Rolls-Royce was a British luxury car and later an aero-engine manufacturing business established in 1904 in Manchester, United Kingdom by the partnership of Charles Rolls and Henry Royce. Building on Royce's reputation established with his cranes they quickly developed a reputation for superior engineering by manufacturing the "best car in the world". The First World War brought them into manufacturing aero-engines. Joint development of jet engines began in 1940 and they entered production. Rolls-Royce has built an enduring reputation for development and manufacture of engines for defence and civil aircraft.

Henry Royce started an electrical and mechanical business in 1884. He made his first car, a two-cylinder Royce 10, in his Manchester factory in 1904. Henry Royce was introduced to Charles Rolls at the Midland Hotel, Manchester on 4 May of that year. Rolls was proprietor of an early motor car dealership, C.S. Rolls & Co. in Fulham.

The first Rolls-Royce car, the Rolls-Royce 10 hp, was unveiled at the Paris Salon in December 1904.

When World War I broke out in 1914, officials of the Admiralty and the War Office asked Rolls-Royce to build aircraft engines. The company had experience only with motorcars but responded with a 12-cylinder aero engine, the Eagle. Tested initially at 225 horsepower in March 1915, its later versions produced as much as 360 horsepower. It powered important twin-engine bombers including the Handley Page 0/400 that later became a successful airliner and the Vickers Vimy that, in 1919, became the first airplane to fly across the Atlantic Ocean.

The company went on to produce about half the aircraft engines used by the Allies in World War I. By the late 1920s, aircraft engines made up most of Rolls-Royce’s business. Henry Royce’s last design was the Merlin aero engine, which was developed after the R engine, which had powered a record-breaking Supermarine S6B seaplane to almost 400 mph in the 1931 Schneider Trophy. The Merlin became the engine fitted to the Hawker Hurricane, Supermarine Spitfire, De Havilland Mosquito and the heavy bombers Vickers Wellington and Avro Lancaster. It was also made under licence by Packard to great effect with the American P51 Mustang.

In 1971 Rolls-Royce was nationalised and in 1973 Rolls-Royce Motors was formed as a separate entity from the aircraft and marine engine business.

10hp

1904-1906   10hp

The Rolls-Royce 10 hp was the first car to be produced as a result of an agreement of 23 December 1904 between Charles Rolls and Henry Royce, and badged as a Rolls-Royce. The 10 hp was produced by Royce's company, Royce Ltd., at its factory in Cooke Street, Hulme, Manchester, and was sold exclusively by Rolls' motor dealership, C.S.Rolls & Co., at a price of £395. The 10 hp was exhibited at the Paris Salon in December 1904, along with 15 hp and 20 hp cars and engine for the 30 hp models.

The 10 hp was a development of Henry Royce's first car, the Royce 10, of which he produced three prototypes in 1903. This was itself based on a second-hand Decauville owned by Royce which he correctly believed he could improve. In particular, Royce succeeded in making his car significantly quieter than existing cars. Unlike the Royce 10 which had a flat topped radiator, the Rolls-Royce 10 hp featured one with a triangular top which would appear on all subsequent cars.

In 1907, the Silver Ghost was declared ‘The Best Car in the World' after its record-breaking success. Travelling from London to Glasgow 27 times - covering 14,371 consecutive miles - the iconic motor car broke the world record for a non-stop motor run while demonstrating unrivalled reliability and comfort.

40/50 silver ghost

The Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost name refers both to a car model and one specific car from that series. Originally named the "40/50 h.p." the chassis was first made at Royce's Manchester works, with production moving to Derby in July 1908, and also, between 1921 and 1926, in Springfield, Massachusetts. Chassis no. 60551, registered AX 201, was the car that was originally given the name "Silver Ghost." Other 40/50 hp cars were also given names, but the Silver Ghost title was taken up by the press, and soon all 40/50s were called by the name, a fact not officially recognised by Rolls-Royce until 1925, when the Phantom range was launched.

The Silver Ghost was the origin of Rolls-Royce's claim of making the "best car in the world" – a phrase coined not by themselves, but by the prestigious publication Autocar in 1907. The chassis and engine were also used as the basis of a range of Rolls-Royce Armoured Cars.

the whisper

By 1910 personal mascots had become the fashion of the day. Rolls-Royce were concerned to note that some owners were affixing "inappropriate" ornaments to their cars. Claude Johnson, then managing director of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, was asked to commission a more dignified and graceful mascot.

