Expertly Maintiained, One Repaint, A True Must-see Car For Any Collector, 6.75l on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Rolls-Royce Ghost Black Badge Ekleipsis Private Collection is an eclipse on wheels

Demand for Rolls-Royce's Black Badge models has been high, so the brand is going further down this dimly-lit avenue with a limited-edition version of the Ghost called Ekleipsis Private Collection. The sedan features several specific astrology-inspired styling cues inside and out. As its name implies, the Ekleipsis is a tribute to the eclipse (the one that you see in the sky, not the one built by Mitsubishi). It's based on the Ghost Black Badge, but it's finished in a special color called Lyrical Copper that captures "the mysterious, ethereal light cast by a total solar eclipse," according to Rolls-Royce's design team. Mandarin exterior accents on the body and the brake calipers add a touch of contrast to the look, and the thin line that stretches from the front part of the fenders to the rear part of the quarter panels is applied entirely by hand. Inside, the Ekleipsis features Rolls-Royce's signature Starlight headliner with a special animation that mimics an eclipse. When the doors close and the engine starts, the stars in the headliner darken and a specific sequence plays to replicate a full solar eclipse. We'll save you the trouble of counting them: The circle that appears consists of 940 "stars" while the background includes an additional 192 "stars." This lasts for seven minutes and 31 seconds, the longest duration of a total solar eclipse, and the standard Starlight headliner returns at the end. Fine-tuning this feature was easier said than done. Rolls-Royce spent a year on it, and it built three complete prototypes to perfect it. Rolls-Royce didn't stop there. The dashboard gains an analog clock whose bezel incorporates a brilliant-cut 0.5-carat diamond. Surprisingly, this is the first time that the company has integrated a gemstone into the clock's bezel. The passengers sit on two-tone leather-upholstered seats with over 200,000 perforations, and the list of standard features includes umbrellas with Mandarin piping as well as a car cover. Production of the Rolls-Royce Black Badge Ghost Ekleipsis Private Collection is limited to 25 units globally. Pricing information hasn't been announced, but it's of little interest to us because the model was sold-out before its public unveiling. Besides, if you need to ask ... Related video: Here's a tiny taste of Rolls-Royce Spectre color and customization options!

Freddie Mercury's silver Rolls-Royce auction will benefit Ukrainian war victims

Freddie Mercury, Queen’s exuberant front man, had a penchant for very expensive, very lux cars; a Lincoln, a Daimler, and his favorite, a 1974 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow. The limousine, which chauffeured Mercury until his death in 1991 (he had no driverÂ’s license), is now on its way to a higher calling: ItÂ’s to be sold off next month at RM Sotheby's London auction, with proceeds going to the Superhumans Center, a charity supported by Richard Branson and others to provide aid for war victims in Ukraine and to fund construction of a hospital in Lviv. According to the Hagerty automotive site, MercuryÂ’s sister Kashmira drove the car for a time after her brotherÂ’s death. With 62,000 miles on the clock, it was eventually put up for auction in Britain and sold in 2013 and fetched GBP74,600, the equivalent of GBP131,098 (about $146,000) today. The car is painted a color called Silver Chalice and has a blue interior. It is powered by a V8 motor. The sedanÂ’s memory was kept alive in the Queen biopic, “Bohemian Rhapsody.” At the beginning of the film, the rocker is being delivered to the Live Aid concert in a silver Rolls (not MercuryÂ’s original, presumably). In other Queen-related news of note, band members Brian May and Roger Taylor authorized the release Thursday of a newly-discover song, “Face It Alone,” originally recorded in the 1980s. It was targeted for inclusion on “The Miracle,” QueenÂ’s 13th studio album, but didnÂ’t make the final release. The song was discovered by a team assembling an upcoming eight-disc Queen box set. “WeÂ’d kind of forgotten about this track,” Taylor said in a statement. “But there it was, this little gem. ItÂ’s wonderful, a real discovery. ItÂ’s a very passionate piece.” Related Video This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery Freddie Mercury's Rolls-Royce View 11 Photos Celebrities Rolls-Royce Auctions Luxury Sedan

New Rolls-Royce Boat Tail shows off coachbuilding chops of the Phantom platform

Rolls-Royce is flexing the coachbuilding muscles of its highly versatile new Phantom platform with this gorgeous Boat Tail commission. Rolls-Royce claims the build required the fabrication of more than 1,800 unique parts and 20 years of combined man-hours to complete.  Even by Rolls-Royce standards, this is pretty ambitious stuff. The commission was inspired by a 1932 Rolls-Royce Boat Tail, and like the original, it was inspired by, well, boats. Shocking, right? The trim elements both inside and out (Caleidolegno veneer, if you're curious) were designed to be reminiscent of the teak decking you'd see on a wooden yacht. "Today marks a seminal moment for the House of Rolls-Royce. We are proud to unveil Rolls-Royce Boat Tail to the world, and with it, the confirmation of coachbuilding as a permanent fixture within our future portfolio," said Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Muller-Otvos in the Boat Tail announcement.  "We have formally re-established our Coachbuild department for those patrons who wish to go beyond the existing restraints, and explore the almost limitless possibilities this opens up for them," Muller-Otvos said previously. "We are able to offer our customers the opportunity to create a motor car in which every single element is hand-built to their precise individual requirements, as befits our status as a true luxury house." There are quite a few bespoke accessories as well, though apart from the full picnic service shown in some of the pics (there doesn't appear to be much of a trunk — sorry, boot), most of it was left out of the promotional materials. Most notably absent are the custom his-and-hers Bovet 1822 timepieces that were commissioned alongside the car. They can be either mounted in the dash or worn on the wrist (of course), but we see only a glimpse of one in the top-down image Rolls-Royce provided.