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Updated and renewed edition. First published in October 2021.
Copyright: B500 Ltd 2025.
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‘A very special coachbuilt commission’
The completion of the Rolls-Royce Boat Tail became a seminal moment for the House of Rolls-Royce. Along with the unveiling to the world also came the confirmation of coachbuilding as a permanent fixture within the brands future portfolio.
Historically, coachbuilding has always been an integral part of the Rolls-Royce
story. In the contemporary Rolls-Royce there has always been bespoke, but coachbuilt then becomes so much more.
A return to the very roots of the brand. An opportunity for a select few to participate in the creation of completely unique and truly personal commissions of future historical significance.
“Only the House of Rolls-Royce can offer its Coachbuild clients the inimitable
opportunity to commission a product of future historical significance, that is as fundamentally unique as they are – and then participate in every detail of its creation.
“This is authentic luxury. This is contemporary patronage in its truest form. This is Rolls-Royce Coachbuild.”
Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive, Rolls-Royce
‘As a House of Luxury, RollsRoyce serves as a canvas onto which clients reflect their personal tastes, express ambitions and often, define legacies. The Bespoke treatment of a Rolls-Royce elegantly reflects its status as ‘the best car in the world’ while stylishly expressing the personality of its commissioning client’.
The most expensive model that the British marque has yet produced takes a name last used for a series of coachbuilt RollsRoyces in the 1920s and 1930s, it refers to a distinctive rear end that mimics a J-class yacht’s hull.
Rolls-Royce boss Torsten Müller-Ötvös said the project has led to the expansion of Goodwood’s bespoke commissioning service into a full Coachbuild division that will henceforth become a core part of its business plan.
Increasingly, customers appreciate the marque’s Bespoke capabilities and the brand is called upon, by its clients, to integrate itself into their lives in meaningful ways. The brand and its clients have become progressively closer and the
designers, engineers and craftspeople at the Home of Rolls-Royce, have developed a unique fluency in interpreting the lifestyles of these remarkable women and men. This evolution of mutual confidence has resulted in ever more ambitious commissions, reaching well beyond the scope of Bespoke competencies and capacity, into the rarefied realm of coachbuilding. To fulfil these extraordinary client commissions RollsRoyce has reached a decision to return to one of the historical roots of the marque and to initiate a distinct department within the company, Rolls-Royce Coachbuild.
‘In response, the marque must deeply understand two worlds. The first is the intimately personal context of the client – their individual life-space, how they celebrate, what and who they surround themselves with, and the experiences that have defined the very best moments in these exceptional people’s lives. The second is the broader cultural context in which a Coachbuild car will exist. Here the marque explores the cultural nuances of the client, movements in architecture, couture, colour palettes, artistic tastes – even hospitality.
‘Within this group, it emerged that three potential patrons shared a deep appreciation of contemporary nautical design. J-Class yachts were often referenced as points of inspiration, both for their purity of form and their requirement for hand craftsmanship at the highest level to will them into existence.
‘This client-led creative expression coincided with a long-held ambition of the design team at Rolls-Royce to create a contemporary expression of the Boat Tail typology, where coachbuilders would graft the hull forms of sailing boats onto the rolling chassis of a Rolls-Royce. When the idea of this design direction was proposed, the three patrons were unequivocal in their approval. And all three shared a single demand: “Show me something that I have never seen before.”
‘In consultation with the clients concerned, an agreement was reached whereby three cars would share a common body, but each would then be individually, highly personalised, reflecting the confluence between vision, capability and ambition of the marque and each of the individual commissioning patrons.
Rolls-Royce Boat Tail was conceived.
‘Employing age-old individual hand skills and craft, a living canvas is created from metal –honing and optimising the aluminium body, creating a clarity of surface and continuation of line that is unable to be achieved by machine alone.
The process is akin to yacht building, easing the transference of soul into the creation. A process of hand refinement is repeated almost endlessly, without the pressure of time. Slowly, vast sheets of metal transform into the sculptural representation of Boat Tail. A truly pure form is created: uninterrupted by panel breaks, dramatic in its curvature, monolithic in scale and formed from one seemingly endless surface.
Rolls-Royce Boat Tail presents a wonderful new aesthetic for the marque, balancing previously unseen levels of sculpture with discrete, sometimes playful functionality. The creation tells the romantic tale of Rolls-Royce’s history, echoing a Boat Tail design but not explicitly mimicking it, fusing an historical body type with a thoroughly contemporary design.
The first Rolls-Royce Boat Tail is a curation of exceptional thoughts, concepts and items, which culminate to form the clients’ perfect experience. The commissioning patrons, a globally successful couple who are highly proficient in the appointment of RollsRoyces, truly personify connoisseurship; their luxury curation is an artform in
itself. Their proposition was purposefully self-indulgent. Their desire was to create a response to a life of hard work, success achieved, and celebration required.
Together, with the marque’s designers, they embarked on an intellectual journey, founded on a long-standing and creative relationship with the brand. Indeed,
the clients’ fascination of the Boat Tail form was furthered by a motor car in their private collection; a 1932 Rolls-Royce Boat Tail, lovingly restored, by them, in time for their modern Boat Tail’s completion.
In profile, nautical references are very suggestive. The wrap-around windscreen recalls the visor on motor launches, while the gentle rearward lean of the A-pillar, the large, crisp volumes at the front and the tapered rear create a gesture that recalls a motor launch rising out of water under power. A progressive negative sculpture in the lower bodyside creates a lithe impression, while making an historical reference to the running boards of prominent heritage Rolls-Royce designs.
Viewed from dead rear, the body resolves in a gentle sharpening of the form. As with the front, a horizontal emphasis is established at the rear with wide, deep-set lamps – a break from the expected vertical Rolls-Royce lamp iconography.
