You might be surprised to hear this, but I’m not the target market for what could be the most expensive new car ever made. I’m not a wealthy oil magnate, and I don’t run the water system for a whole country. The Rolls-Royce Droptail surprised me. I’m unsure if my normal eyes can’t tell if a car is worth eight figures or if I don’t know what to look for. Rolls-Royce just showed the Droptail to the world at Monterey Car Week. It could be the most expensive new car ever, breaking its record. The Rolls Royce Boat Tail was the last winner. It was first shown at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este last year. Rolls never said how much the Boat Tail cost because it was a particular project, and only three customer-ordered coach-built cars were made. (Jay-Z and Beyonce were among these clients, according to sources.) The Boat Tail was said to be worth $28 million at the time. Autocar says that the new Droptail is even more expensive than the Boat Tail, even though Rolls hasn’t said how much it costs. Like its predecessor, the new Droptail is a custom-built car that looks nothing like other Rolls-Royces. Only four will be made, and each will be made just for its owner. Rolls and the four customers worked together on the general design, but each car will be made to fit the tastes of its owner. It’s a beautiful car, but is it worth $30 million? The company believes the tall hood, odd back deck, and low-slung shoulder line resemble 1920s roadsters. The red one shown here is the first of four that will be made. It is called “La Rose Noire.” The name means “black rose,” so it’s no surprise that the red and black colors come from the Black Baccara flower. The interior of the Droptail will be familiar to anyone who has seen modern Rolls, but some things make it stand out. The dashboard trim is a red-and-black geometric pattern that reminds me of the opening titles of Casino Royale. The center seat is new. The same design is used on the whole back deck of the Droptail. The Droptail also has a personalized Audemars Piguet watch that fits into the dashboard and acts as the car’s clock because only expensive cars would be complete with one. Rolls-Royce even had to try the design in a crash to ensure it wouldn’t fly apart in an accident. Even though the Droptail has only two doors, it is unlike the new electric Rolls-Royce Spectre. On the other hand, La Rose Noire is driven by a well-known 6.75-liter twin-turbo V12 with 593 horsepower, which is 30 more than the Phantom. On the other hand, the Phantom has 44 lb-ft less power, at 620 lb-ft. The Rolls-Royce Droptail is a beautiful car almost entirely made by hand and can’t be beaten on the road. It might be worth less than $30 million or more, primarily since it competed at Pebble Beach with other beautiful old metals. But in the world of the very rich, where everyone has everything, uniqueness is king. The Droptail is expensive because you are one of only four people to own this beautiful Rolls-Royce. At the very least, it is more valuable than those burned-out pieces of a Ferrari.
