Showing posts with label Royce. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Royce. Show all posts

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Rolls-Royce Apparition concept messes with our heads


To say that we see a lot of student car designs here at Autoblog would be a gross understatement. We see hundreds of ‘em. Some are more interesting than others, but every once in a while, a design comes across our desks that takes our impression of what a car can look like and completely turns it on its head. This is one such example.


Dreamt up by one Jeremy Westerlund while studying at the Art Center school of design, the Rolls-RoyceApparition is a rolling trompe-l’œil that at once both reaches back into the automaker’s history and extends into the future.


The design is based around the old motor carriages that had a chauffeur sitting up front, exposed to the elements, with the passengers coddled inside. Like most contemporary Rolls models, the front is utterly dominated by the prominent grille and hood ornament. It features unique touches like real mahogany inserts in the wheels, and the imposing overall shape is long and low: the designer took his cues from sailing yachts, and even though the model is built to 1:4 scale, it’s still nearly six feet long. If such an extreme example of fantasy ever became reality, it would measure 279 inches overall – that’s over 23 feet, or about four feet longer than the Phantom. See if you can wrap your head around it in our extensive high-resolution image gallery below.









Fenice Milano’s Rolls-Royce Ghost “Diva” makes Mansory look tasteful


Between the gallons of chrome and the Spirit of Ecstasy protruding from its prominent grille, the contemporary offerings from Rolls-Royce have become a favorite among the bling crowd. But there are always those looking for something more outlandish. We thought Mansory had them covered with their take on theGhost, but even that’s looking subdued in comparison to Fenice Milano’s Diva.


Decked out in more gold than an aging Mediterranean playboy’s neck, the Diva edition takes the borderline tasteful way over the top. The hood, grille, side sills and mirrors have all been coated in 24-karat gold, as has the interior, along with custom teak, leather and Alcantara trim. It’s enough to make Liberace spin in his grave, and if you’re wearing your gold D&G sunglasses, you can check it out for yourself in the gallery below and the press release after the jump.









First Drive: 2010 Rolls-Royce Ghost is smaller in size, still larger than life


Rich people are different from the rest of us. Their wants and needs involve parameters and details completely foreign to the proletariat. While we use our vehicles for transportation, utility and sport, the rich view their automobiles as a necessary accoutrement to their elevated lifestyles.


For the ultra-wealthy, an appropriate equivalent might be an original Remington bronze or Picasso painting. And just as they need art in their mansions, they need beautiful transportation. The 2010 Rolls-Royce Ghostlives up to those lofty requirements by simultaneously being a rolling work of art and a status symbol beyond reproach.


Like access to the Queen, our time with the Ghost was strictly limited, so comprehensive driving impressions will have to wait. But what we did get was a rare glimpse into what the world’s richest inhabitants will enjoy when the Ghost goes on sale this year. And as you’d expect, life is good on this side of the financial Bell Curve.










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