RollsRoyce

Jet Meets Heli: Rolls-Royce Powered Eurocopter X3

Eurocopter's ultra-cool X3 prototype (above), which combines the technology of a turboprop plane with traditional helicopter engineering, just attained an airspeed of 180 knots (207 mph) in level flight in testing in Istres, France. The X3, which was not operating at full power, is expected to break the official helicopter speed world record by the time testing is complete. Over the last few months of testing the X3 has performed such feats as reaching an altitude of 12,500 ft. and maneuvering with left and right turns at bank angles of up to 60°. Utilizing a Dauphin helicopter airframe, the X3 is equipped with two Rolls-Royce turboshaft engines that power a five-blade main rotor system, along with two propellers installed on short-span fixed wings. In terms of sheer speed it still may not top Sikorsky's experimental X2 which we wrote about last month, but its stylish looks and jet-like features should more than make up for it.

Tags: Eurocopter, eurocopter+x3, eurocopterx3, France, helicopter, rolls+royce, Rolls-Royce, rollsroyce, Sikorsky, sikorsky+x2, sikorskyx2

Rolls-Royce to Present new Coupe, Convertible and Limousine Based on the Ghost

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

If the introduction of the new Ghost saloon (pictured above) got you excited for the prospect of a slightly more affordable Rolls-Royce, we've got even better news for you. Reports indicate that the ultra-luxury brand is planning several derivatives from the Ghost family.

Among the expansion, we can expect a coupe, a convertible and even a long-wheelbase limousine version. Rolls is expected to unveil each in concept form over the course of the next few years before introducing the production versions, which could very well revive old nameplates like the Corniche convertible, so stay tuned.

Gallery: Frankfurt 2009: Rolls-Royce Ghost

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Tags: corniche, ghost, rolls royce, rolls-royce, rolls-royce corniche, rolls-royce ghost, Rolls-royceCorniche, Rolls-royceGhost, RollsRoyce

Torsten Mueller Announced As New CEO of Rolls-Royce

by Jeremy Korzeniewski (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Back on July 1st of 2008, Tom Purves became Rolls-Royce's new CEO. At the time, our sister site Autoblog remarked that the move was an interesting one due to parent company BMW's mandatory retirement age of 60, which Purves was just about to turn when he got the top spot at RR. Not surprisingly, then, the automaker has just announced a new commander-in-chief, Torsten Mueller.

Mueller is a longtime member of the BMW Group senior management, having worked for the German automaker for the last 20 years. Most recently, Mueller had been running BMW global product management, though his most significant contribution to the company may be his role in helping the revived Mini brand get off the ground back in 2000.

Mueller will assume the role of Rolls-Royce CEO at the end of March 2010, which is also the time when Tom Purves will retire after 25 years service with the BMW Group.

[Source: Rolls-Royce]

Tags: rolls royce, rolls-royce, rolls-royce ceo, Rolls-royceCeo, RollsRoyce, tom purves, TomPurves, torsten mueller, TorstenMueller

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Luxury Goes Green: Electric Rolls-Royce Phantom Under Development

by Jeremy Korzeniewski (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Green

Yes, an electric Rolls-Royce. And why not? The torque curve of an electric motor – making maximum pulling power right at zero RPM – would seem to suit the RR mission perfectly, as would the distinct lack of noise, vibration and harshness. Sounds like a match made in heaven, no?

Well, of course there are issues to overcome, not the least of which is sourcing a suitably large battery for the three-ton Phantom sedan. According to Auto Express in the U.K., that battery pack would feature lithium ion cells, which happens to be the same technology used by parent company BMW in its electric Mini E.

These rumors aren't exactly new – we last heard of an electric Roller about a year ago – but this time the addition of a possible range extender is mentioned for the first time. Such a configuration is featured in both the upcoming Chevy Volt and the Vision EfficientDynamics Concept BMW just showed off at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

The unnamed spokesperson cited by Auto Express doesn't offer any sort of timetable as to when we might see an electric Phantom, but we're not exactly holding our breath.

[Source: Auto Express]

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Tags: electric car, electric cars, electric rolls, electric rolls royce, electric rolls-royce, ElectricCar, ElectricCars, ElectricRolls, ElectricRolls-royce, ElectricRollsRoyce, rolls royce, rolls royce phantom, rolls-royce, rolls-royce phantom, Rolls-roycePhantom, RollsRoyce, RollsRoycePhantom

2009 Frankfurt Auto Show: Rolls-Royce Ghost

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

If you want to be driven around in a Rolls-Royce, the Phantom is the car for you. But if you want a Rolls-Royce saloon in which to drive yourself around, you'll want the Ghost. Closely mirroring the 200EX concept car which the most prestigious of motor marques unveiled at the Geneva show this past March, the new Ghost is smaller, more nimble and more powerful than the big limousine under which it slots in the company's range, to say nothing of the two-door Phantom Coupe and convertible Phantom Drophead Coupe variations.

