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  Bespoke Home of Rolls-Royce Collection

  Rolls-Royce Motor Cars celebrated 10 years of production at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, England.

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  On 1 January 2013, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars celebrated 10 years of production at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, England. To mark this latest chapter in the marque’s 109-year history, a special collection of Ghost and Phantom family models, conceived and designed by the Rolls-Royce Bespoke team, will be released in 2013.

  The Home of Rolls-Royce Collection celebrates the meticulous design, engineering and craftsmanship employed in the production of every car that leaves Goodwood.

  Following release in January of a design sketch illustrating the Bespoke design and conception process, a rare glimpse into the skill of the marque’s master craftspeople and unique manufacturing processes is presented today.

  “The Home of Rolls-Royce Collection showcases what makes Goodwood a unique centre of manufacturing excellence,” said Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. “A perfect blend of traditional crafts, cutting-edge technology and world-class Bespoke design has driven our success over our first 10 years. In this time, Rolls-Royce has taken its place as maker of the world’s pinnacle super-luxury good, an achievement built on the passion and commitment of every craftsperson employed at Goodwood. This beautiful collection is a fitting way to celebrate an extraordinary decade.”

  A ‘celebration’ motif, presented in hand-crafted marquetry on the front-fascia marks this landmark year in Rolls-Royce history. Using methods akin to the artistry of fine furniture makers, the effect is achieved through a process that marries cutting-edge technology with traditional craftsmanship.

  Individual pieces of wood veneer are laser-cut to ensure precision. A craftsperson then painstakingly assembles the sections, ensuring they perfectly express the vision of the marque’s Bespoke design team. A fastidious process of quality control follows, utilising the world’s most accurate measuring tool – the human eye.

  In 2012 – a second successive record year for the marque – over 3,500 hand-built Rolls-Royce cars, exclusively created at Goodwood, were exported to all five continents. This is celebrated throughout the collection with a compass motif that expresses the Home of Rolls-Royce’s position as a global centre of manufacturing excellence.

  The pattern is also intricately embroidered into the armrests and console lid. 112,533 stitches are applied by precision embroidery machines that make 1,000 individual stitches per minute – however, such is the complexity of the pattern it takes over an hour to finish each individual piece.

  Co-ordinates engraved into tread plates, the bezel of the Spirit of Ecstasy and umbrella handles further express Goodwood’s place as the only manufacturing centre for the world’s pinnacle super-luxury marque.

  A hand-painted coachline, culminating in a half-compass motif completes the exterior. Forming the final stage of a week-long, 22 stage painting process, coachlines are hand-applied by one highly-skilled craftsman using squirrel hair brushes. Normally this takes three hours – however the intricacy of this very special Bespoke design means the time taken to complete the process doubles.

  The Home of Rolls-Royce Collection cars are currently being hand-built at Goodwood. Final images of the completed cars will be released in the second half of 2013.

  The Home of Rolls-Royce Collection in Numbers:

  450 – Individual leather pieces cut and fitted to each Rolls-Royce Phantom

  112,533 – Stitches comprise Home of Rolls-Royce Collection Phantom embroidery

  672 – Metres of thread in every Home of Rolls-Royce Collection Phantom

  11 – Individual varieties of wood-veneer, cut and hand-applied to ‘ celebration’ motif

  20,000 – Wood veneer combinations available in every Rolls-Royce

  44,000 – Individual exterior paint colours to choose from

  58 – Layers to every Phantom wood part

  100 – lbs of paint applied to every Rolls-Royce

  60 – Pairs of hands take 400 hours to construct every Rolls-Royce motor car

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• 

  WORLD DEBUT FOR ROLLS-ROYCE WRAITH AT GENEVA MOTOR SHOW

  Rolls-Royce Motor Cars proudly presents the world debut of Wraith, the most powerful and dynamic Rolls-Royce in history.

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  • Elegant fastback design hints at dynamic prowess of the most powerful Rolls-Royce ever: 624 bhp/465 kW, 800 Nm from 1,500 rpm :0-60 mph in 4.4 seconds (0-62 in 4.6)
  • Debut of Satellite Aided Transmission. A technology that uses GPS mapping data to ensure the correct gear is always pre-selected for the road terrain ahead
  • Voice activated connectivity augments effortlessness – the ‘on-board valet’
  • Canadel Panelling sweeps through a sumptuous, contemporary and yacht-like interior cabin

  Rolls-Royce Motor Cars proudly presents the world debut of Wraith, the most powerful and dynamic Rolls-Royce in history. At its heart lie hallmark Rolls-Royce attributes of luxury, refinement and hand-craftsmanship, but the new model from the world’s pinnacle super-luxury marque also presents a unique character defined by power, style and drama. With just a hint of the noir.
  
  “Today we launch the ultimate gentlemen’s gran turismo, a car that embodies the spirit of Charles Stewart Rolls,” commented Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. “The most powerful Rolls-Royce in history, Wraith promises the sense of adventure and speed that drove our founding forefather. But of course, Wraith’s starting point is luxury, refinement and quality, traits that remain as important to Rolls-Royce customers today as they were more than a century ago.”
  
