We have seen the legend a few times. Once at the exclusive exhibition at Mr. Yohan Poonawalla’s stud farm in Pune and then again, more recently, the Oberoi Concours d’Elegance in Udaipur. The distinctively blue Phantom 1, also designated 17EX, is a truly special car that was build by Rolls-Royce as an experimental model. The British brand’s latest unveil – the Project Nightingale, which is also the first of the Coachbuild Collection, is an homage to that experimental car from over a century ago.
The name itself is derived from Le Rossignol, the name of the designers’ and engineers’ house at Sir Henry Royce’s French Riviera estate, which means ‘The Nightingale’. Defined by grand proportions, this new car is powered by a fully electric drivetrain for an authentic silent open-top experience.
The car’s aesthetic is inspired by the principles of Streamline Moderne design from the late Art Deco era, wherein precise lines and uninterrupted forms are more powerful than ornament. In that spirit, when conceiving Project Nightingale, Rolls-Royce creatives embraced sheer, monolithic volumes. Coachbuild designers distilled three principles that directly inform Project Nightingale. ‘Upright to flowing’: the Pantheon Grille’s commanding vertical gesture transitioning into a long, graceful rear; ‘Central fuselage’, defined by a single unbroken hull line running from front to rear; and ‘Flying wings’: sculptural volumes that create tension across the overall form and pull the eye towards the rear.
At 5.76 metres in length, Project Nightingale is almost exactly the same length as the marque’s flagship saloon, Phantom, but in a two-seater convertible form. The grille itself is a bold interpretation of one of the most recognisable icons in luxury. Its generous surround – almost a metre in width – appears to be carved from a solid block of stainless steel, with 24 vanes set deeply within it. The Spirit of Ecstasy figurine is integrated on top of the grille in a subtly recessed section, its lines flowing backwards and dissolving into the bonnet, as though the figurine is moving at speed through water.
The full impact of Project Nightingale’s driver-oriented, torpedo-shaped design is revealed in profile. An expansive bonnet gives way to the dramatically raked windscreen, behind which is a compact cabin for two, set deep within the body. The rear deck falls and tapers towards a dramatically low trailing edge.
The inspiration for Project Nightingale, the 17EX and the 16EX, were both experimental versions created at the height of the super optimistic Jazz age and reflects the flamboyance of that time. Designed specifically to achieve a top speed of 90 miles per hour (144kmph), these experimental models were truly unique for their time. It is this spirit of exploring beyond limits that is embodied in the new Project Nightingale.