2010 Rolls-royce Phantom on 2040-cars

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New Rolls-Royce Boat Tail shows off coachbuilding chops of the Phantom platform

Rolls-Royce is flexing the coachbuilding muscles of its highly versatile new Phantom platform with this gorgeous Boat Tail commission. Rolls-Royce claims the build required the fabrication of more than 1,800 unique parts and 20 years of combined man-hours to complete.  Even by Rolls-Royce standards, this is pretty ambitious stuff. The commission was inspired by a 1932 Rolls-Royce Boat Tail, and like the original, it was inspired by, well, boats. Shocking, right? The trim elements both inside and out (Caleidolegno veneer, if you're curious) were designed to be reminiscent of the teak decking you'd see on a wooden yacht. "Today marks a seminal moment for the House of Rolls-Royce. We are proud to unveil Rolls-Royce Boat Tail to the world, and with it, the confirmation of coachbuilding as a permanent fixture within our future portfolio," said Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Muller-Otvos in the Boat Tail announcement.  "We have formally re-established our Coachbuild department for those patrons who wish to go beyond the existing restraints, and explore the almost limitless possibilities this opens up for them," Muller-Otvos said previously. "We are able to offer our customers the opportunity to create a motor car in which every single element is hand-built to their precise individual requirements, as befits our status as a true luxury house." There are quite a few bespoke accessories as well, though apart from the full picnic service shown in some of the pics (there doesn't appear to be much of a trunk — sorry, boot), most of it was left out of the promotional materials. Most notably absent are the custom his-and-hers Bovet 1822 timepieces that were commissioned alongside the car. They can be either mounted in the dash or worn on the wrist (of course), but we see only a glimpse of one in the top-down image Rolls-Royce provided.

Rolls-Royce planning plug-in hybrid

Rolls-Royce is not the first marque you'd think of when it comes to environmentally friendly transportation. Its cars are big - often the size of SUVs - and pack ginormous twelve-cylinder engines displacing over six and a half liters. Those upright Parthenon grilles can't be very aerodynamic, either. But the way the wind is blowing these days, Goodwood will have to get with the program sooner or later.
It developed an electric version of the Phantom a couple of years ago called the 102EX and showed it to customers around the world. But people weren't interested, so Rolls-Royce killed the program. Not to be deterred, however, Rolls is now said to be working on a plug-in hybrid that would countermand some of the shortcomings - like range and recharging times - that killed the 102EX.
The technology would apparently be borrowed from parent company BMW which is developing it for the X5 eDrive and allow Rolls-Royce to reduce its carbon footprint and offer a more environmentally friendly mode of transportation to those who don't want to skimp on the luxury and prestige.

Rolls-Royce bringing one-off Serenity to Geneva

Rolls-Royce is bringing Serenity of the Phantom kind, not the Joss Whedon kind, to the Geneva Motor Show. In case being driven around in 19-feet of extravagance wasn't enough, the firm's Bespoke Design team has stitched together a silk interior inspired by its historic cars, European furniture and Japanese Royal Kimono designs. We're told the result is a "haven of tranquility," as if that weren't the case before. It's also called "the most opulent interior of any luxury car," which makes us think Rolls-Royce won't let us get within 30 feet of it with our half-finished convention hall coffee and ham sandwich. We'll start cleaning up for the privilege now; there's a press release below in the meantime. Show full PR text ROLLS-ROYCE MOTOR CARS TO BRING SERENITY TO THE 2015 GENEVA INTERNATIONAL MOTOR SHOW 12.02.2015 -- The Rolls-Royce Motor Cars stand at this year's Geneva International Motor Show will be a haven of tranquility as the celebrated marque brings Serenity to Switzerland. Celebrating the historical role played by silk as a symbol of regal and imperial power, the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Bespoke Design team has created a magnificent one-off motor car which will set a new benchmark for luxury individualisation in the motor industry, and reaffirm that Bespoke is Rolls-Royce. Delivering authentic modern luxury, Serenity will reintroduce the finest of textiles to create the most opulent interior of any luxury car. This unique design demonstrates the levels of craftsmanship, creativity and attention to detail only Rolls-Royce Motor Cars can offer. The marque's Bespoke Design team has taken inspiration from the opulent interiors of Rolls-Royces that have conveyed Kings and Queens, Emperors and Empresses and world leaders throughout history, whilst using contemporary interpretations of European furniture combined with Japanese Royal Kimono designs to deliver a truly innovative, modern and tranquil Rolls-Royce interior. The new benchmark in super-luxury motor cars will be unveiled at a press conference in Hall 6 of the Geneva International Motor Show at 13.30hrs on 3rd March. The car will be on the stand for visitors to admire from 5th to 15th March. Design/Style Geneva Motor Show Rolls-Royce Luxury Sedan rolls-royce phantom