  Rolls-Royce Chairman and BMW Group board member Harald Krüger added the following: “The BMW Group today reconfirms its full commitment to the future of Rolls-Royce. Growth and a prosperous future lie ahead thanks to continued investment, careful brand stewardship and the launch of groundbreaking new models like Rolls-Royce Wraith, a magnificent addition to the product range.”
  
  In profile, Wraith’s sweeping fastback design gives the car its unique character. Bold lines, tension in the panels and a raked rear screen evoke the image of a world class athlete poised in the starting blocks. Further expression of dynamic intent can be seen in Wraith’s deeply recessed grille, wide rear track and dramatic two-tone presentation.
  
  Coach doors open to reveal a sumptuous interior complete with softest Phantom-grade leathers and expanses of wood called Canadel Panelling. Named after the famous cove in the South of France where Sir Henry Royce and his design and engineering teams spent their winters, this contemporary and tactile finish sweeps through the interior, cosseting four occupants in a space bathed in light and warmth.
  
  The interior ambiance is complemented by Starlight Headliner, a Bespoke feature available beyond Phantom family cars for the first time. 1,340 fibre optic lamps are hand-woven into the roof lining to give the impression of a glittering, starry night sky.
  
  Performance delivers on the promise of Wraith’s styling. Power delivery is effortless, but dramatic, thanks to a V12 engine married to 8-speed automatic ZF transmission. 624 bhp / 465kW is available to the driver while the 0-60 mph sprint is achieved in 4.4 seconds, compared with 563 bhp / 420kW and 0-60 in 4.7 seconds for Ghost.
  
  From 1,500 rpm 800 Nm of torque is available (780 Nm for Ghost), while a wide rear track, shorter wheelbase and lower roof height further contribute to the most powerful, involving driving experience of any Rolls-Royce in history. The car’s suspension has also been tuned to minimise body roll and discreetly amplify feedback when cornering; while steering weight is heavier at high speeds and lighter at low speeds adding to the spirited drive.
  
  However, Wraith is no GT bruiser. Agility improvements have been achieved with absolutely no compromise to the sensation of riding on a bed of air. Furthermore, the debut of Satellite Aided Transmission (SAT) technology takes the powertrain to a new level of effortless delivery, one that perfectly suits the Rolls-Royce brand.
  
  Satellite Aided Transmission uses GPS data to see beyond what the driver sees; it anticipates his next move based on location and current driving style, then selects the most appropriate gear for the terrain ahead. Corners, motorway junctions and roundabouts are all anticipated in advance meaning Wraith is constantly poised to deliver on its promise of performance.
  
  A more polished, effortless driving experience and even better response brings a new, more dynamic dimension to the famous Rolls-Royce trait, waftability.
  
  For over a century a Rolls-Royce motor car has featured technologies designed to support occupants discreetly, delivering a peerless driving experience epitomised by the term ‘effortlessness’. In every Rolls-Royce these assist the driver when called upon, but are prepared to return without fuss to the background when no longer required.
  
  Advances in mechanical and electrical technology deliver systems like head-up display, adaptive headlights and Wraith’s keyless opening boot. But improvements in connectivity have taken the human-machine interface to a new level of sophistication, a suite of aids that could be likened to a contemporary on-board valet.
  
  Voice activation commands, for example, come with a one-touch call button located on the steering wheel. A destination no longer requires manual input from a navigation menu and route assistance begins immediately, on-screen and via audio guidance following a voice command such as “navigate to Piccadilly in London.”
  
  Additional improvements in communications come in the design and functionality of the elegant Spirit of Ecstasy Rotary Controller. This allows navigation through on-screen functions using a touch pad that features pinch and pull functionality to echo smart phone usage. Letters can also be ‘drawn’ onto the pad by hand rather than by scrolling through a series of available characters on-screen.
  
  In Europe, Wraith will be priced at c. €245k. Confirmation and further pricing details in all markets will be revealed later in the year.
  
  First deliveries of Wraith will be made to customers in the final quarter of 2013.

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• 

  ROLLS-ROYCE WRAITH: STYLE

  Rolls-Royce Motor Cars today publishes the third official image of its new model Wraith.

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  Rolls-Royce Motor Cars today publishes the third official image of its new model Wraith, which will be launched at the Geneva Motor Show on 5 March 2013.

  The newest model in the pinnacle car maker’s range features a luxurious, contemporary interior to complement the dynamic poise of its exterior styling. Luxury and hand-craftsmanship work in harmony, thanks to the inclusion of softest ‘Phantom-grade’ leathers and expanses of open pore wood named Canadel Panelling.

  This contemporary finish presents an interior space that hints at the interior of an ultra-luxury yacht. The horseshoe sweep of Wraith’s cabin also echoes the cove at Le Canadel in the South of France where Sir Henry Royce and his design team spent their winters.

  Every possible interior detail has been carefully considered – and beautifully executed.

  The clock, for example, is presented with Blood Orange needle tips that point to the car’s dynamic potential, while paying homage to the marque’s aviation heritage.

  Like every Rolls-Royce, Wraith is entirely built by hand. The skill of craftsmen and women at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood is evident in every delicate stitch and each carefully book-matched veneer.

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