Dutch car design firm, Niels van Roij Design has been earning a good name for itself in recent years, producing some tasteful variants of premium and luxury models. The company gained notoriety when it revealed its Tesla Model S Shooting Brake, creating a stunning estate variant of the electric saloon. Exceptional detail and quality of finish meant it looked as if the factory had made it.
From there, Niels van Roij went on to reveal a two-door Range Rover named the Adventum Coupe. After Range Rover aborted its plans to introduce a similar model, van Roij stepped in to produce a limited-run version that was undoubtedly snapped up by disappointed Range Rover customers. Powered by the 5.0-litre supercharged V8, it featured seating for four and a distinctive wooden floor.
For the latest coachbuilding project, the company is moving upmarket to offer a shooting brake based on the Rolls-Royce Wraith, called the Silver Spectre Shooting Brake. Starting with a donor car, extensive work is carried out at Carat by Duchatelet to re-shape the vehicle.
First, the original roof is carefully cut at its highest point and around the base of the C-pillars before being removed. The new roof is hand-made from a single piece of lightweight carbon fibre composite. New side glass is installed along with more brightwork to emphasise the silhouette.
An extension to the starlight headliner means that even more strands of fibre-optics are inserted to produce an incredible view inside the cabin at night. They are designed to fade out towards the rear giving the impression of an endless starlit sky. It keeps a four-seat arrangement and the two in the rear gain a new seatback design.
The rear luggage area isn’t like your typical boot either. It is lined with soft and padded leather upholstery to match the rest of the interior, with built-in illumination and rails along the floor. There’s no official word on just how much larger the boot capacity is over the Wraith’s usual 470 litres, but it does look more capacious. Furthermore, the 6.6-litre twin-turbocharged V12 engine gets an upgrade to deliver a power output of 690bhp and 900Nm – perfect for lugging a full boot around.
Designer Niels van Roij said: “With this dramatically styled vehicle we subtly link back to the hay days of shooting brakes in the 1930s, whilst embedding the iconic, soft and creamy visual cues from classic British automotive icons – all without being constrained by these motorcars in the execution of the modern styling. The outcome is not only a highly original design but also a historically relevant car. The new bodywork springs from the base of the A-pillar and stretches all the way towards the tailgate. Silver Spectre Shooting Brake boasts breath-taking, athletic proportions, a delicate, silky smooth skin and sophisticated, purposeful details. The coachbuilt motor vehicle is a startling and authentic design statement, engineered methodically and constructed entirely by hand.”
If you’re a seriously well-heeled individual and a regular Rolls-Royce isn’t quite impressive enough for you then you’d best get in touch with Niels, but be quick, as there will only be seven of these ever made.
Keyword: Bespoke Silver Spectre Shooting Brake based on Rolls-Royce Wraith