--- title: "Meet the Rolls-Royce Droptail, Probably the World’s Most Expensive New Car" description: "It's the first of four coachbuilt Droptails to be made, and this one is going to a wealthy \"international family.\"" date: "2023-08-21" modified: "2023-08-21" authors: - name: "Nico DeMattia" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/nico-demattia" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/meet-the-rolls-royce-droptail-probably-the-worlds-most-expensive-new-car" categories: - "News" - "News by Brand" - "Rolls-Royce News" tags: - "luxury" - "Rolls-Royce" --- # Meet the Rolls-Royce Droptail, Probably the World’s Most Expensive New Car ![]() *Rolls-Royce* This may come as a shock, but I'm not the intended clientele for what is likely the world's most expensive new car. I'm not an oil baron, nor was I born into any wealth, nor do I control an entire country's water supply. So perhaps my plebeian eyes aren't up to the task of judging an eight-figure automobile, but I'm not quite sure I expected it to look like this—the [Rolls-Royce]() Droptail. Rolls-Royce just revealed the Droptail to the world during [Monterey Car Week](), in all likelihood shattering its own record for the world's priciest new car. That distinction was previously held by the Rolls-Royce Boat Tail, which debuted at last year's Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este. Rolls never reported the Boat Tail's official cost, as it was a bespoke project and only three coachbuilt cars were created to exact customer specifications. (Some of those customers [reportedly included Jay-Z and Beyonce]().) At the time, the Boat Tail was said to command $28 million. While Rolls hasn't officially revealed the new Droptail's cost either, *[Autocar]()* reports it is even more expensive than the Boat Tail. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() *The Drive* reached out to Rolls-Royce for pricing confirmation and will update this story as we get more info. Like the Boat Tail before it, the new Droptail is a coachbuilt design that shares very little with any other Rolls-Royce product. Only four will be made, with each one suitably bespoke for its client. The gist of the design was a collaboration between Rolls and the four customers, but each will be customized to the owner's preference. It's an admittedly beautiful car, but is it $30 million-beautiful? The long hood, custom rear deck, and low-slung shoulder line all pay homage to roadsters of the 1920s, according to the automaker. The crimson example you see here—the first of the four to be made—is dubbed "La Rose Noire." That translates to "black rose," and, appropriately, its red-and-black color scheme was said to be inspired by the [Black Baccara flower](). ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() The Droptail's cabin will be familiar to anyone who's seen a modern Rolls, but it does have some unique touches. The center armrest is new, and the dashboard trim is covered in a red/black geometric pattern that reminds me of *Casino Royale's* opening credits. That same motif covers the entire rear deck of the Droptail, too. And because no uber-expensive car is complete without a custom watch, the Droptail comes with a bespoke Audemars Piguet that fits into the dashboard, serving as the car's clock. Rolls even had to crash test the design to ensure the watch didn't become a projectile in the event of an accident. Despite its two-door shape, the Droptail isn't based on the new electric [Rolls-Royce Spectre](). Instead, *La Rose Noire* packs a familiar 6.75-liter twin-turbo V12 that develops 593 horsepower, 30 more than the Phantom. However, torque is rated at 620 lb-ft, which is 44 lb-ft fewer than the Phantom. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() The Rolls-Royce Droptail is an impressive statement, one made almost entirely by hand and certainly unlike anything else on the road. You could argue it isn't worth $30 million or more, especially considering the gorgeous vintage metal it was competing for attention with at Pebble Beach. Yet in the world of the uber-rich, where everyone has everything, exclusivity is king. So being one of only four people in the world to own this very pretty Rolls is what makes the Droptail so valuable. If nothing else, it's probably at least more deserving of its price tag than those [charred remains of what used to be a Ferrari](). *Got tips? Send 'em to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Nico is a writer and reviewer from New Jersey who probably thinks he’s a lot funnier than he actually is. His love of cars began when he was just a kid playing Gran Turismo 3, grinding out enough race wins with a Mazda Miata to save up for an in-game RUF 911. That passion for small, lightweight sports cars drove his desire to learn more about the industry, get his hands on as many cars as he could, and bring those experiences to life on the page. He cut his teeth writing about BMWs, Volkswagens, and Audis, mostly, and has owned far too many of each. He’s on his fourth 3 Series sedan, but all of his old, cheap German cars have forced him to learn more about car maintenance than his mechanical capability can handle. Too many late nights have been spent scrambling to get a car running by morning so he could get to work. For some reason, he never seems to learn that old Bimmers probably aren’t the best daily drivers. But he loves more than just old German cars. He’ll gladly drive and discuss anything with four (or even three) wheels. Cars aren’t his only passions, though. Nico is also a big nerd and loves movies, video games, comic books, and cares far too much about the New York Giants. So don’t be surprised if you see football references or dumb, obscure movie quotes in any of his car reviews. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()