Motortrades Insight Magazine Online
Related Tags: Rolls Royce, Wraith
Geneva 2013: Rolls Royce-Wraith Revealed
Today we launch the ultimate gentlemen's gran turismo, a car that embodies the spirit of Charles Stewart Rolls, explained an excited Torsten Muller-Otvos, CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.The Rolls Royce-Wraith will be priced at £210,600 in Europe, with prices for the UK expected to be similar when it arrives on our shores later this year.
From zero to 60mph in only 4.4 seconds (0.3 seconds faster than the Ghost), the 624bhp luxury car is the first to incorporate an innovative new technology that will undoubtedly prove useful for a smoother drive: Satellite Aided Transmission. It uses GPS mapping data to anticipate the driver's 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.
Hand-crafted and well refined, it is a stepping stone to the future of luxurious cars. Mr Muller-Otvos added: "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."
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.
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.
Related Articles // More Like This
- 1
- 2
- 3
News 24/7
MotorTrades Insight are now official news providers for NewsNow.
Top Stories // This Week
Automotive industry aims to employ 100,000 skilled students.
Britain's automotive industry and the government are working to plug a 100,000-person future skills gap by encouraging young people into manufacturing and supply chain careers as part of a joint See... 
Volvo creates 'revolutionary' batteries that can be hidden inside carbon fibre body panels.
Volvo has developed what it describes as 'a revolutionary concept' for lightweight structural energy storage components that could improve the energy usage of future electrified vehicles. The m... 
Ford Driving Skills for Life makes debut outside East London's ExCel .
Ford Driving Skills for Life, Ford’s free young driver training programme, was launched in the UK last week, with major events in London and Manchester.In total, more than 500 people registered for ... 
Top Gear Live wows Warsaw crowd.
Already firmly established as the greatest motoring theatre show in the world, Top Gear Live has conquered new peaks by performing to a record-breaking crowd of more than 58,000 fans in Warsaw’s imp... 
Special Feature: steering wheels to be outlawed by 2040 as driverless cars could end ongoing tragedy and save a lif.
Up to four million people every year could be killed if autonomous cars are not introduced within the next 27 years, according to American car designer Michael Vernon Robinson.“We’re going to have t... 
Top Gear's Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May to star in fifth and final live extravaganza after 'huge .
Scottish petrolheads are really revved up for Top Gear Live’s eagerly anticipated debut north of the border in January 2014.Tickets for three special, 90-minute arena performances at Glasgow’s gleam... 
Construction of Europe's first Infiniti production facilities begins at gigantic Sunderland plant.
- 1,000 jobs to result from £250m investment for Infiniti Q30 production.- Two extensions to be constructed: a trim and chassis shop and a body shop.Construction of the first Infiniti production fac... 
Top Gear Live geared up for Scottish spectacular.
Top Gear Live is coming to Scotland for the very first time with three live shows – at The SSE Hydro, Glasgow in January 2014.The announcement was made earlier today. Hosted by Jeremy Clarkson, Rich... 
Road accidents caused by sun glare jump 12 per cent in a year.
According to newly published data concerning road traffic accidents in the UK, there has been a 12 per cent increase in accidents resulting from dazzling sun affecting motorists’ vision.Figures take... 
Toll-Free November: Ireland's HGV drivers urged to use motorways to avoid clogging up country roads.
Lorry drivers and operators of heavy goods vehicles should take advantage of the one month ‘toll holiday'', according to the Freight Transport Association of Ireland (FTAI).Answering Parliamentary Q... 
INTERVIEW: automotive designer David Hilton, Motorcity Europe founder and former Head of Exterior Design for Bentle.
What is the most challenging aspect of designing new cars suitable for the production line?Money and time. Every different brand has its different limitations. Some brands can only survive at the mi...