The real story behind the one-of-a-kind $13 million Rolls-Royce Sweptail
- The Rolls-Royce Coachbuild division creates the most prestigious luxury cars
- However, the Sweptail is one of the most special and exclusive of them all
- It pays homage to vintage and classic cars and classic and modern yachts
Published on May 20, 2024 at 8:24 PM (UTC+4)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Last updated on May 24, 2024 at 6:34 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
You might recognize the stunning $13 Million Rolls-Royce Sweptail – but let’s take a peek under the hood of this stunning and powerful vehicle.
Its creation marked the return of the Rolls-Royce’s Coachbuild division.
And here’s everything you need to know about one of the most special and exclusive British cars ever made.
READ MORE! Rolls-Royce reveals stunning coachbuilt Arcadia Droptail
Rolls-Royce Coachbuild builds one-off models of the most prestigious luxury cars.
Each unique car forms an ‘extraordinary design collaboration between patron and artisan’, per Rolls-Royce.
“Every line is refined. Every surface is purposefully shaped. Every request is realized with absolute devotion to the will of the patron,” they said.
And the Sweptail is certainly no exception, being seen as the ‘automotive equivalent of haute couture’.
Its design was based on the client’s love of classic and vintage cars from the early 20th century and classic and modern yachts.
And with vintage Rolls-Royce in mind, Richard Hammond recently restored a 1930s Rolls-Royce before returning it to the museum.
Plus a 1980 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith II was uncovered in a jaw-dropping barn find.
In more recent history, this is the unbelievable story behind the abandoned Rolls-Royce Phantom VII found parked at a hotel.
Back to the Rolls-Royce Sweptail and its svelte tapering, elegantly falling waist-rail, flowing roofline, and distinctive swept tail are all desires that Rolls-Royce honed and crafted into a single motor car.
Step inside and an uninterrupted glass roof floods the elegantly simplistic interior with light.
The switchgear is minimal, allowing the rich materials to sing.
These include polished Macassar ebony and open-pore Paldao that, when paired with light Moccasin and Dark Spice leathers of the seats, armrests, and fascia surround, created both a visual and tactile contrast.
It’s a stunning and unique example of the Rolls-Royce DNA.
The Sweptail is not only visually stunning, but it also boasts impressive performance, too.
It has a 6.6 V-12 engine producing 453 horsepower.
This allows it to reach 0-97 km/h (0-60 mph) in a mere 5.6 seconds, with a top speed of 249 km/h (155 mph).
Rolls-Royce is aiming to go all-electric by 2030, meaning the Sweptail will become even more iconic.
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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.”