Compared to the Phantom sedan, the Ghost is nearly a foot and a half shorter but offers over a hundred more horsepower than its bigger brother. But don't let its size fool you: the Ghost is all Rolls, and packs all the finest touches you'd expect from Goodwood's finest. It even has the rear-hinged rear doors with the hidden umbrella compartment, opening up on a luxurious cabin of soft leather, thick carpets and lacquered wood veneers. It's the Rolls-Royce for the next decade, and we got a closer look at the Frankfurt Auto Show where the new Rolls was unveiled for the first time in production spec. See for yourself in the gallery below.

Gallery: Frankfurt 2009: Rolls-Royce Ghost

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Officially, official: 2011 Rolls-Royce Ghost [w/VIDEO]

by Sam Abuelsamid (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Rolls-Royce Ghost - click above for a high res image gallery

The new Rolls-Royce Ghost serves to demonstrate that everything is relative. While the Ghost is less large and massive then the Phantom, at 17.7 feet long it is by no means small. In spite a slightly smaller displacement at 6.6-liters, the Ghost's all-new V12 engine takes advantage of the latest technology that it afforded to it by being part of the BMW family to produce far more power than the Phantom. Two turbochargers and direct fuel injection allow the new engine to produce 563 hp and 575 lb-ft of torque.

A look inside tells that unlike the Phantom this is a car meant to appeal as much to the driver as the rear seat passengers. The more supportive front seats and thicker rimmed steering wheel imply a driver might actually want to take advantage of the 4.7 second 0-60 acceleration.

But this is of course a Rolls so rear seat occupants are still coddled in a lounge style seat with power closing coach doors. Within the doors themselves, the Ghost retains the umbrellas found in the Phantom so that no one ever has to get wet. The Ghost is expected to be priced between €200,000 and €300,000 before taxes when it goes on sale.

The full press release is after the jump.

[Source: Rolls-Royce]

Tags: frankfurt, frankfurt 2009, frankfurt auto show, frankfurt motor show, frankfurt2009, FrankfurtAutoShow, FrankfurtMotorShow, ghost, rolls, rolls royce, rolls royce 200ex, rolls royce ghost, rolls royce rr4, rolls-royce, RollsRoyce, rollsroyce ghost, RollsRoyce200ex, RollsRoyceGhost, RollsRoyceRr4

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New Rolls-Royce Ghost Gets 563 hp turbo V12, sub-5 second 0-60!

by Sam Abuelsamid (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

As we get closer to the Frankfurt Motor Show debut of the new Rolls-Royce Ghost, the automaker is gradually teasing us with more and more information. Today, the folks at Rolls have revealed that the Ghost will definitely be the strong-silent type, thanks to a very powerful new V12 engine. The silent part of course is expected of any Rolls-Royce, hence model names like Ghost and Phantom.

What we don't typically expect is acceleration from 0-60 mph in 4.8 seconds. Motivating a big luxury machine like the Ghost in that manner takes 563 hp which in this case is generated by a new 6.6-liter V12 with twin turbocharging. This engine is derived from the unit in the new BMW 760Li but will be uniqe to Rolls-Royce. The top speed of the Ghost is electronically governed to 155 mph, but with that much power on tap, it could surely go significantly faster. The Rolls-Royce press release is after the jump.

Gallery: Geneva 2009: Rolls-Royce 200EX

[Source: Rolls-Royce]
Photos Copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

Tags: rolls, rolls royce, rolls royce 200ex, rolls royce ghost, rolls royce rr4, rolls-royce, RollsRoyce, RollsRoyce200ex, RollsRoyceGhost, RollsRoyceRr4

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Visualize Your Wheels on Rolls-Royce's 200EX Website

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

If you've been getting anxious for Rolls-Royce to get its highly anticipated upcoming "junior" model on the market already, here's something to keep you occupied in the meantime. Rolls unveiled the 200EX concept to forecast the upcoming Ghost model at the Geneva auto show this past March, but while the production model isn't anticipated to debut until the Frankfurt show this coming September, the company has already launched an online configurator on its website to let prospective customers and curious enthusiasts alike play around with the various color and trim options likely to appear on the production version. Called the "visualizer", the website allows you to select from a palette of exterior paint colors, interior leather trims, dashboard wood veneers and even the brushed aluminum front bonnet trim. Not quite as exciting as pulling up at the hottest new club or restaurant in a Rolls-Royce of your own, but it will help you imagine it.

