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First Dawn from Rolls-Royce raises $750k in charity auction

Even for a Rolls-Royce, $750,000 seems like a lot of money. But that's how much one customer paid this past weekend for the privilege of acquiring the very first example of the new Dawn convertible. And we're glad to report that the the money is going to a good place. Rolls-Royce introduced the Dawn this past September at the Frankfurt Motor Show as the convertible counterpart to the Ghost sedan and Wraith coupe. It's set to take on the likes of the Bentley Continental GTC and Mercedes S-Class Cabriolet, packing a 6.6-liter twin-turbo V12 good for 563 horsepower and 575 pound-feet of torque up front and a folding fabric roof over its four-seat cabin. The company's Bespoke division set up this particular example in Andalusian white, with a deep red roof, red coachline, and a corresponding interior in red and white with Indian rosewood paneling and special treadplates. Valued at over $400,000, the vehicle was donated for the charity auction at the Naples Winter Wine Festival held this past Saturday to benefit the Naples Children & Education Foundation. The winning bid of $750,000 was placed by insurance mogul and hedge fund manager Julian Movsesian, pictured inset at left with Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Muller-Otvos. He'll take delivery in April from the dealership in Naples before anyone else gets theirs. Over the same weekend in Arizona, an Acura NSX sold for $1.2 million, a COPO Camaro for $300k, and Jay Leno's Harley-Davidson edition Ford F-150 for $200k – all of them the first of their kind, and all benefiting charitable causes. Related Video: Rolls-Royce Dawn Raises $750,000 For Children's Charities As The Brand Marks A New Era With The Most Social Rolls-Royce Ever NAPLES, Fla., Feb. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- - Dawn brought a winning bid of $750,000 at the 2016 Naples Winter Wine Auction - California area collector to receive the very first Rolls-Royce Dawn globally - Over past 15 years, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars have grossed $4.8M in bids for the auction - Proceeds to benefit Naples Children & Education Foundation It is one thing to bid on a prize as rare as a Bespoke Rolls-Royce and quite another to bid on the once in a generation opportunity to be the first owner of the newest member of the Rolls-Royce Motor Car family, the all-new Dawn.

Ex-Rolls-Royce design chief Ian Cameron killed at home

Former Rolls-Royce design chief Ian Cameron, the man who oversaw the automaker's design renaissance with the Phantom and Ghost ranges, was stabbed to death at his home in Bavaria (translated) on July 12. German newspaper reports have identified a suspect via surveillance camera (translated) whom police say is the killer. Apparently, the man went shopping at a store less than a mile from Cameron's house, then changed clothes and showed up at Cameron's door. A surveillance image before the suspect gets to the house shows him wearing the items that neighbors described, notably light pants, a dark blue hoodie, a red backpack and "yellow-green gloves." Someone reportedly cut the wires on the home security system, the suggestion being that the suspect or someone else involved had cased the house for at least a few days. It's said the killer rang the doorbell, attacking as soon as Cameron opened the front door, stabbing the designer to death. Verena Kloos, Cameron's wife, escaped to a neighbor's house and called police. This is a bizarre incident. Reports have floated the motivation that the killer wanted one of the vehicles in Cameron's car collection at the Bavarian property. Instead of going after a car, though, the killer ran off in his distinctive outfit, staying in the open long enough for neighbors to give a detailed description. He then changed clothes and ditched the backpack on a lakeside promenade not far from Cameron's house. Strangest of all, the man apparently left the clothes near the backpack, and the backpack contained items the man had bought during his shopping trip before the murder.  At the time of writing, police are searching throughout Germany but haven't caught the suspect. With a clear picture and a likely trove of DNA evidence, authorities have excellent leads. Anyone who can help is asked to get in touch with the Furstenfeldbruck Criminal Investigation Department at (+49) 8.14.16.120. Cameron's career started at Pininfarina in 1975, culminating in a greatest hits of designs while at BMW. He has exterior design of the third-generation Range Rover on his resume, as well as the BMW Z8. It was Cameron's Phantom, though, that helped create an entirely new Rolls-Royce after BMW bought the brand. CEO Chris Brownridge wrote on LinkedIn that "Ian played a significant role in shaping Rolls-Royce from when it was first acquired by BMW Group and moved to its home at Goodwood, West Sussex.

Hearse based on Rolls-Royce Ghost called the Ghoster, may be too on-the-nose

If you want to roll in a Rolls-Royce even after the very end, an Italian company called Biemme Special Cars has turned the Ghost into one of the world's most luxurious hearses. It keeps the sedan's distinctive rear-hinged doors and luxurious cabin and adds a huge coffin compartment. While it's relatively difficult to make an elegant-looking hearse, the Ghost-based model — which is oddly known as the Ghoster — features a pretty sleek design. It's almost identical to the regular-production Ghost from the tip of the front bumper to the upper part of the windshield. Beyond that, it features an upward-sloping roof panel painted in the same color as the hood, huge side windows with a bright frame, and a seriously long wheelbase. Biemme explains that it expanded the Ghost's body using a tubular structure that's covered with steel panels. The passenger compartment looks like it's standard Ghost fare, so what you get largely depends on the boxes you tick when you configure the car. Wood interior trim, leather upholstery, and other opulences comes standard, and Biemme notes that a 1,300-watt sound system is available ... because you need that in a hearse? Maybe to play something by Ray Parker Jr.? The list of options also includes a built-in drink cooler, the Starlight headliner, internet connectivity, and LED interior lighting, while the rear doors can be ordered with curtains. Biemme separated the passenger and coffin compartments with a shatter-proof divider. It then added a power-operated platform and LED lighting, while the same type of wood trim and leather upholstery used in the passenger compartment adds a finishing touch to the design. There are no hearse-specific mechanical modifications. Power comes from a 6.7-liter V12 that's twin-turbocharged to 563 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque, so the Ghoster should offer decent acceleration in spite of what we imagine is a not-inconsequential amount of weight added by the hearse conversion.  Biemme hasn't announced pricing for the Ghoster. For context, the standard Rolls-Royce Ghost starts at approximately $350,000. Featured Gallery Rolls-Royce Ghost-based Ghoster hearse Aftermarket Rolls-Royce Wagon Luxury