Rolls-Royce Started Drive-Testing Its Project Nightingale Convertible
One of the most stunning Rolls-Royce models in recent memory is nearing the finish line.
The British luxury marque has revealed that it has begun drive-testing its Project Nightingale. That means that the automaker remains on pace to begin deliveries of the coach-built EV in 2028.
It may not be as exclusive as the one-of-four Droptail, but Project Nightingale is the Rolls-Royce that best expresses what the brand is capable of today. Each of the 100 examples of the open-top vehicle, which is the first invite-only Coachbuild Collection model, is meant to serve as a showcase for coachbuilding skills that have defined the brand since its founding over 120 years ago. But the commanding two-door isn’t just a throwback. The vehicle, which is approximately the same size as the V-12 Phantom, comes equipped with the automaker’s clean and completely silent electric powertrain.
Only 100 examples of the Rolls-Royce Project Nightingale will be built
Rolls-Royce
If you’re familiar with Rolls-Royce, you know that the brand will stop and nothing to give its customers the car of their dreams. Because of this, it’s little surprise to learn that the brand is going all out to make sure Project Nightingale will be ready for its planned 2028 arrival. The marque says the convertible will undergo 350 collective weeks of testing. One example of how fastidious the automaker is: The car’s trunk will go through 15,000 opening and closing cycles to ensure that it operates effortlessly.
As part of the program, Rolls-Royce will now begin drive-testing Project Nightingale prototypes. The cars will start out on the Mediterranean corniches of Southern Europe, but will also spend time driving through the Arctic Circle and the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula. The idea is to ensure the car will run smoothly no matter where in the world its owner may live.
Deliveries are expected to begin in 2028
Rolls-Royce
“Few motor cars in the marque’s history have asked so much of those who create them,” Chris Brownridge, the CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, said in a statement. “That is why Project Nightingale is being tested with the same rigor with which it was imagined.”
So, how much will Project Nightingale cost? Rolls-Royce, as is its wont, has yet to officially say, but around the time of the convertible’s debut, Road & Track reported that each example is likely to cost around $9.5 million. That’s steep, of course, but a fair bit less than the Droptail’s reported $30 million price tag.
Click here to see more photos of the Rolls-Royce Project Nightingale prototype.
