1988 Rolls Royce 4 Door Sedan Silver Spur on 2040-cars

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This exploding Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow is angering, mesmerizing

Between Las Vegas and the emirates of the Persian Gulf, we're sure there are Rolls-Royces to be found in the desert all the time. And we don't doubt that, given those locations, one gets torched every so often. There'd probably even be someone in a tuxedo or evening gown running for cover when it happens, too. The thing is that we're seldom if ever there to watch it go down, much less capture it in stunning high-definition, frame-by-frame video when it does.
That's where this four-minute clip by Tyler Shields comes in. The American photographer and filmmaker staged and captured this Silver Shadow being doused in gasoline (or at least what we're supposed to believe is gasoline) and set afire in the Mojave Desert, along with actor Cru Ennis and actress Ana Mulvoy-Ten.
It's heartbreaking but mesmerizing, and you'll want to watch the video for yourself to see which side you fall on. If it's the former, take solace at least in the fact that the Silver Shadow is far from a rare beast. In fact, it remains by far the most prolific Rolls-Royce ever, with over 30,000 made between 1965 and 1980... so we doubt this one will be missed terribly.

Rolls-Royce debuts Phantom Coupe Aviator Collection at Pebble Beach

As if its cars aren't already exclusive enough on their own merit, Rolls-Royce is debuting an ultra-limited production version of the Phantom Coupe at Pebble Beach today. With only 35 cars expected to be built, the Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe Aviator Collection celebrates Charles Stewart Rolls - Rolls-Royce co-founder - who had a passion for flying and was only the second man in Britain to have a pilot's license before his death in 1910.
Unique elements of the Phantom Coupe Aviator Collection include the Aviator Grey exterior hue accented with a matte finish on the grille, hood and window frame. Setting the aeronautical theme of the car, the interior is fitted with exclusive features like the matte-black instrument gauges, an aviation-grade clock in the middle of the dash and a lower dash veneer that mimics the look of an old wooden airplane propeller. Even the transmission tunnel boasts an anodized aluminum cover with exposed torx-head bolts which attempts to match the fuselage of Rolls' award-winning (and Rolls-Royce-powered) Supermarine S6B aircraft.
No detail was overlooked in creating a truly unique atmosphere for the Aviator Collection so much so that it has a leather-lined glove box with the following quote from Rolls himself embossed into it:

Former BMW M boss and Maserati CEO killed in freak motorcycle accident

It's a tragic coincidence that on the same weekend the BMW M4 Coupe Concept was introduced in Monterey, one of the men most integral to BMW's M and Motorsports divisions, Karl-Heinz Kalbfell, was killed in England. Kalbfell, a vintage motorcycle enthusiast, was set to compete in the Lansdowne Classic Series at Brands Hatch and had an accident during a practice session. After going wide at Druids Corner and falling, he was hit by a competitor following close behind and died of his injuries after being transported to hospital.
Kalbfell, an engineer, began his career at BMW in 1977 in the communications department; a decade later he was chairman of BMW M GmbH, overseeing development of some of the cars responsible for the myth of M. In 1994 he was named chairman of BMW Motorsport, and his cap full of feathers includes getting the BMW V12 into the McLaren F1, getting the BMW V8 into two Morgan cars, along with developing BMW's Formula One engine and return to the sport. Not incidentally, he also assumed leadership of Project Rolls-Royce after BMW bought the British marque in 1998, which means he oversaw the Goodwood factory upfit and the creation of the Phantom.
He left Rolls-Royce for a brief stint at Fiat, heading Alfa Romeo and Maserati, then went into consulting for clients like Lotus and Paragon, who built the Artega GT. As Autocar notes, Kalbfell "had an abiding sense that customers needed to be attracted to cars by their aura and reputation, not just their engineering." He will be missed.