Rolls-Royce unveils Droptail Roadster: Here's how much the most expensive car costs

Most expensive car: British luxury car manufacturer Rolls-Royce has revealed the Droptail Roadster, also known as La Rose Noire, priced at over $30 million (about Rs 250 crore), making it the most expensive car in the world. La Rose Noire has beaten Rolls-Royce Boat Tail, priced at $28 million (Rs 232.73 crore), for the position.

La Rose Noire | Image Credit: Rolls-Royce Motor Car

The Droptail is the latest addition to its Coachbuild series, marking the first-ever roadster in modern Rolls-Royce history. The design has reinterpretations of the iconic Rolls-Royce emblem and Pantheon grille. Developed over four years through a collaborative effort with the brand's clients, only four Droptail models will be created, each an entirely personalised representation of the clients' unique identities.

"Rolls-Royce Motor Cars unveils Droptail, an exquisite coachbuilt motor car that resets our understanding of what is possible in the luxury sector. Indeed, our dedicated Coachbuild department is the only place in the world where true patrons of luxury can create a motor car not for their image but in their image. These extraordinary products are roadgoing expressions of applied art, built from the ground up over more than four years in collaboration with a small constellation of our most ambitious clients. These individuals join our designers, engineers, and craftspeople at every stage of their masterpiece’s development," said Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

"The result of this partnership is a historic motor car that is as fundamentally unique as its owner and that will enter Rolls-Royce history as a testament to the shared ambition of our brand and its clients. Droptail also answers a long-standing question, can a car be created as art? With the unveiling of this extraordinary roadster, the answer is unequivocally yes," he added.

Powertrain and features 

La Rose Noire | Image Credit: Rolls-Royce Motor Car

The Droptail is equipped with a 6.75-litre V12 engine that generates 563 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque, enabling it to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.9 seconds and achieve a top speed of 155 mph. While the exact price remains undisclosed, the vehicle showcases hand-crafted aluminium construction and various bespoke features, including a detachable hardtop, a hand-painted coachline, and an interior lined with luxurious lambswool.

The Droptail is part of a series of limited-edition Rolls-Royce cars, following previous releases like the Sweptail, Boat Tail, and Phantom Tempus.

"Within Rolls-Royce design, the Coachbuild department is a place without limitation, where the most ambitious ideas can be expressed and a forward-looking vision of what is possible can be realised. The nature of Coachbuild gives us the latitude to go beyond our existing design strategy and explore bold, new, and highly focussed creative avenues. These motor cars represent the dreams of our clients and capture a specific moment in time, while also projecting a bold and timeless interpretation of the Rolls-Royce brand. Yet Droptail, the most involved, progressive, and refined Coachbuild to date, is not a concept car or a design study; it is a motor car that has been built to be driven," said Anders Warming, Design Director, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

La Rose Noire | Image Credit: Rolls-Royce Motor Car

Rolls-Royce's design includes a unique detachable hardtop, allowing the car to transform from an open-top roadster to a coupe. The vehicle features striking 22-inch alloy wheels with a dark mystery paint treatment that shifts from black to dark red undertones as light hits it.