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Tags: 200ex, congigurator, ghost, rolls, rolls royce, rolls-royce, rolls-royce 200ex, rolls-royce 200ex concept, rolls-royce ghost, Rolls-royce200ex, Rolls-royce200exConcept, Rolls-royceGhost, RollsRoyce, rr4, visualizer

Top Ten Reasons Why It's Never A Bad Time To Purchase A Rolls Royce

by Dan Roth (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Rolls Royce recently came to town with its Drive of Distinction event for customers and media alike. It's not every day you get to sample every variant in the Phantom lineup, and we spent plenty of time peppering Rolls Royce's representative with all manner of question about the cars he'd brought up for us to try out. While trying out the standard Phantom, Phantom Coupe, Drophead Coupe, and Extended Wheelbase, we got to thinking that even in a poor economy, there really isn't a bad time to purchase a Rolls Royce.

A luxury purchase through-and-through, it's also one of the finest products you'll find to buy. The cars certainly require means to acquire, but the allure is obvious, and if you're going to buy an investment-grade car of any stripe, there's a lot of sense to an expensive, handcrafted automobile that can see everyday use. Vehicles weren't meant to sit in museums, and while some historical autos belong in that setting, most beg for the road - old or new. So, you could be totally selfish and drop $1 million on purchasing and restoring a Lamborghini Miura, or you and the family can take a relaxing trip across the continent and enjoy what life has to offer.

Also check out more images from the event:

Gallery: Rolls Royce Drive of Distinction event

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Tags: feature, featured, featuredstories, features, rolls royce, rolls royce phantom, rolls royce phantom coupe, rolls royce top ten, rolls-royce, RollsRoyce, RollsRoycePhantom, RollsRoycePhantomCoupe, RollsRoyceTopTen, top ten list, top ten lists, TopTenList, TopTenLists

Burj Al Arab Gets 4 New Custom Rolls-Royces

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Luxury Cars & Autos, Wealth

The ultra-opulent Burj Al Arab hotel, symbol of Dubai's excess, has just received four new custom Rolls-Royce Phantom limousines, pushing its total fleet of Phantoms to 10. Produced by Rolls' Bespoke Programme, the cars' interiors feature Grecian key marquetry applied to the wood veneer, and the distinctive Burj Al Arab logo embroidered into the leather headrests. The cars are all white like the exterior of the hotel itself, which is home to the $18,000-per-night Royal Suite, one of the world's most expensive hotel rooms. Last year we wrote about the bespoke Rolls created for the Four Seasons George V in Paris with a custom Hermès interior.

Tags: bespoke, Burj Al Arab, BurjAlArab, Dubai, hotel, Rolls Royce, Rolls-Royce, RollsRoyce, UAE

The Brothel Prince & His Louis Vuitton Rolls-Royce

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Wealth, Crimes and Misdemeanors

Spotted in Monaco recently was this pimped-out Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe customized in a Murakami multicolored Louis Vuitton monogram, belonging to the infamous Prince Marcus von Anhalt. Von Anhalt, who's said to have essentially bought his title - Prinz von Anhalt, Herzog zu Sachsen und Westfalen, Graf von Askanien in full - by paying Zsa Zsa Gabor and her ninth husband Frédéric Prinz von Anhalt millions of dollars to adopt him, is one of Germany's largest and most high-profile brothel and nightclub owners.

He refers to himself as "Prince Germany" and apparently uses the Rolls to promote the Royal Race, a Gumball 3000-style exotic auto rally he launched last year. The Prince, who's been known to pal around with Pamela Anderson, claims to be a millionaire "in the three digit range" and to own 26 cars plus luxury real estate in several countries including Monaco and Dubai, attended by 12 bodyguards and 25 servants. This looks to us like not only a crime against taste but exactly the kind of thing LVMH's lawyers love to sue over.

[via JamesList]

Tags: Germany, Louis Vuitton, LouisVuitton, Monaco, Murakami, Pamela Anderson, PamelaAnderson, Prince Marcus von Anhalt, PrinceMarcusVonAnhalt, Rolls Royce, Rolls-Royce, RollsRoyce, Royal Race, RoyalRace, Royalty, takashi murakami, TakashiMurakami, Zsa Zsa Gabor, ZsaZsaGabor

Shanghai Motor Show 2009: New Rolls-Royce to be named Ghost

by Sam Abuelsamid (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Rolls Royce 200EX (Ghost) Concept - Click above for a high-res image gallery

Today in Shanghai China, Rolls Royce CEO Tom Purves announced that the company's new model would be called Ghost. The new smaller Rolls which had been referred to previously as the RR4 was shown as a concept called the 200EX at the Geneva Motor Show in March and will debut in production form at the Frankfurt show this fall. The Ghost uses a stretched version of the platform from the new BMW 760Li including a modified version of the 6.0-liter twin turbocharged V12 engine.

