Not many cars could claim to be as unique as the Rolls-Royce Sweptail. The eccentric, timeless Rolls-Royce with a custom exterior and interior was commissioned by a coachbuilding connoisseur of ultra-luxury items. This car reached a price of ten million pounds (approximately $12 million) in 2017, making it the most expensive new car ever sold at that time.

Rolls-Royce built only a single unit of the Sweptail in 2017. Director of Design at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Giles Taylor called it "the automotive equivalent of Haute Couture." The car is recognizable as a Rolls-Royce, yet it looks completely unique and nothing like other Rollers at the same time. As the name suggests, the car has a swept tail rear design, inspired by the 1925 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Aerodynamic Coupe. A modern luxury car inspired by vintage design that showcases the pinnacle of craftsmanship - it's a car like no other. Its magnificent interior is one of its finest aspects.

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The Sweptail Is The Most Expensive Rolls-Royce

Rolls-Royce Sweptail wooden rear shelf
Rolls-Royce

The idea of the Sweptail dates back to 2013. An experienced Rolls-Royce customer and a 20s and 30s coachbuilding enthusiast contacted the British automaker with a concept that will stand a level above luxury.

This one-of-a-kind car was going to be a two-seater coupe with a panoramic glass roof, and a tail reminiscent of the brand's vintage models. The car's design was influenced not only by classic car design but also by classic and modern yachts. Some of the cars that inspired the look of the Sweptail were the 1925 Phantom I "round door" and the 1934 Phantom II Streamline saloon.

Giles Taylor and his team of designers worked for years on this distinct car and finally showcased it in 2017. “Our job was to guide, edit and finely hone the lines that would ultimately give our client this most perfect of Rolls-Royces,” said Taylor.

Rolls-Royce Sweptail
Via Rolls-Royce

It's no wonder that marvelous piece of art costs $12 million making the Sweptail the most expensive Rolls-Royce. It is an extremely unique luxury vehicle which required about four years to hand-craft each part, from the cogs in the dashboard clock to the teardrop-shaped glass panoramic roof. Starting from the highest quality materials is just one aspect of making an exquisite car; it's the craftsmanship and attention to detail that sets it apart from other (already luxurious) Rolls-Royce cars.

How Sweptail's Unique Roof Illuminates The Interior

Rolls-Royce Sweptail rear interior
Rolls-Royce

Having spare $12 million for a custom Rolls-Royce means you can request features that aren't seen on other cars or at least haven't been taken to such a prestigious level before. The defining feature of the Rolls-Royce Sweptail is a giant, smooth, uninterrupted glass roof.

An all-encompassing, uninterrupted fully glass roof is by no means easy to manufacture. The full glass roof allows the maximum amount of daylight to illuminate the interior, and no ambient light can be quite as beautiful as the sunshine.

From above, the roof, framed in aluminum rails, forms a pointed swept tail that feels like a magical chamber from inside and outside.

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The Painstakingly Detailed, Magnificent Interior Of The Sweptail

Rolls-Royce Sweptail interior, laptop case
Rolls-Royce

Despite the vintage feel and inspiration for the car, the modern, minimalist interior tells us that, in the 21st century, less is more. A car of a large build as a two-seater means it feels even more spacious and luxurious. Parts that make up the interior were handcrafted out of the most exotic and luxurious materials.

If any fine wood represents luxury, it's likely ebony. The wooden interior parts of the Sweptail were crafted out of polished Macassar Ebony and open-pore Paldao, creating a modern-classic dynamic. The seats are covered in light Moccasin and Dark Spice leather.

The rear center console features a wooden mid-shelf with an illuminated glass lip. The rear parcel shelf, which Rolls-Royce calls the Passarelle, features the name Sweptail embossed in the middle.

At the front, the driver of the Swptail is greeted with a minimalist instrument cluster. The clock is covered in a thin veneer out of Macassar ebony, while the hands of the clock are precision machined out of titanium. The numbers, hands, and faces on the three instrument dials are also made of titanium.

Rolls-Royce Sweptail Rear Design Close Up
Via: Rolls-Royce

The two identical panniers in the outboard walls house laptop cases, built from lightweight carbon fiber, and coated with fine leather.

The cherry on the cake is the center console: it contains a unique hand-built mechanism that offers a pair of crystal champagne glasses and chilled bottle of exquisite vintage champagne. Fun fact: the champagne was bottled the same year as the owner was born.

Needless to say, the Rolls-Royce Sweptail is one exclusive motorcar that is worthy of the $12 million price tag.