Latest news with #SpiritofEcstasy
Miami Herald
13-07-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Has Bentley Officially Surpassed Rolls-Royce?
Rolls-Royce and Bentley are tied to each other forever. As recently as the late 90s, the two automakers made vehicles that were virtually indistinguishable from one another. Each had its trademarks, badging, and in Rolls-Royce's case, the Spirit of Ecstasy and grille design. Fast-forwarding three decades, we find two brands with distinct personalities and heritage. Looking closer, we see two brands that have set out to accomplish similar things - and achieved on very different levels. But first, a quick history lesson. Bentley Motors began life in January 1919 as World War I ended, debuting its first car later that year. The company delivered its first car in the following year and won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1927. Then, the brand repeated its wins in the three years following. Rolls-Royce bought the brand when it went into receivership on the heels of the Great Depression. The newly acquired now-subsidiary's first car was a Bentley 3.5-liter that appeared in 1933, powered by a Rolls-Royce engine. The latter part would prove to be a trend as all Bentley models produced after the merger until 2004 relied on Rolls-Royce engines and chassis. After changing hands in the 1970s, Rolls-Royce (including Bentley) went up for sale in the late 1990s. BMW and Volkswagen were poised to become the inheritors of the luxury crown. BMW was already providing powertrains for Rolls, and took further steps to purchase the name and logo for Rolls-Royce. For a sizable $703 million, Volkswagen purchased the designs, nameplates, and the facilities themselves. But, without the rights to the name and badging, a compromise needed to be met. Thus, VW took Bentley, and BMW got Rolls-Royce. Effective January 2003, the two brands were finally separate entities. After twenty-two years apart, how have they fared? Let's start with Rolls-Royce. The original nameplate has carried itself well into the 21st century, and 2024 saw the brand deliver 5,712 cars, its third-best recorded. Here, Bentley compares favorably. The Crewe-based automaker delivered nearly double the number of cars as Rolls, with 10,600 cars finding new homes. However, volume is only part of where these brands generate their revenue. Both place a heavy emphasis on customizability; Rolls-Royce has Bespoke, while Bentley offers Mulliner. Last year, Bentley saw revenue per car rise 10%, and a lot of that comes from the fact that 70% of the cars delivered had at least one Mulliner inclusion. Rolls-Royce says, similarly, that it saw a 10% increase in Bespoke content overall, enough to set a record for the brand. Bentley trounces Goodwood in volume, and profit is a similar story. Bentley reported a profit of $439 million. Meanwhile, BMW reported that Rolls-Royce generated around $140 million in profit, demonstrating that the brand is also very likely making less, percentage-wise, per car than the boys in Crewe. The story remains consistent no matter which arena you pick. Rolls-Royce, overall, accounts for roughly 1% of parent company BMW's profit. Bentley? Last year, despite a downturn in profits, the brand accounted for around 2% of Volkswagen's profit. We've established that Bentley is making more money than Rolls-Royce, but what does the future hold? Bentley certainly isn't resting on its laurels, just recently announcing three new stores for North America in desirable locations - Santa Barbara, California, San Antonio, Texas, and Oakville, Canada, a Toronto suburb. An exec was recently quoted as saying there's "no real limitation" on what the automaker can or would build you, even offering a pickup truck. Finally, Bentley also laid the ground for a new BEV assembly line back in March 2025. Then, in July, Bentley opened up a brand-new design studio converted from one of its oldest and most heritage-filled buildings. BMW isn't putting Rolls-Royce out to pasture yet, though. Last year, the brand added two new Private Office locations and an invite-only network for Rolls-Royce customers to configure their vehicles. Furthermore, the brand committed around $400 million to expanding manufacturing at the Goodwood facility. The numbers don't lie. It's a fairly accurate statement to say that Bentley has surpassed Rolls-Royce, at least for the time being. However, even after a century, both brands are still growing. Notably, the big B doesn't have a single all-electric model. Meanwhile, Rolls-Royce has cleaned up with the Spectre, simultaneously attracting a whole new kind of buyer and moving units. It's too early to tell which of these historic luxury brands is going to come out on top, but Bentley has certainly taken the lead, and is obviously working and spending hard to maintain it. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
NZ Autocar
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- NZ Autocar
Rolls-Royce re-opens House of Luxury in Auckland