Indeed, it is at the rear where the nautical references become more apparent. The aft deck, a modern interpretation of the wooden rear decks of historical Boat Tails, incorporates large swathes of wood. Caleidolegno veneer is applied in a feat of Rolls-Royce engineering; the grey and black material which is typically housed in the interior,
has been specially adapted to be used on the exterior, with no compromise to the aesthetic.
The open pore material features a linear wood grain which is visually elongated by brushed stainless steel pinstripe inlays, serving as an optical nod to the typical wooden construction of yachts – both old and new. The honed skills of Rolls-Royce’s wood specialists have manipulated and book-matched the grain so as to contract with the geometry of the car. The veneer treatment extends to the lower transom area resolving the taper and overall volume astern. This bold truncation is a subtle reference to the hull lines of classic Boat Tail bodies.
From the rear, one perceives a strong graphical composition marked by further horizontal emphasis, accentuating Boat Tail’s great width. Deep-set lamps establish a dramatically low reference point, evoking the dipped stern and proud bow of a motor launch under power and on plane.
An explicit architectural influence is discovered in Boat Tail’s unconventional fixed-canopy roof. Adding to the sculptural form, the sweeping roofline concludes in delicate structural elements that touch down on the rear, redolent of flying buttresses. Of course, if inclement weather is encountered while the roof is removed, a temporary tonneau is stowed for static transitory shelter.
The exterior of Rolls-Royce Boat Tail is swathed in a rich and complex tone of the client’s favourite colour – blue The hue, with an overt nautical connotation, is subtle when in shadows but in sunlight, embedded metallic and crystal flakes bring a vibrant and energetic aura to the finish. The wheels are finished in bright blue, highly polished and clear coated to add to Boat Tail’s celebratory character.
The interior leather reflects the bonnet’s colour tone transition with the front seats swathed in the darker blue hue, recognising Boat Tail’s driver focused intent, while the rear seats are finished in the lighter tone. A soft metallic sheen is applied to the leather to accentuate its pairing with the painted exterior while detailed stitching and piping is applied in a more intense blue inspired by the hands of the car’s timepieces. A brilliant blue is also found woven at a 55 degree angle into the technical fibre elements to be seen on the lower bodywork, precisely orientated to emulate the spill of a water’s wake.
The fascia is distilled in its appearance, purposefully reduced to provide a modern aesthetic. This minimalist canvas accentuates the jewel like features of the completely unique BOVET 1822 timepieces specifically commissioned by the client for Boat Tail. Collecting pens is another of the clients’ great passions. A particularly cherished Montblanc pen will reside in a discretely placed, hand-crafted,
case of aluminium and leather, in Boat Tail’s glove box.
The instrument panel dials are adorned with a decorative technique named Guilloché, more commonly perfected in the workshops of fine jewellers and watchmakers. An elegant, thin rimmed two-tone steering wheel then bears the colours of the commission.
“This car should mark a sense of occasion and serve that occasion like nothing else”.
Such was the brief of Rolls-Royce Boat Tail’s commissioning patrons. In response
and in reflection of their character, the rear deck inconspicuously houses a highly ambitious concept never seen before in the automotive world. At the press of a button, the deck opens in a sweeping butterfly gesture, to reveal an intricate and generous hosting suite. Its complex movement was inspired by cantilever concepts explored by renowned architect Santiago Calatrava.
The hosting suite creates a celebratory focal point for a shared occasion and affords ample opportunity to reveal the individuality of the clients’ tastes and desires. It harbours an abundance of
surprises executed to the highest quality. Expressed in a celebratory fashion, subverting the very notion of the motor car, the hosting suite surprises and delights all who come to experience it.
The chest is appointed with the perfect accoutrements for a true Rolls-Royce al fresco dining experience; one side dedicated to aperitifs, the other, cuisine, complete with cutlery engraved with the name ‘Boat Tail’, made by Christofle in Paris.
A double refrigerator has been developed to house the clients’ favourite vintages of
Armand de Brignac champagne. Elegant cradles were created to stow the specific bottle size within the refrigerator, the surrounds are highly polished and colour matched to the bottle.
While champagne is a familiar trope in the luxury world, Boat Tail’s client had a particular affinity with fine wine. The husband of this couple recalled a story from his humble beginnings. A great friend of his was a sommelier in his hometown and educated him in the taste profiles of various Grandes Marques de Champagne. This became a life-long education that turned into one of the most informed collections of rare Grand Cru champagnes in the world. The requirement for this knowledge and passion to be shared through the client’s Boat Tail was paramount – as was the need for this champagne to be rapid-cooled to precisely six degrees –the optimum serving temperature of the preferred vintage.
A classic design element of contemporary Rolls-Royce motor cars is the stowage of Rolls-Royce umbrellas in the doors, in anticipation of possible poor weather. In a delightful twist and to heighten the languid experience of Boat Tail, a unique parasol is housed beneath the rear centre line in anticipation of fine weather. A telescopic movement opens this beautiful and whimsical canopy inversely, ensuring effortless deployment.
Cocktail tables, which elegantly rotate to mimic the offering of an attendant, open on either side of the hosting suite providing access to two highly contemporary minimalist stools, which are discretely stowed below. Designed by Rolls-Royce and created by Italian furniture maker Promemoria, the slim-line interlocking stools are formed from the same technical fibre found on the exterior of the car. The interior blue RollsRoyce leather provides the stools’ suitably comfortable seating materials.
In a move that further demonstrates the clients’ visionary approach to contemporary patronage, two great
luxury Houses with a common pursuit of perfection have been brought together at the clients’ behest. Worldclass craftspeople from the House of BOVET 1822, which was founded on the philosophy of ingenuity and engineering, were called upon to work hand-in-hand with Rolls-Royce’s own masters in their field.
The mechanically minded clients sought to break new ground in horology. As esteemed and passionate collectors of both the Swiss-based House of BOVET and Rolls-Royce, their vision was to create exquisite, ground-breaking timepieces for their Boat Tail. In an act of tireless
endeavour and genuine collaboration, the Houses have come together to re-imagine Rolls-Royce’s iconic centrepiece, the dashboard clock.
