Project Nightingale is the first model in the new Coachbuild Collection from Rolls-Royce. Limited to just 100 examples, each commission is by invitation only and developed through private consultations at Goodwood. Each car is crafted in close collaboration with its owner, working directly with designers, craftspeople, and engineers throughout the creation process.
As with all Rolls-Royce bespoke commissions, Project Nightingale was shaped not just by specification, but by story. The car’s name derives from Le Rossignol (French for “the nightingale”), a residence on Sir Henry Royce’s Côte d’Azur estate, built to house his designers and engineers. In homage to Le Rossignol, where a golden era of collaborative design flourished, Project Nightingale reawakens that same spirit of ambitious creation.
The design draws inspiration from Rolls-Royce’s red-badged “EX” experimental prototypes of the 1920s, particularly 16EX and 17EX, among the rarest and most desirable cars in the marque’s history. Nightingale blends historic elegance with a contemporary sense of scale and presence.
The open-top configuration is enabled by a near-silent roof mechanism inspired by the precision and fluid movement of luxury tailoring, while exterior details further define the car’s character. The 24-inch wheels take inspiration from yacht propellers viewed beneath the waterline, suggesting motion even at rest, and a Piano Boot opens sideways, turning a functional element into a considered moment of arrival. At the rear, a single longitudinal brake light sits on the centreline, recalling the speed stripes of Streamline Moderne design.
By merging electric innovation with handcrafted artistry, Rolls-Royce continues to redefine luxury. Project Nightingale represents more than a car, it is a statement of the future of bespoke design. With 99 examples still to be created, it reveals only a glimpse of what lies ahead.