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Ringbrothers' 'Paramount' 1961 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II wafts into SEMA

Perennial SEMA show stars Mike and Jim Ring, known as Ringbrothers, brought three builds to Las Vegas this year. There's "Tusk," the Hellephant-powered 1969 Dodge Charger, and there's "Uncaged," a 1965 Ford Mustang that calls back to one of their builds from last year, a 1964.5 Mustang christened "Caged." These two represent the kind of confections we're familiar with from the Wisconsin-based brothers, American metal done up with marvelous lines and monstrous engines. The third build comes out of left field — or perhaps that's right field, depending on your perspective of the map. Known as "Paramount," it is a 1961 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II embodying the ideal balance of restraint and intervention. As we said of the Eneos 1969 Jaguar E-Type XKE 2+2 with the Toyota 2JZ engine, it's the kind of Frankenstein build we love to see at SEMA. The two Rings held themselves back from changing the sedan's lines, a rare and, in this case, excellent show of standoffishness. There's almost nothing to give the game away outside except the Ringbrothers badge on the trunk. An enthusiast would eventually notice the rolling stock, yet even the 18-inch EVOD Industries wheels in Falken rubber comply with the historic look and maintain proportions that respect the Paramount aura — finished here in BASF Glasurit's White as Fluff paint. The wheels hide what would be a glaring tell, Baer Pro six-piston calipers clamping 15-inch rotors. Likewise with the interior, where an oversized steering wheel with knurled spokes, ornate gauges and discrete billet switchgear, seats and picnic tables wrapped in blood red leather, and even the headliner with its 1,000 hand-sewn LEDS convey the appropriate depth of genuine Rolls-Royce veneer. And no one can spot the carbon fiber instrument panel and door cards behind the actual veneers. That headliner is a nod to modern Rolls, as are the gyroscopic center caps in the wheels that ensure the "RR" remains upright. We've never seen a Rolls-Royce with a custom rear armrest hiding two small bottles of Don Julio tequila, though. Everything else? All the bits you can't or rarely see? Gone. The original dual-carb 6.2-liter V8 that produced 185 horsepower and 339 pound-feet of torque retired to Cornwall, replaced by a Corvette's supercharged 6.2-liter V8 making 640 horsepower and 635 pound-feet of torque.

2022 Rolls-Royce Cullinan Review | Three things I learned driving a $429,400 SUV

TROY, Mich. — Rolls-Royce is the epitome of the vehicle as a luxury good. It has features that are expensive and luxurious rather than functional, and they create an image that separates a Rolls-Royce from almost everything else, save perhaps Bentley. I recently spent a few days in the 2022 Rolls-Royce Cullinan, the brandÂ’s first and only SUV. ItÂ’s a legit people-hauler. Good luck getting your retriever and her food in the Ferrari Purosangue, but the Cullinan borders on a #vanlife operation. HereÂ’s three things I learned after driving in the opulent $429,400 Cullinan.  Fear not, itÂ’s easy to drive The intimidation factor is not what I expected. The Cullinan is about as long as a Chevy Tahoe and four inches wider. It does not drive that way. The steering is light but direct and communicative. Factor in four-wheel steering, and itÂ’s like driving a much smaller car. The driverÂ’s seating position is excellent and provided a clear view of my surroundings. With the Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament leading the way, it felt majestic. ThatÂ’s what Rolls is going for, but the setting also gave me confidence with both corners clearly visible. It doesnÂ’t matter how much a car costs if you feel like you know what youÂ’re doing. RollsÂ’ famous Magic Carpet Ride makes for perhaps the smoothest experience IÂ’ve had in any car or SUV. The suspension is always adjusting, and almost no bumps or potholes could bother me or my passengers. It really is next-level comfort. Given that the chassis is working with 22-inch wheels, itÂ’s all the more impressive. The V12 engine puts out 563 hp and 627 lb-ft of torque. Get on the throttle and it will move, but with decorum. Yes, thereÂ’s an aura IÂ’ve driven plenty of luxury cars that donÂ’t live up to the hype. The Cullinan is not one of them. My Rolls had the Shooting Star headliner, a $7,975 option that turns your vehicle into a rolling planetarium. ItÂ’s one of those features that sounds contrived until you experience it. The celestial sky is mesmerizing, and when your passengers see the shooting-star feature, get ready for the oohs and ahhs. Rolls first launched the headliner in 2006 as a custom option, but now itÂ’s on most of its vehicles. The stars are illuminated by fiber-optic cables and six powerful light cannons, according to Rolls-Royce, and thereÂ’s up to 1,600 hand-cut holes in the headliner. You can personalize the constellations.

Going mobile: Custom Rolls-Royces inspired by British rock

A rockstar lifestyle and luxury cars go hand-in-hand. To recognize this and to celebrate some of the finest rock music created in Britain, Rolls-Royce will build nine bespoke Wraith models customized in the style of British rock stars. The first four cars in the "Wraith Inspired by British Music" series were unveiled at the Sanderson Hotel in London. The cars have been designed in collaboration with some of the most well-known names in British popular music, and Rolls-Royce says the stars were personally invited to the "Home of Rolls-Royce" in Goodwood, England. The first four cars were created with Roger Daltrey OBE of The Who, Sir Ray Davies of The Kinks and Giles Martin, the son of recently deceased music producer Sir George Martin, famed for the work he did with The Beatles among others. Behind the project is English artist Alistair Morrison, who is working on a series of British rockstar portraits. Daltrey helped to design two cars, first a Who-style Wraith and one fashioned for the band's rock opera "Tommy," with a hood that showcases the sleeve of the famous concept album. However, there is not yet word of a Keith Moon edition Wraith to be delivered into a swimming pool. Cars to be revealed later include a Status Quo Wraith designed with Francis Rossi, a Shirley Bassey Wraith with legendary 007 theme-song touches and a Ronnie Wood car designed to suit the Rolling Stones guitarist.