Rolls-Royce’s spectacular new convertible

According to Rolls-Royce, coachbuilding is ‘‘the art and science of creating bespoke bodywork on a pre-assembled chassis’’ and it is one of the ways the company originally established itself, building its own chassis and engines, but leaving the bodies to specialist coachbuilders.

In the early days of the car, manufacturers generally produced only the mechanical components: a ‘rolling chassis’ was sent to specialist coachbuilders, who then added bodywork to the client’s specification.

From its establishment in 1906 Rolls-Royce left the bodywork to coachbuilders, before buying one of them (H.J. Mulliner) in 1939 and eventually taking the process entirely in-house in 1946.

Traditional coachbuilding continued, however, until the separate chassis was replaced by semi-monocoque construction, with sub-frames for the mechanical components. This process made all but the simplest of adaptations to the body design itself largely impossible. In the case of Rolls-Royce, this shift occurred in October 1965, when the Silver Cloud series was replaced by the Silver Shadow.

Modern Rolls-Royces have always been highly customisable and personalised, but the company’s move to its own all-new bespoke platform (the grandly named ‘Architecture of Luxury’) for all models (the ‘smaller’ ones had previously used BMW platforms) has seen it now revive the more extreme coachbuilding form of customisation.

‘‘The ability to personalise almost every aspect of their motor car is one of the main reasons our patrons come to us, but we know some wish to go further still,’’ said Torsten Mu¨ ller-Otvo¨ ¨ s, chief executive officer of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

‘‘In 2017, we stunned the world with our first fully coachbuilt motor car of the modern era, the spectacular Rolls-Royce Sweptail. This was, by definition, an entirely unique commission; but in our minds, it was the start of a journey.

‘‘Today marks a seminal moment for the House of RollsRoyce. We are proud to unveil Rolls-Royce Boat Tail to the world, and with it, the confirmation of coachbuilding as a permanent fixture within our portfolio.’’

The company describes the customers who commissioned the new Boat Tail as ‘‘a globally successful couple who are highly proficient in the appointment of

Rolls-Royces, truly personify connoisseurship; their luxury curation is an artform in itself.’’ Which is quite pretentious, but the result is one remarkable car.

While the original Sweptail was a striking thing, the Boat Tail is a stunning piece of machinery and handily shows off just what Rolls-Royce can do for you if you throw enough money at it.

At nearly 5.8m long, the Boat Tail is a big lad, and in profile its nautical references are ‘‘very suggestive’’, according to RollsRoyce. The wrap-around windscreen ‘‘recalls the visor on motor launches’’, while the rearward slope of the A-pillar, the large, crisp volumes at the front and the tapered rear ‘‘create a gesture that recalls a motor launch rising out of water under power.’’

At the rear where the nautical references become more apparent and ‘‘the aft deck’’, which is the modern interpretation of the wooden rear decks of historical Boat Tails, incorporates much wood. Then, of course, there’s that roof. The company says the unconventional fixed-canopy roof ‘‘adds to the sculptural form, the sweeping roofline concludes in delicate structural elements that touch down on the rear, redolent of flying buttresses.’’ We just think it looks cool.

Of course, it doesn’t stop there and at the press of a button, the rear deck opens in a ‘‘sweeping butterfly gesture’’, to reveal ‘‘an intricate and generous hosting suite’’, which is essentially a mobile pantry, featuring ‘‘the perfect accoutrements for a true Rolls-Royce al fresco dining experience’’. Or to put it in simpler terms: food and booze.

It also packs a double refrigerator for the champagne, a pair of rotating cocktail tables and stools, and a retractable parasol canopy for those sunny days.

So if you have literally more money than you know what to do with, then you too can now have your own totally custom-built, bespoke Rolls-Royce.

Nothing says you have arrived more than a one-off custom-built Rolls-Royce.