Rolls-Royce Debuts First Electric Convertible: Project Nightingale

It’s been two years since Rolls-Royce discontinued the Dawn, leaving Goodwood’s lineup without a convertible. While the new Project Nightingale is not a direct successor, it does bring back open-top motoring in the most opulent way. Gone is the venerable V12 engine, as RR is launching its first-ever electric model with a folding roof.

It would be wrong to call it a Spectre with a fabric top, since Project Nightingale is so much more than that. At 18.9 feet (5.76 meters) long, it’s about as big as the standard-wheelbase Phantom. We might as well describe it as a spiritual successor to the defunct Phantom Drophead Coupe, but with electric power instead of a twelve-cylinder engine.

Despite its generous footprint, the lavish cabin accommodates just two people. The bespoke roof incorporates an intricate sound-deadening material composed of cashmere, fabric, and high-performance composites. Inside, the leather-lined cabin has no fewer than 10,500 individual illuminated stars arranged to deliver a wraparound effect.

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Beyond the different body style and interior layout, the design also represents a vast departure from the Spectre. Rolls-Royce went with thin vertical strips of headlights, while the quad lights at the back have a swept-back effect. The designers took inspiration from the brand’s “EX” experimental vehicles from a century ago, aiming to recapture the glamour of the 1920s.

Those 24-inch wheels are the largest ever fitted to a model bearing RR’s Spirit of Ecstasy and have a spoke design reminiscent of a yacht’s propellers. The body comes in Côte d’Azur Blue with discreet red flakes that only show up under certain lighting conditions. Contrasting the body is a silver-colored convertible soft top, quite small in relation to the car’s stately proportions.

Rolls-Royce is only making 100 units and will begin deliveries in 2028. While pricing is undisclosed, we do know that having the money doesn’t guarantee you a spot on the waiting list. Project Nightingale is the company’s first model from the Coachbuild Collection, which means it’s available only by invitation. Much like Ferrari, Rolls-Royce is handpicking its buyers. In this case, the car will target customers with a “deep affinity for Rolls-Royce design.”

Before production starts, the global testing and validation program kicks off this summer. We’d wager this is easily a six-figure car, especially since another open-top RR reportedly changed hands for seven figures. The 2021 Boat Tail allegedly cost $28 million, so anything goes these days.

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