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Former BMW M boss and Maserati CEO killed in freak motorcycle accident

It's a tragic coincidence that on the same weekend the BMW M4 Coupe Concept was introduced in Monterey, one of the men most integral to BMW's M and Motorsports divisions, Karl-Heinz Kalbfell, was killed in England. Kalbfell, a vintage motorcycle enthusiast, was set to compete in the Lansdowne Classic Series at Brands Hatch and had an accident during a practice session. After going wide at Druids Corner and falling, he was hit by a competitor following close behind and died of his injuries after being transported to hospital.
Kalbfell, an engineer, began his career at BMW in 1977 in the communications department; a decade later he was chairman of BMW M GmbH, overseeing development of some of the cars responsible for the myth of M. In 1994 he was named chairman of BMW Motorsport, and his cap full of feathers includes getting the BMW V12 into the McLaren F1, getting the BMW V8 into two Morgan cars, along with developing BMW's Formula One engine and return to the sport. Not incidentally, he also assumed leadership of Project Rolls-Royce after BMW bought the British marque in 1998, which means he oversaw the Goodwood factory upfit and the creation of the Phantom.
He left Rolls-Royce for a brief stint at Fiat, heading Alfa Romeo and Maserati, then went into consulting for clients like Lotus and Paragon, who built the Artega GT. As Autocar notes, Kalbfell "had an abiding sense that customers needed to be attracted to cars by their aura and reputation, not just their engineering." He will be missed.

Rolls-Royce bringing three customer-commissioned cars to Beijing show

Rolls-Royce inaugurated a customization center called Private Office in Shanghai, China, in 2023, and it will bring the first three cars created in the facility to the 2024 Beijing show. The builds are based on the Spectre, the Phantom, and the Ghost, and they're inspired by travel. The cars are grouped under the Spirit of Expression label, and each one is given a name. Shown above, the Spectre is named "Escapism" and finished in a color combination that references a flower called lantana found in the South American tropics. The top part of the coupe is painted in Tempest Gray while the bottom wears Lantana Red paint. This color also appears on the center caps fitted to the 23-inch wheels. Inside, there's Selby Gray, Purple Silk, and Sunset leather upholstery, Sunset piping, and a Starlight headliner with Sunset-colored lights. Rolls-Royce Phantom Spirit of Expression View 15 Photos Somewhat more subtle than the Spectre, the Phantom is an extended-wheelbase model named "Magnetism" that's also characterized by a two-tone look. Designers headed to Sicily's Cala Luna beach for inspiration: There's Kabira Blue paint above the beltline and Cala Luna Sand paint below it. Arctic White and Cala Luna Sand accents add a finishing touch to the look. The interior gets a Starlight headliner with white and Galileo Blue lighting, an array of stainless-steel inlays, as well as Blue Gray, Navy Blue, and Arctic White leather upholstery. Rolls-Royce Ghost Spirit of Expression View 12 Photos We're off to Boracay Island in the Philippines for the Ghost, which is called Expressionism. Boracay Blue paint "evokes the sunsets over Boracay Island," according to Rolls-Royce, and it's accented by a hand-painted Lime Green stripe added as a reminder of the island's tropical landscapes. Black, Arctic White, and Lime Green leather upholstery dominates the interior. Look up, and you'll see a Starlight headliner that features a unique wave pattern, "like silk in the wind," created with over 1,000 "stars." There are eight shooting stars, too. Rolls-Royce notes that the three Spirit of Expression cars were commissioned by customers, so they'll presumably head off to their new home when the Beijing show closes its doors. The brand will open additional Private Office centers later in 2024, meaning we'll undoubtedly see additional one-off models before the end of the year. Rolls-Royce points out that most of its clients pay extra to customize their car.

Rolls-Royce Cullinan SUV reveals its rear to the cameras

Last week, Rolls-Royce released some official photos of its upcoming SUV, code-named Project Cullinan. The SUV was still wearing full camouflage, and we could only see the front half, but it was our first peak at the new vehicle. Now, thanks to one of our spy photographers, we can see the rest. Immediately noticeable are the rear-hinged, suicide-style rear doors. There appears to be a dummy handle at the trailing edge of the door, but there's no hiding the real thing, which match up nicely with the front handles. Also evident is the plain and simple roof line. No flashy curves here, just simple lines and angles. In fact, the profile of the rear hatch is a bit reminiscent of the Land Rover Range Rover. The hatch drops down to a low-profile rear bumper that features squared-off cutouts for the exhaust. There are couple more details we spot in these photos as well. The unmistakable Rolls-Royce grille looks a bit more rounded than what we saw in the official photos. The result is a more familial look to the Ghost-based Rolls-Royce models. Also noticeable is the strong shoulder line found on every Rolls that runs just below the windows from the headlights to the tail. We can't quite see the tail end of the feature line because of some false body work, but it certainly appears to run the length of the car. See for yourself in the gallery above. Related Video: