1985 Rolls Royce Silver Spur Base Sedan 4-door 6.7l on 2040-cars

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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

Rolls-Royce Spectre EV is revealed, and it's production-bound

Rolls-Royce has formally announced plans to introduce a battery-electric coupe. Dubbed Spectre, the British super-luxe automaker's first EV will begin deliveries in late 2023, which has now become a key milestone in Rolls-Royce's roadmap to full electrification by the end of the decade. Apart from the name and layout, Rolls is being stingy with specifics, telling us only that, despite what appears to be a somewhat familiar silhouette, this is an all-new model built on the company's latest architecture, like Phantom, Ghost and Cullinan. Spectre is not merely a derivative of the Wraith, RR says. And with good reason, because Wraith was engineered around the essence of its V12. Spectre's character, we expect, will be defined by its near-silent, vibration-free electric powertrain, which makes for a very different acoustic backdrop, but that's a challenge Rolls-Royce engineers are prepared – arguably even predestined – to overcome. Even more than a century ago, both Charles Rolls and Sir Henry Royce were fascinated by electric powertrains. The automaker even shared some of Rolls' impressions of an EV he drove in April 1900 from Connecticut-based manufacturer Columbia:  "The electric car is perfectly noiseless and clean," he noted. "There is no smell or vibration, and they should become very useful when fixed charging stations can be arranged. But for now, I do not anticipate that they will be very serviceable – at least for many years to come." View 9 Photos "Today, 117 years later, I am proud to announce that Rolls-Royce is to begin the on-road testing programme for an extraordinary new product that will elevate the global all-electric car revolution and create the first – and finest – super-luxury product of its type," said Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Muller-Otvos.  "Charles RollsÂ’ prophecy has been the subject of constant consideration during the marqueÂ’s Goodwood era," he said. "But we have not been satisfied that available technology could support the Rolls-Royce experience. Until now." If there's any coherent theme to the message coming from Rolls-Royce, it's that the company intends to do right by its first EV. To that end,it  says it will develop Spectre "in plain sight," holding it to some of the most stringent development requirements of any vehicle that has carried the Spirit of Ecstasy.  "To do this, we have conceived the most demanding testing programme in Rolls-RoyceÂ’s history.

Rolls-Royce Ghost Zenith Collector's Edition is the ultimate Ghost

This generation of Rolls-Royce Ghost is coming to a close. We’ve seen a couple of prototypes for the new Ghost out testing in the wild, but it looks like Rolls has one more ace to play on the current car: the Zenith CollectorÂ’s Edition. If youÂ’re an avid Rolls-Royce enthusiast, you may remember that the British marque introduced a Zenith edition of the Phantom in 2016 when that generation of Phantom was wrapping up its 13-year tenure. WeÂ’ve had the current Ghost for about 10 years now, which means a new one is right around the corner. Before itÂ’s finished, Rolls-Royce is screwing together 50 of these Zenith Edition cars. Rolls says these 50 cars “will feature the highest levels of bespoke ever seen on a Ghost Collection car.” ThatÂ’s saying something for a company that will pretty much do anything you ask so long as your bank account can back it up. Take a gander through the photos above to see what the 1 percenters are riding around in these days. Changes to this Ghost versus a regular one are inspired from the 200EX Concept, which was the concept car for the Ghost back in 2009. Each Zenith Edition will house a commemorative ingot made from the 200EXÂ’s Spirit of Ecstasy — itÂ’s melted down, then part of it is being placed into the center console of each of the 50 Zeniths. There is a plaque that explains exactly what it is to anyone wondering. The center console features an engraving of some part of the 200EX Concept. The owner gets to choose exactly what part it is. All the door pockets are illuminated with some rather fantastic-looking lights shining through perforated leather. A special clock and door sill commemorates this Ghost as the Zenith Edition. From the outside, youÂ’ll notice that all Ghost Zenith cars have a two-tone paint scheme with only three options, all shown here. Rolls doesnÂ’t say how much they cost, but it does warn that order books for the Zenith will close imminently. The cars are being manufactured in West Sussex as we speak.