Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has presented Project Nightingale, a Coachbuild Collection that’s named after Le Rossignol, French for “The Nightingale”, and the name of the designers’ and engineers’ house near Henry Royce’s winter home on the Côte d’Azur.
The last time the prestigious brand created something as bold, retro-inspired, exclusive and just as blue was the 2021 Rolls-Royce Boat Tail.
The Project Nightingale measures 5,760mm in length — Phantom-sized proportions dedicated to a two-seat roadster — and rather aptly, the company says it draws inspiration from the glamorous, jazz-infused 1920-30 era shapes. The brand describes the car as almost entirely bonnet and tail, with its two-seat cabin an intimate counterpoint to the grandeur of the volumes surrounding it.
The grille, which is almost a metre wide, has 24 vanes with the Spirit of Ecstasy figurine integrated on top. Below the classic Roller cues are narrow, vertical headlamps, a modern touch. It rolls on 24-inch wheels — the largest fitted to a Rolls-Royce — with the directional design inspired by the propellers of a yacht viewed from beneath the waterline.
Bulging rear wheel arches, a rear deck broken by two rear lamps, and a Piano Boot that opens sideways on a cantilever add to the drama. The silver-coloured convertible soft top roof’s just as posh, lined with cashmere, fabric and high-performance composites for excellent sound-deadening. It also features the Starlight Breeze suite, a flowing constellation of ambient illumination comprising 10,500 individual “stars” in three subtly varied sizes.
When the roof is stowed away in the boot, the interior it reveals is a sculptured form called the “Horseshoe”, which rises behind the seats and frames the occupants in a protective architectural gesture surrounded by polished aluminium elements and a fascia surround inspired by the wild blooms of the Riviera.
The atmosphere is described as the Côte d’Azur with seats finished in soft pastel Charles blue, Deep navy seat inserts and flashes of Peony pink.
“Project Nightingale is built on the design principles that define this marque at its most compelling — grand proportions, absolute surface discipline, and a clarity of line that rewards the closest attention,” says Domagoj Dukec, director of design, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. “And yet, it takes them somewhere entirely new. For me, this landmark motor car feels both inevitable and completely unexpected, and it will shape everything that follows.”
Rolls-Royce will share further details of the motor car, its engineering and the extraordinary experiences that await its 100 clients. Entry to the Coachbuild Collection programme is by invitation only and client deliveries will commence from 2028.
This article was first published in Business Day.
