to continue to fulfil these extraordinary client commissions.

The first product of this new arm has thus been unveiled today.

The Rolls-Royce Boat Tail is said to draw its inspiration from the world of yachts. At 5.8m long, the profile of the car best suggests its nautical inspirations.

A wrap-around windscreen at the front is said to recall the visor on motor launches. Meanwhile, the gentle rearward lean of the A-pillar, as well as the way the car's volume at the front transitions towards the tapered rear create a gesture that is said to recall a motor launch rising out of water under power.

At the front, the Boat Tail gets Rolls-Royce's iconic pantheon grille and lights, recessed so as to sit integrated into its overall design, a feature that will be reserved solely for Rolls-Royce's coachbuilt cars.

That grille and lights lead into a hand-painted, gradated bonnet, a first for Rolls-Royce intended to offer a progressive but informal aesthetic and a solidity of overall volume when viewed from the front.

And at the rear, the Boat Tail distinguishes itself with horizontal, wide, deep-set lamps - a break from the expected vertical Rolls-Royce lamp iconography.

The aft deck, is of course, a modern interpretation of the wooden rear decks of historical Boat Tails.

It utilises a Caleidolegno veneer that features linear wood grain, further visually elongated by brushed stainless steel pinstripe inlays, serving as an optical nod to the typical wooden construction of yachts - both old and new. A hosting suite also rests hidden within the deck of the Boat Tail, created to serve as a celebratory focal point for a shared occasion and to reveal the individuality of the clients' tastes and desires.

Hinged towards the centre line, it opens in a synchronised balletic movement, revealing a treasure chest of moving parts that offer themselves to the host at a precise angle of 15 degrees.

The chest is appointed with the perfect accoutrements for a true Rolls-Royce al fresco dining experience.

One side of the hosting suite is dedicated to aperitifs, while the other, cuisine, complete with cutlery engraved with the name 'Boat Tail', made by Christofle in Paris.

The interior leather of the Boat Tail reflects the bonnet's colour tone transition with the front seats swathed in the darker blue hue, recognising Boat Tail's driver focused intent, while the rear seats are finished in the lighter tone.

A soft metallic sheen is applied to the leather to accentuate its pairing with the painted exterior while detailed stitching and piping is applied in a more intense blue inspired by the hands of the car's timepieces.

A brilliant blue is also found woven at a 55 degree angle into the technical fibre elements to be seen on the lower bodywork, precisely orientated to emulate the spill of a water's wake.

That open pore Caleidolegno of the deck has also been brought into the cabin. Anthracite in colour, the veneer is used to offset the softness of the light blue and metallic sheen. It is applied to the lower cabin and floor area, reminiscent of wooden hull forms, again, at 55 degrees, perfectly book matched on centre line providing a uniform appearance when viewed from either side.

A double refrigerator has been developed to house the client's favourite vintages of Armand de Brignac champagne. It comes with cradles created to stow the vintage's specific bottle size within the refrigerator, while its surrounds are highly polished and colour matched to the bottle.

Rolls-Royce has also worked with Bovet 1822 to build two timepieces for the Boat Tail. The reversable timepieces, one for the lady and one for the gentleman, have been designed to be worn on the wrist, or, placed front and centre within Boat Tail's fascia as the motor car's clock.