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Rolls-Royce Wraith looks rad in red [UPDATE]

UPDATE: An earlier version of this post called this car the "St. James Edition," which is incorrect. It's not a full-on special edition, rather a bespoke color. And an awesome one, at that. Of all the cars that would look right in red, and of all the colors you could specify for a new Rolls-Royce, ordering up a bright scarlet Wraith might not seem like the first choice to many. Fortunately there are plenty of other options available in the Rolls-Royce catalog. But for those who disagree, the British luxury automaker offers St. James Red, the bespoke color seen here. The color is offset by chrome brightwork on the grille, window frames, and door handles. The wheels are done up in a two-tone silver and gloss black, while the interior is swathed in what we're sure is only the softest, most supple black leather known to man. Of course, since it's a Wraith, there's power to match that racy exterior. This coupe is, after all, the most powerful vehicle Rolls-Royce has ever offered, packing a 6.6-liter twin-turbo V12 with 624 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque, propelling over 5,000 pounds of luxury to 60 in a scant 4.4 seconds. More than adequate, indeed. If there was ever a Rolls that could get away with the bright red approach, surely it's the Wraith.

Rolls-Royce's future models will be electric-only starting in 2030

Rolls-Royce's first series-produced electric car, the Spectre unveiled in 2022, won't be its last. The BMW-owned company announced that every new car it launches after 2030 will be electric-only, though it stressed that there's still space in its range for V12-powered models. "All future Rolls-Royces, new ones, will be only electric while maintaining what Rolls-Royce stands for," company boss Torsten Muller-Otvos told British magazine Car. He added that this thinking explains the Spectre's overall design. "That's why we also decided to go with classical Rolls-Royce proportions. It needs to look like a Rolls-Royce: monolithic, great stature, it carries proudly the pantheon grille. It drives like a Rolls-Royce, it accelerates like a Rolls-Royce, it wafts like a Rolls-Royce ... it has all of the same materials — while being electric," he said. That doesn't mean that Rolls-Royce's design department is stuck in a rut. The modular platform that underpins the Spectre (pictured) will serve as the foundation for other EVs, and Muller-Otvos told Car and he's open to experimenting with "very different technologies" and "different shapes," though he stopped short of providing specific details. "[Electric technology fits perfectly with the brand," he opined. Rolls-Royce expects the Spectre will be able to drive for up to 260 miles on a charge. That's not much, but the company explained driving range isn't a big concern for its customers. They mostly use their cars in urban centers and they're able to charge at home and at work. If you're saving up for a V12-powered Rolls-Royce, it's not too late. "I still foresee a very good business for us in future for Cullinans, for Ghosts," noted Muller-Otvos in the same interview.

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.