Purple is the colour most associated with rarity, royalty, luxury, ambition, magic, mystery, spirituality. Therefore, no other hue is more fitting for the new House of Luxury where Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Auckland resides. After a significant nine-month renovation, the Autosports Group has re-opened the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Auckland showroom, with the brand's rich shade of purple adorning the entranceway and signature pylon at 78 Great South Road, Epsom. In addition, Rolls-Rolls Motor Cars announced the debut of the new Ghost Series II and the Black Badge Sceptre for the New Zealand market, which are both on display in the renewed premises. Inside the new three-car showroom, more purple highlights are found in the rugs, upholstery and fixtures. It's also inside the new Black Badge Sceptre on display which offers a symphony of the brand's signature shade in the cabin of the electric coupe. 'As the only Rolls-Royce dealership in New Zealand, the new Auckland showroom is a momentous milestone for us. This new space provides a perfect platform to inspire our clients to create truly bespoke motor cars,' Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Auckland dealer principal Jonny Highton says. 'From a multi-media curtain of 'dancing' kinetic lights to a unique 'cabinet of curiosities' showcasing New Zealand art and culture, a visit here is designed to be an engaging experience for customers where they can experience the very best of the brand,' he says. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars says the new House of Luxury for the New Zealand market is crafted to captivate a younger, self-made clientele and deliver an immersive experience within an inviting atmosphere, where clients can explore and appreciate the marque's motor cars. The entrance is inspired by the Rolls-Royce Pantheon grille and offers a discreet preview of the world within. Crowning the doorway, the Spirit of Ecstasy beckons clients into a showroom where luxury intertwines with the marque's heritage. At the heart of the new showroom resides the Bespoke Commissioning Atelier – designed to immerse clients in the artistry of Rolls-Royce. It allows clients to explore the brand's full range of personalisation, from rare wood veneers to embroidery threads. The experience is enhanced by a Cabinet of Curiosities – a curated showcase of New Zealand art and design that inspires creativity and honours local culture. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars say the redesigned Auckland showroom reflects the dealership's continued commitment to delivering an exceptional client experience in a contemporary setting.
Forbes
28-04-2025
- Automotive
- Forbes
Rolls-Royce Private Office: The Luxury Of A Lifetime, By Invitation
Design materials fill a wall at Rolls-Royce Private Office New York Rolls-Royce owners are accustomed to perks: Exclusive events, elevated experiences, elite opportunities. The ultimate perk, however isn't for just any Rolls-Royce owner; it requires a nomination by a dealer: An invitation to the Rolls-Royce Private Office. The company recently opened its fourth Private Office location in New York City (others include Shanghai, Dubai and the company's headquarters at Goodwood in England). This design studio with a comfortable, intimate feel is tucked away on a high floor of an elegant building in the Meatpacking District. And it's where Rolls-Royce clients can come to truly immerse in the design of their next dream car. Once invited by a dealer to schedule time with the Private Office, you'll be given an address. There is no Rolls-Royce sign on the building, an unassuming façade that blends in easily in the neighborhood. As with many buildings in New York, you might check in with the security guard and be guided to the elevator, or a Rolls-Royce representative may meet you in the lobby. Then, you're whisked to the top floor and down a long chrome-lined hallway and into the Private Office Space. The studio at Rolls-Royce Private Office New York features a stainless Pantheon column wall It's in this inner-sanctum of Rolls-Royce design that buyers can elevate their new car commission. They'll have access to designers, an expansive selection of materials and the ability to customize things such as paint color or materials. While much of this can be done at a Rolls-Royce dealership, the Private Office is designed to offer the same experience a client would have should they travel to Goodwood to design their car. The Private Office is also a comfortable space to relax, spread out and inspire creativity. There's room to bring along friends or family, to have a meal during or after the design day, and to pop a favorite bottle of Champagne to celebrate the moment. All while taking in the billion-dollar views of Manhattan. The design studio at Rolls-Royce Private Office New York At the Rolls-Royce Private Office you'll find a lot of things: Leather samples, paint colors, woods, metals, chrome and carbon; spools of colored thread for stitching and embroidery; a display of Spirit of Ecstasy sculptures; even