1976 Silver Shadow California Car, No Rust, 92k Original Complete - No Reserve on 2040-cars

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New Rolls-Royce Boat Tail shows off coachbuilding chops of the Phantom platform

Rolls-Royce is flexing the coachbuilding muscles of its highly versatile new Phantom platform with this gorgeous Boat Tail commission. Rolls-Royce claims the build required the fabrication of more than 1,800 unique parts and 20 years of combined man-hours to complete.  Even by Rolls-Royce standards, this is pretty ambitious stuff. The commission was inspired by a 1932 Rolls-Royce Boat Tail, and like the original, it was inspired by, well, boats. Shocking, right? The trim elements both inside and out (Caleidolegno veneer, if you're curious) were designed to be reminiscent of the teak decking you'd see on a wooden yacht. "Today marks a seminal moment for the House of Rolls-Royce. We are proud to unveil Rolls-Royce Boat Tail to the world, and with it, the confirmation of coachbuilding as a permanent fixture within our future portfolio," said Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Muller-Otvos in the Boat Tail announcement.  "We have formally re-established our Coachbuild department for those patrons who wish to go beyond the existing restraints, and explore the almost limitless possibilities this opens up for them," Muller-Otvos said previously. "We are able to offer our customers the opportunity to create a motor car in which every single element is hand-built to their precise individual requirements, as befits our status as a true luxury house." There are quite a few bespoke accessories as well, though apart from the full picnic service shown in some of the pics (there doesn't appear to be much of a trunk — sorry, boot), most of it was left out of the promotional materials. Most notably absent are the custom his-and-hers Bovet 1822 timepieces that were commissioned alongside the car. They can be either mounted in the dash or worn on the wrist (of course), but we see only a glimpse of one in the top-down image Rolls-Royce provided.

Rolls-Royce goes glam, celebrates Art Deco heritage in Paris

Rolls-Royce has used the 2012 Paris Motor Show to pull the covers off its art deco-inspired Phantom saloon, Phantom Drophead Coupé and Ghost models. These three bespoke machines are said to pay homage to the 1925 Paris Exhibition or Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes. Not coincidentally, the phrase 'art deco' was coined at that very show.
These three models are finished in period-correct color schemes and feature details that include mother of pearl and silver inlays and ornamental glassware. According to Giles Taylor, Design Director Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, "Art Deco was defined by theatre, glamour and a sense of excitement. Working to create contemporary interpretations of these classic themes has been enormously rewarding for everyone in my bespoke design team." But of course.
Feel free to check out our live gallery of high-res images above along with the official shots released by Rolls-Royce below. There's also a press release or two waiting for your prying eyes, if you're so inclined.

Ringbrothers' 'Paramount' 1961 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II wafts into SEMA

Perennial SEMA show stars Mike and Jim Ring, known as Ringbrothers, brought three builds to Las Vegas this year. There's "Tusk," the Hellephant-powered 1969 Dodge Charger, and there's "Uncaged," a 1965 Ford Mustang that calls back to one of their builds from last year, a 1964.5 Mustang christened "Caged." These two represent the kind of confections we're familiar with from the Wisconsin-based brothers, American metal done up with marvelous lines and monstrous engines. The third build comes out of left field — or perhaps that's right field, depending on your perspective of the map. Known as "Paramount," it is a 1961 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II embodying the ideal balance of restraint and intervention. As we said of the Eneos 1969 Jaguar E-Type XKE 2+2 with the Toyota 2JZ engine, it's the kind of Frankenstein build we love to see at SEMA. The two Rings held themselves back from changing the sedan's lines, a rare and, in this case, excellent show of standoffishness. There's almost nothing to give the game away outside except the Ringbrothers badge on the trunk. An enthusiast would eventually notice the rolling stock, yet even the 18-inch EVOD Industries wheels in Falken rubber comply with the historic look and maintain proportions that respect the Paramount aura — finished here in BASF Glasurit's White as Fluff paint. The wheels hide what would be a glaring tell, Baer Pro six-piston calipers clamping 15-inch rotors. Likewise with the interior, where an oversized steering wheel with knurled spokes, ornate gauges and discrete billet switchgear, seats and picnic tables wrapped in blood red leather, and even the headliner with its 1,000 hand-sewn LEDS convey the appropriate depth of genuine Rolls-Royce veneer. And no one can spot the carbon fiber instrument panel and door cards behind the actual veneers. That headliner is a nod to modern Rolls, as are the gyroscopic center caps in the wheels that ensure the "RR" remains upright. We've never seen a Rolls-Royce with a custom rear armrest hiding two small bottles of Don Julio tequila, though. Everything else? All the bits you can't or rarely see? Gone. The original dual-carb 6.2-liter V8 that produced 185 horsepower and 339 pound-feet of torque retired to Cornwall, replaced by a Corvette's supercharged 6.2-liter V8 making 640 horsepower and 635 pound-feet of torque.