Geneva Preshow: Rolls Royce Phantom 102EX with Full-Electric Drive

Rolls Royce will be showcasing a one-off, fully electric powered Phantom at the Geneva Motor Show on 1 March 2011. The British automaker said the car will serve as a working test bed to explore the feasibility of battery-powered Rolls Royce models in the near future.

“We have engineered the world’s first battery electric vehicle for the ultra-luxury segment,” said CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös, speaking from the company’s headquarters in Goodwood. “With this vehicle, we begin an exploration into alternative drive-trains, seeking clarity on which alternative technologies may be suitable to drive Rolls-Royce motor cars of the future.”

The 102EX, also known as the Phantom Experimental Electric (EE), will go on a world tour in 2011 offering Rolls Royce owners and enthusiasts in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North America the opportunity to test drive the car and share their experiences, thoughts and concerns directly with the company.

According to Rolls Royce, these include the 102EX's ability to deliver an acceptable range between re-charges and to operate in extreme weather conditions, as well as to benchmark reliability and quality against customer expectations.

“I must be convinced that any alternative drive-train we choose for the future delivers an authentic Rolls-Royce experience,” added Müller-Ötvös. “It must be a technology that is right for our customers, our brand and which sets us on a sound footing for a sustainable future.”

Rolls Royce said it will reveal photos and full technical specifications for the 102EX at the Geneva Salon on March 1.

Geneva Preshow: Rolls Royce Phantom 102EX with Full-Electric Drive

Rolls Royce will be showcasing a one-off, fully electric powered Phantom at the Geneva Motor Show on 1 March 2011. The British automaker said the car will serve as a working test bed to explore the feasibility of battery-powered Rolls Royce models in the near future.

“We have engineered the world’s first battery electric vehicle for the ultra-luxury segment,” said CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös, speaking from the company’s headquarters in Goodwood. “With this vehicle, we begin an exploration into alternative drive-trains, seeking clarity on which alternative technologies may be suitable to drive Rolls-Royce motor cars of the future.”

The 102EX, also known as the Phantom Experimental Electric (EE), will go on a world tour in 2011 offering Rolls Royce owners and enthusiasts in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North America the opportunity to test drive the car and share their experiences, thoughts and concerns directly with the company.

According to Rolls Royce, these include the 102EX's ability to deliver an acceptable range between re-charges and to operate in extreme weather conditions, as well as to benchmark reliability and quality against customer expectations.

“I must be convinced that any alternative drive-train we choose for the future delivers an authentic Rolls-Royce experience,” added Müller-Ötvös. “It must be a technology that is right for our customers, our brand and which sets us on a sound footing for a sustainable future.”

Rolls Royce said it will reveal photos and full technical specifications for the 102EX at the Geneva Salon on March 1.

Fenice Milano Previews Ghost-based Diva, Rolls-Royce Fans Cringe In Horror

In an apparent homage to Mansory, creator of such elegant eyesores as a gold-and-blue Rolls-Royce Ghost and a pink Continental GT, Italian firm Fenice Milano has created a handful of garish photoshops as a warning to car fans everywhere. Guys, if you need some fresh ideas, just ask (I'm here all week).

The car seen here is Fenice Milano's "Diva" and, for all intents and purposes, it's the kind of Ghost the "Opulence" commercial guy would drive with his 'wimmens' and giraffe in the back.

This is not the kind of "Italian elegance and style" I have come to expect from the boot-shaped Mediterranean country known for beautiful women, beautiful suits, beautiful cars, and beautiful food.

For those brave enough to consider the Diva, the car will be available in three colors: navy, bronze, and white (with 24k gold flakes); all three colors and a variety of color schemes can be seen below.

Inside, the car gets biscuit leather and 24k gold throughout, optional Alcantara inserts for the more ergonomically-designed seats, and wood trim that is supposedly limited to teak or grey oak.

Performance boosts of some sort are also mentioned, though with something called the Diva there's no telling what the ECU/intake/exhaust mods will do for it. On a more positive note, at least their website has some nice music to listen to.

By Phil Alex

_______________________________GALLERY_______________________________

Fenice Milano Previews Ghost-based Diva, Rolls-Royce Fans Cringe In Horror

In an apparent homage to Mansory, creator of such elegant eyesores as a gold-and-blue Rolls-Royce Ghost and a pink Continental GT, Italian firm Fenice Milano has created a handful of garish photoshops as a warning to car fans everywhere. Guys, if you need some fresh ideas, just ask (I'm here all week).

The car seen here is Fenice Milano's "Diva" and, for all intents and purposes, it's the kind of Ghost the "Opulence" commercial guy would drive with his 'wimmens' and giraffe in the back.

This is not the kind of "Italian elegance and style" I have come to expect from the boot-shaped Mediterranean country known for beautiful women, beautiful suits, beautiful cars, and beautiful food.

For those brave enough to consider the Diva, the car will be available in three colors: navy, bronze, and white (with 24k gold flakes); all three colors and a variety of color schemes can be seen below.

Inside, the car gets biscuit leather and 24k gold throughout, optional Alcantara inserts for the more ergonomically-designed seats, and wood trim that is supposedly limited to teak or grey oak.

Performance boosts of some sort are also mentioned, though with something called the Diva there's no telling what the ECU/intake/exhaust mods will do for it. On a more positive note, at least their website has some nice music to listen to.

By Phil Alex

_______________________________GALLERY_______________________________

Rolls-Royce Planning to Expand Ghost Lineup with New Derivative

Rolls-Royce is planning a derivative of its Ghost uber-luxury sedan. The Ghost, which starts at US$245,000, is the 'baby' brother of the US$380,000 Phantom.

"I'm quite confident that we're going to see a Ghost derivative to come," said the British automaker's CEO, Torsten Mueller-Oetvoes in an interview reported by Bloomberg. "There's still a lot of potential in the market."

Mueller-Oetvoes would not elaborate on what the derivative would be, but hinted there may be more than one. The company is awaiting more feedback from its customers before committing to a bodystyle and timeframe for launch.

Rolls-Royce also announced that it is expanding its operations in China (the brand's biggest market after the United States), India and the Middle East. In spite of this, Mueller-Oetvoes has assured buyers that the brand will remain exclusive:

"We will definitely not end off in the tens of thousands of units. That's not the right strategy for us. Rolls-Royce always needs to stay very exclusive. We only build a car when there is a customer behind it."

Rolls-Royce suffered a 17% drop in sales in 2009 due to the global financial crisis. With the market now in recovery, Rolls aims to sell at least 2,000 cars in 2010. To date, the automaker has sold 1,467 cars worldwide, trailing Volkswagen-owned Bentley which had 2,489. Much of the growth has been attributed to the Ghost, which went on sale late last year.

By Tristan Hankins

Source: Bloomberg