By 
For some, a $356,000 Rolls-Royce Dawn is simply too commonplace. Besides, as lovely as the Dawn is, it doesn't pay tribute to J-class racing yachts, the most elegant single-masted competition sailboats of the pre-WWII era. And while you could, theoretically, host a picnic from the trunk lid of a Dawn, it would be an uncivilized, déclassé affair.
Good thing, then, that Rolls-Royce has created a new division within the company, Rolls-Royce Coachbuild, to make your wildest one-off vehicular dreams come to life. Witness Coachbuild's first offering, the Boat Tail.
Inspired by the response to the one-off Rolls-Royce Sweptail of 2017—and, one assumes, by the utter boredom of the absurdly wealthy—Rolls-Royce says the new Coachbuild department "is contemporary patronage in its truest form."
The Boat Tail's party piece is that butterfly-hinged two-piece decklid. Finished in Caleidolegno wood veneer, the dual lids open at the touch of a button to reveal "an intricate and generous hosting suite," per Rolls-Royce's press release. What's under there? Why, a double champagne refrigerator, of course, with custom-formed clasps to fit the specific vintage that the customer who ordered this behemoth prefers.
Rolls-Royce Boat Tail - Photos
There are platinum-edged porcelain plates in there, too, along with silver cutlery from Christofle of Paris, engraved with the "Boat Tail" name, naturally. And lest you think that Rolls-Royce's signature umbrellas hidden inside the doors aren't fancy enough, the Boat Tail offers a pop-up parasol to provide shade for your impromptu picnic. "In anticipation of fine weather," the press release states, in a British accent you can almost hear while reading.
Twin cocktail tables swing out from the trunk area to provide a platform for you midday snack, and seating is provided by two "highly contemporary minimalist stools," which are "discretely stowed below," made by Italian furniture maker Promemoria, and upholstered in blue leather to match the Boat Tail's interior.
And of course, since one can't be expected to set up one's picnic for oneself, the whole shebang is automated. Rolls-Royce says the Boat Tail's rolling picnic basket required the design and manufacture of one thousand eight hundred and thirteen completely new parts, and as mentioned above, the whole contraption is controlled by five separate ECUs that were engineered specifically for this car. Rolls-Royce engineers ensured that heat from the drivetrain wouldn't spoil whatever you're carrying around in the hosting suite—"which could include food, liquids and of course champagne," the press release coos. Fans in the lower bodywork keep the compartment cool, tested to temperatures as high as 176 degrees Fahrenheit and as low as -4.
The Boat Tail you see here is actually one of three examples built by Coachbuild, though Rolls-Royce takes pains to explain that "although they share a common body style, are each imbued with the unique, highly personal imprint of the commissioning patron, thereby telling different stories." So who ordered big blue here? The press release only refers to them as "a globally successful couple who are highly proficient in the appointment of Rolls-Royces," noting that their desire was "to create a response to a life of hard work, success achieved, and celebration required."
They better not get caught in any rainstorms, though: While the Boat Tail comes with a drop-on fixed-canopy roof, it's meant to be left at home for open-air driving. The only shelter that can ride with the car is a temporary tonneau that's only designed to work when the car is stationary. Guess a conventional folding soft-top would have required a sixth ECU.
