13 Madeira Red 6.6l V12 Rr Sedan *feature Selection 1 *driver Assistance 1 *fl on 2040-cars

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Rolls-Royce shows its festive side with limited-edition Neon Nights models

Anyone who has traveled to Las Vegas has undoubtedly seen brightly-colored Rolls-Royces parading down the Strip, but these head-turning creations usually weren't painted at the factory. The firm decided to flaunt its flamboyant side and one-up the tuners by releasing a colorful trio of limited-edition models named Neon Nights. Rolls-Royce based the Neon Nights on the Black Badge variants of the Wraith, the Dawn, and the Cullinan. Buyers have three colors to choose from: Lime Rock Green (for the Wraith), Eagle Rock Red (for the Dawn), and Mirabeau Blue (for the Cullinan). The first two receive gray leather, while the latter gets a white interior. Stylists didn't choose these colors at random. Lime Rock Green, in Rolls-Royce's own words, is naturally bestowed on the Australian green tree frog. One of its paint specialists spotted one while traveling. Eagle Rock Red is inspired by the flowers of a Hawaiian tree named 'Ohi'a lehua, and Mirabeau Blue is the paint team's tribute to the Periander metalmark butterfly that's native to Central and South America. After selecting suitably exotic plants and animals, Rolls-Royce's in-house paint team set out to give each hue a neon-like glow. Building the Neon Nights cars on the Black Badge variants peppers a bit of irony on the project, but it also gives customers more power. Pop the Cullinan's long, stately hood to find a 6.75-liter V12 that's twin-turbocharged to 600 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque, up from 563 and 627 in the regular model. Both the Dawn and the Wraith receive a twin-turbocharged, 6.6-liter V12 with 593 horsepower and 620 pound-feet of torque on tap, increases of 30 and 15, respectively, over the cars not ordered with the optional Black Badge package. Rolls-Royce explained it initially planned to cap production at one car per color, and it noted the trio was created specifically for customers in the United States. Unexpected demand from other global markets convinced the company to paint three additional cars in each color, meaning a total of 12 examples will be produced. Pricing hasn't been announced yet, but the buyers the British firm is trying to reach don't need ask for a window sticker. Related Video:

Car companies used to cook up sales with recipe books

The evolution of automotive marketing has undergone a number of strange phases. Few, though, match the strangeness of the 1930s to 1950s, when automotive marketers turned to cookbooks as a means of promoting their vehicles. Yes, cookbooks. We can't make this stuff up, folks.
This bizarre trend led to General Motors distributing cookbooks under the guise of its then-subsidiary Frigidaire. Ford, meanwhile, offered a compilation of recipes from Ford Credit Employees (shown above). The cookbook-craze wasn't limited to domestic manufacturers, though. As The Detroit News discovered, both Rolls-Royce and Volkswagen got in on the trend, although not until the 1970s.
The News has the full story on this strange bit of marketing. Head over and take a look.

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.