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Rolls-Royce, Lamborghini utilities await approval from German parents [w/poll]

A cursory look at the top of the automobile market would suggest that the world's carmakers are gunning it full steam ahead into a new stratosphere of ultra-luxury and high-performance utility vehicles. After all, companies like Bentley and Maserati are preparing to launch their very first crossovers, while established players like Mercedes-Benz and Land Rover keep producing ever more expensive sport-utes of their own. But that's not the case across the board.
Rolls-Royce, for example, has yet to receive the green light to start working on its proposed CUV project. Though the dimensions of its sedans may already eclipse those of some crossovers, this would be the first time that Goodwood would produce a utility of its own. But while the British automaker's financial performance may have earned it a degree of autonomy, the final call may still come down to parent company BMW, which just might be waiting to see how Bentley fares with its upcoming crossover - and how much money it brings in to the Volkswagen Group - before deciding on whether or not it should proceed.
However, Rolls-Royce may not be alone in waiting for its German parent company to approve its high-priced ute. It's been two and a half years since we first laid eyes on the Lamborghini Urus (pictured), but the Italian automaker reportedly has not yet received approval from its parent company Audi and the greater Volkswagen Group to proceed with development and production. Envisioned to share its platform with the next Volkswagen Touareg, Audi Q7, Porsche Cayenne and the production version of the Bentley EXP 9 F concept, the high-riding Lamborghini was originally set to reach production as the marque's third model line in 2017. But while Audi drags its feet - potentially waiting to see how the Bentley version pans out - the Urus' launch keeps getting pushed back, if it's ever to be made at all.

Rolls-Royce to auction first Dawn in America for charity

Want to get your hands on the first new Rolls-Royce Dawn to reach North America? The automaker will auction off the first of its new convertibles in the US at the Naples Winter Wine Festival in January. All proceeds will go to charity. The Dawn is the new drophead counterpart to the Ghost and Wraith. The four-seat convertible features a 6.6-liter twin-turbo V12 good for 563 horsepower and 575 pound-feet of torque, channeled to the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission for a 0-62 time of under five seconds. It's a suitable foil to the likes of the Bentley Continental GTC and Mercedes-Benz S-Class convertible. Rolls-Royce introduced the Dawn at the Frankfurt Motor Show just a couple of months ago, and will begin arriving at dealers in April. The example pictured here will be the first to arrive in North America. It'll be outfitted by the Bespoke division in Arctic White with a Deep Red roof and a corresponding interior with Indian Rosewood trim and unique treadplates. It's valued at over $400,000, but bidding will start at $335,000 at the wine fest scheduled for January 29-31 at the Ritz-Carlton in Naples, FL. Proceeds from the auction will go towards the Naples Children & Education Foundation. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Offers Once-In-A-Generation Opportunity To Own The Sexiest Rolls-Royce Ever Built Bidder at the 2016 Naples Winter Wine Festival will become the first North American customer to receive the new Rolls-Royce Dawn WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J., Nov. 4, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Bidders at the 2016 Naples Winter Wine Festival will have a truly exclusive opportunity to become the first North American customer to receive the sexiest Rolls-Royce ever built. The all-new Rolls-Royce Dawn marks a new horizon in the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars' lineup of pinnacle motor cars, and the brand has offered the very first delivery in North America to benefit Naples' charities. This Dawn will be offered at the Naples Winter Wine Festival to be held from January 29-31 2016 at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort in Naples, Florida with proceeds benefiting the Festival's founding organization, the Naples Children & Education Foundation. A true four-seater, Dawn is the most social of super-luxury drophead motor cars. Its effortless elegance and luxurious, yet approachable demeanor fits seamlessly into the backdrop of the 16th annual Naples Winter Wine Festival.

Rolls-Royce Ghost counts 1001 Nights back to the 1970s

A Rolls-Royce should remind you of a golden age of motoring – cruising around the British Isles with a giant hood ornament pointing the way forward is, in some circles at least, the epitome of class. This latest special edition, however, revives another time and place altogether... one nowhere near as classy. The Rolls-Royce Ghost 1001 Nights edition takes its inspiration from the classic Middle Eastern tome, and throws in some unfortunate 1970s style for good measure. It's done up in a two-tone brown and orange exterior color scheme, for some reason unbeknownst to us, with hand-painted coach lines and Arabian-themed motifs inside and out. The Middle Eastern cues are one thing... the paint job, on the other hand, reminds us of an age when Goodwood was producing ostentatious boxes in questionable color schemes, powered by 6.75-liter V8s mated to three-speed automatic transmissions and producing power that Rolls-Royce referred to as "adequate." Of course, nobody is forcing anyone to buy this unfortunately customized Ghost. The company's Bespoke division will set one up for any paying customer just the way he or she desires. Just why anyone would desire this particular configuration, however, is beyond us. Still, we doubt the ultra-luxe automaker will have much trouble selling however many of them it produces at whatever price point it determines – such is the apparent demand for Rolls-Royces in the Persian Gulf region. After North America, the Middle East is the company's largest market. Last year the dealership in Abu Dhabi sold more units than any of the other 126 showrooms around the world. And that's not even including the other dealers in nearby Dubai and Sharjah (both in the UAE), plus additional showrooms in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and three more in Saudi Arabia – all carving up one of the most lucrative markets in the world. It only keeps growing, and Rolls-Royce reports that every last one it sells in the region has been customized by the Bespoke division. Related Video: