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One-off Boat Tail is the tapered tip of Rolls-Royce's coachbuilding iceberg

Rolls-Royce is open to taking additional requests for one-off cars from its wealthiest clients in the coming years. It doesn't plan to make coachbuilt vehicles the norm in order to maintain their exclusivity, however. Rumored to cost nearly $30 million, the Boat Tail (pictured) introduced in May 2021 demonstrated what the BMW-owned British firm is capable of when money is truly no object. It's the product of a four-year development process that presumably cost several million dollars, and it was built at the request of three anonymous clients. It's the first car made since Coachbuild was promoted to a standalone division with the group, and it's very likely not the last. "Our idea is to maybe do one project every second year. Whether it's three cars or one car will hinge very much on the idea of the clients, and also on our appetite for doing it," explained company boss Torsten Muller-Otvos in an interview with British magazine Autocar. He added Rolls-Royce has the luxury to turn down requests it doesn't like. Precisely what will receive the firm's proverbial green light for production hasn't been specified. We're guessing future one-offs will need to adhere to the company's image, so transforming a humble Fiat 500 into a luxury car, Aston Martin Cygnet-style, is probably very low on the firm's list of priorities. Regardless, one-of-a-kind models won't roll out of the Rolls-Royce workshop on a weekly basis. Executives want to keep them "very rare," the CEO added, even if they receive numerous requests. Supply won't necessarily keep up with demand. What comes next depends on what customers request (and are willing to pay for). Rolls-Royce is open to experimenting with different body styles and different powertrain types, including a fully electric system. It's reportedly working on its first electric model, which could be called Silent Shadow when it enters production, and this foundation could be used to make a coachbuilt car if a customer commissions it. "There is no intention to boost any volume, because the intention clearly is to create projects that are significant for the brand's history in 70 or 100 years or so, and that are truly unique pieces. That also fits quite nicely into the heritage of Rolls-Royce with coachbuilding projects in the 1920s and the 1930s," Muller-Otvos concluded. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Rolls-Royce Cullinan test car takes the wheel — from a BMW 3 Series

The biggest, baddest Rolls-Royce will soon be here. We've seen spy shots the new Cullinan for months, but this is our first look at the SUV's interior. Though much of it is still covered, we can make out a few details hiding beneath the surface. There's no word on when the new Rolls will hit the streets, but look for a debut sometime this auto show season. At first glance, there seems to be a lot of parts taken straight from a BMW parts bin. BMW owns Rolls, so this shouldn't be too much of a surprise. Still, it's disappointing to see the steering wheel from a 3 Series in place of the handsome, thin-rimmed wheels you usually find in a Rolls-Royce. That said, this could simply be a temporary solution while the car undergoes development. The rest looks a lot like the new Phantom. This includes the digital instrument cluster and various switches and knobs. There really isn't anything new we can glean from the Cullinan's exterior. We've seen this all before. The rear doors are of particular note as they each appear to have two door handles. Look closely and you can see a regular one in the back and what appears to be another up front. The latter suggests it may have suicide doors, though it may simply be a trim piece meant to simulate that iconic Rolls feature. We'll have to wait for the full debut to find out more. Related Video: Featured Gallery Rolls Royce Cullinan Spy Shots View 12 Photos Image Credit: CarPix Spy Photos Rolls-Royce SUV Luxury

Rolls-Royce names new chief executive for North America

Rolls-Royce has announced a changing of the guard in its North American office. Stepping out of his role as North American regional president is Eric Shepherd (pictured). In his place, the uber-luxe British automaker is bringing in Pedro Mota, who comes by way of Porsche Cars North America, where he served as the west coast regional vice president. Mota holds an MBA from European business school INSEAD, and a Master's in electrical engineering from Lisbon Technical University. He'll join Rolls-Royce with almost immediate effect on October 1 to learn the ropes before taking over on January 1, 2016 - the day after Shepherd vacates the office. The company was rather unspecific in disclosing what Shepherd will be doing next, saying only that he'll be staying "within the Rolls-Royce family" in a "new entrepreneurial role in the super-luxury automotive retail sector." The shift in leadership in the North American office at Rolls-Royce comes as the automaker prepares to role out new models. It's now in the process of adding the new Dawn convertible to the Ghost/Wraith family. It's also preparing to launch its first SUV, known internally as project Cullinan, into a burgeoning new market segment for ultra-luxurious crossovers. It's an area with which Mota, having helped move so many Cayennes and helped introduce the new Macan through West Coast dealers, ought to be intimately familiar. Related Video: LEADERSHIP TRANSITION AT ROLLS-ROYCE MOTOR CARS NORTH AMERICA Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has announced that President (North America), Eric Shepherd, has decided to move to a new entrepreneurial role in the super-luxury automotive retail sector within the Rolls-Royce family. Chief Executive, Torsten Mueller-Oetvoes, said, "Eric's move is a big loss to our successful business at Rolls-Royce North America but we are highly supportive of talented managers like Eric pursuing personal business opportunities, particularly when it means they stay within the Rolls-Royce community. Eric's dynamic leadership of our North American operation has been highly effective. He has established a strong team and cohesive network which has led to a substantial strengthening of our business in the region." Shepherd will continue in office as President of Rolls-Royce NA until 31 December 2015. He will be succeeded by Pedro Mota who will join Rolls-Royce NA from Porsche Cars NA where he served as Vice President, Area West.