2002 Rolls-royce Silver Seraph Magnolia With Matching Interior Mint Condition on 2040-cars

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BMW's Connected Drive feature vulnerable to hackers

BMW is working to fix a cyber-security flaw that has left 2.2 million vehicles worldwide vulnerable to hackers. Cars equipped with the automaker's Connected Drive remote-services system are affected, according to the German Automobile Association (ADAC), which first discovered the problem. Researchers found they could lock and unlock car doors by mimicking mobile communications and sending phony signals to a SIM card installed in affected vehicles. An attack could be launched "within minutes" of accessing the system without the perpetrators leaving a trace, according to their report, in part because once they had gained access to the network, the communications were not secure. In response to the security gap, BMW says it has been upgrading software via over-the-air updates over the past week, so no visits to dealerships are needed to remedy the security hole. In fact, owners of affected cars may not have even noticed the updates taking place. The problem affects BMW, Rolls-Royce and MINI vehicles equipped with Connected Drive since 2010. Flaws were first reported to BMW last year by ADAC, which is the country's equivalent of AAA. ADAC says it withheld a public announcement until the car company could address the problem. While BMW has pushed the software patch to most affected vehicles, the organization said it's possible some at cars in the United States had not yet been updated. BMW did not respond to a request for comment Monday. In a written statement, the automaker said it knows of no real-world breaches. 2015 Off To Dubious Start The hack could raise the eyebrows of industry leaders: Cars are now the equivalent of mobile computers and cyber-security experts have been warning that the auto industry has been slow to close its security holes. BMW's breach marks the second time in 2015 that researchers have found a popular automotive feature with little or no security precautions. Last month, experts said a popular device made by Progressive Insurance that allows motorists to track their driving habits contained no security whatsoever. Like the Connected Drive smart-phone app, many automotive components and infotainment features were conceived and produced at a time when industry executives never considered the possibility someone might want to hack into them. But increased connectivity brings increased risk. Going forward, BMW says its Connected Drive features will now operate by using encrypted communications via the HTTPS protocol.

Rolls-Royce confirms Wraith convertible for 2015

Until a few years ago, the Rolls-Royce product portfolio revolved around one model line, and that was the Phantom. But with the launch of the Ghost in 2010, the Goodwood-based automaker is expanding further. As with the Phantom line, a long-wheelbase Ghost ensued, followed by a coupe in the form of the Wraith. And now, as might have been expected, Rolls-Royce has reportedly confirmed development of a new convertible based on the same platform.
The new cabrio will be based closely on the Wraith, only with a convertible roof. Expect the same 6.6-liter twin-turbo V12 that powers the Wraith to carry over with the same 624-horsepower output - the highest of any production Rolls-Royce - but with a bit more weight to push, the convertible ought to be a bit more sluggish off the line than the Wraith's 4.4-second 0-60 time.
We can also expect a higher sticker price, but closer to the Wraith's $320,000 MSRP than the Phantom Drophead Coupe's $470k. Whether Rolls opts to call it the Wraith DHC or use another nameplate entirely remains to be seen, but Autocar reports that the new Rolls cabrio won't arrive until 2015, so we've got a little while to go.

2021 Rolls-Royce Ghost gets high-tech suspension, AWD, rear-wheel steering

The first-generation Rolls-Royce Ghost started life as a BMW 7 Series, and in 10 years on sale became the best-selling model the brand has known. That sedan ended production last year, leading Rolls-Royce to begin the process of introducing us to the second-generation Ghost. Having abundant feedback from customers about what they'd like in the new model, and, more importantly, having listened to the feedback, Rolls-Royce realized it would need to start from scratch. Engineers modified the aluminum-intensive Architecture of Luxury that supports the Phantom and Cullinan to fit the Ghost's needs, in standard and Extended Wheelbase spec. Instead of the predecessor's rear-wheel drive, the coming Ghost will get standard all-wheel drive. And taking another page from the big brother Cullinan, the entry-level offering will come with rear-wheel steering, too. Going beyond the other two models in the brand's lineup, the Ghost will be the first to fit what Rolls-Royce calls its Planar suspension that brings together three technologies. The first is an upper wishbone damper unit that's been three years in development, placed above the front suspension. The automaker didn't go into details, but the damper unit is said to provide an improvement on the brand's "hallmark magic carpet ride and dynamic abilities." The Flagbearer camera system monitors the road surface ahead to prepare the suspension, a technology offered on the Mercedes-Benz S-Class for a few years now. The third Planar trick is a satellite-aided transmission, wherein the ZF eight-speed automatic "draws GPS data to pre-select optimum gear for upcoming corners," a technology already in use on the Phantom. The bodywork won't stray far from what we know; designers wrapped Spirit of Ecstasy opulence into a discrete package. Inside, the gauge cluster will go digital inside three fixed instrument bezels, next to a widescreen infotainment display, and driver assistance features could include everything from night-vision to some advanced self-driving capability. Under the hood, we expect the same 6.75-liter V12 utilized by the Phantom and Cullinan, with something like 560 horsepower. The global situation pushed the Ghost's launch back, we're told. Deliveries should begin early next year, with a debut sometime between now and then. The first-gen ran $314,400 in standard length, $348,400 in EWB guise.