Rolls-Royce Crafts One-Off Phantom Drophead Coupé Special with Bespoke Details

If your run of the mill Phantom Drophead Coupé is just too darn common, then you may want to take a look at this one-off special that will go on display at the Masterpiece London 2011, which is held in the South Grounds of the Royal Hospital in Chelsea, UK, from Saturday 30 June to Friday 5 July 2011.

The ragtop Phantom features a suite of bespoke design details, including teak decking, engraved tread plates and Spirit of Ecstasy with inscription that marks the centenary of the British automaker’s bonnet icon.

However, the most unique feature of the car is an Asprey jewelery case integrated in passenger glove compartment. Rolls Royce claims it took two working days to finish, using a “hide of softest grade-one suede cut into 15 separate pieces”.

The exterior is finished in a Mazarine Blue color that is said to join a palette of 44,000 shades that are already available to Phantom clients.

Inside, the special Rolls-Royce gets a natural-grain leather interior in a Seashell shade with Navy Blue contrast for the floor and door panels with embroidered R-R logos finished in headrests. The white instrument dials, rotary controllers and clock finished in mother-of-pearl, along with a special luggage set round off the changes.

“We are delighted to present this outstanding Rolls-Royce at Masterpiece London 2011,” said Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. “Craftsmanship and attention to detail shine through in features developed at Goodwood and in partnership with Asprey. It’s a model that demonstrates the breadth of our bespoke offering, where the only limit to what we can deliver is a client’s imagination.”

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Mini to Use Rolls Royce-Prepped Goodwood as a Sub-brand for Bespoke Models

In the same way the John Cooper Works moniker designates high-performance models, Mini plans to use the Goodwood name as a sub-brand for high-end luxury versions of its cars. According to British magazine Autocar, which quotes sources from within the company, the Goodwood badge will be used on luxurious, bespoke Minis just like the JCW badge is put on its high-performance models.

The first model of the Goodwood line is the “Mini Inspired by Goodwood”, which made its world premiere at the Shanghai auto show. The car is essentially a Cooper S that sports unique styling cues and trim options designed “in close collaboration” with Rolls-Royce. The name itself pays tribute to Rolls-Royce's headquarters, while the Shanghai unveiling signals the importance of the Chinese market for very expensive Minis.

Set to be built in a limited edition of 1,000 units, the Goodwood is rumored to cost around €47,000 in Europe ($70,000) when it goes on sale in spring 2012. The car uses the same materials and suppliers as Rolls-Royce models and is available either in Rolls Royce's Diamond Black metallic paint or Mini's Reef Blue finish.

The interior is highly personalized, with the entire dashboard, center console and seats finished in Rolls Cornsilk leather and the wood trim coming from Rolls-Royce too. The instruments also get RR fonts, and the car comes equipped as standard with a Harman Kardon hi-fi system. The most expensive Mini is powered by the same 1.6-liter turbocharged petrol engine motivating the Cooper S with 184HP and 240Nm (177 lb-ft) of peak torque. The 0 to 100km/h (62mph) sprint time is 7.0 seconds, while combined fuel consumption is rated at 5.8lt/100km (40.6 mpg US).

By Dan Mihalascu

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Rolls-Royce Opens its Largest Dealership in the World in Abu-Dhabi

The United Arab Emirates are known for their love of superlatives, so it comes as no surprise to find out that the world's largest Rolls-Royce showroom has just opened in Abu-Dhabi.

Located in the Umm Al Nar area of the city, the new facility was unveiled in the presence of Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös. The showroom has an area of 900 square meters (9,688 sq-ft) and can display five cars. The unit has an also new dedicated service facility, a coffee bar and a customer configuration lounge where future Rolls-Royce owners can specify their cars to their taste through a variety of color, trim samples and options.

