20-06-2025
Fast Lane: BMW, Bentley, Peugeot, Rolls-Royce
Special wishes: Invited clients can co-create their dream Rolls-Royce at special creative hubs in cities such as Dubai, Shanghai and Seoul. PHOTO: ROLLS-ROYCE MOTOR CARS
Unique Rose
Rolls-Royce is keen to show how far it can go to cater to the special requests of clients. The Rolls-Royce Spectre Rose is a customised creation featuring rose motifs on the upholstery and a unique exterior.
The company says the car was commissioned by a prominent client in the Middle East for her daughter.
To achieve the desired effect, the craftsmen at Rolls-Royce created a new embroidery technique. Two shades of pink threads are blended, using a satin stitch to create a subtle gradient such that the embroidered roses have a three-dimensional look.
A single hand-painted pink coach line runs along the flank of the Spectre.
Around the world, Rolls-Royce has set up special creative hubs in places such as Dubai, Shanghai and Seoul, where invited clients can work with a designer to create their dream car.
More efficient SUV
Upgraded: The BMW iX now has more power and a longer operating range.
PHOTO: BMW
The BMW iX has been subtly updated for more power and higher efficiency. Along with these changes under its skin, it wears a new face – starting with the redesigned front grille with diagonal stripes – similar to the new X3.
As with some of the newer BMWs, the border of the grille is now illuminated. The refreshed iX's daytime running lights in the headlamps are set at an angle, also taking reference from the newer generation of BMWs.
The updated electric sport utility vehicle has 300kW, which is 60kW more than its previous rendition. This cuts the 0-100kmh sprint time to 5.1 seconds, an improvement of 1 second.
In terms of operating range, the iX xDrive45 claims to be able to travel 602km before needing a recharge. This is up from 425km on the pre-updated iX xDrive40 model. Charging speed has also been upgraded from 150kW to 175kW.
Hot voltage hatchback
Performance EV: The Peugeot E-208 GTi is the brand's first electric hot hatchback.
PHOTO: STELLANTIS
French brand Peugeot is betting that it can transfer the appeal and character of the GTi badge from its combustion-engine models to the electric age with its new E-208 GTi.
The five-door hatchback is one size smaller than the Volkswagen Golf GTI , but quicker. The Peugeot's 209kW front-mounted motor gives the car a 0-100kmh sprint time of 5.7 seconds, versus 6.6 seconds for the petrol-powered Volkswagen.
The front axle has a limited-slip differential to enhance handling. The car's wheel tracks are wider than the standard E-208 hatchback. Both the suspension set-up and electronic stability program have been tuned to suit the GTi's more aggressive brief.
The E-208 GTi is the first model to be fully designed by Peugeot Sport, the performance arm of Peugeot. The car has big shoes to fill, considering the high bar set by the Peugeot 205 GTi from the 1980s, long regarded as among the best hot hatchbacks in automotive history.
Six-seater Bentley on auction
MPV of sorts: Special Bentley Mulsanne is a six-seater limousine.
PHOTO: COLLECTING CARS
The Bentley Mulsanne Grand Limousine is an official model from the British luxury car brand and not an aftermarket conversion . The wheelbase has been stretched by 1,000mm and the height raised by 79mm.
One of supposedly 12 units made , it has been listed in June on Collecting Cars, an online auction site.
It has six individual seats; the two in the middle row are rear-facing. A privacy partition with adjustable opacity separates the front seats from the rest of the cabin.
An intercom system and a quilted headliner split by a wood-veneered central spine, which houses the lighting and controls, are among other features that set the car apart from the regular Mulsanne.
Mechanically, the Grand Limousine is identical to the standard Mulsanne, with a twin-turbocharged 6.75-litre V8 engine powering the rear wheels. For details, go to
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