1987 Rolls-royce Corniche Ii on 2040-cars

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Rolls-Royce Corniche Coupe does some performance testing at N"urburgring

While all the gory details surrounding the new Rolls-Royce coupe - including its true name, "Corniche" is just a savory-sounding best guess right now - are still shrouded in mystery, this new set of clandestinely foraged images proves that the car probably won't be a slouch in terms of performance.
The Ghost-based Roller was spotted on the Nürburgring Nordschleife recently, demonstrating its sporting chops at the same time it was showing off it's impressive patrician nose. Expectations are that, when the new coupe is shown off for real at the Geneva Motor Show in March of next year, that nose will belong to the fastest production car to ever wear the Spirit of Ecstasy.
Indications are that the Corniche will be rocking a turbocharged V12, making in the ballpark of 600 horsepower, and using an eight-speed transmission.

Rolls-Royce Phantom DHC gets special Nighthawk treatment

We see info on a lot of special edition Rolls-Royces coming across our desks here at Autoblog, and most of them are destined for some far-flung Asian market. But not this one. This one is just for North America. It's called the Nighthawk edition, and it's based on the Phantom Drophead Coupe (Rolls-speak for "convertible"). It made its debut in Phoenix during the Super Bowl, but Rolls has just released the full skinny on it now. Limited to just nine examples, the Rolls-Royce Phantom DHC Nighthawk edition is "inspired by the sleek yet bold designs of stealth aircraft," the most iconic of them known as the F-117 Nighthawk. The Rolls cabrio features a metallic black paintjob with a matte black hood and windscreen frame and an interior decked out in carbon fiber trim, black and red leather and instruments with glowing orange tips. It's a stark take on a decidedly luxurious automobile, and only goes to show the extent to which the Rolls-Royce Bespoke department can transform one of its vehicles. ROLLS-ROYCE PHANTOM 'NIGHTHAWK' MAKES A BOLD NORTH AMERICAN DEBUT IN PHOENIX ARIZONA The latest Rolls-Royce exclusively created for North American customers has arrived in Arizona this evening. The first of nine Phantom Drophead Coupe 'Nighthawk' Bespoke Collection cars hit the streets of Phoenix, featuring bold design and a low profile inspired by stealth technology in modern aerospace development. 'Nighthawk' features a combination of modern materials and subtle colour to create a new contemporary interpretation of a classic Rolls-Royce motor car. Following its first public drive in Phoenix, Arizona this evening, 'Nighthawk' will be on display to millions of Americans during the festivities surrounding Super Bowl XLIX. Phantom Drophead Coupe 'Nighthawk' Collection These nine stunning Phantom Drophead Coupes showcase the unique design capabilities of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars' Bespoke team, and are now available through the company's 41 North American retail dealers. Inspired by the sleek yet bold designs of stealth aircraft, 'Nighthawk's' designers have used cutting edge technology and materials to ensure the stunning Rolls-Royce Phantom Bespoke Drophead Coupe will not go unnoticed. Incorporating the latest design and technology with the super-luxurious hallmarks of the brand, 'Nighthawk' features a lustrous Diamond Black Metallic paint with a Matt Diamond Black bonnet. The windscreen surround design is inspired by radar-absorbent material (RAM) coating used in aviation.

BMW preparing two concepts for Villa d'Este

Every spring, the finest automobiles ever to grace tarmac gather on the shores of Lake Como for the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este. It's a chance for the most beautiful classics to compete for awards and for automakers and design studios to show off their concept cars under the soft light of the Italian sun. But while most of the vehicles old and new that show up for the concours are ones we've seen before, BMW takes things a step further.
As patron of the concorso d'eleganza for the past ten years, BMW regularly cooks up something new for the glamorous extravaganza. Last year it teamed up with Pininfarina for the Gran Lusso Coupé and revealed it alongside the Concept 90 motorcycle. The year before that came the BMW Zagato Coupe, preceded by the 328 Hommage and the M1 Hommage (pictured above) before it.
The theme for this year's event is the Roaring Twenties. BMW may not have been known back then on the same level as Bugatti or Duesenberg, but Rolls-Royce sure was.