The result is an accomplishment never before realised in either industry. Two fine reversible timepieces, one for the lady and one for the gentleman, have been designed to be worn on the wrist, or, placed front and centre within Boat Tail’s fascia as the motor car’s clock.
The two-sided timepieces required RollsRoyce and BOVET 1822 to work side by side over the course of three years to develop a ground-up remastering of the
Amadeo convertible system, the most complex undertaken to date. The result is a true reflection of BOVET’s mastery, allowing for the bespoke tourbillon timepieces’ inclusion in the motor car.
Pascal Raffy, owner, BOVET 1822, commented, “I am so proud of the BOVET 1822 team, who worked in tandem with the elite design team at Rolls-Royce to produce something spectacular. These two pieces, and the mounting system, are completely unique and unlike anything we have ever done before.”
As Boat Tail is a fully homologated, road-legal motor car that was created
to be driven, it was only fully released by the marque once it had undergone the same rigorous dynamic testing as all other Rolls-Royces, including high speed analysis to ensure the contents of the rear hosting suite are sufficiently fastened and therefore silent under power. Indeed, each client has stipulated that they wish to drive their Boat Tail immediately upon receipt…
“It is a wonderful privilege to reveal this unique Rolls-Royce to the world for the very first time. Although images have been widely shared, the car itself has not been displayed in public before. The Villa d’Este Concorso d’Eleganza is
the perfect occasion, bringing together leading international media alongside knowledgeable motoring experts and discerning luxury aficionados, on the glamorous shores of Lake Como.
“It is a truly historic moment for the marque. We are leading a modern coachbuilding movement that takes the wider luxury industry into an entirely different space, where hyperpersonalisation and contemporary patronage provide essentially limitless possibilities.”
Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
STORAGE
The most exceptional facility, for the most exceptional cars. Situated on the London, Hertfordshire border in a discreet, yet convenient location. A bespoke, temperature, humidity and dust controlled, high security building. We take care of storage, transportation, detailing, finance and we are an official Customs Warehouse.
Since the last edition restrictions have eased and we are finally getting back to normal. It was great to sit in the grandstands at The Silverstone Classic and The Goodwood revival again.
Both events were well attended and the standard of racing was superb. The 60th anniversary of the E-Type was celebrated at The Classic, with The E Type challenge and an excellent tribute to Sir Stirling Moss was organized on the Friday at The Revival, this was a procession of all the significant cars he drove throughout his entire career. It included the 1960 TT winning Ferrari 250 GT SWB, 1955 Mille Miglia winning Mercedes 300 SLR, along with all XK120’s, D Types and Aston Martin DBR1, to name a few. It was special to see all these cars in one place and that place being Goodwood.
The single race on Friday was the first Stirling Moss memorial trophy, in which former F1 world champion Jensen Button made his historic racing debut in an AC Cobra and came a respectable 7th. The race was won by James Cottingham and Harvey Stanley of DK Engineering, in the Huffaker E Type.
This year has seen the launch of the HCVA, of which Moss Automotive is a Founding Partner. HCVA stands for Historic and Classic Vehicle alliance, a not for profit organization to protect the historic car movement. Whether you are in the motor industry, or just an enthusiast, we need your help. The main aim is to promote apprenticeships and protect jobs and the movement that supports them, this preserves everyone’s
freedom to enjoy their cars on the road, track and at events. Please get on board with us https://www.hcva.co.uk/
The GR Yaris finally arrived and was transformed to Moss Automotive green and grey, prior to its maiden road journey. It has certainly lived up to expectations and I have decided to take it to Spa this month, for some track work. Meanwhile The 964 project is progressing well, mechanicals nearly completed by BS Motorsport and bodywork by Sportwagen, whom I visited last week to deliver some decals. Their busy workshop is full of Classic 911 and 356 Porsche and I was lucky to meet the proprietor Bruce, who
inspires much confidence. More on both in the next edition, when the 964 should be complete and both cars will be featuring in some promotional film and photographic material by Petroleum & Co.
On November 18th The Historic Motoring Awards, in association with Octane Magazine, are being held at The Rosewood Hotel, London. This year Moss Automotive have been shortlisted as a finalist in The Specialist of the Year category.
Until next time, Michael at Moss Automotive.
In a spirit of warm collaboration, RollsRoyce Motor Cars and Swiss master watchmakers, BOVET 1822, have created a pair of unique timepieces for Boat Tail and its owners. This ambitious undertaking brought together designers, engineers and craftspeople from both luxury Houses, in a magnificent demonstration of their shared values of excellence, precision, heritage, artistry, innovation and attention to detail.
“I am so proud of the BOVET 1822 team, who worked in tandem with their counterparts at Rolls-Royce to produce something truly spectacular. The owners of the coachbuilt car, and these bespoke timepieces, are personal friends, as well as valued collectors of BOVET 1822. It was important to do the very best for them - two completely unique pieces that are unlike anything we have ever done before.”
Pascal Raffy, Owner, BOVET
1822
Amy Shore is renowned for her photojournalistic style in the automotive world. Her aim is to portray the love and passion we all have for machines on wheels through rose tinted spectacles, whether that be road trips across Europe, humble workshops or worldwide events such as the Goodwood Revival.
or some days after the Goodwood Revival, I will post photographs and tag those who I know, friends old and new, and others do the same of me. I was tagged in a photograph of my partner and I which is now on my wall. I was tagged doing my job as I fought for a spot to shoot in the pits. And then I was tagged by a self-described journalist and photographer who wrote that my shooting stance resembled that of Victor
Hugo’s Hunchback of Notre-Dame with an accompanying photograph. When I dressed in my wine red tea dress bought for £30 off eBay and fashioned poorly constructed victory rolls that morning, Quasimodo wasn’t quite the look I was going for.
