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Bespoke two-seater ‘Sweptail’ Rolls-Royce revealed

Coachbuilt car was created after a customer approached the carmaker with his vision

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This is the Rolls-Royce ‘Sweptail’, a bespoke two-seat model revealed at the Concorso d’Eleganza at Villa d’Este, Italy.

The classic and luxury car show held on the edge of Lake Como was the perfect setting for the British car manufacturer to reveal its latest coachbuilt model, based on the Phantom.

(Rolls-Royce)
(Rolls-Royce)

The dominant design feature is the tail end, which sees the glass roof sweeping back over the rear boot and ending in a narrow point. It is designed to evoke memories of Rolls-Royces from the 1920s and 1930s – the person who commissioned the car wanted the company to “reimagine this feature on his one-off motor car”.

First commissioned in 2013, the Sweptail is the result of four years of liaison involving the client and Rolls-Royce’s design team, which saw several meetings take place to discuss everything from design features to interior materials.

Aside from that prominent tail, the front end has also received a major makeover. The rectangular headlights have been replaced with circular units, while the large grille remains. The whole front section is framed in silver with a flatter, more square appearance than a standard Phantom.

Inside, Rolls has decluttered the dashboard to focus on high-quality materials, such as Macassar Ebony and Paldao wood. All hand-crafted, they have been designed to contrast the dark and light colours, a theme that is continued on to the leather upholstery.

(Rolls-Royce)
(Rolls-Royce)

Torsten Müller-Ötvös, chief executive officer at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, said: “Rolls-Royce’s history as the world’s leading coachbuilder is at the very core of its identity as the world’s leading luxury brand.

“We are listening carefully to our most special customers and assessing their interest in investing in similar, completely exclusive coachbuilt masterpieces. At the same time, we are looking into the resources which will allow us to offer this unique service to these discerning patrons of luxury.”

(Rolls-Royce)
(Rolls-Royce)

Last year, Rolls-Royce highlighted its bespoke capabilities with a futuristic concept dubbed 103EX. The self-driving car can act as a chauffeur, and is digitally connected to its owner’s life. These futuristic features are combined with traditional luxury touches such as a relaxing ‘sofa’ inside.

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