- Project Nightingale will be limited to just 100 cars worldwide
- The coach-built exclusive will be based on the Spectre EV
- Model draws inspiration from high-speed experimental ‘EX’ Rolls-Royces of the 1920s
Rolls-Royce has lifted the silk sheet from its latest, highly limited Coachbuild Collection that, for the first time, will ride on the ultra-exclusive marque’s electric Spectre platform.
The model, which has been dubbed Project Nightingale — a title derived from Le Rossignol (The Nightingale), the name of the designers’ and engineers’ house at Henry Royce’s French Riviera estate — will be limited to just 100 cars… all of which have already been earmarked by loyal customers.
Before you ask, there’s no word on price, with Rolls-Royce CEO Chris Brownridge telling Top Gear “the pricing reflects the effort that goes into making it”. So expect that to be multiples of millions of dollars or pounds.
But Brownridge has a point, as the effort invested into this essentially hand-built project is as enormous as the vehicle’s 5.76m overall length.
That’s the same measurements as the company’s flagship Phantom saloon, but here, the bodywork has been styled around a two-seat convertible layout, with an enormous amount of attention lavished on the long, tapered rear end.
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The exterior paint finish draws inspiration from the experimental Rolls-Royce 17EX of 1928, infused with subtle red flakes that reveal themselves in changing light, a discreet reference to the red badges fitted to its ‘EX’ motor cars.
Despite the addition of an electronically-folding roof, Rolls-Royce says its fully electric powertrain generates virtually no mechanical noise, allowing the marque’s acoustic engineers to create an “exceptionally serene” experience, both when the soft top roof is raised and lowered.
Inside, owners will be greeted by the Starlight Breeze suite — a flowing constellation of ambient illumination comprising 10,500 individual ‘stars’ in three subtly varied sizes. The central armrest also automatically glides rearward when the doors are opened, revealing the Spirit of Ecstasy rotary controller — or drive selector to you and me.
Analysis: A show of strength for Spectre
The decision to base Project Nightingale on the marque’s only electric vehicle is a clever one, as the extremely limited model will likely act as a halo model for its Spectre.
The EV experienced huge demand from early adopters when it first went on sale, but Detroit News reported that sales slumped 45% in the first three quarters of 2025, with the company eventually scrapping its plans to go all-electric by the year 2030.
Instead, the marque will continue to offer its V12 internal combustion engine, with CEO Chris Brownridge telling the Guardian "the V12 is part of our history”.
Basing the latest entry into its Coachbuild Collection on the Spectre proves that, despite still offering combustion engines, Rolls-Royce stands behind its electric platform.
Plus, the fact all 100 cars are all already catered for suggests that electric is a solid investment, despite what luxury EV residual values might suggest.
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