Unlike myself, the Goodwood Revival teems each year with 150,000 visitors, most of which are dressed impeccably in their outfits from the 1940s, 50s and 60s. You have to be careful not to light
a match outside of Betty’s Salon on the main Goodwood High Street for fear of igniting the hairspray that billows out of the doors. One section of my brief this year was to photograph the details of some of the outfits. Jewelled hat pins, vintage cricket badges, ties once worn by their own grandfather in period. The effort which each visitor goes to with their outfit is the fairy dust to the magic of Revival. After a year of deprivation, the smells, sounds, tastes and sights were more magical than any of us have ever experienced at Revival. The dancers moved with more swing in their hips, the drivers fought for places with more vigour and theatre, the exhaust tones more powerful through the soles of your feet.
For the first set of photographs I took at the event, my camera pointed towards a string of SWB Ferraris, rolling towards the assembly area through crowds either side. The morning light forming long shadows from vehicles and humans alike. Twenty photographs in and I already felt at home. One of the most frustrating things about being a photographer at Goodwood - professional or not - is that you constantly feel like you’re missing shots. A couple will lean in to kiss and have detached from their quiet moment
before I managed to throw my camera to my face. Drivers run from one side of the assembly area to the other, trying to pull their gloves on, whilst I’m focussed on something else in front of me. I’ll head back to the media centre where other photographers edit the images they have achieved so far that day, images of exquisite light and composition which could dishearten even the most celebrated of photographers. But then you have to remind yourself that sometimes, it’s you who is in the right place at the right time. Goodwood Revival is one of those events that you could close your eyes, point your camera in the general direction of something, and you’ll more than likely get a shot you’re happy with back. Of all of the moments you miss, there are plenty you won’t.
I rarely know if I managed to capture an image I’m really proud of until I get back home and begin to edit my shots. There’s something about looking at images retrospectively. You spot things
you miss. You can edit the image to feel the way you felt, rather than simply the way the technology in your hands recorded that moment. For this year’s Revival, the images I was excited to edit were the ones I grabbed as I walked towards the exit on the final evening. I keep my cameras swinging from me right until the last moment where I get into my car as there will always be something to photograph in that fading, navy-purple light. Sunday had been grey and wet. The entire circuit was dotted with puddles. It was only as I began walking towards the circuit that I noticed one car has its warm, ageing headlights on which sparkled in a small puddle. ‘That’s pretty’, I thought. As I stood there capturing an array of angles, more cars began to ignite to life and switch on their lights. More puddles. Less daylight. The shots I captured over the brief moment of departure of these cars were by far my favourite of the weekend. In that short moment, I was the lucky one to be in the right place at the right time.
Current owner since 1973, eligible for vintage racing events and tours worldwide, £10,000 worth of expenses since June, one of only 83 J2Xs built.
1964 Porsche 356C
1964 Alfa Romeo 2600 Spider
Matching numbers, fully restored, accompanied with Alfa Romeo Heritage certificate and supplied new to the USA.
Restored in 2010 by Maxted Page & Vintage Cars Boutique, matching numbers and original colour combination, offered with Porsche Certificate of Authenticity and supplied new to California, USA.
2009 Lamborghini LP670-4 Super Veloce
1952 Ferrari 212 Inter Prototype
2000 Aston Martin DB7 Vantage Volante
1 of 186 produced, right-hand drive and low mileage, exceptional condition, UK registered with taxes paid.
delivered new to Enzo Ferrari, fresh from a concours restoration, matching numbers throughout, rare and desirable show car, welcome at major concours.
1 owner from new, 20,000 miles, impeccable condition, recent invoices for over £10,000 worth of expense.
2017 McLaren 720S Performance
2009 Lamborghini LP670-4 Super Veloce
1952 Ferrari 212 Inter Prototype
1 of 186 produced, right-hand drive and low mileage, exceptional condition, UK registered with taxes paid.
Prototipo, delivered new to Enzo Ferrari, fresh from a concours restoration, matching numbers throughout, rare and desirable show car, welcome at major concours.
Original list price of £306k, presented in like new condition, delivered new to McLaren CEO Mike Flewitt, McLaren warranty until 2022.
1958 Porsche 356A Coupe 1600
Restored by marque expert, presented in original colour Fjord Green, on the button ready, 1,226 KM since nut and bolt restoration
2017 McLaren 720S Performance
2000 Aston Martin DB7 Vantage Volante
1 owner from new, 20,000 miles, impeccable condition, recent invoices for over £10,000 worth of expense.
Original list price of £306k, presented in like new condition, delivered new to McLaren CEO Mike Flewitt, McLaren warranty until 2022.
Matching numbers, German VAT qualifying, comprehensive maintenance history from new with thick history file, receipts of over €25,000 since 2014.
The Citation Sovereign offers coast-tocoast range in the US, and London to Lagos from Europe, impressive speed, outstanding short-field performance and the largest double-club cabin available in its class, it dramatically redefines what a midsize jet can do. This remarkable aircraft can range nearly 2,847 nautical miles (5,273 km) nonstop. By every measure, the Sovereign is more airplane for your money than any other midsize business jet ever built. If you are looking to buy a Citation Sovereign this is a beautiful example. Available For Sale at exclusiveaircraft.co.uk
Ifirst knew about Etienne Salomé from the 2019 Geneva Motor Show as I literally watched him unveil the one-off Bugatti La Voiture Noire he designed. Little did I know on that day in March of 2019, that a year later I would be inviting him to write an article for b500, the car & car culture magazine I had just launched.
Since that time in March 2020 the world has of course been in various stages of lockdown and so myself and Etienne have been getting to know each other via telephone, FaceTime and Zoom.