He turned to Sykes to produce a mascot which would adorn all future Rolls-Royce cars and become generic to the marque, with the specifications that it should convey "the spirit of the Rolls-Royce, namely, speed with silence, absence of vibration, the mysterious harnessing of great energy and a beautiful living organism of superb grace..."

Sykes chose to modify The Whisper into a version similar to today's Spirit of Ecstasy. He called this first model The Spirit of Speed. Later, Charles Sykes called it "A graceful little goddess, the Spirit of Ecstasy, who has selected road travel as her supreme delight and alighted on the prow of a Rolls-Royce motor car to revel in the freshness of the air and the musical sound of her fluttering draperies."

phantom I jonckheere coupe

There are few cars that are as dramatic as the Jonckheere Coupe. Its imposing length, menacing curves and oversize grill make most other pre-war cars look boring. And it certainly makes most other Rolls-Royces look staid by comparison. Furthermore, the benchmarks of size, stature, cost and risk will probably never be reached again. If we had to pick the most memorable Rolls-Royce, this would have to be it. The origin’s of the Jonckheere Coupe stretch around the world, but start in Great Britain at the Rolls-Royce factory. As early as 1907, Rolls and Henry Royce were setting high standards of luxury, reliability and craftsmanship in their cars. This trend never died and the same company is still making cars true to the company’s origins. This design philosophy caught the attention of the Raja of Nanpara. His Great Nanpara Estate had already contained a polished aluminum 40/50HP Silver Ghost when he ordered Rolls-Royce’s latest Phantom. Upon arrival, the owner probably didn’t like the conventional Hooper cabriolet bodywork because it was eventually scrapped and replaced with what you see here. Almost 10 years old, this rolling chassis was then shipped to Belgium to the shop of Henri Jonckheere and his son Joseph Jonckheere. They were well known throughout Europe for making bodies on both cars and busses. The Jonckheeres created an extravagant body which has just as much impact 75 years after its constuction as it did in 1935. The car was finished in time for the Concours on the French Riviera where it won the ‘Prix de Cannes’ award.

Bentley and Rolls-Royce are probably best known Britain’s luxury car producers. They are strikingly different yet strikingly similar at the same time which is a result of their history which became permanently intertwined in the early 1930s when Bentley was acquired by Rolls-Royce. 

Bentley was severely hit by the Great Depression and in 1931, Barnato notified the lenders he is no longer able to meet the debts he had guaranteed for. The court appointed a Receiver to Bentley and in November 1931, the company was bought by the British Central Equitable Trust which was in reality Rolls-Royce. From the acquisition of Bentley by Rolls-Royce, the future development of both car producers became intertwined with Bentley being dependant on the Rolls-Royce’s owner. This, however, has been shown to have no effect on the brand. Just like Rolls-Royce remains associated with pure luxury, Bentley remains associated with top sports cars and high performance for increased driving experience.

the phantoms

Wraith is an old Scottish word meaning "ghost" or "spirit", continuing Rolls-Royce's (at the time) new nomenclature that they had adopted, using words relating to silent, gracious, elegant, rarely seen and highly sought after for these reasons. In fact, the Wraith name originated from a 40/50 h.p, (Silver Ghost) that was named "The Wraith" by its original owner.

silver cloud

The Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud is a luxury automobile produced by Rolls-Royce Limited from April 1955 to March 1966. It was the core model of the Rolls-Royce range during that period. The Silver Cloud replaced the Silver Dawn and was, in turn, replaced by the Silver Shadow. The J. P. Blatchley design was a major change from the pre-war models and the highly derivative Silver Dawn. As part of a range rationalisation the Bentley S1 is very similar, apart from its radiator grille.

The Silver Cloud II was introduced in 1959. It was little changed externally, but was given a new Rolls-Royce developed 6.2 L V8 engine, which pushed the weight to 2.11 tonnes. Performance was greatly improved and top speed was raised to 183 km/h, but the main improvements were in acceleration and torque. Power steering became standard. Electrically operated windows were now available as an option.

The Silver Cloud III was first displayed to the public at the Paris salon at the beginning of October 1962 but along with the Bentley S3 the cars were displayed on a specialist coachwork stand as if the modifications were to the special order of a particular customer. External dimensions were slightly altered, the interior remodelled, the weight reduced by a little over 100 kg and improvements made to the engine . The headlights were grouped in a four-headlamp layout subsequently continued in the later Silver Shadow.

silver shadow

The Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow is a full-sized luxury car produced by British automaker Rolls-Royce in various forms from 1965 to 1980. It was the first of the marque to use unitary body and chassis construction. The Silver Shadow was produced from 1965 to 1976, and the Silver Shadow II from 1977 to 1980. To date, the combined model run has the largest production volume of any Rolls-Royce.

