The Rolls-Royce Drop Tail is a modern two-seat roadster that pays homage to the coachbuilt drop-tops that solidified the brand’s position as a luxury leader a century ago.
This ultra-exclusive vehicle is the result of a four-year collaboration between Rolls-Royce and four clients. It is considered the pinnacle of the company’s in-house coachbuilding capabilities, joining the ranks of the highly sought-after Sweptail (2017) and Boat Tail (2021) as part of a series of multi-million-pound bespoke vehicles.
While Rolls-Royce does not disclose the prices for these coachbuilt specials, it is known that each of the four Drop Tails cost their respective owners more than the £20 million Boat Tail.
Unlike a simple redesign of the retired Dawn convertible, the Drop Tail features an entirely new monocoque chassis made from steel, aluminium, and carbon fibre. This marks a first for Rolls-Royce’s Coachbuild division, as previous bespoke models were based on the Architecture of Luxury platform, which also underpins the Cullinan, Ghost, and Phantom.
Powering the Drop Tail is a specially tuned, twin-turbocharged 6.75-litre V12 engine. It delivers 593bhp and 620lb ft of torque – an increase of 30bhp in power compared to the Phantom, but a decrease of 44lb ft in torque. While performance figures have not been released, it is expected that the Drop Tail will closely match the V12-powered Dawn, featuring a sub-5.0-second 0-62mph time and a top speed limited to 155mph.
According to Rolls-Royce design director Anders Warming, the V12 engine was chosen over an electric powertrain because the brand wanted to celebrate the roadster and the V12 powertrain, which will be a focal point for the next few years. Warming also mentioned that electric coachbuilds may come into play in the future.
Measuring 5.3m in length and 2.0m in width, the Drop Tail is smaller than the electric Spectre. Its distinctive silhouette is characterized by a low coupe-like roofline inspired by “chop-top” hot rods, giving the vehicle a more sporty character compared to other mainstream Rolls-Royce models. Additional design elements include blade-shaped haunches and a large carbon fibre rear diffuser, finished in semi-clear lacquer to accentuate its prominent position on the painted body.
Harking back from 1901, Indian prides itself in being the first ever motorcycle manufacturer from the states. With their ups and downs in the time that they have been in the motorcycle industry, Indian learned some valuable lessons to come back and form a strong footing in today’s market with a solid range of models to meet the demands of their varied customer base.
Among these models available today, the Indian Super Chief is poised to be Indian’s touring offering when one wishes to buy the Indian Chief in 2023. Its also available as a Super Chief Limited version that comes with a bigger 116 ci motor, alongside the Chief Dark Horse and the Chief Bobber Dark Horse (and three other base models). And with all bells and whistles required for touring two-up, it still does manage to leave room for even more customization possibilities – Here are ten things that make it an enticing package for those who want to munch the miles, business-class style.
We used internal reviews, along with some articles and reviews from Motorcycle.com and the Indianmotorcycles.net forum to provide relevant information for this article.
The riding stance on the Super Chief is a bit roomier and relaxed than other models in the Chief lineup. The floorboards are stretched forward to allow for more legroom and shifts in leg position while cruising long distance, and the handlebars are wider, resulting in lesser strain on the arms. The seat is better padded and comfy too, for both the pillion and the rider, making this a good fit for two-up riding requirements.
9Design Elements
Indian Motorcycles
The Super Chief looks the business, with its long wheelbase and overall stance to begin with. The full-LED headlight with the tall windshield, is eye-catching along with the covered front forks and meaty fender. The proportionate teardrop-style fuel tank is complemented by the beautiful black-and-chrome engine with its distinctive finned-head design, and stacked exhaust setup that is finished in chrome beneath. The chunky tires with thick sidewalls finish off the entire look.
8Lower Curb Weight And Improved Handling
Indian Motorcycles
The Super Chief is surprisingly light and agile on its feet, weighing in at close to 714 lbs., is lighter than some of its competitors, thanks mostly to the steel-tubular frame that is lighter than before, along with lesser cosmetic components employed, thereby bringing dynamic and aesthetic benefits to the ride. This, we feel is one of the major highlights for a full-blown long range cruiser. The sticky Pirelli tires also help in assuring further confidence to the rider.
As mentioned earlier, the new steel tubular frame is much lighter than before and a bit stiffer, offering a more competitive platform for the rest of the bike to build on. It’s paired with a rear aluminum subframe. The main down-tube also comes with a removable section where the engine head meets the top of the frame, which may seem counterintuitive to meeting stiffness requirements. But it was done so to make the engine fit better and more snugly, and reduce the overall center of gravity. The results speak for themselves in the flickable and responsive way in which it carries itself.
6Its Engine
Indian Motorcycles
The ‘Thunderstroke’ 111 cubic-inch, fuel-injected, air-cooled V-twin, has generous amounts of torque (at 108 ft.-lbs.) to help with effortless roll-on acceleration. Despite being air cooled, the engine does not heat up as much, thanks to the efficient heat dissipation offered by the fin design on the cylinders and the ability to switch off one of the cylinders when the engine is at lower load. It also has a pleasing and smooth sound that does not get annoying over long distances, unless one decides to fit aftermarket straight pipes or the like.
5Excellent Road-Performance Tires
Indian
The Indian Super chief comes shod with Pirelli Night Dragon tires front and back. What’s nice is that it’s just not available with the Limited version, but comes as standard with the base Super Chief as well. The tires deliver great road feel and confidence to the rider in negotiating medium to high speed turns with relative ease and the opportunity to scrape the pegs more often than expected.
4Tech and Connectivity Features
Indian
Although the full TFT screen is available on the Super Chief Limited, the standard bike comes with enough tech to keep it relevant with the competition, and with the times. Full LED headlights, three riding modes (Tour, standard and sport), cylinder de-activation, cruise control, ABS, and keyless ignition are offered as standard to help make each ride easier to manage and safer as well. Indian may like to bring up the past in its models and its marketing, but they do make sure to include things that a modern rider would need, without overcomplicating things and taking away too much from the retro feel.
The Super Chief can further be customized to better accommodate pillions, or increase riding comfort by the addition of different gear levers and handlebars. We would recommend the quick release tall windshield that offers good wind protection and the convenience of swapping it with the standard one, or not having one, in case the rider desires a different riding feel and look. There are also different saddlebags and luggage cases on offer based on the rider’s tastes. The Limited and the base Super Chief come as standard with leather ones, but there are other options offered as well.
2Long Distance Riding is a Breeze
With its super comfortable riding position for both the rider and the pillion, well-cushioned seats and torquey engine, this is an all-out grand touring beast of a bike that can take on big distances while ferrying the rider in absolute style and comfort. Its also not as complicated and heavy as a full-dress tourer, while managing to be nimble enough to garner confidence from riders looking for occasional sporty riding.
1The Super Chief Limited
Indian
The Limited is a noteworthy mention as one of the best touring bikes in the market today, thanks to the bigger 116 cubic-inch engine that enhances the cruising experience of this machine, along with a few more goodies thrown in, like a TFT display with added connectivity and tech features including navigation and Bluetooth, chrome touches throughout the bike, and saddlebags. This offers a comprehensive package for meeting a range of distance-based riding requirements.
Unlock Your Automotive Passion and Explore the Road Ahead
