Rolls-Royce launched its first electric model in the new Coachbuilt Collection – a 1920s-inspired convertible called Project Nightingale. The luxury automaker will build just 100 examples through invitation only.
The two-seat drop-top combines the Spectre coupe’s EV powertrain with a striking convertible body. Design inspiration comes from high-end yachts and experimental Rolls-Royce cars from a century ago.
Project Nightingale features 10,500 interior “stars,” a side-hinged bootlid, custom paint, and 24-inch wheels inspired by yacht propellers.
“Some of the most discerning Rolls-Royce clients in the world asked us for our most ambitious work,” said Chris Brownridge, chief executive of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. “We responded by bringing three things together that have never coexisted within our brand: the complete design freedom of coachbuilding, our powerful, near-silent all-electric powertrain, and a uniquely potent yet serene expression of open-top motoring.”
Exterior Design
At 5.76 meters long, Project Nightingale nearly matches the flagship Phantom saloon’s size. It’s a two-door convertible with a folding fabric roof that Rolls-Royce describes as “almost entirely bonnet and tail.”
The design draws from the Art Deco movement and the radical 16EX and 17EX cars of 1928 – vehicles developed to set speed records. Slim upright headlights sit into the near-vertical front wing edges, flanking an almost one-meter-wide Pantheon grille.
The grille sits on a carbon fiber base and features the Spirit of Ecstasy in a specially recessed mount.
Following the EX cars, the grille’s RR logo appears in red rather than the black that’s been standard since the 1930s.
Designers wanted Project Nightingale to showcase grand dimensions, clean lines, and a “monolithic” design approach. The smooth flanks look carved from solid aluminum – no interruptions or breaks in the surface.
Door handles have been redesigned for the rear-hinged doors. Even the “Badge of Honour” on the front wings got reimagined as two simple interlocking stainless steel Rs that sit directly on the bodywork.
A steeply raked windscreen flows toward the dipping rear deck. The side-hinged, cantilevered bootlid echoes a grand piano’s lid, according to designers. Thin upright rear lights match the headlights, with both sets connected by a high-level chrome line running the car’s full length.
Interior
The Nightingale name comes from a house on Henry Royce’s French Riviera estate but extends beyond just a title.
The interior draws inspiration from the bird itself. A unique “Starlight Breeze suite” illumination mimics sound waves of birdsong. Without a fixed roof for the traditional Starlight headliner, Project Nightingale uses 10,500 individual “stars” running from the door cards around the cabin into the horseshoe behind the seats.
Finest leather covers the seats, door cards, and powered central armrest. The armrest slides back when doors open, revealing an aluminum-collared rotary controller for the infotainment system.
Traditional Rolls-Royce features like organ stop vent controls keep the interior design clean and simple.
The cabin features Charles Blue and Grace White leather with Peony Pink detailing. The exterior uses exclusive pale blue flecked with red – inspired by the original EX cars’ blue – plus a silver fabric roof.
The roof incorporates multiple layers of cashmere, fabric, and sound deadening. This delivers the brand’s signature serene drive with the roof up while enabling open-air motoring when it’s down.
Powertrain
Rolls-Royce hasn’t released specific powertrain details but confirmed it’s based on the Spectre’s system.
The special edition likely uses the more powerful Black Badge setup, which delivers up to 650 horsepower and 793 lb-ft of torque through a two-motor arrangement. This provides all-wheel drive, all-wheel steering, and Rolls-Royce’s adaptive air suspension for the famous “magic carpet ride.”
Price
Rolls-Royce will offer Project Nightingale cars only to 100 customers selected by the manufacturer through the invitation-only Coachbuilt Collection program.
Chosen customers will personalize their cars at the brand’s exclusive Private Offices over the coming months.
Deliveries begin in 2028.