Style-wise, the John Polwhele Blatchley design was a major departure from its predecessor, the Silver Cloud. More than 50% of Silver Clouds had been sold on the domestic market where, by the standards of much of Europe and most of North America, roads were narrow and crowded.

The Shadow featured a 172 hp  6.2 L V8 from 1965 to 1969, and a 189 hp 6.75 L V8 from 1970 to 1980. Both powerplants were coupled to a General Motors-sourced Turbo Hydramatic 400 automatic gearbox, except on pre-1970 right-hand-drive models, which used the same 4-speed automatic gearbox as the Silver Cloud (also sourced from General Motors, the Hydramatic).

In 1977, the model was renamed the Silver Shadow II in recognition of several major changes, most notably rack and pinion steering; modifications to the front suspension improved handling markedly.

Externally, the bumpers were changed from chrome to alloy and rubber starting with the late 1976 Silver Shadows. These new energy-absorbing bumpers had been used in the United States since 1974, as a response to tightening safety standards there. 

A two-door saloon was introduced early in 1966, followed by a convertible in 1967.^[1] There are two different versions of the two-door saloon – one by Mulliner Park Ward featuring "Coke bottle" style fenders, and the very rare James Young model that was only built in fifty examples (comprising 35 Rolls-Royces and 15 Bentleys). The James Young version was discontinued in 1967, leaving only the curvier Mulliner Park Ward model.

The convertible variant, by Mulliner Park Ward, was marketed as the Silver Shadow Drophead Coupé.

silver spirit

I: The Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit is a full-size luxury car produced by Rolls-Royce Motors, in Crewe, England, from 1980 to 1997. It was the first model in the SZ series. The Silver Spur is a long-wheelbase version of the Silver Spirit, produced from 1980 to 2000. It was the first car to feature a retractable Spirit of Ecstasy. The spring-loaded mascot sank into the radiator shell if dislodged from its position.

The Silver Spirit was introduced by Rolls-Royce in 1980 as the first of a new generation of company models. It formed the basis for the Flying Spur, Silver Dawn, Touring Limousine, Park Ward, and Bentley Mulsanne/Eight series.The Spirit/Spur carried over the basic design of the Silver Shadow, its 6.75 L L410 V8 engine and GM-sourced THM400 3-speed automatic gearbox, and similarly styled unitary bodywork manufactured at Pressed Steel. The Spur/Spirit continued the Silver Shadow's emphasis on ride quality by utilising its hydropneumatic self-levelling suspension, modified with Girling automatic hydraulic ride height control system and gas-charged shock absorbers.

II: The Silver Spirit II and Silver Spur II were refinements of the original models, introduced at the 1989 Frankfurt Motor Show.

Exterior and interior changes were minimal, with a considerably smaller steering wheel and two additional ventilation outlets added to the fascia mildly modernising the look up front.

III: The Silver Spirit III and Silver Spur III were introduced in 1993, featuring engine improvements and some cosmetic updates. A new design of intake manifold and cylinder heads increased power output. The parameters of the semi-active suspension system were modified so that shock absorbers would default into "soft" ride mode when they wore out (rather than "hard" in the previous Mark II, noticeably impacting ride quality). Dual airbags were introduced inside, along with independent adjustment of the rear seats.

IV: Major changes included the introduction of a Garrett turbocharger on all models and the replacement of the previous Bosch engine management systems with one by Zytec. Also new were updated integrated front and rear bumpers and sixteen-inch wheels. As of 1997, the long wheelbase became standard, with limousine models offered in extra-long only. Inside, a wooden column running down the centre of the dashboard was added.

production

camargue

1975-1986

The Rolls-Royce Camargue is a 2-door luxury saloon manufactured and marketed by Rolls-Royce Motors from 1975–1986. Designed by Paolo Martin at Pininfarina, the Camargue was the first  post-war production Rolls Royce not designed in-house (not including the more prolific coachbuilt Corniche by Mulliner-Park Ward, and the coachbuilt variants of production models such as Silver Wraith, Silver Cloud, and Silver Shadow which were built by firms such as James Young, Mulliner, Park Ward, Hooper, et al). The Camargue derives its name from the coastal region in southern France.