Fast forward to September 2021 and we finally got to meet at the launch of the car we produced together. Please indulge
me in repeating that. “The launch of the car we produced together”… Yes, even now after a year or so of getting to know Etienne and working with him on our joint project, I still have to pinch myself that I have essentially produced a car with the designer of the Bugatti La Voiture Noire.
It all started with a late night conversation between us about cars (of course) and design. My own design background goes way back to 1978 when I was invited to join Terence Conran (before he became ‘Sir’), at his flagship London HQ Conran Shop, which was his design head office.
I had been headhunted by Conran himself from his Croydon Habitat store where I was ‘furniture manager’, and caught his
eye with my cheeky chit-chat about the design of his new Porsche 928 which seemed to amuse him. Most 18 yearolds were too scared to even approach him, but I just ploughed straight in and clearly it meant something as within a couple of weeks I was working with him in London at the Conran Design Shop.
Sir Terence was a huge influence on the design side of my career and life and I owe him so much for such a great start to my working life.
Back to mine and Etienne’s late night calls. We discussed what he would like to design next after such an incredible Bugatti legend he designed which paid homage to the Atlantic Type 57. What could possibly come next I asked him.
Of course he had already begun the design process of his ‘Salomé Atlantic Tender’, but what car would he like to work on next?…
It turned out Etienne had a 110 Defender and like most owners was a bit ‘obsessed’ and so it was within an extended conversation we discussed his idea of stripping back a Defender into his own interpretation of a Beach Cruiser. The seed had been sewn. We played with this idea for several weeks, which included Etienne sending me several sketches before I suggested we actually produce it. Etienne called me crazy but I asked him if he would actually do it if I could find a suitable build company. After much laughter between us, the answer was a resounding yes, and so off I went to find us a build company…
Without any delay I made an appointment with the Directors of Defender restorers Arkonik who apart from being based just an hours drive from me, also just happen to be (in my opinion) the worlds best Defender restoration company. I pitched the Arkonik name to Etienne and his response was basically for me to ‘make it happen’
The meeting with Arkonik was colourful and concluded with them completely getting the project I explained to them and they were very quickly onboard. Within a week, myself, Etienne and Arkonik had signed an agreement to produce a limited edition of five Etienne designed Beach Cruisers…
To say that the team at Arkonik are progressive and forward thinking would be an understatement. These guys are at the top of their game and it’s been a privilege to have been on the Beach Cruiser journey with them and of course without saying… with Etienne.
Friendships have been forged along this journey and were cemented at the launch in September when we could all finally be in the same room and share a glass or two to celebrate.
Perhaps fittingly I also accepted an offer from Arkonik to join them as their Global Sales & Marketing Manager, which in many ways due to the role I am now playing, sees me go back to the start of my career all those years ago when I joined Sir Terence Conran within a design, sales & marketing role.
And so onto the vehicle itself.
Etienne’s vision was to produce a completely back to basics stripped out Beach Cruiser. Something fun and exciting and above all, analogue. However Etienne being Etienne this is a vehicle which is not only stripped back, but starts life completely stripped back to it’s origins which started with Arkonik sourcing a suitable donor vehicle from which to rebuild or renew literally everything from the chassis upwards.
The difference with this vehicle is that every panel has been redesigned by Etienne, from the side panels, which are all coach built and have key design elements, through to Etienne designing the drivers side panel which would normally house the fuel filler, being taken out of the side panel completely and replaced in the load bay area so as not to detract from the side lines of the vehicle. Door panels have no exterior handles, Etienne preferring to lean in and open from the inside - all to keep the flow of the side profile as ‘one straight line’.
Our show vehicle is painted in classic Pennine Grey and Etienne wanted to add his own choice of interior in black denim which gives this particular one-of-five a classic and wholly authentic feel.
For something as unique as our Beach Cruiser we needed to continue the analogue feel throughout, which included the simplest of facias, with just the most basic controls for necessity and all coupled to a manual gearbox and a glorious 3.9L Buick V8.
Etienne wanted a very different style of steering wheel and so the Beach Cruiser has an Arkon X 15” tied with black rope, which gives it amazing grip and a very different feel. The front grille is also bespoke and recessed in black, and which houses the smoked LED headlights with dual DRL’s.
The 16” black steel wheels look amazing on the Beach Cruiser, each covered in BFGoodrich All Terrain T/A KO2’s
I love the thought of a customer driving a coast road to pick up a friend or two. Surfboards in the back, (which is finished in hard wearing Linex throughout), and a stop off at a roadside coffee shop where it’s admired by customers and passers by. This is the life of our Beach Cruiser. Etienne’s vision is now reality and all within the space of a year. Proof if needed that when you put the right team together, things can happen quickly. Of course we compromised and we negotiated between us, that’s what’s so important about this project. It’s a team build. There’s a little bit of me, a little bit of Arkonik, and
a whole lot of Etienne in this limited edition Defender and I’m proud to have been involved.
The many late night ideas and calls turned into something very real. Something we have all now experienced as a hugely fun and analogue experience. The looks we get when we take the Beach Cruiser out for test drives are like no other looks seen before. People hear us coming and stop and look as we go by, many even smile and wave! This is a unique vehicle brought about by a visionary designer and built by a team of expert engineers for five very lucky future owners.
Length: 60.2m (163’5”), Build year: 2016
Yard: Alia, Location: South of France
Asking Price: EUR 36,900,000
Available For Sale at christieyachts.com
David Simon specialises in Contemporary and Modern British artists. He established the gallery in Somerset in 2006, after managing a gallery in Mayfair. The gallery, in Castle Cary, has a programme of monthly curated exhibitions, highlighting both emerging and established artists including paintings, ceramics and bronze sculpture.
