Coachbuild - One of the most expensive cars in the world: Rolls-Royce presents one-off Arcadia Droptail
Rolls-Royce is the embodiment of luxurious vehicles – and none are cheap to acquire. However, those who make the effort to approach the Coachbuild department of the company are bound to make a substantial investment. For those who order a car here, an entire department is occupied for years. That comes with a price.
The latest creation of the automaker was first discussed with the customer in 2019. At that time, it was just initial sketches. More than four years were to pass before the official handover in Singapore. During this time, the manufactory invested thousands of hours into minute details that would likely go unnoticed to the untrained eye.
One such detail was the wood. The difficult-to-work-with Santos Palisander reportedly demanded 8000 hours of the manufacturer's time before the individual parts were up to par. A significant portion of this time was spent on the finishing process to protect the wood from various weather influences. This was necessary as the secretive customer intends to use the car worldwide, requiring coverage of a wide range of temperatures and humidity levels.
Characteristic Rolls-Royce: 1000 hours for a protective coating
Constraints came into play that were not initially considered: For Rolls-Royce, the use of wood protection for motor yachts was a logical solution – until it became clear that this only worked if the customer regularly maintained the coating. The idea was then abandoned, and a new solution was sought – eventually, a unique coating was discovered that only needed to be applied a few times. According to their own statements, this step alone took 1000 hours and produced 18 different mixtures.
The new owner is now part of an exclusive club, with only a handful of other individuals belonging. The Coachbuild department currently produces only three series: Sweptail, Boat Tail, and the three cars from the Droptail series, in which the Arcadia now follows the La Rose Noir and the Amethyst.
Rolls-Royce remains silent on the price of the car and the buyer. In various media reports, sums between 20 and 35 million Euros have been mentioned, and similar sums have been speculated about the other Coachbuilt cars. Rolls-Royce denies the stern's inquiry but does not correct the statements.
This custom-made Rolls-Royce vehicle, a testament to the buyer's unique preferences, was handcrafted in the company's Coachbuild department. Due to its extensive customization, including a 1000-hour protective coating for the Santos Palisander wood, the car was ready for its Singapore debut four years after the initial discussion in 2019.