At launch, the Camargue was the Rolls-Royce's flagship and the most expensive production car in the world (but a bit cheaper than the Phantom). The Camargue shared its platform with the Rolls-Royce Corniche and Silver Shadow. It was powered by the same 6.75-litre  V8 engine as the Silver Shadow, although the Camargue was slightly more powerful. The transmission was also carried over – a General Motors Turbo-Hydramatic 3-speed automatic.

The car was sold in very limited numbers (531)  in European, American, Canadian, Australian and Asian markets. Several of the cars have since been modified into convertibles by after-market customizers.

In 1998, Vickers decided to sell Rolls-Royce Motors. The most likely buyer was BMW, which already supplied engines and other components for Rolls-Royce and Bentley cars.

Although Vickers plc sold the vehicle designs, nameplates, administrative headquarters, production facilities, Spirit of Ecstasy and Rolls-Royce grille shape trademarks to Volkswagen AG, Rolls-Royce plc chose to license the Rolls-Royce name and logo to BMW AG for £40 million, because Rolls-Royce plc had recently had joint business ventures with BMW.  Volkswagen agreed to sell BMW the Spirit of Ecstasy and grille shape trademarks and BMW agreed to continue supplying engines and components until 2003 so Volkswagen could keep producing. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited became the exclusive manufacturer of Rolls-Royce branded cars in 2003.

ghost

2010-2020

The Ghost was designed by Andreas Thurner and engineered by Helmut Riedl, who led the development of the larger Rolls-Royce Phantom. The Ghost, codenamed RR04 during its design phase, was developed to compete with vehicles significantly less expensive than the Phantom, such as the Bentley Flying Spur and V12 engine versions of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

The Ghost is based on a platform shared with the F01 BMW 7 Series. The company concedes that 20% of parts are common to both cars. The Ghost has a 129.7-inch (3,290 mm) wheelbase, roof height, bonnet height and track widths all of its own, and the Ghost uses Phantom-style air springs. The car also shares the FlexRay electronic system with its larger stablemate. The car has a curb weight of 2,470 kg.

Like other current Rolls-Royce models, the Ghost uses parent company BMW's iDrive user interface; the Spirit of Ecstasy bonnet ornament along with more functions, are controlled using the system.

The next-generation Ghost was spied testing for the first time on 24 January 2019 with a long-awaited update. This model will share the same platform as the Phantom VIII and the Cullinan SUV with its "Architecture of Luxury" (A.O.L) aluminium spaceframe chassis moving on from the BMW platform that the Ghost was on for Series I and II, creating a more comfortable ride quality for future Rolls-Royce models, which is what Rolls-Royce as a car brand is renowned for. The new spaceframe will also generate significant weight savings. The model was fully revealed on 1 September 2020.

The long version is less than 1% shorter than the Phantom.

series II  2025-now

wraith

The Rolls-Royce Wraith is a Full-size luxury car/ Grand tourer  based on the chassis of the Rolls-Royce Ghost. The Wraith shares its name with the 1938 model by the original Rolls Royce company.

The body style is a two-door pillar-less coupe with iconic suicide doors, where all side windows can roll down like in a convertible. This body style was popular in American cars during the 1950s and 60s and was known as the hardtop body style, not used by Rolls Royce since 1955.

The Wraith is billed as “the most powerful and dynamic Rolls-Royce in history”. The first bit is easily dealt with: a turbocharged 6.6-litre V12 sends 624bhp to the rear wheels, ten per cent more power than you’ll find even in the new Phantom and Cullinan. The Wraith is now one of the oldest Rolls-Royces on sale, having arrived in 2013.

dawn

The Rolls-Royce Dawn is a handmade 2+2 luxury convertible luxury grand tourer. 

The Rolls Royce Dawn was built in order to replace the earlier 2-door open top car model, the Rolls Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé. The Dawn was built on the basis of the Rolls Royce Ghost unlike the earlier model which was based on the 7th Generation Rolls Royce Phantom, The Flagship car model of Rolls Royce Motor cars until the arrival of the 8th Generation and the Rolls Royce Phantom coupé. The Rolls Royce Dawn is the only open top car made by the Rolls Royce Motor Cars that is still in production. The car has a limited top speed of 250 km/h  and weighs 2,560 kg. It can accelerate from 0–100 km/h in 4.9 seconds.

