2004 Rolls Royce Phantom on 2040-cars

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Rolls-Royce shows its festive side with limited-edition Neon Nights models

Anyone who has traveled to Las Vegas has undoubtedly seen brightly-colored Rolls-Royces parading down the Strip, but these head-turning creations usually weren't painted at the factory. The firm decided to flaunt its flamboyant side and one-up the tuners by releasing a colorful trio of limited-edition models named Neon Nights. Rolls-Royce based the Neon Nights on the Black Badge variants of the Wraith, the Dawn, and the Cullinan. Buyers have three colors to choose from: Lime Rock Green (for the Wraith), Eagle Rock Red (for the Dawn), and Mirabeau Blue (for the Cullinan). The first two receive gray leather, while the latter gets a white interior. Stylists didn't choose these colors at random. Lime Rock Green, in Rolls-Royce's own words, is naturally bestowed on the Australian green tree frog. One of its paint specialists spotted one while traveling. Eagle Rock Red is inspired by the flowers of a Hawaiian tree named 'Ohi'a lehua, and Mirabeau Blue is the paint team's tribute to the Periander metalmark butterfly that's native to Central and South America. After selecting suitably exotic plants and animals, Rolls-Royce's in-house paint team set out to give each hue a neon-like glow. Building the Neon Nights cars on the Black Badge variants peppers a bit of irony on the project, but it also gives customers more power. Pop the Cullinan's long, stately hood to find a 6.75-liter V12 that's twin-turbocharged to 600 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque, up from 563 and 627 in the regular model. Both the Dawn and the Wraith receive a twin-turbocharged, 6.6-liter V12 with 593 horsepower and 620 pound-feet of torque on tap, increases of 30 and 15, respectively, over the cars not ordered with the optional Black Badge package. Rolls-Royce explained it initially planned to cap production at one car per color, and it noted the trio was created specifically for customers in the United States. Unexpected demand from other global markets convinced the company to paint three additional cars in each color, meaning a total of 12 examples will be produced. Pricing hasn't been announced yet, but the buyers the British firm is trying to reach don't need ask for a window sticker. Related Video:

Rolls-Royce mulling V16 roadster, SUV

Rolls-Royce may be working on a new, mega-powerful roadster for 2017. CAR reports the convertible would conceivably boast a V16 engine. Of course, the report gets a little muddled here, with CAR saying the engine would be very similar to that of the one that powers the Bugatti Veyron - the French machine makes use of a W16 mill. Even so, the article says the Rolls-Royce version could put down around 700 horsepower. Design wise, we're told the creation will feature a suitably long nose with the passenger compartment pushed far to the rear.
Of course, 2017 is a long way off, and the thought of a 16-cylinder, naturally aspirated engine bowing under the crush of ever more stringent government fuel efficiency and emission regulations seems unlikely. We'll just put this one in the wait-and-see file for the time being. In the interim, you can hop over to CAR for a closer look at the magazine's rendering of the would-be roadster. If a V16 convertible does happen, look for a smug look on Rowan Atkinson's face.
Oh, and about that SUV? There's not much to report, though CAR does note that officials are keeping a close eye on rival Bentley and its plans for a luxury utility vehicle. Rolls brand boss Harald Krüger has even gone so far as to admit "we're regularly debating whether to take action."

Autoblog's top 50 car photos of 2016

This one shouldn't need much explanation. We like cars a whole lot, and that includes not just driving them but taking great pictures of them. We've collected our 50 favorite images from this year in the mega-gallery above. It's a mix of old and new, with a healthy dose of vintage and modern race cars mixed in, and not one single shot under the harsh lights of an auto show. So click through and enjoy. Featured Gallery Autoblog's Top 50 Photos of 2016 View 50 Photos Image Credit: Copyright 2016 Autoblog.com Audi BMW Chevrolet Dodge Ferrari Ford Lamborghini Mazda McLaren Mercedes-Benz Porsche Rolls-Royce Volvo Convertible Coupe Motorcycle Luxury Racing Vehicles Performance Supercars Classics