ROLLS-ROYCE VISION NEXT 100 – A GRAND VISION OF THE FUTURE OF LUXURY MOBILITY

In a spectacular event at London’s Roundhouse yesterday, the Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100 was presented. The car defines the future of luxury mobility. Codenamed 103EX, it is the marque’s first ever pure ‘Vision Vehicle’.

The Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100 presents an intriguing and aesthetically dynamic vision of the future of luxury mobility – a completely personal, effortless and autonomous Rolls-Royce experience, wrapped in a design that ensures a ‘Grand Sanctuary’ for its occupants, and a ‘Grand Arrival’.

The Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100 anticipates the mobility demands of the luxury customer of the future. Brought to life by Rolls-Royce after many months of study and consultation with current patrons of the brand, the car represents their clearly expressed desire for an assurance that the marque’s plans for the future of luxury personal mobility will continue to embody the key attributes that have made Rolls-Royce the preferred marque of the most discerning and powerful patrons in the world for over a Century.

With the Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100, the brand provides just such an assurance to its valued customers – present and future. It makes a bold and definitive statement of confidence in a future where Rolls-Royce rejects the notion of anonymous, utilitarian and bland future modes of mobility. Through an intimate understanding of its customers’ thinking and their demands in the future, Rolls-Royce presents an exciting and highly appealing vision of effortless, autonomous, spacious and beautiful luxury mobility, as personal as each individual customer.

Source: Rolls-Royce

GRAHAM HULL ARTWORK COMPETITION PRIZE GOES TO A VERY GOOD HOME

Earlier this year we ran a competition to win a truly unique, signed drawing by Graham Hull. Author of the recently-published book Inside the Rolls-Royce & Bentley Styling Department 1971-2001, Graham joined Rolls-Royce and Bentley Motors, Crewe, in 1971. He became chief stylist, responsible for both marques in the mid '80s, and was deeply involved in the spectacular rebirth of Bentley.

This completely original one-off A3 render of Graham Hull's 2014 personal concept artwork suggestion of how a modern, bespoke, luxury Coupé might look was won by Wolfgang, from Germany. He sent us a couple of photos of the framed artwork on his wall.

Here's what Wolfgang had to say:

"As you can see, the two drawings complement each other beautifully. The upper one is a signed print of a drawing John Samsen (who was on Virgil Exner's team) did of a 59 DeSoto. The rear was actually used for the 60 DeSoto, which would have profited also of the less bulky front Mr. Samsen gave it on the rendering. The killer whale look was a demand made by management ..."

Graham Hull's artwork ended up in the home of a real enthusiast who enjoyed his Rolls-Royce and Bentley story a lot, and I learned many things I had no idea about."
Wolfgang, Germany (Competition prize winner).

Available from Veloce!
Inside the Rolls-Royce & Bentley Styling Department 1971 to 2001
By Graham Hull.

Working for this uniquely British institution during a period of immense change described in detail.

More info.

REVIEWS ROUND-UP

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Return to Glory! The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Racing Car
by Robert Ackerson
Inside the Rolls-Royce & Bentley Styling Department 1971 to 2001
by Graham Hull
Japanese Custom Motorcycles – The Nippon Chop by Uli Cloesen

COMPETITION TIME!

How would you like to win a truly unique, signed drawing by Graham Hull? Author of the recently-published book Inside the Rolls-Royce & Bentley Styling Department 1971-2001, Graham joined Rolls-Royce and Bentley Motors, Crewe, in 1971. He became chief stylist, responsible for both marques in the mid '80s, and was deeply involved in the spectacular rebirth of Bentley.

This completely original one-off A3 render of Graham Hull's 2014 personal concept artwork suggestion of how a modern, bespoke, luxury Coupé might look, was produced especially for Veloce last month, and we are giving it away to one lucky winner!

To be in with a chance of winning this exclusive piece of original automotive artwork, by an expert in his field, simply answer the following question:

Inside the Rolls-Royce & Bentley Styling Department 1971-2001 by Graham Hull is packed with photos, designs & sketches like the image above. How many pictures are there in Graham Hull's new Rolls-Royce & Bentley book?

To give you a clue, the answer can be found on the book description page here.

Email your answer to prize@veloce.co.uk. One lucky winner will be selected at random from all the correct entries on 30th April 2014.

BID FOR ‘THE BEST CAR IN THE WORLD’

With Silver Ghost’s rarely offered at public auction, Historics’ matching numbers car is entirely correct, and as the epitome of elegance, is anticipated to command offers in the region of £450,000 to £550,000 at auction on September 1st.

Arguably the most famous luxury car in history, and still the most desirable pre-war veteran amongst collectors, the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost was designed to showcase the highest level of engineering skill alongside an unrivalled passion for quality, and became known as the ‘Best car in the world’.

