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Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II rolls in with some subtle updates [w/video]

Downsizing is a relative term - especially when it comes to a Rolls-Royce. But that's just what the British luxury automaker did with the release of the Ghost in 2010. Sure, it's over seventeen and a half feet long (over eighteen in Extended Wheelbase form), but that's still shorter than the 19 feet the standard Phantom stretches, and that much shorter than the twenty-foot-long Phantom EWB.
The Ghost has now been on the market for four years, high time Rolls gave it a little refresh - and that's just what it's done here in Geneva with the release of the Ghost Series II. It's essentially the same vehicle as the outgoing model, but the Ghost Series II (like the Phantom Series II released in 2012) benefits from a host of minor updates. The styling has been subtly revised, and the sumptuous cabin space has been updated with such features as a new infotainment display, rotary controller and trim.
Although Goodwood hasn't released official output figures, the 6.6-liter twin-turbo V12 (only the second twelve-cylinder engine in Rolls-Royce history) carries over from the existing model. We might hope for some of the power upgrades released for the Wraith or the Ghost V-Specification, but what we know for sure is that it's mated to a Satellite Aided Transmission that uses GPS data to 'read' the road ahead and choose the right gear for the turns coming up. It's a nifty technology pioneered by parent company BMW, and along with the other updates rolled out for the Series II, promises to make the hyper-luxurious driving experience that much more so.

Lunaz electrifying classic cars with coachbuilt, millimeter precision

One day last year, as David Lorenz waited by the side of the road for repair help with his classic car, he had an idea: Why not update all of that ancient mechanical "character" with a modern electric drivetrain? That would give an owner the beauty of the past, the mechanicals of the present, and the powertrain of the future. Jaguar does it with the E-Type Zero, and Aston Martin's in the game with the reversible EV powertrain swap for the DB6 Volante. And so Lorenz founded the British engineering firm Lunaz Design, named after his daughter Luna and headquartered at the Silverstone Technology Park. The company's first products are almost ready for order, starting with a 1953 Jaguar XK120 and a 1961 Rolls-Royce Phantom V. Lunaz conversions aren't a matter of pulling an engine and installing a battery pack; Lunaz reengineers classics. Managing Director Jon Hilton oversees a team bringing experience from carmakers such as Aston Martin, Ferrari, Jaguar, McLaren, and Rolls-Royce, with Hilton's resume including six years with Cosworth Engineering followed by eight years in Formula One. To develop the Lunaz offerings, a chosen car is stripped to the metal and weighed so that engineers understand the weight distribution at each corner, then the car is stripped to the chassis and 3D-scanned. This yields information allowing designers to create a powertrain that fits to the millimeter and stays true to the handling dynamics of the original vehicle. During the rebuild, the company says, any imperfections are remedied "using traditional coachbuilding techniques." The Jaguar and the Rolls-Royce get battery packs in two locations, one under the hood and one under the trunk floor. Lunaz says it can fit more battery for its in-house design into each car that way. The Jaguar's 80-kWh battery feeds two electric motors sending 375 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels. The Phantom V uses a 120-kWh battery pack, but its output hasn't been released. While remaining true to the exterior and interior design of each car, Lunaz fits LED lights and modern tires, a modern suspension, better brakes with regenerative braking, power steering, an upgraded propshaft, and a fly-by-wire throttle. Safety and comfort additions include cruise control, traction control, and anti-lock brakes. Inside, the instrument cluster gets battery gauges, there's modern climate control, an infotainment screen with satellite navigation, and a Wi-Fi hotspot.

Rolls-Royce Amethyst Droptail one-ups the floral theme with gemstones

Rolls-Royce debuted its first Droptail commission during Monterey Car Week, the floral-themed La Rose Noire. Not seven days later, the second Droptail took to the alpine stage in Gstaad, Switzerland, commissioned by a client wishing to celebrate his gem business, his home region, and his son. This one's called the Amethyst Droptail, the quartz crystal chosen for being the son's birthstone. The International Gem Society says February's gem ranges "from pale lilac to deep reddish purple," a symbol of royalty as well as "spirituality, mental clarity, and healing." We're also told the vivid stones are generally more valuable and desirable than the pale stones, hence the intense colors on the Amethyst Droptail.  There's another lilac connection in the Globe Amaranth flower native to Guatemala, Panama and Brazil, but grown all over the world. Rolls-Royce said this amaranth "blooms in the desert near one of the client's homes." The roadster starts with the soft purple body color dubbed Globe Amaranth and flecked with aluminum, contrasted with deep purple Amethyst paint swirled with a blend of red, blue, and violet mica flakes. Carbon fiber sections around the hem of the car display book-matched chevron patterns and are finished with Amethyst-tinted lacquer. More contrast shows in mauve accents painted inside the 22-inch wheel spokes. The brightwork's seen a great deal of attention. There are two finishes on the vanes of the Pantheon grill, each thin leading edge polished to a shine, the broadsides being brushed. The 3D-printed composite lower grille is affixed with 202 stainless steel ingots hand-painted in Globe Amaranth. Above that, a ring of rounded (as opposed to faceted) and polished amethyst surrounds the Spirit of Ecstasy when she appears. The stone's been finished into a shape referred to as a cabochon, generally featuring a convex upper surface and flat underside, and engraved with the word "Droptail." The interior is designed around the commissioning client's choice of Calamander Light wood, which features long bands of varying tones. Lighter bands decided the hue of the Sand Dunes leather on the seat bolsters framing the Amethyst leather centers. There are more amethyst cabochons laid around the gauges in the instrument cluster.