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Rolls-Royce Wraith and Dawn order books closed globally

Rolls-Royce closed order books for the Wraith coupe and Dawn convertible at the end of last year in the U.S. Brand chief Torsten Muller-Otvos told Autocar that both have since been removed from every market. Final orders are still being produced at the Goodwood factory, so the last Wraith and Dawn won't likely leave the line until early next year. But with the taps turned off and nothing to replace them yet, Rolls-Royce will soon be two-thirds of the way done with what has been a very successful chapter in its history. Those two offerings, as well as the Ghost sedan, are based on the architecture BMW created for the 2008 7 Series. Now only the Ghost remains of the trio, at this point planned for production until 2030 when Rolls-Royce will convert being to an electric-only automaker. More modern products like the Phantom II sedan and the Cullinan crossover ride on the company's Architecture of Luxury. That structure will also support the Spectre battery-electric coupe meant to go on sale at the end of 2023. Spectre spy shots reveal a body that looks much like the Wraith; however, Autocar says, "Rolls instead views the Spectre as a belated successor to the coupe version of the seventh-generation Rolls-Royce Phantom, with the pair sharing a similar footprint and the Spectre therefore having its own distinct positioning within the Rolls range." The erstwhile Phantom Coupe's length and wheelbase were about 20 inches longer than those of a Wraith. The Phantom II sedan is but a couple of inches longer than the previous two-door. Point being, the Spectre might be silent, but it won't be small. There will still be some BMW in it, however, like Rolls-Royce's version of the stacked headlights BMW is about to debut on the i7 and X7, and there's speculation the top-dog BMW iX M60i powertrain will cross the Channel to enter Goodwood's service. Peak output for the BMW reaches 610 horsepower and 811 pound-feet of torque, which sound like fine numbers for wafting.

Rolls-Royce's all-electric aircraft completes 15-minute maiden voyage

Rolls-Royce, best known in aviation for its jet engines, has taken an all-electric airplane on its maiden voyage. The "Spirit of Innovation" completed a 15 minute flight, marking "the beginning of an intensive flight-testing phase in which we will be collecting valuable performance data on the aircraft’s electrical power and propulsion system," the company announced.  Rolls-Royce said the one-seat airplane has "the most power-dense battery pack every assembled for an aircraft." The aircraft uses a 6,000 cell battery pack with a three-motor powertrain that currently delivers 400kW (500-plus horsepower), and Rolls-Royce said the aircraft will eventually achieve speeds of over 300 MPH.  This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. The flight comes about a year after the originally scheduled takeoff and about six months after taxi trials. Rolls-Royce is also developing an air taxi with manufacturer Tecnam, with the aim of delivering an "all-electric passenger aircraft for the commuter market," according to the companies. It has previously teamed with Siemens and Airbus on another e-plane concept.  Aircraft companies have been exploring electric airplanes for a number of years, as air travel and cargo accounts for an increasing amount of greenhouse gases. The World Wildlife Foundation has called it "currently the most carbon intensive activity an individual can make."  Weight is a much bigger problem for airplanes that it is for cars, however. Ford's all-electric Lightning pickup weighs 1,800 pounds more than the gas-powered model, and offers a range that's slightly under half. However, if you added 1,800 pounds to to a Cessna 206 Turbo Stationair, you'd exceed its useful load by 500 pounds before you even loaded passengers (or the pilot) — so it wouldn't even get off the ground.  The project was half funded by the Aerospace Technology Institute and UK government, with the aim of eventually creating all-electric passenger planes. "This is not only about breaking a world record; the advanced battery and propulsion technology developed for this programme has exciting applications for the Urban Air Mobility market and can help make ‘jet zeroÂ’ a reality," said Rolls-Royce CEO Warren East. This article by S. Dent originally appeared on Engadget. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

2016 Rolls-Royce Dawn debuts [w/video]

"It expresses this notion of opening up and the light coming in." Rolls-Royce officials said this of the new Dawn convertible during a private showing in Beverly Hills back in May. It was quite a coincidence, then, that the Friday I saw the Dawn in person was the first clear day in southern California after a stretch of unseasonable rain and clouds. I already told you many details about Rolls-Royce's new convertible Drophead, but now, ahead of its official debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show next week, we have the official release. And while the Dawn shares its underpinnings with the Ghost sedan and Wraith coupe, Rolls sees this new model as different enough to warrant a separate name. "It speaks of fabulous places and beautiful people." "Given its character, [the Dawn] deserved a name that was not ethereal," Rolls-Royce said. "It speaks of fabulous places and beautiful people. It's a lot sexier [than the Phantom]." And while the design seems like a convertible Wraith at a glance, nearly 80 percent of the Dawn's body panels are new. The doors carry over, but the chin is pulled forward by 2.1 inches compared to the Wraith and the grille is recessed by 1.7 inches. The beltline arches up around the back of the cabin, "how you turn a collar up on a jacket," according to one designer. The Dawn is a very pretty car, and the effect of the dark blue exterior contrasting with and orange interior stunning in person, if muted in the photos. The six-layer canvas top retracts in a silent operation, stowing neatly behind the open-pore wood deck just aft of the rear seats. In yet another breathless passage, Rolls says passengers should not be "inconvenienced by noise." With the top up, the profile of the Dawn is more three-box hot rod than the fastback look of the Wraith. A choice of 20- or 21-inch polished or painted wheels round out the exterior. Inside, Dawn is fitted with the same luxurious appointments and technology as Wraith and Ghost, with seating for four. Accessing the rear seats is easy, and there's ample legroom for tall passengers – I watched several six-foot-plus journalists nestle themselves back there without issue. That said, on planet Rolls-Royce the Dawn is not a 2+2. "In the world of Rolls-Royce, day-to-day mathematical norms don't always apply. That's why I say in the case of the new Rolls-Royce Dawn, 2+2 does not equal 4." But it holds four people. So, yeah. Rolls-Royce says the Dawn is its "most versatile canvas" yet.