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Rolls-Royce Cullinan offered in miniature 1:8 scale replica

Rolls-Royce sold a record 5,152 cars last year, up 25% thanks to demand for its new Cullinan SUV, and now it wants to sell a new version. It’s a 1:8 scale replica of the ultra-luxury “high-bodied vehicle,” which is what the brand originally went out of its way to refer to what it now acknowledges is an SUV. These are incredibly detailed, not-so-miniature replicas of the Cullinan, down to fully-functioning exterior lights operated by remote control and a “perfect likeness” of the 571-horsepower 6.75-liter twin-turbo V12. It also has illuminated tread plates, embroidered headrests and wood finishes in the cabin Each model is individually built by hand — and a white-gloved hand at that, if weÂ’re to believe the manufacturerÂ’s photos — from more than 1,000 components. Each one takes as much as 450 hours to build, which is more than half the time it takes to build the real vehicle at Goodwood. ItÂ’s then hand-painted with Rolls-Royce color-matched paint and polished by hand. Clients can choose from an astonishing 40,000 standard colors, or replicate a finish of their own choosing. The finished product comes presented in a meter-long display case, set on a gloss-black floor and mounted on a base, with a removable plastic window for closer inspection of the minutiae. “It demonstrates, and reminds us as a company, that inspiring greatness applies at every scale,” the brandÂ’s CEO Torsten Muller-Otvos said in a statement. WeÂ’ve asked Rolls about the price for the miniature and will update this if we hear back. The starting price of the full-size SUV itÂ’s modeled on is $330,000. Related Video:

Rolls-Royce Phantom celebrates decade of decadence

Ten years ago, Rolls-Royce opened its Goodwood manufacturing facility and handed over the keys to the very first Phantom. Back then, parent company BMW was cranking out Phantom sedans at the blistering pace of one unit per day. By the end of 2003, that number had tripled, and today, the Goodwood plant builds a total of 20 Phantoms in sedan, coupe, drophead and extended-wheelbase models during a single day's working hours. Originally, there were fewer than 400 workers on staff responsible for hand-building the big cruisers, but now the plant boasts over 1,400 craftsmen, with 100 of those positions added in 2012 alone.
Rolls-Royce boasts one of the lowest staff turnover rates of any brand in the industry, thanks in part to a successful apprenticeship and internship program, and the company notes 80 percent of its workers live within 15 miles of the facility. You can read the full press release on the 10th anniversary of both the Phantom and the Goodwood plant below.

Rolls-Royce electric airplane smashes record, hits 387.4 mph

Just two months after its maiden flight, Rolls-Royce's "Spirit of Innovation" has hit a top speed of 387.4 mph, tentatively smashing the speed record for electric airplanes, Gizmodo has reported. It also claimed the top speed of 345.4 MPH over a 3 kilometer (1.86 mile) course and lowest time to a 3,000 meter (9,843 feet) altitude (202 seconds). The records have yet to be certified, but if the 345.5 mph speed stands, it would beat the current record of 213 mph — held by a Siemens-powered Extra 330LE — by an impressive 132 mph.  Rolls-Royce (the aviation, not the car company), conducted the tests on November 16 as part of its ACCEL (accelerating electrification of flight) project. To have the records certified, it's submitting the trials to the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI), the body in charge of world aviation records. If confirmed, the speeds would be pretty impressive considering that the plane only made its maiden flight in September — suggesting that with more time, it could go even faster. 51690212450_7e8bcb3ad8_k View 12 Photos The Spirit of Innovation is an old-school "tail-dragger" airplane (steering at the rear) with the canopy pushed way back, and looks as fast as it goes. It's powered by a 400 kW (535 HP), 750 volt motor. Rolls-Royce said it uses the "most power-dense propulsion battery pack ever assembled in aerospace," with 6,480 cells.  As Engadget detailed in an explainer, electric airplanes aren't practical since current batteries are 50 times less energy dense than jet fuel. However, they do hold some promise for very short trips, like a 30 minute jaunt between Vancouver and Victoria in Canada. And unlike non-turbocharged ICE engines, electric motors retain full power as an airplane climbs, making them ideal for time-to-altitude record attempts — as the Spirit of Innovation has just shown.  Green Rolls-Royce