In a year of recovery, the art world has successfully kicked back with strength. With many art fairs cancelled and visitor numbers heavily diminished, online activity has been extraordinarily busy. International art fairs and private galleries have been re-opening and it is great to see some amazing public exhibitions launching this year and in 2022. Phillips Auctioneers set seven new records in the 20th Century and Contemporary Art sale this month with energetic international bidding. During the previous decade public museums, galleries and arts projects had suffered radical streamlining of public funding, so in these straightened times it is refreshingly surprising that last week Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced an £850m injection into Britain’s culture sector. The last two years have shown a significant realisation of how vital the visual arts are to individuals. £300m is earmarked for the refurbishment of public galleries.
Pallant House, Chichester is an important museum gallery with an enviable collection by Modern British and St Ives artists. Their next show, “Hockney to Himid: 60 Years of British Printmaking” runs Saturday 13 November – Sunday 24 April. From early etchings by David Hockney to Lubaina Himid’s poetic lithographs, the exhibition will plot the remarkable changes in British printmaking from the post war period to the present day.
It has been interesting to see the rise in popularity of works of art on paper over the past ten years. As an extremely accessible way of acquiring artworks by world famous artists, this area has become increasingly popular and a commodity that promises to continue to be a wise and lucrative investment. This year David Simon Contemporary held two major
Raoul Dufy (1877-1953) Marseilles Harbour, 1925 lithograph on BFK Rives wove paper edition of 33 33 x 42.2cm (plate), 50.5 x 55.5cm (paper)
exhibitions of Twentieth Century works –“Picasso & Sylvette” in May was a selling exhibition of works on paper by Pablo Picasso alongside a range of paintings by Lydia Corbett (AKA Sylvette), with some thirty works by Picasso from the 1920s to the 1970s. Corbett is one of the last surviving models of Picasso, known as ‘The Girl with the Ponytail’ and is a successful artist in her own right. October saw ‘School of Paris’, an exhibition with original, signed works on paper by Georges Braque, Marc Chagall, Salvador Dali, Raoul Dufy, Réne Magritte, Henri Matisse, Joan Miró and Pablo Picasso. The Twentieth Century was, of course, an extraordinary time for Europe, with two World Wars and the Spanish Civil War. A number of Catalonian artists including Salvador Dali and Joan Miró fled to Paris. This was a time where artists sought both
Patrick Heron (1920-1999) January 1973, Plate 5, 1973 screenprint, Artist’s Proof, edition of 72 68 x 92.3 (paper), 58.6 x 81.4cm (plate)
political and personal freedom. Here, a number of major art movements were born - Fauvism, Cubism and Surrealism and these artists, who became some of the biggest names in the Western Art World, shared their ideas. Our exhibition represented the main exponents of these movements and with a ‘Surrealism Beyond Borders’ exhibition opening at The Met, New York, running from October 2021 to January 2022, this period of art is very topical.
2022 promises to bring an exciting visual feast from a ground-breaking survey of Surrealism at Tate Modern, a new installation by Hew Locke at Tate Britain, a homecoming exhibition of Barbara Hepworth at Tate St Ives, and the return of the Turner Prize to Tate Liverpool. The Venice Biennale reappears next spring from April through to November with a much anticipated programme curated by Cecilia Alemani, the first Italian woman to hold the position. Here in Somerset, we are delighted to announce that our major exhibition for 2022 is “American Pop Art” throughout May. This energetic show features an incredible collection of original works by Roy Lichtenstein (1923 – 1997); Robert Rauschenberg (1925 – 2008); and Andy Warhol (1928 –1987). These leading figures in American Pop Art will be accompanied by a series of signed, original prints by David Hockney RA, who spent several decades living in Los Angeles and was undoubtedly inspired by this uniquely colourful art scene.
Whilst the last two years have been one of the toughest and most volatile periods of international business in history across most sectors, those galleries both private and public who have made it through, now have a renewed confidence and enthusiasm. Expect a happy and prosperous new year ahead, with a healthy programme packed full of ambitious and exciting blockbuster shows.
Pablo Picasso (1881-1973)
Portrait of Françoise Gilot, 1947 original lithograph on Arches wove paper signed in pencil 56 x 38cm
www.davidsimoncontemporary.com
The vehicle offered here is one of the first vehicles to be delivered, specifically chassis number 019, which was delivered to Germany in 2006. The specification of the car can be described as unique. The black exterior in connection with the elegant Pur Sang rims meets a subtle olive-green interior. With a mileage of 7,500 km. the car has a large customer service by Bugatti, as well as new tyres in the course of delivery.
For sale at €1.606.500 (incl. 19% refundable VAT). www.mechatronik.de
After working for 12 years on the design of Bugatti Automobiles, Berlinbased Etienne Salomé decided to create his own company: ‘ Salome Yachts and Design ’, He officially launched with his team the ‘Atlantic Project’ in September 2019 during the Monaco Yacht Show, a 12 meter sport tender, immediately recognisable on the water, a true head-turner. He keeps one foot in the automotive industry as a consultant for various car manufacturers including the supercar/hypercar manufacturer Koenigsegg.
“The
It was in 2007 that I decided to join the famous automobile manufacturer Bugatti.
At that time it had just finished the development of it’s latest model, the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 and the production had just started. Everyone knows the mighty 1001PS power from the w16, the Hypercar that started it all!
The Veyron is the first model produced under the VW group, and which resulted from numerous prototypes first using 18 cylinder engines and later on 16 cylinders. The design of the Bugatti Veyron 18.4 concept is created by Harmut Warkuß and his team and is the car that led to the styling of the production car. The final version of the engine is a W16 8,0 litre with four turbos, delivering over 1001 PS and 1250Nm torque, which allows the car to go from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.5 seconds and reach a top speed of over 406 km/h! The car has 10 radiators in order to keep the heat down at high speed, and the thermic control inside the engine bay has always been crucial throughout the design evolution. A Bugatti is an authentic piece of engineering, nothing is fake, everything has a function.
