A US$30 million Rolls-Royce. The first all-electric Lamborghini. A graffiti-covered Ferrari. A Maserati you can’t legally drive on the roads. And a gorgeous Aston Martin drop-top we’d love to get behind the wheel of. These are just some of the cars that caught our attention at Monterey Car Week 2023, a world-class gathering of car enthusiasts and one of the most influential events on the automotive calendar held in California each year.
Representing the first of four unique Rolls-Royce Droptail commissions, the Rolls-Royce La Rose Noire Droptail is a magnificent open-top roadster inspired by the allure and mysterious nature of the Black Baccara rose. To achieve this rich variation, surface finish specialists developed a completely new paint process, which was perfected over 150 careful iterations. A base coat, the colour of which is a closely guarded secret, was followed by five layers of clear lacquer, each blended with a slightly different tone of red.
The unique piece specially commissioned by the client is masterfully matched to the car’s colourway, incorporating red counters and a red inner bezel, which provide a striking contrast to the black openworked dial. Beyond this magnificent display, the timepiece can be removed, attached to a strap and worn by its owner.