luggage made to match your new car. What you won't find is an actual car. That's because the Private Office is not a showroom, nor is it a sales location; customers cannot buy a car here; they can only design one. With Private Office Rolls-Royce created an incredibly immersive environment. Visitors might at first be lulled into thinking the space is simply a chic apartment with a design studio tucked into the living space. But as you spend time there the design values of Rolls-Royce rise to the surface and envelop you. A mini Rolls-Royce model on display at Private Office New York The collage, for instance, that greets you as you step off the elevator into the Private Office lobby, is an assemblage of glass pieces designed to capture the sun and, like a prism, change color as the light strikes it differently throughout the day. At its center are 90 pieces of glass that represent the 90 hands it takes to build a Rolls-Royce. Around the corner is a model of the Goodwood campus assembled from the woods, wools, metals and other materials used in commissioning a Rolls-Royce. And the chrome panels that line the hallway are an ode to the Pantheon grille that caps the front of every Rolls-Royce model. Inside, more Rolls-Royce heritage fills the space: A leather-topped dining table and leather chairs, polished woods, art books, a miniature Rolls-Royce replica and a hanging display of Spirit of Ecstasy sculptures. These hang in the south-facing windows; just beyond them are the rooftops of Greenwich Village and at the center of the vista, New York's Freedom Tower. Spirit of Ecstasy on display at Rolls-Royce Private Office The Private Office space was designed to look and feel like Goodwood, to bring the brand's vaunted design space to New York City. Of course, it's easier for North American buyers to access when commissioning a new Rolls-Royce. But it also extends the warmth and welcoming feel of Goodwood. 'For us, having the space feel more like a home and not like an office was very important,' said Gina Koutros, head of brand and client experience for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. 'We wanted clients to feel that they can come here at leisure. We want them to feel inspired by the space and their surroundings.' Still, Koutros says, a dealer invitation is a critical part of the process; the company very much works in tandem with the dealer to help a client commission a new car. The Rolls-Royce Private Office New York studio has a residential feel Commissioning a Rolls-Royce is involved and personal; it takes time, attention and expert guidance. And then, there are buyers who want a unique commission, one with a custom paint that they will get to name; an assemblage of leathers and colors that no one has ever created before; a first-use of newly-available technology. It's as if the client is at once a Rolls-Royce designer and executive as well as buyer. And that is the experience that clients will be able to create at the Rolls-Royce Private Office, an immersion into colors, materials and technologies usually only seen by executives inside the company. And, they'll get to take the time they need to design the perfect car, from a few hours to several visits. The goal is to get the commission perfectly right, and to inspire and delight in the process by immersing each client in the Rolls-Royce experience, elevated but relaxed, just as their bespoke cars are.
AU Financial Review
27-04-2025
- Automotive
- AU Financial Review
The new Rolls-Royce Cullinan Series II has a dark side
What is it? The Cullinan Series II is the revised and re-nosed version of Rolls-Royce's first-ever SUV, introduced in 2018 and now accounting for about 45 per cent of the company's sales. Explaining the Black Badge variant is slightly more complex. Rolls-Royce describes it as the standard car's 'alter ego' and even uses the term 'subversive' in its marketing. With black highlights, including a darkened Spirit of Ecstasy bonnet mascot and grille, lower front air intakes and a smidgen more power and torque, it's a performance variant, but in a very subtle way. It could be seen as less ostentatious than its chrome-laden sibling, but again only marginally. What does it cost? From $895,000 plus on-road costs. As with other Rolls-Royces, most Cullinans will be heavily optioned. There are almost unlimited choices; our car had a four-seat configuration with the rear featuring fully adjustable bucket seats on each side of a large central console and champagne fridge. In this configuration, it gains a second rear windshield between the rear seats and the cargo area, further reducing noise, and allowing the cabin to be heated, cooled and/or kept fly- and mosquito-free if you are parked with the tailgate open and the Viewing Suite in use. This optional Viewing Suite includes two electrically deployable seats and a cocktail table, which project out the rear cargo area to provide the perfect vantage (and G&T-sipping) point for, say, a school sports carnival. You probably won't want to make eye contact with the other parents though.