Even though the cars were assembled in Alsace, France, at the brand new atelier, my office was located in Wolfsburg in Germany, so I was traveling every day 250 km from Berlin in to reach the office, using the fast ICE train connection. The
engineering office employed around 80 engineers each dedicated to make this unique masterpiece the flagship from the VW group.
From the 7 speed DSG gearbox, to the run flat Michelin PAX tyres, the complete carbon monocoque, titanium bolts with EB emblems; everything had to be the best on the planet.
One of my first jobs was to define the various editions of the Veyron, in order to support the sales, and then later to draw the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Supersport exterior, which went on to break the speed record at 431,072 km/h. I also managed the relationship with the company Hermes and created the limited edition Bugatti veyron FBG (Faubourg). The numerous modifications made to this coupe were outstanding, from the overall design, to new door openers and even modification of the steering wheel, as well as creation of a complete luggage set located in the trunk and matching the interior leather, entirely manufactured at Hermes in France.
I think that those cars represented the brand’s very best unique DNA, a hyper GT.
I had the chance to meet Dr. Ferdinand Karl Piëch numerous times and also discussed with him his vision for the brand. He always said he wanted over 1000PS, drive over 400km/h and be able to drive to the opera! With this
kind of requirements the result had to be something very special, separating it from any other automobile manufacturers. In the end Bugatti produced a staggering 450 units of the Veyron, with 4 versions, the 16.4, Grand Sport, Supersport and Supersport Vitesse.
All models are configured for the individual clients, tailor made for each requirement, and the result is that every single car is unique. The support of the VW
group ensured the cars were developed as the best of the best, with each single aluminium part machined from solid blocks, with each part passing the most challenging tests, and as a Frenchman working for Bugatti Automobiles it was a dream come true for me.
Because of the years working on this masterpiece, I created a unique relationship, where the Veyron became like one of my babies, where you know
every detail, every screw, every corner. This car is no V12 or V10 or V8 like any other hyper car, it has no competition, it plays in its own league. With it’s unique ultra complicated power train, with no hybrid drive or electric assistance, it is a grande complication like a tourbillon movement would be in the luxury watch industry; a mechanical marvel that will stand the test of time. So I can say today that this is for me the greatest car in the world.
George Dannatt
George Dannatt (1915-2009)
St Malo, Citadel 6, 1996/7 oil on board
86.5 x 144cm
Available For Sale at davidsimoncontemporary.com
Gioel is a technology entrepreneur passionate about analog machines, food, photo, friends and great experiences in beautiful places. Raised in Milan, educated in the USA as an engineer. Currently on sabbatical pondering how to best integrate work and life.
t is reasonably well known to car people that a high concentration of some of the most scenic and drivable roads in the world can be found in the Dolomites, located in northwestern Italy on the border with Austria. The roads are well maintained and present a mix of tortuous hill climbs up and down mountain passes with stretches of straights in the valleys between. The mountain scenery is extraordinary in scale and is guaranteed to leave you breathless in awe.
What was less known to me is that this area also presents a unique set of culinary delights, generated by a fusion
of influences from Austria, Italy, the mountains, and local flora and fauna. The purity of the air, grassy fields and wildflowers create a perfect environment for cattle and other livestock to lazily graze, while the land yields a broad range of vegetables above and below ground through the varying seasons.
Despite having been raised in Milan I had not spent much time on the East side of the Alps, as my family is from the West side of the Alps and lakes area of Piedmont. When the opportunity arose to combine driving great roads and eating fantastic food at a recent event organized by Canossa, I immediately inquired with
my two car trip comrades. Primary Car (Ferrari F50) and Support Car (Dallara Stradale) were selected, tickets booked, and anticipation built as it would likely be the last fair weather European driving event of 2021 for us. This was the first time using the F50 after our participation in July’s Mille Miglia Modificata and the wonderful team at Bonini had the car prepped and ready at the start for us.
Our 3 days in the Dolomites were magical and blessed with ideal sunny mild weather throughout. The roads were largely clear of traffic, likely due to the event being held in October between Summer and Winter seasons and we were able to compare and contrast the F50 and Dallara in their element thanks to the variety of roads. The Dallara was run open top throughout while the F50 had the roof installed ahead of time as there was a last minute chance of rain; its interior is not nearly as water friendly as the Stradale’s is.
Despite their age differences, the back to back showed there are quite a few fundamental similarities between these two cars and how they transmit the feelings and elements around to the driver. The open top carbon monocoque and mid mounted engine architecture,
a minimum of assists (particularly to steering), and a well functioning manual gearbox form the core of the shared experience. From there the Dallara distinguishes itself with torque and lightness which allows it to seemingly leap from corner to corner up and down a mountain pass. The combination of lack of weight and modern brakes allows the driver to move the braking points confidently into zones that well seem absurd to the passenger; prepare your guests accordingly if you intend to Give It The Full Beans. The F50 in comparison excels in the obvious area of engine and gearbox sound and in the less obvious clutch and shift lever package. Despite the F50’s age and Ferrari’s no compromise ‘as close to F1 for the road as we can get’ design philosophy, the shifting controls are incredibly delicate, tactile and balanced, which leads to a surprisingly easy and unstressful car to drive. I admit to being much more conservative on descents in the F50 compared to the Dallara as the braking system is not quite as confidence inspiring. Ultimately both cars performed flawlessly throughout and got us to some delicious meals with good company on time or better. If you have the opportunity to explore this area by car, bike, or foot you should not hesitate.
Prestige Driver App™ has been created for car enthusiasts in the market looking for a certain car.
Working in partnership with dealerships from the UK, Europe and the US, as well as industry publications, the app brings together a live inventory from multiple prestige car dealerships into one place to significantly streamline the buying process.
As well as appealing to those of you in the market for one of these distinctive cars, the app enables enthusiasts to indulge their passion with article content on motor racing, historic, classic, competition and the latest supercars.
