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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:

2016 Rolls-Royce Dawn First Drive

There is apparently a migration of sorts among the set that would buy something like the 2016 Rolls-Royce Dawn, the newly arrived drophead variant of the raffish Wraith. When our theoretical Dawn buyer finds the Cote d'Azur or some such place a bit chilly, perhaps it's off to South Africa. Late March is the tail end of summer, and it's an exceedingly pleasant way to get into the Dawn state of mind. Stellenbosch is just northeast of Cape Town, the "Mother City." What used to be open country occupied primarily by the Khoikhoi and Khoisan peoples, as well as prototypical African game, is now wine country. Our starting point is a vineyard estate called Delaire Graff owned by a diamond baron. South Africa's diverse and stunning countryside is on display as we leave the vineyard and climb. The lower highlands are covered with quasi-Californian scrub, but with altitude the scene transforms into a mist-tickled moor full of low heather-like plants and tumbling rivulets. We traverse the suburban lowlands to a windy road clinging to a cliffside above the crashing surf of the Indian Ocean. Ancient cliffs and peaks jut over us at improbable angles and in fascinating shapes. At the end of our drive, looking across False Bay, the Cape stretches south towards the equivocal boundary between two oceans. Twice and then once, the Cape lighthouse winks at the end of Africa. Most automakers consider sportiness the ultimate attribute. Like its stablemates, the Rolls-Royce Dawn's draw is its timelessness and unabashed luxury. Here that's paired with the inherent hedonism of a convertible, not to mention the cachet that comes with spending $340,000 or more (most likely more) on a car. That figure makes the Dawn more expensive than the Ghost or Wraith, but less than the Phantom range. The Dawn is vast; like most huge things, it commands attention because it takes up so much space. Watching my colleagues dart around town was a bit like watching a flotilla of cruise liners maneuver to their moorages. Like a yacht with a lot of freeboard, the flanks rise impressively to the top of the door, but then there's some tumblehome inward to the thick brightwork strip ringing the cabin. A longitudinal spear of chrome bisects the hood, a bit like a grab-rail on the foredeck. The Spirit of Ecstasy could have graced the bowsprit of any of the windjammers that hove into Table Bay. Twice and then once, the Cape lighthouse winks at the end of Africa.

Rolls-Royce shows off commemorative Silver Ghost — with actual silver

Ultra-luxury marque Rolls-Royce has been busy developing its ultra-exclusive, 35-model Silver Ghost Collection in homage to the original 40/50-horsepower Silver Ghost from 1907 that traveled a then-remarkable 14,371 miles. Now it has released a video to show off its opulent new creation. Rolls-Royce says it incorporated visual elements from the original Ghost in the new four-door model. Most obvious is the car's silver paint scheme, with a hand-painted coachline that takes eight hours to apply and contains pure silver particles. There's also a solid silver Sprit of Ecstasy hood ornament (remember those?) with an AX201-stamped hammered-copper hallmark at its base, which harks back to the maiden car's registration plate and the material that featured extensively in the original car's engine bay. The video also shows off the black grille vanes, chrome wheel surrounds engraved with the phrase "Silver Ghost — Since 1907," open-pore tudor oak trim with silver inlays. The front fascias get a more protruding grille frame with inset grille, plus redesigned wheels. Inside, the cars get Forest Green leather to match the original, with limited edition stamps on the door jambs and dashboard clock, plus improved sound deadening with the addition of special acoustic glass. There's also lots of running footage of the Silver Ghost navigating a pastoral lane. It's decidedly heady stuff for most of us common folk, indeed. View 5 Photos Related Video: