1951 Rolls-royce Silver Wraith on 2040-cars

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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.

Rolls-Royce gives up on electric, diesel models in favor of hybrid

Rolls-Royce is not what you might characterize as one of the greenest automakers on the market. Its vehicles tend to be rather large, saddled with lots of plush leather, thick carpets and wood trim, and powered by twelve-cylinder engines in excess of six and a half liters. But that doesn't mean that the stoic British automaker isn't trying to clean up its act, even if its customers haven't responded in kind. Rolls did not receive a single order for the all-electric Phantom. A few years ago, Rolls-Royce showcased an all-electric Phantom prototype called the 102EX (pictured above) and sent it on a global tour to demonstrate to customers around the world. But in speaking to company representatives, Autocar reports that Rolls did not receive a single order for such a vehicle. Nor did customers respond favorably to the idea of a diesel Rolls-Royce. Prospective and existing clients exhibited "significant hostility" towards the idea, despite a diesel prototype that was "effectively inaudible" in comparison to the existing gasoline models while delivering torque-driven performance which the company characterized as "impressive" while significantly reducing carbon emissions. As a result, the diesel project was killed off just like the electric one. That doesn't mean that Rolls-Royce is giving up, though. In the wake of the diesel and electric projects, Goodwood is reportedly proceeding with a hybrid powertrain borrowed from parent company BMW, which offers a wide array of hybrids including versions of 3 Series, 5 Series and 7 Series sedans, the X6 crossover and the i3 and i8 PHEVs.

Editors' Picks March 2022 | Acura RDX, VW GLI and a Rolls-Royce

This month's Editors' Picks offer a little something at every budget. We call out a performance car as cheap as the Volkswagen GLI, but the Rolls-Royce Ghost also manages to make its way on to the list. Of course, very few folks can afford a Ghost, but that doesn't change the fact that it's an engineering master class. In addition to these options, we also dive into the compact luxury SUV market, one that is bursting with choices. In case you missed our previous Editors' Picks posts, here’s a quick refresher on whatÂ’s going on here. We rate all the new cars we drive with a 1-10 score. Cars that are exemplary in their respective segments get EditorsÂ’ Pick status. Those are the ones weÂ’d recommend to our friends, family and anybody whoÂ’s curious and asks the question. The list that youÂ’ll find below consists of every car we rated in March that earned an EditorsÂ’ Pick. 2022 Acura RDX Quick take: The RDX ticks a lot of boxes for a great price. It drives better than expected, offers excellent tech, has plenty of room and even looks the part. Score: 7.0 What it competes with: Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class, BMW X3, Volvo XC60, Audi Q5, Lexus NX, Infiniti QX50, Alfa Romeo Stelvio, Genesis GV70, Porsche Macan, Jaguar F-Pace, Lincoln Corsair Pros: Value, driving dynamics, space Cons: Infotainment is polarizing, midgrade interior From the editors Road Test Editor Zac Palmer — "The RDX is a bit of a sleeper in this segment. It drives far better than many of its competitors, and it doesn't let you down in any particular area. If you were thinking of buying an entry-level option from one of the Germans, make sure you take the RDX into account, because you'll likely end up with more tech and features for an even lower price. News Editor Joel Stocksdale — "The Acura RDX is an impressive value in the small luxury SUV segment. It starts in the low $40,000 price range, and provides loads of standard convenience and safety features. Everything is packaged in a sharp and surprisingly spacious package, too. It's also nimble and has a punchy engine that makes it fun to drive. You may find some competitors that surpass it in some areas, but the Acura offers about the most for the money of anything in the segment." In-depth analysis: 2022 Acura RDX Review | Value-packed and surprisingly sporty   2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Quick take: The GLI offers excellent driving dynamics and great styling for someone who doesn't want a hatchback. It's pricey, but it's worth it.