Rolls-Royce has said that 80% of its body panels are new compared to the Wraith. To balance exclusivity and efficiency, Andreas Thurner designed the Rolls-Royce Dawn hand in hand with the Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II and the Rolls-Royce Wraith (Co-Designer Rolls-Royce Wraith)

silver spectre shooting brake

The Niels van Roij Design Silver Spectre Shooting Brake, named after the image of a shadow, ghost or spirit, has been styled by Niels van Roij Design. The studio has also overseen the construction process. This conversion is based on the British grand tourer coupe, manufactured by the most recognised company of pinnacle luxury cars. The new bodywork springs from the base of the A-pillar and stretches all the way towards the tailgate. Silver Spectre Shooting Brake boasts breath-taking, athletic proportions, a delicate, silky smooth skin and sophisticated, purposeful details. The coachbuilt motor vehicle is a startling and authentic design statement, engineered methodically and constructed entirely by hand.”  The Silver Spectre Shooting Brake has an increase in power and torque output of the 6.6 liter twin-turbo V12 engine. The standard 632 hp and 800 Nm (or max 870 Nm of torque for Black Badge) has been increased to 700 hp and 900 Nm.

Only 7 examples of Silver Spectre Shooting Brake will be coachbuilt by hand through Niels van Roij Design.

sweptail

The Rolls-Royce Sweptail is a one-off large luxury car made in the United Kingdom by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. At the time of its May 2017 debut at the yearly Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este event it was the most expensive new automobile in the world, costing around $12.8 million USD. 

The Sweptail is based on the Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupé and hand-built over 4 years. Inspired by coachbuilding of the 1920s and 1930s. The Sweptail was commissioned bespoke in 2013 as a one-off automobile, at the request of a super-yacht and aircraft specialist who had a unique idea in mind.

Giles Taylor, director of design at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars described the Sweptail as "the automotive equivalent of Haute couture".

In 2019, the Sweptail was overtaken as the most expensive new car by the Bugatti La Voiture Noire which sold for $18.7 million.

cullinan

The Rolls-Royce Cullinan is a full-sized luxury sport utility vehicle (SUV) produced by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. The Cullinan is the first SUV to be launched by the Rolls-Royce marque, and is also the brand's first all-wheel drive vehicle. It is named after the Cullinan Diamond, the largest gem-quality rough diamond ever discovered.

In the U.S., it is not exempt from the gas guzzler tax because it is classified as a station wagon rather than an SUV. The Cullinan sits above the Ghost and below the Phantom in Rolls-Royce's line-up, with a starting price in the United States of approximately $325,000. It was unveiled in May 2018 at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este.

The Cullinan uses an aluminium spaceframe chassis; this is a version of Rolls-Royce's modular "Architecture of Luxury" platform. This platform made its debut in the Phantom VIII. The Cullinan is exclusively available with a twin-turbocharged 6.75-litre V12 engine. ZF's 8HP 8-speed automatic transmission is the Cullinan's sole gearbox option.

The Cullinan uses a permanent all-wheel drive system.

dawn silver bullet

The Rolls-Royce Dawn is the ultimate oceanside cruiser. It's fast, smooth, elegant, and provides ample room for three of your best friends. However, if you're looking for something a bit more intimate and exclusive, Rolls-Royce has an answer for you. The Dawn Silver Bullet. It's limited to just 50 units and looks simply stunning. It's an excellent piece for a collector looking to add a very limited run Dawn to their collection. It will surely be remembered as the most exclusive and stunning Dawn models of all-time.

Given this special edition is limited to just 50 units, it's likely that it will include the higher-output 6.6L V-12 from the Black Badge model.

The Silver Bullet is the first collection car from the brand in the new decade. It pays tribute to the spirit of legendary roadsters of the 1920s like the Rolls-Royce Phantom I Jonckheere Coupe (1925) and the Duesenberg Model J (1928) which embodied a glamorous lifestyle associated with a carefree attitude, a quest for adventure, and fast speeds along ocean roads.

bieber's retro‑futuristic rolls‑royce

The unlikely combination of cult Canadian pop star Justin Bieber and bespoke Southern Californian workshop West Coast Customs, of 2000s-era ‘Pimp My Ride’ MTV fame, have recently taken Henry Royce’s words to heart. They’ve converted Bieber’s 2018 Rolls-Royce Wraith into a radical one-off road car, inspired by the Goodwood-based marque’s 2019 103EX concept as part of the BMW Group’s centenary Vision Next 100 future initiative.

Bieber’s unique space-age Wraith borrows thinking from the 103EX dream car’s elongated bonnet, enclosed wheel arches and brushed metal crystalline coachwork, along with a permanently illuminated iconic ‘Spirit of Ecstasy’ transparent hood ornament for good measure. 

