Rolls-Royce has unveiled the La Rose Noire Droptail, a one-of-its-kind automobile that is affectionately referred to as a love story. This ultra-luxurious coupe draws inspiration from the elegance of the Black Baccara rose and marks the brand's return to the roots of its luxury legacy with its first contemporary two-seat roadster, reminiscent of the custom-built convertibles that established Rolls-Royce as a premier luxury marque a century ago.
Rolls-Royce has christened the color of their Droptail as "True Love." This shade, resembling a dark pomegranate, boasts a pearlescent luster that gracefully shifts in tone under varying lighting conditions. The meticulous process involves applying five layers of clear lacquer, each infused with a slightly distinct red hue. Rolls-Royce shares that it was a dedicated team of experts who meticulously crafted a novel painting technique for this unique color, a journey that demanded over 150 iterations to achieve perfection.
The Droptail boasts a removable hardtop that serves to offer the car two distinct personas. With the elongated, sleek roof in place, the vehicle exudes a coupe aesthetic, highlighted by an electrochromic glass section capable of transitioning from opaque to nearly see-through with a simple button press. Once this top is taken off, the Droptail transforms into a nimble and airy open-top roadster.
Stepping inside, the interior wraps its passengers in meticulous craftsmanship, with particular attention drawn to the parquetry design. Comprising 1,603 triangles of black wood veneer, it serves as an abstract interpretation of cascading rose petals. The deliberate asymmetry of this intricate pattern adds an extra layer of complexity and charm.
The car includes a custom Audemars Piguet watch attached to the dashboard via a clasp mechanism, and it's built upon a fresh monocoque chassis. Beneath the hood, you'll find a familiar twin-turbocharged 6.75-liter V12 engine, specially tuned to deliver an additional 38 horsepower compared to the Phantom. However, torque has been reduced by 60Nm, resulting in a combined output of 601 horsepower and 840 Newton-meters of torque.
While Rolls-Royce hasn't disclosed specific performance figures, it's expected that the Droptail will closely rival the V12-powered Dawn, boasting a sub-5.0-second 0-100 km/h acceleration time and a top speed capped at 250 km/h. The car is priced at ₹211 crore.