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Ringbrothers' 'Paramount' 1961 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II wafts into SEMA

Perennial SEMA show stars Mike and Jim Ring, known as Ringbrothers, brought three builds to Las Vegas this year. There's "Tusk," the Hellephant-powered 1969 Dodge Charger, and there's "Uncaged," a 1965 Ford Mustang that calls back to one of their builds from last year, a 1964.5 Mustang christened "Caged." These two represent the kind of confections we're familiar with from the Wisconsin-based brothers, American metal done up with marvelous lines and monstrous engines. The third build comes out of left field — or perhaps that's right field, depending on your perspective of the map. Known as "Paramount," it is a 1961 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II embodying the ideal balance of restraint and intervention. As we said of the Eneos 1969 Jaguar E-Type XKE 2+2 with the Toyota 2JZ engine, it's the kind of Frankenstein build we love to see at SEMA. The two Rings held themselves back from changing the sedan's lines, a rare and, in this case, excellent show of standoffishness. There's almost nothing to give the game away outside except the Ringbrothers badge on the trunk. An enthusiast would eventually notice the rolling stock, yet even the 18-inch EVOD Industries wheels in Falken rubber comply with the historic look and maintain proportions that respect the Paramount aura — finished here in BASF Glasurit's White as Fluff paint. The wheels hide what would be a glaring tell, Baer Pro six-piston calipers clamping 15-inch rotors. Likewise with the interior, where an oversized steering wheel with knurled spokes, ornate gauges and discrete billet switchgear, seats and picnic tables wrapped in blood red leather, and even the headliner with its 1,000 hand-sewn LEDS convey the appropriate depth of genuine Rolls-Royce veneer. And no one can spot the carbon fiber instrument panel and door cards behind the actual veneers. That headliner is a nod to modern Rolls, as are the gyroscopic center caps in the wheels that ensure the "RR" remains upright. We've never seen a Rolls-Royce with a custom rear armrest hiding two small bottles of Don Julio tequila, though. Everything else? All the bits you can't or rarely see? Gone. The original dual-carb 6.2-liter V8 that produced 185 horsepower and 339 pound-feet of torque retired to Cornwall, replaced by a Corvette's supercharged 6.2-liter V8 making 640 horsepower and 635 pound-feet of torque.

Rolls-Royce sketching out SUV for possible 'late 2017' release

With each new story on the Rolls-Royce SUV, the Goodwood automaker comes off as more at ease with their reluctantly birthed yet necessary sport ute. Company design chief Giles Taylor told Autocar that his team is still "sketching to assess the viability of the concept," which to ours ears means they're trying to figure out if such a beast is even possible within the confines of the brand. If it is, Taylor says it will be "a shooting brake, not a crossover with a sloping roof. A proper SUV."
A different company source, unnamed, seems confident that Taylor's team will figure it out, telling the magazine it would start at 200,000 pounds ($335K US). However, that same source said the vehicle will be "a kind of Mercedes-GLK-plus-plus," which is a baffling description in several ways. More reasonable is the speculation that it will ride on Ghost, not Phantom, architecture and make its debut sometime around late 2017.
That Ghost platform is expected to take cues from the carbon, aluminum and steel bones that supported the BMW Vision Future Luxury concept shown at the Beijing Motor Show and destined for the 9 Series. Some of those tricks will also go into the next-generation Phantom, which Autocar says will come in 2017 and not 2020.

Blacked-out Rolls-Royce Cullinan Black Badge returns with new design

Rolls-Royce's blacked-out Cullinan Black Badge was popular enough to warrant a follow-up. Designed for buyers who want a less traditional look, the Cullinan Series II-based Black Badge features specific exterior details and carbon fiber trim that takes 21 days to manufacture. BMW-owned Rolls-Royce isn't the only carmaker that offers a blacked-out trim level, but it takes the look further than most. Up front, the illuminated grille is finished in black with contrasting silver accents, though buyers can alternatively order an all-black grille, and all of the exterior trim pieces (including the power-retractable Spirit of Ecstasy emblem, the trim around the window, and even the door handles) are black as well. Black Badge-specific 23-inch wheels and red-painted brake calipers round out the list of major exterior changes. Inside, one of the highlights is the Technical Carbon trim also found in the original Cullinan Black Badge. Rolls-Royce notes that this trim is finished with six coats of lacquer, cured for 72 hours, and hand-polished. There are 23 individual trim pieces; making them takes 21 days. One of the numerous upholstery options is a type of cloth called Duality Twill. It's made from bamboo and inspired by the bamboo grove in Le Jardin des Mediterranees, which is a park located in the south of France that's home to numerous exotic plants from around the world. Here again, the amount of work that goes into each detail is stunning: Rolls-Royce notes that making a full Duality Twill interior requires up to 2.2 million stitches and 11 miles of thread. Other upholstery types are available, and the list of options includes a champagne cooler. Power comes from a stock, 6.75-liter V12 that's twin-turbocharged to 591 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque. It spins the four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. Rolls-Royce added a driving mode called "Low" that changes the exhaust system's tone and volume and makes the shifts 50% quicker when the throttle is pushed at least 90% in. It also decreased the brake pedal's travel. There's no word yet on how much of a premium the Black Badge carries over the standard Cullinan Series II.