To create its awe-inspiring retro-futuristic appearance, West Coast Customs replaced virtually all of the Wraith’s exterior panels. Bieber’s daily driver Wraith now seemingly levitates, thanks to its full fixed front and rear wheel covers (the front wheels are narrower than standard to aid steering, with the camber angles changed, although speedbumps will be a potential nightmare), as well as unique wheel arches and quarter panels to create a Rolls Royce unlike any other. 

silent shadow

It should come as no surprise that Rolls-Royce is developing an EV. Great Britain decided last year to stop selling vehicles with an ICE engine from 2030. That decision has partly caused Rolls-Royce to skip the Plug-in hybrid route. Instead, the focus is entirely on an electric drive.

The drive of the Silent Shadow will largely be the same as the recently introduced BMW iX. This means a range of 600 km WLTP and 500 hp of pure electric power. Or as Rolls-Royce would describe it, “sufficient”. Whether these values ​​will be the same with the Silent Shadow is not yet known. However, expect that this number will be achieved at least. However, the comparison with BMW does not end there. BMW is also working on making its ultimate luxury machine electric, in the form of the I7. This model will be developed together with the Silent Shadow. Just like with the 7 series and the Ghost.

black badge

Rolls-Royce has been producing vehicles under the Black Badge label for several years now, with which the luxury brand aims to appeal to a younger clientele. In addition to more colorful interior colors, these model variants also receive a slight performance upgrade. The Cullinan, Dawn and Wraith currently form the basis for this special series. Few customers, however, are aware that the Black Badge models were based on historical models for which individual customers expressed special equipment wishes. The Rolls-Royce Black Badge vehicles stand at the pinnacle of the Rolls-Royce lineup.

Black Badge will give you a technical fiber fascia, silver-on-black Rolls-Royce badging, black-finished exterior details, and a gloss-black Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament. Of course, any driver who’s been paying attention will also look for the Black Badge Cullinan–one of the most potent luxury SUVs ever produced. Although all Rolls-Royce Black Badge models are available with finishing touches and exterior panels colored with the “blackest of blacks,” you shouldn’t let that stop you from choosing a unique palette.

spectre

The Rolls-Royce Spectre is a full-size electric luxury car manufactured by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. The first deliveries of the car will arrive in Q4 2023.

It will be Rolls-Royce's first EV and will ride on the same platform as the Phantom and Cullinan.  Spectre positions Rolls-Royce’s entrance into the electric world as a stamp of leadership — and the beginning of an era that will see the entire model portfolio electrified by 2030.

From the front, Rolls-Royce Spectre's split headlight treatment is intersected by the widest grille ever bestowed on a Rolls-Royce. The vanes of the Pantheon grille are now smoother in section and a flusher fit, designed to help guide the air around the motor car's front. In profile, the sharp, vertical bow line at the front of Rolls-Royce Spectre draws the eye rearward to its monolithic flanks. The lower line - known as the 'waft line' - borrows directly from yacht design. Instead of exaggerating movement with busy detailing or appliqués, Spectre's coachwork gently tucks into the sill, lightening the surfacing and creating an uncomplicated sense of motion by reflecting the road passing beneath it, much as the hull of a racing yacht reflects the ocean as it cuts through water.

Inside, Spectre is provisioned with the most technologically advanced Bespoke features yet, drawing inspiration from the timeless mystique of the night's sky. For the first time on a series production Rolls-Royce, Spectre is available with Starlight Doors, which incorporate 4,796 softly illuminated 'stars'. The coach doors can also be commissioned with a backdrop of wood Canadel Panelling, which takes its name from the cove in the South of France where Sir Henry Royce and his design team spent their winters.

The final power, acceleration and range figures are still being refined, as the extraordinary undertaking of finessing Spectre enters its final phase before concluding in the second quarter of 2023. Preliminary data shows that Rolls-Royce Spectre is expected to have an all-electric range of 520 kilometres WLTP and offer 900Nm of torque from its 430kW powertrain. It is anticipated to achieve 0-100 km/h in  4.5 seconds.

droptail

2023

Rolls-Royce just revealed the Droptail to the world during Monterey Car Week, in all likelihood shattering its own record for the world's priciest new car. That distinction was previously held by the Rolls-Royce Boat Tail, which debuted at last year's Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este. Rolls never reported the Boat Tail's official cost, as it was a bespoke project and only three coachbuilt cars were created to exact customer specifications.

www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com