Rolls-Royce Coachbuilt Collection Is For The Most Exclusive Cars

While most automakers focus on volume, Rolls-Royce has always prioritized high-margin cars. It has never sold more than a little over 6,000 cars in a year. Nevertheless, business is booming at its headquarters and factory in Goodwood. The brand prides itself on building highly customizable vehicles, and it’s now treating its most loyal customers to a new invitation-only program.

Coachbuild Collection is a separate entity within Rolls-Royce dedicated to the marque’s most exclusive creations. We’re not talking about special editions of the Spectre, Ghost, Cullinan, or Phantom, but truly unique vehicles. Relevant examples include the Droptail as well as the older Boat Tail and Sweptail. As with those ultra-rare creations, the new models will stand out from the regular lineup with entirely bespoke bodywork.

Naturally, these will be the most expensive models to wear the fabled Spirit of Ecstasy. Even if you have the means to buy one, you’ll need an invitation from Rolls-Royce to sign on the dotted line. Leading the way will be an EV, but don’t call it a rehashed Spectre. Whether it will remain a coupe is unclear, but either way, expect radical changes compared to the company’s inaugural electric vehicle.

The Coachbuild Collection will consist of few-off cars, which Rolls-Royce promises not to replicate in the future. We’re told each vehicle will be “rare and extravagant,” built on a “completely new canvas.” That suggests the British luxury brand will go the extra mile to deliver entirely bespoke vehicles to its wealthiest clients.

As always, pricing details remain shrouded in mystery. It will depend on the complexity of each project, but the sky is the limit. Although never officially confirmed, some previous coachbuilt cars are believed to have changed hands for as much as $30 million. Suddenly, that makes a new Phantom seem almost reasonable at less than $600,000 before options.

Rolls-Royce’s parent company, BMW, has also been dabbling in the long-lost art of coachbuilding. Based on the M8, the Skytop with its removable targa roof and the Speedtop shooting brake were reportedly priced at around $500,000 each, making them the most expensive new cars to wear the famous roundel.

Another layer of luxury is about to be added with the relaunch of ALPINA as a wholly owned subsidiary of the BMW Group. Future models will bridge the gap between top-tier BMWs and entry-level Rolls-Royces, if such a distinction even exists.