2005 Rolls-royce Phantom 4dr Sedan on 2040-cars

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Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II represents a host of subtle tweaks

It's not every day that an automaker admits in its own words that a new generation of one of its models is a "subtle redesign," but that's exactly how Rolls-Royce is describing the changes made to its Ghost Series II. Most of the bodywork has seen very light resculpting, including what the brand is calling a tapered "wake channel" that starts just behind the beloved Spirit of Ecstacy's wings evoking "the sight of a jet's vapour trail" and "hinting at the car's dynamism."
So much does Rolls-Royce want to emphasize the Ghost Series II's so-called dynamism that it uses the descriptor a total of eight times in the press release that you're welcome to read below. Looking past that all-too-current buzzword, what we see here is clearly a Rolls-Royce, clearly an ultra-luxury sedan and clearly desirable.
Rest assured, prospective buyers will see all the latest technology inside the new Ghost's interior, including a 10.25-inch high-definition screen and a Spirit of Ecstacy Rotary Controller so as not to "leave unsightly fingerprints at driver and passenger eye level." Of course, plenty of customization is available for the most discerning of buyers, and two new wood veneer options are available - Paldao and Walnut Burr Crossband.

Rolls-Royce gives up on electric, diesel models in favor of hybrid

Rolls-Royce is not what you might characterize as one of the greenest automakers on the market. Its vehicles tend to be rather large, saddled with lots of plush leather, thick carpets and wood trim, and powered by twelve-cylinder engines in excess of six and a half liters. But that doesn't mean that the stoic British automaker isn't trying to clean up its act, even if its customers haven't responded in kind. Rolls did not receive a single order for the all-electric Phantom. A few years ago, Rolls-Royce showcased an all-electric Phantom prototype called the 102EX (pictured above) and sent it on a global tour to demonstrate to customers around the world. But in speaking to company representatives, Autocar reports that Rolls did not receive a single order for such a vehicle. Nor did customers respond favorably to the idea of a diesel Rolls-Royce. Prospective and existing clients exhibited "significant hostility" towards the idea, despite a diesel prototype that was "effectively inaudible" in comparison to the existing gasoline models while delivering torque-driven performance which the company characterized as "impressive" while significantly reducing carbon emissions. As a result, the diesel project was killed off just like the electric one. That doesn't mean that Rolls-Royce is giving up, though. In the wake of the diesel and electric projects, Goodwood is reportedly proceeding with a hybrid powertrain borrowed from parent company BMW, which offers a wide array of hybrids including versions of 3 Series, 5 Series and 7 Series sedans, the X6 crossover and the i3 and i8 PHEVs.

Rolls-Royce's design team renders kids' drawings from worldwide design contest

Back in April, Rolls-Royce put out a call to action to kids around the world. The British luxury carmaker wanted to see children design their dream Rolls-Royce of the future. The motivation for doing so? Winners get to enjoy a chauffeur-driven ride to school in a Rolls-Royce with a friend of their choice. Not a bad prize for a kid who is obsessed with cars. It’s been a few months now, and Rolls-Royce has selected a number of winners. Rolls-Royce ended up slotting all the entries into four categories: Technology, Environment, Fantasy and Fun. That means there are four winners, but three other ideas were so good that Rolls gave them “Highly Commended” awards. Rolls-Royce said it received submissions that were inspired by unicorns, space travel, bumblebees, Pablo Picasso and the Egyption pyramids. After selecting all the winners and “highly commended” entries, Rolls-Royce had its design team transform the drawings into digitally-rendered illustrations. They used the same software and processes that theyÂ’d use when working on an actual Rolls-Royce design. You can click through the winners in the gallery at the top, or scroll down below to see them all, along with their corresponding descriptions. Winners: Technology: Bluebird II Rolls-Royce is back to breaking world speed records! Environment: The Capsule For Earth lovers and those that have peoplesÂ’ health at heart. Fantasy: Turtle Car Inspired by sea and land turtles, the Turtle Car can transport patrons not only by sea and land but by air too. Fun: Glow A dream for the future. This timeless Rolls-Royce demonstrates the full spectrum of creative vision. Highly Commended: Bolt The Pinnacle of Intergalactic Space Travel Prosperity The Rolls-Royce Prosperity is only for the most exacting patrons, who believe ease of travel should never be compromised. House of Esperanto This ultimate flying machine can communicate with every creature and combines all the convenience of a house with the mobility of a car. The ground-breaking technology that allows this development is brought to humanity by a mysterious bird that has been living in outer space for a million years.