Rendered Speculation: Baby Rolls-Royce takes shape
The design of a Rolls-Royce is so iconic that it's not terribly difficult to imagine what the luxury brand's next model, a smaller sedan priced well below the Rolls-Royce Phantom, Phantom Drophead and Phantom Coupe, will look like. CAR Magazine, however, has enough Photoshop skills to transform an official pic of the Phantom Drophead into the four-door Bentley Continental killer that we're all so eager to see. Based on the same mechanicals as the next-generation long-wheelbase BMW 7-Series, the new Baby Rolls will eventually give birth to an entire model lineup that includes a coupe and convertible, just like the Bentley Continental spawned the Flying Spur and GTC. The potential for three new models means Rolls-Royce cars will become more commonplace on the roads, as the brand expects to double its sales after the new baby arrives. But Bentley has proven a top-tier luxury marque can cross the threshold of 10,000 sales per year and still retain its luster, and it appears Rolls is right behind them. Thanks for the tip, Phred![Source: CAR]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
SPG 11:42AM (3/18/2008)
It's awesome.
A smaller, lower priced rolls that's not silly.
Of course it has to have the large grille and very bold design cues. But even those don't seem to make this car overdone.
It's going to sell very well is my prediction.
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cameron42985 11:58AM (3/18/2008)
Nice move BMW.
Do we have to keep calling it 'baby'?
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zamafir 12:20PM (3/18/2008)
Good luck is all I can say. The new speed conti is just an amazingly well crafted piece of kit (if the reviews are to be believed). BMW has their work cut out for 'em across the board.
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nastinupe 12:22PM (3/18/2008)
I love it. The 4 door looks stellar. Very traditional, yet fresh. I was hoping for a lower price tag... maybe around $125,000 USD. $170,000 really pushes it out of the market for many car shoppers. If the car was loaded out at $125,000 Rolls could really take away the AMG and 600 sales from Mercedes. At $170,000 the only mass market competitor is Bentley.
I really wish I was an exec at BMW right now. I mean, if you were over Rolls, then your career is headed through the roof... and they didn't do anything but sit back and let the money roll in. They are getting sales that they didn't even expect. And to make it so bad, they didn't really do anything special. The Phantom and Drophead and basic Rolls Royce design. It's nothing new.
So it's like the Rolls team is getting credit for what happened 80 years ago. It's no fair I tell you.
Hey Jag should do the same thing. Make people sick of the new design and after 20 years (if they can hold out that long) go back to the "old" style and people will eat it up.
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garlinski 1:19PM (3/18/2008)
Somethign to graduate to from the Flying Spur or the dated Maybach. Of which neither will EVER grace my driveway, but it's nice to dream. Car looks pretty sick.
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Rick 6:07PM (3/18/2008)
Wasn't there a report like 3 days ago denying a baby RR?
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