Ghost is a traditional Rolls-Royce name that like Phantom was meant to convey the extremely smooth and quiet operation of these British luxury machines as they slip through the world. The Ghost will eventually spawn coupe and convertible variants as well some time after the four door sedan goes on sale late this year.

Tags: rolls royce, rolls royce 200ex, rolls royce ghost, rolls royce rr4, RollsRoyce, RollsRoyce200ex, RollsRoyceGhost, RollsRoyceRr4

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Geneva 2009: Rolls-Royce introduces the 200EX

by Sam Abuelsamid (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Click the 200EX for a high-res gallery

Rolls Royce officially unveiled its 200EX concept in Geneva this week as the precursor to the fourth model in its lineup and the first not based on the immense Phantom. For the moment the 200EX is just a concept but this fall the production version will be revealed with a proper name, one likely to start with Silver. Compared to the Phantom this new model is some 18" shorter and is designed to be far less formal.

In spite of that "informality" this is absolutely a Rolls-Royce through and through. The interior is trimmed in the finest hides and wood veneers. This is clearly a more driver oriented car as evidenced by the thicker rim and smaller diameter on the steering wheel. However, those that prefer to have someone else handle the piloting duties will still find the rear compartment of the 200EX a very hospitable location with the lounge style seating well back of the C-pillar along with the coach style rear hinged doors.

The new grille with the vertical slats set back further from the frame is now meant to evoke more of a jet engine intake than a Greek temple. Rolls-Royce has not indicated a price range yet but it will undoubtedly be in keeping with Rolls tradition.

Gallery: Geneva 2009: Rolls-Royce 200EX

Tags: geneva, geneva 2009, geneva motor show, geneva2009, GenevaMotorShow, rolls royce, rolls royce 200ex, rolls royce rr4, RollsRoyce, RollsRoyce200ex, RollsRoyceRr4

Rolls-Royce 200EX Making its World Debut at the Geneva Motor Show

by Sam Abuelsamid (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Rolls-Royce 200EX

The newest addition to the Rolls-Royce model lineup still a year away from production but we'll be getting a preview in two weeks at the Geneva Motor Show. The car that until now has been referred to as the RR4 will appear as a concept called 200EX. When the production version of the 200EX hits the streets in 2010 it will be the fourth Rolls-Royce model since the company was reborn under BMW ownership in 2003. Compared to the Phantom saloon, the 200EX is about 18 inches shorter but it remains a big machine spanning 212.6 inches from bumper to bumper.

Rolls-Royce isn't revealing to many technical details yet but we do know that like the Phantom, the 200EX/RR4 will have V12 power. The new car will however get an all-new engine not shared with any other car. The new Roller retains the rear hinged coach (don't call them suicide) doors but its more modest size means this is likely to be more of a drivers car than the Phantom. As with any Rolls-Royce, the interior will be impeccably finished in the finest hides, wood veneers and fabrics. The final production version (and presumably its name) will debut this fall at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

Gallery: Rolls-Royce 200EX Concept

[Source: Rolls-Royce]

Tags: geneva 2009, geneva auto salon, geneva auto show, geneva motor show, Geneva2009, GenevaAutoSalon, GenevaAutoShow, GenevaMotorShow, rolls, rolls royce, rolls royce 200ex, rolls royce rr4, rolls-royce, RollsRoyce, RollsRoyce200ex, RollsRoyceRr4

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Project Kahn "White Pearl" Rolls-Royce Phantom

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Last month my colleague Deidre Woollard wrote about the bespoke Rolls-Royce Drophead Coupe from British-based Project Kahn. Now the ultra-high end customizer has come out with their version of the Rolls-Royce Phantom saloon, dubbed the White Pearl (above). Khan boss Afzal Kahn notes that no modification was needed for the Rolls' V12 powertrain, as there is "no need to even worry about the engine as it is without a doubt one of the best engines made today."

The upgrades are cosmetic, therefore, consisting of 22" Silver Mist alloy wheels with Rolls center caps and a "meticulous diamond polish" for each spoke. The luxury cruiser also gets a unique Pearl White finish, hence the name. Interior flourishes are left up to the individual purchaser's whims, via a bespoke design service, though black piano trim is de rigeur. Project Kahn also recently debuted their take on the Range Rover Vogue, finished in white as well.

Tags: Project Kahn, ProjectKahn, Range Rover, RangeRover, Rolls Royce, Rolls-Royce, Rolls-Royce Phantom, Rolls-roycePhantom, RollsRoyce, UK