2006 Phantom* 21" Chromes* Highly Optioned* Rare* 04 05 06 07 08 09* on 2040-cars

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Rolls-Royce Dawn becomes two-seater Silver Bullet convertible

Rolls-Royce has transformed the Dawn, the only convertible in its range, into a two-seater roadster named Silver Bullet. It's a limited-edition model that's part of the company's client-commissioned Collection Cars line. The stately Silver Bullet is "a contemporary interpretation of the classic roadster spirit and driving experience," according to the BMW-owned firm. It's clearly based on the Dawn, both models share their front and rear fascias, but it's finished in a specific hue named Brewster Silver Paint that's a tribute to past Rolls-Royce models, like the Silver King and the Silver Silence. Subtle black trim add a finishing touch to the low-key design. Bigger modifications are found inside, where designers removed the Dawn's rear seats and replaced them with a tonneau cover the brand calls an Aero Cowling. It features a finisher made with vapor-blasted titanium. The images released by Rolls-Royce don't fully reveal the Silver Bullet's interior, but it previously noted each example will feature an open-pore carbon fiber insert and a quilted transmission tunnel inspired by leather jackets. We'd expect nothing less from the purveyors of the most expensive regular-production SUV in the world. Power likely comes from the Dawn's 6.6-liter V12 engine, which is twin-turbocharged to 563 horsepower and 605 pound-feet of torque in its standard configuration. We think the 593-horsepower, 620-pound-feet evolution of the 12 found in the Black Badge model would suit the roadster's touring intentions much better, however. It was designed to be driven, and the brand will organize road trips to encourage owners to put miles on their Silver Bullet rather than storing it in a heated garage for a couple of years and later selling it at a big-name auction. Rolls-Royce noted it will build 50 examples of the Silver Bullet, though how many have been earmarked for the American market hasn't been revealed yet. Pricing information remains under wraps, too, but keep in mind the standard Dawn carries a base price of approximately $350,000 before options enter the equation. Autoblog asked whether any build slots remain available, and we'll update this story if we learn more. Related Video:    

Rolls-Royce Wraith officially revealed in profile

Well here's a nice twofer. On the same day Rolls-Royce releases its first official teaser image showing the 2014 Wraith, we also get a look at the car undergoing some cold-weather testing courtesy of some new spy shots. As the coupe version of the Ghost, the 2014 Rolls-Royce Wraith will make its official debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March, and it's expected to go on sale during the fourth quarter of this year.
Rolls-Royce already confirmed plenty of information in a teaser it released last week, but the latest image shows us a clear shot of what the car's midsection will look like. Comparing this image and the spy shots, we can see that the Wraith will have a pretty sleek - (almost Bentley Continental GT-like) roofline, and, like the Phantom Coupe, it will have rear-hinged doors. We can also tell from the spy shots that it seems to be keeping the same face as the Ghost and taillights, too.
Be sure to check out the latest spy photos for the Wraith as well as a brief press release from Rolls-Royce by scrolling below.

The hottest modern sports cars rendered as rally racers

The modern-day World Rally Championship a monumental amount of fun to watch – I should know, as I recently was lucky enough to head to the UK to watch WRC Wales Rally GB – but even the most monstrous of the current WRC cars are based on fairly pedestrian European hatchbacks. Back in the heyday of rally, the Group B era in the 1980s, much hotter cars were the basis of even more incredible competition machines, for the most part. Take the exotic Ford RS200, or the Lancia Delta S4 with its twin-charged engine. And the hatchback-based Group B cars were bonkers, too. So what would some of our favorite modern cars look like if Group B had never ended? A British site named CarWow hired an artist to reimagine everything from the Rolls-Royce Wraith to the Porsche 911 as a retro-inspired rally car, and they were kind enough to let us share the results in the gallery above. The gallery features an Alfa Romeo Giulia in Martini livery, an Audi TT in classic Ur-Quattro colors, a Fiat 500 Abarth sporting massive flares and a hood blister full of auxiliary lights, a new Ford Mustang in RS200 livery, a Lancia Delta in Alitalia colors, a Porsche 911 in Rothmans livery, a Renault-Alpine in classic blue, a Rolls-Royce Wraith tribute to the Jules cologne Corniche Coupe, and a relatively modern-looking VW Touran. So far, the favorite around the office is the incredible Mercedes-Benz S-Class that is an homage to the wonderful 300 SEL 6.8 AMG "Red Pig" that essentially put AMG on the map. Check out the gallery above and see which one you like the best. Related Video: