Skip advert
Advertisement

New Rolls-Royce ‘Droptail’ could be a new ultra-exclusive luxury car

BMW has trademarked the name ‘Droptail’ on behalf of Rolls-Royce, suggesting a new highly exclusive luxury car is coming

Rolls-Royce spirit of Ecstasy

BMW, the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motors, has submitted the trademark ‘Droptail’ to the EU Intellectual Property Office, hinting a new coachbuilt Rolls-Royce is in the works. 

Rolls-Royce has recent history in creating limited, bespoke versions of its cars for a few chosen individuals. There was the one-off Sweptail in 2017, which sold for over £10million, and the three Boat Tail commissions earlier this year - each costing around £22million - making it the most expensive new car in the world. 

We don’t yet know any further details about the Droptail, apart from its name, but even that suggests it could be a convertible of some sort, given Rolls-Royce’s inclination to use the word ‘drop’ as part of its drop head nomenclature for its convertible models. 

Advertisement - Article continues below

Both the Boat Tail and Sweptail used versions of the Phantom’s platform and it’s likely the Droptail will do the same. This means that under the bonnet should sit Rolls-Royce’s twin-turbocharged 6.75-litre V12 engine. 

There’s also the possibility of a pure-electric powertrain. The Spectre, Rolls-Royce’s new luxury EV, is nearing completion and utilises a modified version of the firm’s Architecture of Luxury platform. The Droptail could also share this adaptation of the underpinnings, dubbed ‘Rolls-Royce 3.0’. 

Whatever powertrain the Droptail uses, it’s certain to come with a dizzying array of personalisation options inside and out. We also expect the price tag to be equally mind-blowing. 

Now find out which car won our Luxury Car of the Year Award in 2022...

Skip advert
Advertisement
Senior news reporter

A keen petrol-head, Alastair Crooks has a degree in journalism and worked as a car salesman for a variety of manufacturers before joining Auto Express in Spring 2019 as a Content Editor. Now, as our senior news reporter, his daily duties involve tracking down the latest news and writing reviews.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

New £20m Rolls-Royce Arcadia Droptail is the ultimate in opulence
Rolls Royce Arcadia - front static
News

New £20m Rolls-Royce Arcadia Droptail is the ultimate in opulence

Arcadia is the third model in Rolls-Royce’s exclusive Droptail commission, and it doesn’t come cheap
29 Feb 2024
New Rolls-Royce boss announced, and he’s British
Chris Brownridge
News

New Rolls-Royce boss announced, and he’s British

The current Chief Executive Officer of BMW UK will take over as the head of Rolls-Royce from December
5 Oct 2023
Rolls-Royce Droptail Coachbuild Roadster arrives at Monterey Car Week
Rolls-Royce Droptail Coachbuild Roadster La Rose Noire front
News

Rolls-Royce Droptail Coachbuild Roadster arrives at Monterey Car Week

The new bespoke Rolls-Royce is the first two-seater in brand’s modern history
20 Aug 2023

Most Popular

Volvo XC40 vs MINI Countryman 2024 twin test: a small SUV skirmish
MINI Countryman and Volvo XC40 - front tracking
Car group tests

Volvo XC40 vs MINI Countryman 2024 twin test: a small SUV skirmish

The MINI Countryman is now a big hitter in the premium compact SUV class, but can it beat the Volvo XC40?
4 May 2024
Best 0% finance car deals 2024
Best 0% finance car deals - header image
Best cars & vans

Best 0% finance car deals 2024

Fancy a brand-new car but don’t like paying interest? Here are the best 0% PCP finance deals
3 May 2024
Car Deal of the Day: brand new, super chic MINI Cooper for less than £200 a month!
MINI Cooper - front static
News

Car Deal of the Day: brand new, super chic MINI Cooper for less than £200 a month!

The latest iteration of Britain’s iconic supermini is is our Car Deal of the Day for 3 May
3 May 2024