Rolls-Royce Launches the Waterspeed Collection

The latest land-barge to come out of Rolls-Royce Bespoke shipyards workshop is the Drophead Coupé Waterspeed Collection. They are a tribute to an English speed freak, Sir Malcolm Campbell. In 1937, he stole the water speed record from the Americans, going over 202 km/h in his Rolls-Royce-powered Bluebird K3 speedboat.

The most notable aspect of this Drophead Coupé is probably the exterior. Painted using nine coats of Maggiore Blue, the bodywork is then sanded and lacquered to a mirror-like finish. The hood and tonneau cover are made from brushed aluminium. The latter is a first for the company, as this piece is usually made from teak. It is first pressed into shape by a machine, then hand-beaten by an artisan for 70 hours, and then brushed for another 10 to give it its final shape.

But the real beauty of a Rolls-Royce is in the details. The engine is painted blue to complement the exterior; a first at Rolls-Royce. Another new feature is the use of abashi wood in the car. This detail comes from Africa, and is normally used in saunas, since it doesn’t hold heat. The armrests are decorated with an engraving of Sir Campbell’s boat. Each one takes about four hours to make…

Even the instrumentation is unique to this car! The power reserve, speedometer and even the clock are inspired by the Bluebird K3.

Only 35 happy millionaires will be able to buy one of these Rolls-Royce Drophead Coupé Waterspeed Collections. In a typically British statement, no mention of the price was made.

But if you have to ask…

Share on Facebook

More on the subject

BeijingRolls-Royce Amazes Beijing With the Phantom Pinnacle Travel
To celebrate the Chinese love of travelling (they are currently the world’s biggest travellers, spending $155 billion in 2013) and the success of their Bespoke program, Rolls-Royce unveiled in Beijing a custom-made Phantom, the Pinnacle Travel. The model shown in Beijing is painted Madeira Red, and the two-tone lateral panels …
NewsMansory Does its Thing With the New Rolls Royce Wraith
Mansory is known worldwide for luxury customization of already existing luxury products. Their name is synonymous with excess or wealth. It should come as no surprise that they’ve sunk their teeth into the new Rolls Royce Wraith to bring it to another level. On the exterior we have a custom …
NewsRolls-Royce presents one-off bespoke Drophead Coupé at Masterpiece London 2011
Rolls-Royce Motors Cars proudly presents a very special Phantom Drophead Coupé, hand-built by craftspeople at the home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, England. The highly bespoke model was designed to capture the essence of a perfect weekend get-away, offering drivers and their passengers the ultimate luxurious and relaxing experience in roof-down …