INTERVIEW
A new era of bespoke craftsmanship
Mark Smyth spoke to head of Rolls-Royce design, Giles Taylor at the unveiling of the unique Sweptail
Sir Henry Royce once said: "Strive for perfection in everything you do. Take the best that exists and make it better. When it does not exist, design it." It has been a philosophy at Rolls-Royce since the early days but what if an existing Rolls is not perfect enough for you? It has been decades since the company built a purely bespoke, coachbuilt vehicle — in fact, not since the 1940s. There have been a few over the years but they have all been done by external firms, not Rolls itself. When the company unveiled its 103EX Vision Next concept in 2016, it promised a future where there are more bespoke models, but one customer could not wait for the future and four years ago engaged the company to produce a one-off model, just for him to add to his collection of cars, super-yachts, aircraft and homes.
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