Behold the Rolls-Royce Arcadia Droptail, the third of four coachbuilt roadster commissions planned by the British luxury brand. Arcadia refers to “Heaven on Earth” in Greek mythology; looking at the pictures, we doubt there could have been a more appropriate name for this rolling sculpture. The newest iteration of the limited-production Droptail is a piece of jaw-dropping automotive art that was designed specifically for an unnamed customer. According to Rolls-Royce, the process took four years, during which the customer was deeply involved with full control over the smallest of the details. The serene theme of the two-seat roadster is said to be inspired by the customer’s favorite world regions, from the tropical sky gardens in Singapore to the “Biomimetic” architecture in Britain.
Starting with the outside, the Arcadia features a unique white color that Roll-Royce specially created for this build. The paint contains aluminum and glass particles that make the curvaceous body of the roadster shimmer in the light. Furthermore, the lower sections of Arcadia are painted a unique silver color, unlike the other Droptail versions that feature fully or partially exposed carbon fiber.
One of the highlights of the Arcadia is its stunning rear decklid made of a curved, wood-covered panel. The hardwood used on the decklid and throughout the interior is known as Santos Straight Grain. A total of 223 pieces of wood were used on the roadster, and a protective lacquer had to be developed by Rolls-Royce to protect it, which took 8000 hours.
Coming to the cabin of the Arcadia Droptail, the interior is upholstered in white and tan leather to match the exterior’s color combination. The highlight of the cabin is the dash clock, which the British marque claims features the most complex clock face the company has ever made. The Rolls-Royce coachbuilding team reportedly spent over two years developing and five months assembling the clock. The machined face boasts a geometric guilloché pattern with 119 facets.
Rolls-Royce has not revealed the powertrain details, but it is said to be powered by the brand’s twin-turbocharged 6.6-liter V12, which is capable of producing 593 horsepower and 620 pound-feet of torque. Rolls-Royce also chose not to reveal the price of the Arcadia Droptail, except for saying that the custom-built roadster has been delivered to its owner in Singapore. However, the New York Post reports that the Arcadia costs $31 million, making it the most expensive new car in the world.
Back in 2021, Rolls-Royce revealed the Boat Tail, a fully coach-built nautical-themed tourer, which was rumored to be commissioned by Beyoncé and Jay-Z. With a price tag of $29 million, the beautiful automotive creation held the record for the most expensive car in the world for a couple of years.
