In the rarefied world of luxury automobiles, Rolls-Royce (BMW.DE) just upped the ante.<\/p>\n
Enter the Nightingale, the inaugural entry in the automaker\u2019s new Coachbuild Collection. It combines the nostalgia and grand motoring of massive land yachts of the past with drop-top motoring and 21st-century engineering. And we\u2019re not talking about a V12 \u2014 the Nightingale is all-electric.<\/p>\n
Rolls-Royce tends to be discreet, shall we say, about pricing, finding discussion of cost unmannerly. That being said, industry sources say the Nightingale\u2019s price tag will be in the eye-watering $4 million to $5 million range, depending on options.<\/p>\n This puts it in a category of its own, filling what CEO Chris Brownridge describes as a \u201cgap\u201d between the brand\u2019s standard portfolio and its unique commissions like the Boat Tail \u2014 a completely custom, client-commissioned car that Rolls produced only three versions of and cost $28 million.<\/p>\n Read more:\u00a0<\/em>How to find the best luxury car insurance<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cProject Nightingale is the first Coachbuild Collection,\u201d Brownridge explained from the Rolls-Royce Private Office in New York. \u201cWe designed the motor car, and we work with the clients to curate their particular coachbuilt motor car … It\u2019s a real collector special Rolls-Royce.\u201d<\/p>\n Clients come to the Rolls-Royce Private Office, rather than the dealership, to spec out special builds like the Nightingale. Think of Private Office more like a cushy lounge or club, with a comfortable living room, bar, and a mahogany-trimmed \u201coffice\u201d area featuring leather samples and mini paint swatches in a myriad of colors, all molded like Rolls-Royce vehicles.<\/p>\n And the Nightingale will be exclusive \u2014 only 100 examples will be created worldwide, available by invitation only. Despite the staggering price and the shift to an all-electric drivetrain, the collection is already sold out. Brownridge said the company is seeing an \u201cacceleration in demand for more complex commissions.\u201d<\/p>\n Project Nightingale is built on the aluminum spaceframe (dubbed \u201carchitecture of luxury\u201d) and powered by a fully electric, dual-motor powertrain. For some traditionalists, the move away from the V12 engine might be jarring, but for the Nightingale\u2019s target audience, EV power is almost preferred.<\/p>\n The powertrain choice was \u201cobvious\u201d for a car of this stature, Brownridge said. \u201cCan you imagine driving such an elaborate and extravagant motor car in complete silence? Absolutely no mechanical noise with the roof down,\u201d he said, describing the experience as akin to \u201ctraveling by sailing yacht.\u201d<\/p>\n The engineering takes advantage of the EV layout to refine the car\u2019s \u201cmonolithic\u201d aesthetic. Without the need for large cooling intakes, designers achieved uninterrupted expanses of surfacing on the front wings. The result is a nearly 20-foot-long, two-seat convertible that feels like a singular block of stainless steel, flowing to the elongated yet contoured rear end.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The car draws heavily on the experimental EX Rolls-Royces of the 1920s \u2014 specifically the 16EX and 17EX prototypes, which were designed for high-speed \u201ctorpedo\u201d forms.<\/p>\n Interestingly, the car rolls on gargantuan 24-inch wheels, a first for Rolls-Royce, and the rear trunk, known as the Piano Boot, is a luggage compartment that opens sideways on a cantilever, mimicking the \u201cceremony of a grand piano.\u201d<\/p>\n For the 100 individuals who secured an invitation, the purchase is less about a transaction and more about a multiyear \u201cimmersion.\u201d<\/p>\n “For our clients, it\u2019s not just a superb experience as a motor car; it\u2019s been a remarkable client experience,\u201d Brownridge said. \u201cThe journey to creating it is just as important.\u201d<\/p>\n As for the Nightingale, deliveries won\u2019t occur until 2028. And though there will only be 100 units at $5 million a pop, that means $500 million in sales for the brand \u2014 a massive haul for a bespoke automaker that produced fewer than 6,000 vehicles last year.<\/p>\n Pras Subramanian is Lead Auto Reporter for Yahoo Finance. You can follow him on<\/em> X<\/em><\/a> and on<\/em> Instagram<\/em>.<\/em><\/p>\n Click here for the latest stock market news and in-depth analysis, including events that move stocks<\/strong><\/p>\n Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/2IJOGFa9x8dIPuFP7WOd6Q--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU0MA--\/https:\/\/d29szjachogqwa.cloudfront.net\/images\/user-uploaded\/p90636209_highres_presenting-project-n_6604.jpg\")
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