“The showroom opening in Abu Dhabi represents one of a line of new and expanded Rolls-Royce showrooms which have been unveiled throughout the Gulf region in the last 18 months. These investments underline the continuing confidence that the company sees in the Rolls-Royce brand across the Middle East,” said the CEO.

“The Middle East region continues to be an important driver in the global growth of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. Last year the region contributed over 15% of our global sales. Abu Dhabi is no exception and continues to demonstrate remarkable year on year growth,” added the executive. Not surprisingly, 8 of the 82 Rolls-Royce dealerships that exist around the world are based in the Middle East.

To mark the occasion, Rolls-Royce displayed a Spirit of Ecstasy Centenary Collection Phantom Drophead Coupé. The car belongs to a limited series of 100 units built to celebrate the centennial of the figurine that adorns all Rolls-Royce cars.

Collection models come with design details such as special white-on-black double-R badge, Spirit of Ecstacy inspired coachlines and the legendary figurine bathed in white light.

By Dan Mihalascu

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Geneva Preshow: Rolls-Royce 102EX EV Study Might Just have the Largest Passenger Car Battery...in the World

Rolls-Royce has pulled the wraps off the next vehicle in its EX concept series, the 102EX (AKA Phantom Experimental Electric). The 102EX is meant to gauge reactions and opinions from the firm's clientele, shareholders, and the general public in regards to a Roller with a non-traditional drive train. As the 102EX is strictly a concept, Rolls-Royce hopes to resolve any issues that people might have with an all-electric - or any non-traditionally powered - Rolls.

Going back to the RR playbook, customers are the most important people to the Spirit of Ecstasy. Therefore, the manufacturer wants to be sure that expectations are met, not too much extra effort has to be put into ownership ("acceptable range...without frequent recharging"), and a proper Rolls-Royce ownership experience is provided.

Using the Phantom's aluminum spaceframe as a base, Rolls-Royce engineers have installed two electric motors (145 kW each) and a lithium-battery pack in the 102EX. The pack uses five lithium-cobalt-manganese-oxide (or NCM) "pouch cells" sized at four, eight, ten, thirty-six, and thirty-eight cells in a formation that mimics the shape of the usual engine and transmission.

Charging is performed by three individual 3kW chargers that allow for both single-phase and three-phase charging at 20 hours and 8 hours, respectively. Rolls is also trying out induction charging, which uses a giant transfer pad on the floor and an induction pad under the car (like those Powermat phone chargers).

All told, the electric setup provides the 102EX with 290 kW (389HP) and 800 Nm of torque (versus 338 kW or 453HP and 750 Nm in the standard Phantom). Current estimates put the 102EX's range at 200 kilometers (124 miles) with the ability to reach 60 mph (96 km/h) in under 8 seconds (5.7 seconds for the V12 Phantom) and a limited top speed of 99 mph (160 km/h).

Trying not to sway too far from expectations, the 102EX will retain many standard Roll-Royce features while applying new ideas that represent the car's electric heart.

Its exterior is finished in four coats of Atlantic Chrome, a shade of paint that uses ceramic nano particles to provide a unique reflective surface. Also, the nose-mounted Spirit of Ecstasy is now made of Makrolon (not stainless steel) and will glow. The fuel cap has been modified to provide a charging point with LED indicators that show current charge status such as blue (initial stage), flashing blue (charging), green (fully charged), flashing green (when the charging solenoid is removed). Red or flashing red indicates a problem in the system.

Atlantic Chrome also finds its way to the interior, where the car's gauges have been modified to provide the electric drive train's information; examples include gauges for battery charge level, power reserve, etc. To make things even more convenient, there is a switch in the front center armrest that controls charging and houses a readout showing the car's charge status.

Now, to the luxury feel; the interior wears Corinova leather, which uses a "natural vegetable tanning process" and is 100% chrome-free and uses an aluminized foil weave instead of wood.

Scroll on down for more pictures, and don't forget to check back for live shots from the 2011 Geneva Motor Show.

By Phil Alex

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