Typically, when we see a Rolls-Royce with a funky new body style, it’s in a render of a car that isn’t real. However, this Rolls-Royce Wraith Shooting Brake is, in fact, a real car and it’s spectacular.
The Rolls-Royce Wraith starts off life as a two-door, four-seat coupe but the design team at Niels van Roij Design saw potential for something greater. So they developed this Rolls-Royce Wraith Shooting Brake and it’s jaw-dropping. “With this dramatically styled vehicle we subtly link back to the hay days of shooting brakes in the 1930’s.
Right after the windscreen the roofline becomes fast – it accelerates downwards, quicker and quicker – and drops away to the even faster rear glass, which resolves in an elegantly protruding boot lid that delicately reminds one of the vintage and stately English limousines of the 50’s and 60’s. We designed a daring, convention-challenging, three-box shooting brake.” said designer Niels van Roij.
Roij’s work is stunning, as this Wraith Shooting Brake is actually prettier than the actual coupe it’s based on. It’s one of things that you don’t know you want until you see it. If you had told me Rolls-Royce made a Wraith Shooting Brake, I’d be excited at the idea because it’s cool but I’d never think it’d be better looking. This Shooting Brake is better looking.
What’s even more impressive is how Roij’s team developed the interior. Inside, the back seats get separated and a slight increase in headroom, as the roofline now extends far beyond their head. Along with that roof extension, Roij has increased the length of the Starlight headliner, which actually now tapers off and fades out toward the back of the car, to give it a more distant look.
Even the cargo area has been beautifully crafted, with a lovely wrap-around effect and a load floor that’s so beautiful I wouldn’t want to put anything other than leather goods in it.
“All lines and volumes in the boot area are lavishly voluminous and rounded. The carefully sculpted lines and meticulously made, double curved surfaces of the contrasting elements and storage pockets culminate at the center of the two separated rear seat backrests.” said Roij.
More that just looks, though, this Rolls-Royce Wraith Shooting Brake actually gets more power than before. As-standard, the Wraith’s twin-turbocharged V12 makes 624 horsepower but this Shooting Brake has been tuned to make 700 horsepower. A bit more than “adequate”, I’d say.
Only seven of these hand-crafted Shooting Brakes will be made and each one will be entirely bespoke to its buyer. So the entire color scheme, leather and wood will be chosen by the buyer, making no two Shooting Brakes the same. Along with each car, each customer will receive the option to also get a tailor-made accessory to go along with, and match, the car.
For example, you can get a picnic hamper with wood veneers that match those inside the car. Or even a luggage set to match the upholstery. All very Rolls-Royce-like.
Normally, custom-bodied Rolls-Royces are left as graphic renders on virtual drawing boards, as few have the nerve to actually cut into the metal of such an expensive car and those that do usually butcher it. However, this Rolls-Royce Wraith Shooting Brake is real and it’s spectacular.
