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Rolls‑Royce’s Project Nightingale Enters 350‑Week Global Testing Program

The two‑seat, coachbuilt electric convertible will undergo extreme‑climate, high‑speed, long‑life durability trials to prove refinement before customer deliveries begin in 2028.

Overview

  • Project Nightingale, which began testing Monday, has started a 350 collective‑week validation program that will send prototypes from Mediterranean roads to the Arctic Circle and the Arabian Peninsula.
  • Rolls‑Royce completed more than 1,430 hours of aerodynamic modelling before road trials to refine airflow and reduce wind noise for the open‑top design.
  • Engineers will carry out landmark durability checks including a 15,000‑cycle test of the sideways‑opening 'Piano Boot', roof folding trials at temperatures up to 80°C, and wind‑deflector validation at speed.
  • The company confirms the Nightingale is fully electric and will be hand‑built at Goodwood in a 100‑unit run with deliveries scheduled from 2028, while full powertrain figures remain unreleased and media outlets cite an estimated base price near US$9.5 million.
  • The project revives Rolls‑Royce’s coachbuilding tradition for the EV era and signals the brand’s insistence on extensive real‑world testing to protect refinement, ownership theatre and long‑term durability for wealthy collectors.