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Giles Taylor succeeds Ian Cameron as head of Rolls-Royce design

Back in the day, a Rolls-Royce looked pretty much the same as a Bentley, but with a different grille. Once BMW took over Rolls-Royce, however, it was faced with the challenge of visually separating itself from its former sister brand. And most would agree that it did so pretty well. But its cars have looked pretty much the same ever since. What Rolls-Royce needs, then, is a bit of a design shake-up. And that's just what this latest appointment could bring.
After a baker's dozen years as design director at Rolls-Royce (and twenty years designing for the BMW Group altogether), Ian Cameron is retiring from his post. In his place, Rolls-Royce has named Giles Taylor as its new director of design. In his new capacity, Taylor will report directly to BMW Group chief designer Adrian van Hooydonk, and be responsible for all design matters related to the Rolls-Royce brand and its products.
Taylor was promoted to the role from his previous position as head of exterior design for the marque, a position he's held for barely more than a year. We'll be eagerly watching to see what the veteran British car designer has in store for the future of Rolls-Royce. In the meantime you can read the full announcement below.

Rolls-Royce, Lamborghini utilities await approval from German parents [w/poll]

A cursory look at the top of the automobile market would suggest that the world's carmakers are gunning it full steam ahead into a new stratosphere of ultra-luxury and high-performance utility vehicles. After all, companies like Bentley and Maserati are preparing to launch their very first crossovers, while established players like Mercedes-Benz and Land Rover keep producing ever more expensive sport-utes of their own. But that's not the case across the board.
Rolls-Royce, for example, has yet to receive the green light to start working on its proposed CUV project. Though the dimensions of its sedans may already eclipse those of some crossovers, this would be the first time that Goodwood would produce a utility of its own. But while the British automaker's financial performance may have earned it a degree of autonomy, the final call may still come down to parent company BMW, which just might be waiting to see how Bentley fares with its upcoming crossover - and how much money it brings in to the Volkswagen Group - before deciding on whether or not it should proceed.
However, Rolls-Royce may not be alone in waiting for its German parent company to approve its high-priced ute. It's been two and a half years since we first laid eyes on the Lamborghini Urus (pictured), but the Italian automaker reportedly has not yet received approval from its parent company Audi and the greater Volkswagen Group to proceed with development and production. Envisioned to share its platform with the next Volkswagen Touareg, Audi Q7, Porsche Cayenne and the production version of the Bentley EXP 9 F concept, the high-riding Lamborghini was originally set to reach production as the marque's third model line in 2017. But while Audi drags its feet - potentially waiting to see how the Bentley version pans out - the Urus' launch keeps getting pushed back, if it's ever to be made at all.

2016 Rolls-Royce Dawn opens up in public [w/video]

This is the third time I've seen this exact car. Rolls-Royce first showed me the Dawn at a private residence in Beverly Hills, then I saw it behind closed doors in Pebble Beach. Now it makes its official public debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show, and even though the car is old news to me, it's drawing quite a crowd. Of course, there's always reason to get excited when someone says, "New Rolls-Royce." The Dawn is a really pretty, four-seat convertible. It shares a lot of its underpinnings with the Ghost and Wraith, but nearly 80 percent of the body panels are new. Under that long hood sits Rolls' 6.6-liter, twin-turbo V12, producing 563 horsepower and 575 pound-feet of torque, mated to the silky-smooth ZF eight-speed automatic transmission. Rolls-Royce says the Dawn will be its most versatile canvas yet, with nearly endless possibilities for customization. I like the blue and orange of the showcar, but I'm excited to see how different colors look on this nicely sculpted, elegant convertible. If you haven't checked out the Dawn already, see it from all angles in our live gallery above. Everything else you could ever want to know about the new Rolls-Royce can be found in the press blast, below. ROLLS-ROYCE DAWN – UNCOMPROMISED DROPHEAD LUXURY September, 8 2015 – Goodwood UK "Our new Rolls-Royce Dawn promises a striking, seductive encounter like no other Rolls-Royce to date, and begins a new age of open-top, super-luxury motoring. Dawn is a beautiful new motor car that offers the most uncompromised open-top motoring experience in the world. A true four-seater, it will be the most social of super-luxury drophead motor cars for those who wish to bathe in the sunlight of the world's most exclusive social hotspots. Quite simply, it is the sexiest Rolls-Royce ever built. The name 'Dawn' perfectly suggests the fresh opportunities that every new day holds – an awakening, an opening up of one's senses and a burst of sunshine. In its tentative, inchoate, anticipatory state, dawn is the world coming to light from the ethereal dark of the night. The early-day chill of dawn provides an erotic tingle on the skin, awakening the senses and passions as the day begins.