The unique, one-of-one bespoke Rolls-Royce that cost more than $25 million to create
- This is the third Droptail commission from Rolls-Royce Coachbuild
- The Rolls-Royce Arcadia Droptail is a bespoke and one-of-one reflection of the commissioning client’s tastes
- The name is derived from a word meaning ‘heaven on Earth’
Published on May 21, 2024 at 5:47 PM (UTC+4)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Last updated on May 25, 2024 at 9:17 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
The third Droptail commission from Rolls-Royce Coachbuild, the Rolls-Royce Arcadia Droptail is a bespoke and one-of-one expression of the commissioning client’s tastes, personality
The name ‘Arcadia’ is derived from a mythical realm depicted in Ancient Greek mythology as ‘heaven on Earth’ – and it certainly makes sense for this stunning hand-built car.
The focus of the car with its low stance, and dramatic body lines is on ‘natural beauty’ and ‘perfect harmony’.
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Like the haven behind its name, the Rolls-Royce Arcadia Droptail was envisioned by the commissioning client as a serene space.
A piece of furniture in the client’s home served as inspiration for the Santos Straight Grain — a high-density, delicate wood — that was used for the interior and exterior woodwork on the functional rear deck.
Its interlocking grain pattern and rich texture faced designers with a unique challenge, requiring more than 8,000 hours of development and 1,000 hours of testing to perfect.
The two bespoke hues of the leather interior have been locked down exclusively for the client.
While the names of the shades remain a closely guarded secret, the main white colour continues the exterior paint theme, while the contrasting tan perfectly matches the wood.
The calm white duotone exterior colourway of the main body is infused with aluminium and glass particles, to create the illusion of unending depth.
The upper surfaces, meanwhile, are adorned with an intensive, metallic Bespoke silver in order to reflect sunlight and cast dramatic shadows to amplify the car’s subtle form and proportions.
However, it has nothing on this businessman who has commissioned his Pagani Utopia to be painted with real moon dust.
The cabin is designed to cocoon both driver and passenger and employs the carbon fibre layering techniques used in Formula 1 motor racing to develop a stiff base for the wood to adhere to.
Developed for over two years and taking five months to assemble, the Rolls-Royce Arcadia Droptail deserved the most complex Rolls‑Royce clock face ever.
With 119 facets to reflect the 119th year of the Rolls-Royce brand and an intricate guilloché pattern, its ceramic coating means it will, aptly, stand the test of time.
Its exterior grille surround, ‘kinked’ vane pieces, and 22-inch alloy wheels also feature the brilliant mirror finish of brightwork on historical Rolls-Royces.
“Arcadia Droptail is deeply connected to the client’s personality and preferences, and in capturing their character, we have been empowered to make inspiring design, craft, and engineering statements that show the world our ambition and unparalleled abilities,” said Chris Brownridge, chief executive of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.
While its price has not officially been announced, it’s thought to have cost eight figures like the other limited-edition Droptail convertibles unveiled by Rolls-Royce Coachbuild.
The exact figure is thought to be upwards of $25 million.
The car was delivered to its mystery billionaire owner from Singapore earlier this year.
Want to hear more? Here’s the real story behind the one-of-a-kind $13 million Rolls-Royce Sweptail.
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All Supercar Blondie contributors undergo editorial review and fact-checking to ensure accuracy and authority in automotive journalism. After gaining her BA Hons in French and English at the University of Nottingham, Amelia embarked on a vocational diploma from the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). This led to numerous opportunities, from interning at Vogue to being on the small team that launched Women’s Health magazine in the UK, which was named the PPA Consumer magazine of the year for three years running. As Health, Beauty and Fitness editor, Amelia personally received a Johnson & Johnson Award and was shortlisted for both PPA and BSME titles. Since then, Amelia has created content for numerous titles and brands, including the Telegraph, 111 Skin, Waitrose, Red magazine, Stylist, and Elle, as well as being Head of Content at Vitality and Editor in Chief at INLondon magazine. “My superpower is translating technical jargon about the mechanical workings of a supercar into a relatable story you’ll want to share with your friends after you’ve read it.” After joining the SB Media family as a senior journalist in September of 2023, Amelia’s role has evolved to see her heading up the SEO output of the editorial team. From researching the most ‘Google-able’ key terms to producing evergreen content - it’s been a time of hard work, growth, and success for the editorial team and the Supercar Blondie website. “I like to think of myself as a ‘method journalist’. In other words: I live and breathe whatever I am writing about. When writing about fitness, I trained as a personal trainer, and as a beauty editor, I completed an ‘expert’ in scent diploma with the Fragrance Foundation. “During my tenure at Supercar Blondie, however, I did something I never thought possible: I passed my driving test at the age of 36. One day I’d love to train as a mechanic to better understand what happens under the hood, too. “My sweet spot is providing readers with a ‘takeaway’ (read: something new they didn’t know before) after reading every one of my stories. While I don’t claim to be an expert in the automotive world, I know the experts and bodies in the field to rely on to provide our readers with an informative and thought-provoking story every time they visit the site.”
