THE WHAT

The thing with one-off cars made by coach-builders is that the bodywork typically has no blueprints. No panel molds or industrial stampings to use thousands of times.

There is no way to even think of creating another example of a car like the 1925/24 Rolls-Royce Round Door Coupe – with its panels and every aesthetic piece made on a one-0ff basis, often by hand.

And why might anyone try such a daunting task! The original chassis was completed in 1925, but it took another nine years to fabricate and complete the body — hence the 1934 tag that is also in this Petersen Museum-housed masterpiece of automotive design.

THE HOW

But in a bold new age of computer-aided-design, proximity and experience with the real thing is no longer a real barrier to creativity.

Case in point is the work of Netherlands-based Ugur Sahin Design, where the fantasy world of concepts and prototypes lives almost beyond constraints like hand-beaten alloy panels and production feasibility.

And in this blue-yellow light of a new day in car design, Ugur Sahin has brought the Round Door Coupe into the modern age via these advanced digital models.

THE WHY

Why would this design be beneficial for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars today, in a market where buyers can already easily spend $3 million on a one-off Drophead Coupe Phantom?

Despite that outrageously-high price for a single car, that price ceiling is actually artificially limited. It is limited by an automaker’s willingness to take risks when investing in the production development and vehicle engineering. For that $3 million total ballpark, a buyer might be adding nearly $2 million in somewhat silly embellishments like diamond interiors, gold-leaf paints and the like. The base car is still “just” a $700,000 Phantom Drophead Coupe, like this Waterspeed special.

THE WHO

In supercar-obsessed markets like Abu Dhabi and Singapore, there is pent-up demand for even more exclusivity. Even more outrageous totals for investment of time/energy for a single automobile.

THE WHERE

As Ugur Sahin design shows the Dubai Burj Al Arab in the background of the renderings — which is mighty appropriate for this type of clientele.

The highest-ever tennis court is located on this hotel, which has also hosted Aston Martins and Infiniti Red Bull racecars on its multi-purpose helicopter pad in the sky.

THE WHEN

When might cars of this level of lavishness become possible?  Very, very soon. The buyer demand for one-off commissions is ever-present, while 3D printing is finally making unfathomable shapes not just possible — but do-able.

The Ugur Sahin Round Door Coupe is shown here along with the original car. The one change we might suggest to appeal to these mega-lux clients in the market for a machine like this Jonkheere coupe?

DESIGN COMPARISONS…

A white paint finish, just like the one originally worn by the 1925/34 Rolls-Royce Round Door…

While we’re at it, the Sahin car ditches two of loveliest parts of the original car for little reward:

— the tail fin is mysteriously missing on the Sahin car

— the Sahin rounded grille does not fit Rolls-Royce’s design ethos; plus the angled original grille is remarkably beautiful and modern even today.

 

 

1925/34 Rolls-Royce Jonkeere Round Door Coupe

Ugur Sahin Design – Jonkheere Round Door Coupe

PHOTO CREDITS:

• Burj Al Arab http://www.virtual-burjalarab.com/

• Ugur Sahin Design http://www.ugursahindesign.com/

• Steve Sexton Photography, http://sextonphoto.zenfolio.com/

• Petersen Automotive Museum http://www.petersen.org/