Rolls-Royce Sweptail

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Rolls-Royce Sweptail
Rolls-Royce Sweptail front.jpg
Rolls-Royce Sweptail on display
Overview
Manufacturer Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
Production2017
Model years 2018 [1]
Assembly Goodwood plant, Chichester, West Sussex, England
Designer Alex Innes [2]
Body and chassis
Class Full-size luxury car/grand tourer (GT)
Body style 2-door coupé [1]
Layout FR layout
Doors Suicide doors
Related Rolls-Royce Phantom VII
Powertrain
Engine 6.75 L V12 [1]
Power output338 kW (453 bhp) [1]
Transmission ZF 8-speed automatic

The Rolls-Royce Sweptail is a one-off large luxury car made by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

Contents

Overview

The Sweptail is based on the Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupé and hand-built over four years. [3] Inspired by coachbuilding of the 1920s and 1930s, the car was commissioned in 2013, by a super-yacht and aircraft specialist. [4]

At the time of its May 2017 debut at the yearly Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este, it was the most expensive new automobile in the world, costing around £10 million. [5]

The Sweptail is owned by Hong Kong–based customer Sam Li, son of billionaire real estate mogul Samuel Tak Lee. [6]

Giles Taylor, former director of design at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars described the vehicle as "the automotive equivalent of Haute couture". [7]

In 2019, it was overtaken as the most expensive new car by the Bugatti La Voiture Noire which sold for US$18.7 million (US$12.3 million pretax). [8]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Kirby Garlitos (30 May 2017). "2018 Rolls-Royce Sweptail Review @ Top Speed". Top Speed. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
  2. Nair, Shatricia (3 December 2018). "Q&A: Alex Innes, Rolls-Royce's Head of Coachbuild Design takes us inside the bespoke process". Lifestyle Asia. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  3. "$13 Million Rolls-Royce Sweptail Could be Most Expensive New Car Ever Made". 27 May 2017.
  4. "Rolls Royce Sweptail Is The Most Expensive Brand New Rolls You Can Buy". ColumnM. 30 May 2017. Archived from the original on 2 August 2017. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  5. Harvey, Michael (27 May 2017). "Rolls-Royce debuts its stunning £10 million Sweptail - the most expensive new car ever sold". The Telegraph. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  6. Peter. "SAMUEL TAK LEE • Net Worth $4 billion • House • Yacht • Private Jet • Car Collection". SuperYachtFan. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
  7. "Why outlandish one-off could be the future of Rolls-Royce". Autocar. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  8. Chang, Brittany (13 August 2019). "Bugatti's new $ 18.7 million hypercar was purchased by an anonymous buyer, making it the most expensive new car ever sold". Business Insider. Retrieved 8 June 2020.