Rolls Royce Wraith unveiled at Geneva

laxmax613

laxmax613

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According to Jalopnik, this thing has a V12 pumping out more than 600 HP and 590 lb-ft and it costs abut $323,000. 0-60 in 4.4 sec too.
More interestingly, the gearbox is purported to be an 8-speed from ZF that utilizes GPS data to smoothen out gear changes. There are dead cows and trees inside and it's based on the current 7-series/Ghost platform, just widened and shortened. Suicide doors too.

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Jalop article
 
Psirus said:
Interesting. What do they mean by "utilizes GPS data to smoothen out gear changes"?
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My guess would be knowing ahead of time where the car is in a curve or on a hill and adjusting shift pasterns too match. Surely you have had an automatic shift at just the wrong time when going into a curve and upsetting how the car drives.
 
Looks a tiny bit like an Aston from the side and side-rear. Only bigger, much bigger. And more horse cow.

I like the way it looks, but I'm a bit worried that BMW is going to do to Rolls what they are doing to their own range of cars. We're not going to get a Phantom GT or a Wraith Countryman as well hopefully?
 
Sik Pony said:
i love roller's but what is the point of this car? I just dont see it.
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It's a smaller, sportier Rolls-Royce for younger drivers.

Now that Rolls-Royce and Bentley are completely separate companies, they can do a Rolls aimed at a driver with more sporting tastes.
 
laxmax613 said:
According to Jalopnik, this thing has a V12 pumping out more than 600 HP and 590 lb-ft and it costs abut $323,000. 0-60 in 4.4 sec too.
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Doesn't it seem wrong to anyone that we know exactly what those figures are on a Roller? Shouldn't this be "This thing has a V12 with sufficient horsepower and torque. You can afford it if you are specifically in the market for a Rolls-Royce, and if you need to know how much it costs prior to purchase, it's far too aspirational for you. It can do 0-60, but it would be vulgar to mention times."
 
The Spie said:
Doesn't it seem wrong to anyone that we know exactly what those figures are on a Roller? Shouldn't this be "This thing has a V12 with sufficient horsepower and torque. You can afford it if you are specifically in the market for a Rolls-Royce, and if you need to know how much it costs prior to purchase, it's far too aspirational for you. It can do 0-60, but it would be vulgar to mention times."
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The old "pipe smoking gent with a house in the country and a silly moustache" demographic that bought old school Royces and Bentleys has died out. Footballers, celebrities and pop musicians on the other hand like to know these figures, and that's who'll be buying them. Although, to be fair, it's been that way since the Silver Shadow really.

I think it looks good, but the Bentley Continental seems to be doing it's job already...
 
captain_70s said:
The old "pipe smoking gent with a house in the country and a silly moustache" demographic that bought old school Royces and Bentleys has died out.
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Bentleys, I agree. They've been the de rigueur vehicular accessory of the Darker-Skinned Man With Money for quite some time. But Rollers? If they aren't for Old Rich White People and/or Simon Cowell, who are they for? And as a old smoking gent with a silly mustache, does that mean I can have half a Rolls? What would half a Rolls be? A 1 Series?

Footballers, celebrities and pop musicians on the other hand like to know these figures, and that's who'll be buying them.
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But are they really the type to buy Rollers? I can't really think of anyone in those categories that screams out "Rolls buyer" to me other than Amy Childs and Will Young. Okay, maybe Robbie Williams if he's too deep into one of his old-school-cool phases, but that's about it.

Although, to be fair, it's been that way since the Silver Shadow really.
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But the Silver Shadow did it better. And it looked better. And it wasn't a painted-whore of a 7 Series with Cher levels of plastic surgery.

I think it looks good, but the Bentley Continental seems to be doing it's job already...
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My point exactly. That's why it needs to be given a strong dose of the Rolls Mystique. Don't reveal the HP, the torque, the 0-60 time, or the exact price. Make it as ephemeral as the line's namesakes. It's only that mystique that separates it from Bentley these days.
 
captain_70s said:
The old "pipe smoking gent with a house in the country and a silly moustache" demographic that bought old school Royces and Bentleys has died out. Footballers, celebrities and pop musicians on the other hand like to know these figures, and that's who'll be buying them. Although, to be fair, it's been that way since the Silver Shadow really.

I think it looks good, but the Bentley Continental seems to be doing it's job already...
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The Bentley is ghastly though, while this is fantastic. Do want.
 
From the side, it looks like the pre facelifted Mustang if it had been allowed to turn into Elvis. Fat and bloated.

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If I'm not mistaken, that's an Iacocca edition Mustang with a slightly altered body to make it look more like a fastback. That might be why it looks so similar.
 
The Spie said:
Doesn't it seem wrong to anyone that we know exactly what those figures are on a Roller? Shouldn't this be "This thing has a V12 with sufficient horsepower and torque. You can afford it if you are specifically in the market for a Rolls-Royce, and if you need to know how much it costs prior to purchase, it's far too aspirational for you. It can do 0-60, but it would be vulgar to mention times."
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I'll agree with you here. I wouldn't even mind if it was exactly the same car but marketed in a more stately way. Instead of saying it accelerates to 60mph in 4.4 seconds (very German) they should say something along the lines of 'hand-sewn lambskin driving gloves are included.'
 
Eunos_Cosmo said:
I wouldn't even mind if it was exactly the same car but marketed in a more stately way.
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That is the essence of Rolls-Royce. They even kept it for the Ghost. If you're buying one of these, you're paying for the Spirit of Ecstasy and the Shimmer of Exclusivity, not for 0-60 times and how much grunt the engine puts out. What was it that May said about Rolls in the 70s? "If anyone at Rolls had mentioned things like 'handling' and 'performance', they would have been shot"?

Instead of saying it accelerates to 60mph in 4.4 seconds (very German) they should say something along the lines of 'hand-sewn lambskin driving gloves are included.'
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And Rolls will take you to their secret cruelty-free farm hidden deep in the Welsh mountains so you can pick out the lamb the gloves will come from. And its wool will be used for the floor mats.

My question is, will there still be an umbrella in the door?
 
Bentley wins this round. That thing is ugly.

The fact that Rolls kept "tempting" people with drawn out teasers... just makes it seem that much more hideous next to the weight of the hype they were trying to build.

EDIT: maybe it's the two-tone... :think:
 
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