Commissioned by a visionary client. Realised by a unique constellation of creatives, engineers, and craftspeople. This modern interpretation of the roadster body type celebrates the client in every instance, with the precious amethyst gemstone sparking bespoke inspiration.

There will only ever be four expressions of Droptail. Crafted by the master artisans of Coachbuild — the Rolls-Royce equivalent of haute couture — each iteration of this historic motor car honours the vision of the client and captures the charm of true two-seat motoring.

Rolls-Royce Amethyst Droptail’s hand-sculpted form is characterised by a low stance and aerodynamic edges, bestowing the car with a contemporary and architectural presence.

A removable hard top creates two distinct characters. Without its roof, Amethyst Droptail is a lithe, open-top roadster; with its roof, it is a formidable and dramatic coupé.

Sharing a resemblance to a yacht’s jibs, angular sail cowls rise above the doors and gently turn inwards, creating a split-level rear deck that denotes Amethyst Droptail as a strict two-seater when observing its profile.

Above all, a Rolls-Royce Coachbuild motor car is imbued with a sense of story, embodying the client’s character and personal history. A collector of precious jewels, the commissioner of Amethyst Droptail chose the gemstone as its central theme because it is their beloved son’s birthstone. It is also an enduring symbol of purity, clarity, and resilience.

Radiant in her stance, the Spirit of Ecstasy is surrounded by stunning amethyst cabochons. The cabochon treatment, whereby a gemstone is shaped into a rounded form rather than faceted, was requested by the client to avoid a conspicuous sparkle.

The grille surround and vane pieces are partially hand-brushed and partially hand-polished, creating a visible edge, applied with a jewellers’ precision. The concept was a suggestion from the client’s son, a collector of haute horlogerie inspired by the brushed hands of a historically significant piece in his archive.

Paying homage to the client’s home region, Amethyst Droptail features a unique duotone exterior inspired by Globe Amaranth — a desert wildflower which grows near one of their homes. This duotone finish captures the multiple stages of the flower’s bloom. The soft purple shade is infused with fine powdered aluminium, creating an iridescent effect. In contrast, the deep purple shade is enlivened by red, blue, and violet mica flakes, producing a unique mauve colour with a subtle metallic sheen.

For Amethyst Droptail, Rolls-Royce has created the largest wooden surface area in its history, with Calamander Light — a textural, open-pore wood — stretching across the motor car’s fascia, doors, shawl panel, cantilevered ‘plinth’ centre armrest, and aft deck.

During a rigorous testing process, the interior veneer was exposed to extreme light and temperature variations ranging from -30°C to +80°C to ensure its suitability for all conceivable climates.

Clean linework and flawless symmetry are high jewellery hallmarks. Rolls-Royce Coachbuild designers translated these themes into the motor car’s chevron-style aft deck, applying a new veneering process that blends book-matching with slip-matching techniques to create a repeating grain pattern for an organic and natural look.

The rear section is the world’s only aerodynamically functional wood surface on a new roadgoing motor car. It demanded close collaboration between the marque’s aerodynamicists and wood specialists, who experimented with different veneer angles and wood-grain textures. A result of their extraordinary efforts, the deck generates downforce to improve stability at high speeds.

The interior is a symphony of fine materials and crafts personally curated by the commissioning client. Rotary dials adorned with rare amethyst cabochons are enhanced by the Calamander Light wood. The contrasting leather, Sand Dunes, was developed specifically to complement the wood’s long caramel bands. The primary leather, named Amethyst, harmonises with the exterior surface and is finished with a subtle pearlescent lacquer.