Khaleej Times
18-04-2025
- Automotive
- Khaleej Times
Auto Review: Spectre drives Rolls-Royce into the electric vehicle era
In 1900, Rolls-Royce co-founder Charles Rolls predicted an electric future for motor cars. He said, 'The electric car is perfectly noiseless and clean. There is no smell or vibration, and they should become very useful when fixed charging stations can be arranged.' He envisioned it as a clean, quiet alternative to the internal combustion engine. Over a century later, Rolls-Royce rolled out its first electric vehicle (EV), the Spectre, fulfilling a vision long in the making. I was invited to drive the 5.5-metre-long, electron-powered super coupé to check its style and measure its substance. Here are some notable impressions: DESIGN & AESTHETICS The Spectre is a moving metallic monument, blending stately architecture with yacht-inspired design. It features bold geometric shapes in a sleek two-door format. The giant bonnet rises gently from the widest, now-illuminated Pantheon grille and connects to the fastback roofline, creating a regal-yet-sporty silhouette, making it the most aerodynamic Rolls-Royce yet. Both the aero-optimised grille and ornate Spirit of Ecstasy figurine, which leans into the wind, contribute to this endeavour. The grille is flanked by sleek, split-style LED headlamps upfront, while at the rear, there are vertical LED units. I also credit the engineers for those large body panels and am in awe of the wheel centres on the 23-inch alloys that stay upright even on the go. Whether in the flesh or rearview mirror, when you see the Spectre, you know it's a dignitary on the move. And when seated in one, you are compelled to act with dignity — at least until the next car cuts you off. Open the large rear-hinged doors, and you access the finest automotive real estate in the business. Step on the brake and the door closes automatically. Inside, you're surrounded by exquisite materials and peculiar details — some traditional, others imaginative. The grand steering wheel feels analogue, like that of a yacht, but in its background is a fully digital gauge with clean monochromatic graphics. The driver's seat, with its dual-tone upholstery, is supremely comfortable, but taller drivers may want more thigh support. Centrally situated is the BMW-sourced, 12.3-inch infotainment cluster. It's a last-gen unit, but it's a good size, avoiding tech hub vulgarity. In its proximity are earthy textured open-pore wood trims and genuine metal organ pulls for the A/C, along with keyboard-like station presets that add to the tactile luxury. Below, the fluffy lambswool mats beg you to run your fingers through them, like Maximus does over wheat in the Gladiator movie. But what's truly astonishing is the Starlight roofliner (with shooting star effects), which now extends to the doors — made possible with 4,796 softly illuminated 'stars.' The power-retractable front seats fold quickly, but getting into the rear is labourious. Once inside, you're treated like a 'friend of the family.' The Spectre also offers a high degree of customisation. They'll do anything to make it your own — pun intended. POWERTRAIN & PERFORMANCE Below deck, it features not a traditional V12, but a 102.0-kWh lithium-ion battery. It powers a dual-motor setup that delivers a commendable combined output of 584 PS. To get moving, you pull a quaint stalk behind the steering wheel, and as it accelerates, you realise this is the quietest ride ever. The absence of the internal combustion engine brings cabin noise to a near-magical zero. The magic carpet ride is also exemplified here. The Spectre's planar suspension smooths out vibrations, making it possible to sign cheques if necessary! Furthermore, the lack of B-pillars negates annoying blind spots, and the soothing turn signal chime makes driving more pleasurable. Sure, you can blur the scenery with that massive 900 Nm of torque, but if you've already made your money, why rush? In fact, the Spectre, like all Rolls-Royce vehicles, is best experienced at a leisurely pace. Also, with a shorter, stiffer chassis, it can handle speedy intersection loops and lane changes with reasonable agility, though it doesn't deserve that kind of racehorse whipping. As heavy as it may be, the strong brakes work hard to shed speed predictably. You can also engage Brake Mode, increasing regenerative braking for single-pedal driving. At 75 per cent charge, it indicated 346km, implying a 460km total range, which is close to the 530km claim. Wealthy owners would charter a helicopter for any destination farther, I suppose. Charging from 10 per cent to 80 per cent takes just 34 minutes using a 195 kW DC charger, but the unspoken promise of wireless induction charging hasn't materialised. FEATURES & FUNCTIONALITY Yes, it's a coupé, but with a deep, long boot — enough for a suitcase or two. There's no frunk, though, unlike most EVs. Inside, it features two central console cubbies with USB-C ports, along with Bluetooth for connectivity. Also note, Rolls-Royce's Bespoke audio system delivers impressive decibels and fidelity through the metallic speaker covers. For safety, the Spectre comes with features like Active Lane Centring, Adaptive Cruise Control, and more. There's also a pop-out umbrella in the door, in case the weather ever turns grey. VERDICT Rolls-Royce enters the EV era with the spectacular Spectre. As one of the most admired marques, it is more than just a car — it's an endorsement of financial prowess and an opportunity for communion with social elites. The Spectre is a suave machine, with its grand size, yacht-inspired architecture, exquisitely fashioned cabin, and mesmerising gimmicks. While it can kick up some dust, it excels at a leisurely pace, enhanced by its silent cabin. Like it or hate it, EV characteristics enhance the coveted Rolls-Royce experience. Pros and cons GOOD - Stately styling; silent and soft ride; power on tap; customisation options; no rivals BAD - Some may miss the V12; front seats need more thigh support; last-gen infotainment; no wireless charging for the vehicle SPECIFICATIONS Body type - 2+2-seater; two-door premium ultra-luxury full-size coupe Engine - 102 kWh battery; dual electric motor; all-wheel drive Transmission -1-speed automatic Peak output - 584 PS (system total); 258 PS (front motor) + 489 PS (rear motor) - 900 Nm (system total); 365 Nm (front motor) + 710 Nm (rear motor) 0 to 100kmph - 4.5 seconds (claimed) Top speed -250kmph (drag limited; claimed) Price - Starting at Dh2,100,000 Stars: 8.5/10 KT Luxe