Users can search the Showroom for performance, rare classic and competition cars or visit the Articles section to read new and regularly updated market insights. The app uniquely features a Scan functionality in which users simply hover their phone over a feature car image in an advert featuring the Prestige Driver App™ scan logo to view the car virtually and instantly launch a suite of content.
As well as photography and videos, for some listings users can sit in the cockpit and experience a 360-degree view of the car from the inside. Users, importantly, can save and share their favourite cars and articles to revisit at another time. Detailed overviews provide information, provenance and specifications on each car and the Dealership Profile allows users to get to know the industry experts and get in touch directly regarding a specific car or to source a rare addition to their collection.
“Whilst personal relationships will always be at the heart of our business, we’re truly excited to partner with Prestige Driver to give our clients the opportunity to access more immersive content on our stock of historic cars at their own convenience”
Nick Maton, Director at Duncan Hamilton ROFGO
“Hexagon Classics has been in business since 1963 and whilst heritage is at its roots, it is clear that this innovative technology brings out the best in classic cars and the wonders of modern technology. Hexagon Classics are very excited to be working in partnership with Prestige Driver as there are clear benefits for both users, as well as dealerships in showcasing varied stock in one convenient app. Users can engage with us easily via the app and we are able to disseminate our inventory to a targeted audience enabling our print advertising to work harder for us”.
Caspar Eccles Williams, Hexagon Classics
“The aim of the app is to become a powerful sales tool for dealerships and convenient one-stop platform for prestige car enthusiasts. I believe print media is still very relevant in specialised industries and our app helps bridge the gap between print and digital enabling a targeted audience to access more content they want with the benefits of a digital platform. The scanning is a great USP and added bonus for both dealerships and our user base.”
Reuben Smith - Founder
Prestige Driver is proving extremely popular with both industry dealerships, publications and consumers. Recently this has been recognised with a nomination as a finalist for ‘Rising Star’ at The Historic Motoring Awards 2021.
Ileft my home in the Cotswolds at 5.45am to rendezvous with Tom and UJO at the Somerset HQ of Arkonik, arriving at 6.45am just as Tom was loading his bags and even his bike into the load bay of UJO.
UJO is essentially Arkonik’s flagship Defender 110, complete with a 6.2L V8 LS3, and was to be our flag bearer for our 2,500 mile round trip to Monaco.
Leaving the leafy lanes of Mells in Somerset we headed out towards
Folkestone in Kent where we were to catch our EuroTunnel train across to Calais. As ‘Tour Manager’, It had become my role to not only share the drive, but to also ensure all boxes on this epic trip were ticked, which included myriad of Covid-19 paperwork,
checklists and bar codes. However the first problem we encountered was the simple morning rush hour on the M25, which held us up and we arrived just a few minutes late for our time slot on the train.
The lovely people at EuroTunnel booked us straight onto the next one, which was only a half-hour later and we were off. Crossing is easy as you stay in the vehicle and before very long we were driving out of Calais headed for our first stop - Paris.
Paris was great. Although finding somewhere to park UJO was to become a common theme of the whole trip… car park headroom in Paris 1.8m and UJO needs 2.0m. After two hours of circling our hotel (which had no car park), we finally managed to park - just as the heavens opened and we got soaked walking from the vehicle to the hotel. Suddenly it was beer time and the rooftop bar had a lovely view of the Eiffel Tower and we had ‘arrived’.
Next day saw us up nice and early for a few Eiffel Tower shots before starting the long haul down to Nice. We drove all day, eventually arriving into Nice at 8pm and UJO had performed brilliantly the whole day. Never asking for anything…except maybe more fuel!
Over the coming few days UJO was seen by so many people and everyone seemed to like the look and sound as we drove from town to town along the Cote d’azur. We took time out to visit the Cannes Yachting Festival and visited with Burgess Yachts, who very kindly invited us onboard the M/Y La Polonia for a good look around.
The following day having left Cannes we took a drive along the coast to visit the famous Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat. The scenery on route was spectacular and the shine on UJO was incredible. Keeping to the coast road we eventually entered into Monaco,
where once again the parking became an issue, although we did finally find an underground car park which had a 2.0m headroom. I had arranged to meet an old friend, Rupert Nelson who heads up the Mega-Yacht sales at Burgess Monaco, and together Rupert, myself & Tom had lunch, where I got to recount stories from my past consultancy life with Rupert when I used to work more from Monaco. Happy and fun times.
In the evening we managed to secure a prime position on Casino Square for UJO, (due to the maître d’hôtel being a huge Defender fan), whilst we had dinner at the Cafe de Paris. Later when we came back out, we were pleased to see a bunch of Instagram vloggers had circled UJO and we were pleased to chat and answer questions, while the owner of an arriving Bugatti Chiron had little to no attention… (if only for a few minutes).
The trip so far had been a huge success for both the shake-down and promo of UJO, and for b500 capturing images and stories for this issue, but it wasn’t over quite yet…
The following day we left Monaco, Cannes & Nice behind and began our long drive back up through France to Reims, where we stayed overnight and UJO once again became the centre of attention, with the concierge absolutely insisting he parked UJO, and which seemed to include him screeching off around the block?! From Reims we drove the 7 km out of town to the circuit Reims-Gueux which was a Grand Prix motor racing road course, located in Gueux, and was established in 1926 as the second venue of the Grand Prix de la Marne.
I think it’s fair to say we were both surprised to find the old paddock areas at the side of what is now a main road,
not only still completely intact, but completely as they once were and with not a bit of graffiti or damage. Quite remarkable and a fantastic way to (almost) end our epic trip. One or two Champagne houses later and we were then finally back at our hotel in Reims, where we packed up UJO for the last time and headed the following morning for Calais.
What can I say. An epic 2,500 mile trip which showed UJO to a whole new fan base and without missing a beat for the whole way there and back. We arrived back where we started at Arkonik HQ in Somerset and with some great images and stories to tell of our epic adventure with the Arkonik UJO.
