- The Rolls-Royce Arcadia Droptail is the third coachbuilt roadster from the British luxury brand.
- In Greek mythology, Arcadia refers to “Heaven on Earth,” and the new two-seater’s magnificent details reflect that.
- Rolls-Royce says 8000 hours were spent on the Arcadia’s wood sections, and it took five months to create the most complex clock face in the company’s history.
We can only imagine what it must be like to be filthy rich. Thanks to Rolls-Royce and its latest coachbuilt creation—the Arcadia Droptail—our imagination doesn’t have to work too hard. That’s because the new magnificent two-seat roadster is proof that millions of dollars might not be able to buy happiness, but it can definitely buy a rolling sculpture unlike no other.
Commissioned by Rolls’s Coachbuild division as the third iteration of the limited-production Droptail, the Arcadia was designed specifically for an unnamed customer. The process is said to have took four years, with the client having total control of the curation process. The custom convertible’s name itself comes from Greek mythology, and it refers to a place known as “Heaven on Earth.”
Built around the wealthy customer’s whims, the Arcadia Droptail’s theme was inspired by their favorite world regions, from the tropical sky gardens in Singapore to the “Biomimetic” architecture in Britain. It’s probably a good thing Rolls isn’t building a custom Droptail for this author, because no one wants to see a beautiful car like this based on regions like South Florida and Las Vegas.
One of the Arcadia’s most fetching details is the hardwood used on its rear deck section and throughout the interior. Known as Santos Straight Grain, Rolls says there are a total of 233 wood pieces. A protective lacquer had to be developed to protect it for the vehicle’s lifetime. That entire process is said to have taken 8000 hours. But the work definitely paid off, as it looks incredible in contrast with the Arcadias brilliant white paint, which is infused with aluminum and glass particles.
Unlike the other two Droptail models—the La Rose Noire and the Amethyst—Rolls says the Arcadia’s lower sections are painted a unique silver color rather than fully or partially exposed carbon fiber. Other exterior bits such as the 22-inch wheels and the grille surround feature a polished finish.
Inside, the Arcadia’s interior is covered in white and tan leather. It’s also home to what Rolls says is the most complex clock face the company has ever made. The process is said to have taken five months, and that was after two years of development. The clock’s raw metal face incorporates a geometric guilloché pattern with 119 facets.
While Rolls doesn’t mention the Arcadia’s powertrain or price, we suspect the former is likely a 593-hp 6.7-liter V-12 and the latter probably approaches the $30 million mark. Either way, the newest Droptail is sure to make everyone who sees it say wow.
Eric Stafford’s automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a journalism degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual ’97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a ’90 Honda CRX Si.
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