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Rolls-Royce Phantom Metropolitan Collection wafts into the annals of exclusivity

Limited-edition, hand-built cars are kind of a bizarre thing. On the one hand, people pay umpteen amounts of money for bespoke cars, with the manufacturer adding that iconic descriptor to all its press materials, but then the company goes and produces 20 of the exact same car and sells them as a "special edition." It seems kind of contradictory.
Rolls-Royce must not see it that way, though, as it has just unveiled one of 20 Metropolitan Collection Phantom sedans at the 2014 Paris Motor Show. As the latest member of the brand's Bespoke Collection, the Metropolitan joins the Phantom Drophead Coupe Waterspeed Collection, the Pinnacle Travel and the Ghawwass Edition.
According to Rolls-Royce, the Metropolitan Collection pays "homage to the world's great metropolises" by way of the company's well known craftsmen. The veneers, particularly on the second row picnic table, get extensive attention, with just the table using 500 individual pieces of wood.

Rolls-Royce Wraith and Dawn order books closed globally

Rolls-Royce closed order books for the Wraith coupe and Dawn convertible at the end of last year in the U.S. Brand chief Torsten Muller-Otvos told Autocar that both have since been removed from every market. Final orders are still being produced at the Goodwood factory, so the last Wraith and Dawn won't likely leave the line until early next year. But with the taps turned off and nothing to replace them yet, Rolls-Royce will soon be two-thirds of the way done with what has been a very successful chapter in its history. Those two offerings, as well as the Ghost sedan, are based on the architecture BMW created for the 2008 7 Series. Now only the Ghost remains of the trio, at this point planned for production until 2030 when Rolls-Royce will convert being to an electric-only automaker. More modern products like the Phantom II sedan and the Cullinan crossover ride on the company's Architecture of Luxury. That structure will also support the Spectre battery-electric coupe meant to go on sale at the end of 2023. Spectre spy shots reveal a body that looks much like the Wraith; however, Autocar says, "Rolls instead views the Spectre as a belated successor to the coupe version of the seventh-generation Rolls-Royce Phantom, with the pair sharing a similar footprint and the Spectre therefore having its own distinct positioning within the Rolls range." The erstwhile Phantom Coupe's length and wheelbase were about 20 inches longer than those of a Wraith. The Phantom II sedan is but a couple of inches longer than the previous two-door. Point being, the Spectre might be silent, but it won't be small. There will still be some BMW in it, however, like Rolls-Royce's version of the stacked headlights BMW is about to debut on the i7 and X7, and there's speculation the top-dog BMW iX M60i powertrain will cross the Channel to enter Goodwood's service. Peak output for the BMW reaches 610 horsepower and 811 pound-feet of torque, which sound like fine numbers for wafting.

2021 Rolls-Royce Ghost Extended is a lavish living room on wheels

Rolls-Royce made the second-generation Ghost about 3.5 inches longer than its predecessor. If that's not enough, the British firm just unveiled a long-wheelbase variant named Extended that gains another seven inches. Company boss Torsten Muller-Otvos explained the Ghost Extended was developed for customers who want to be driven during the week, but who prefer to drive themselves on the weekend. His team's challenge was to carve out more space for the rear passengers without compromising the sedan's handling, or significantly altering its proportions. To that end, stylists extended only the rear doors and the sheetmetal around them. Rolls-Royce hasn't released images of the front part of the cabin; it's what's out back that counts. Business-class-like individual Serenity Seats are offered at an extra cost (even the ultra-rich have to tick option boxes), and the BMW-owned company proudly noted it allocated a spectacular amount of resources to developing the perfect in-car champagne cooler. Nestled between the rear seats, it has two operating modes: it chills non-vintage champagne to precisely 6 degrees Celsius, and vintage champagne to exactly 11 degrees. Rear-seat passengers can sit back, sip Dom Perignon Rose that costs as much as a Nissan Sentra, and enjoy more legroom than many people have in their living room. Only the Phantom Extended offers a more spacious cabin, the firm claims. Alternatively, they can work on-the-move thanks in part to the in-car Wi-Fi hotspot. Rolls-Royce made no mechanical changes, meaning the Extended uses the same 6.75-liter V12 as the standard-wheelbase model. It's twin-turbocharged to 563 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque, and it spins the four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel steering comes standard, and one of the most advanced suspension systems in the world ensures the Ghost delivers the Magic Carpet Ride buyers expect. Ghost Extended deliveries will begin during the fourth quarter of 2020. Rolls-Royce hasn't announced pricing information, but the sedan likely costs over $350,000 before options — and champagne — are factored in. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2021 Rolls-Royce Ghost Extended, official images View 10 Photos Rolls-Royce Luxury Sedan