Awarded the title by Autocar magazine in 1907 - following its launch to great acclaim at Olympia in 1906 - the 40/50hp gained the ‘Silver Ghost’ moniker from members of the press in recognition of its serene presence, with auctioneer Historics at Brooklands bringing an example with such spirit to its autumn sale.

Chassis 1557 was built in 1911, the same year a Silver Ghost completed an entire run from London to Edinburgh and back in top gear, and with a fuel consumption of 24 mpg, highlighting Rolls-Royce’ renowned marriage of power and legendary reliability.

The car was delivered on 1st April 1911 to Sir Adolph Tuck of London, whose father founded the company Raphael Tuck & Sons, selling prints and postcards during the ‘postcard boom’ of the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Originally fitted with a Landaulette body in order to be chauffeur driven, the motor car was latterly re-bodied as a period two-seat tourer by Rippon Brothers Ltd., who are widely considered the oldest coach building company in the world, having built a coach for the Earl of Rutland in 1555, and a ‘chariot throne’ for Queen Elizabeth I in 1584.

Producing bespoke bodies for numerous Rolls-Royce models right up until 1959, Rippon Brothers Ltd. won the coveted ‘Coachmakers Cup’ at the London Motor Show on a number of occasions, including eight successive titles in the 1930s, demonstrating their shared belief of the Rolls-Royce ideals.

Chassis 1557 boasts an equally impressive award winning history, and in 1977 attended the Queen’s Jubilee parade through Windsor Castle to the Silver Ring at Ascot Race Course.

More recently a complete nut and bolt restoration was commissioned in 2001, with the painstaking 12-month process resulting in a finish of the highest possible standard. Subsequent Concours prizes at annual Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts Club rallies attest to its quality.

Complete with Acetylene head and side lamps, Boa Constrictor horn and a complete original tool kit under the passenger side running board, #1557 is coach-painted in dark blue, with red coachlines matching that of the opulent red leather interior.

Viewing at Brooklands will be on Friday 31st August from 10am – 8pm, with offers welcomed on the day in person, via commission or telephone bids, or indeed online via www.i-bidder.com.

Source: historics.co.uk

HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN’S DIAMOND JUBILEE TO BE CELEBRATED IN THE CARTIER ‘STYLE ET LUXE’ AT GOODWOOD FoS 2012

Now in its 18th consecutive year at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and Moving Motor Show (28 June – 1 July), the annual Cartier ‘Style et Luxe’ vehicle concours d’elegance promises to be truly exceptional this year. For the first time ever, Cartier will focus on just one set of vehicles, but what a collection of machines they will be!

As a mark of respect to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for her Diamond Jubilee, Goodwood and Cartier will gather together an astonishing selection of vehicles all personally owned or used by Her Majesty. These vehicles have never been seen in public together as a collection, and the quality and variety of the vehicles promises to be simply staggering.

Many vehicles will come from the personal collections of Her Majesty, including Sandringham and the Royal Mews. Others will be sourced from overseas governments and private collections, and all will have a genuine use and connection with The Queen.

The unique Cartier ‘Style et Luxe’ Royal Vehicle concours will be divided into five special classes, including state limousines and carriages, official overseas state visit transport, working cars, personal family cars, plus toy cars owned by the Royal Household.

Formal state limousines and carriages will include Her Majesty’s 1961 Rolls-Royce Phantom V, modified specifically to fit on The Royal Yacht Britannia, a 1929 Daimler Double Six 30hp Brougham and a 1920 carriage from the Royal train. Foreign Travel will include cars used for overseas State visits, sent over to Goodwood specifically for the Cartier ‘Style et Luxe’ with official government permissions. These include the striking Chapron-bodied Citroen SM Decapotable used for The Queen’s State visit to France in 1972, with the release of this car being personally signed-off by the French President. Festival visitors will also see a special 1950 Lincoln Cosmopolitan ‘bubble top,’ plus a Humber Super Snipe used for Her Majesty’s first Commonwealth Tour.

Working cars are set to include a unique coachbuilt 1956 Ford Zephyr Estate, purpose built to carry luggage, plus a 1961 Vauxhall Cresta Friary Estate, used to transport Her Majesty’s corgi dogs. Personal ‘Regal Runabouts’ will include a Rover P5 and Daimler Double Six used extensively by The Queen, plus Prince Philip’s 1961 Alvis TD21.

An unusual vehicle class of Royal Household toy cars will include a 1928 Citroen C4 presented to The Queen, plus an Austin J40 pedal car and 1966 Aston Martin DB5 007-replica pedal car.

On the Saturday and Sunday of the Festival of Speed, a number of Her Majesty’s cars will briefly move from the Cartier Lawn and slowly parade along the Goodwood hillclimb for a special Diamond Jubilee tribute to Her Majesty The Queen.

Goodwood’s acclaimed Cartier ‘Style et Luxe’ concours d’elegance celebration of fine automotive design always attracts a distinguished panel of judges, and this year will be no exception. Judges will include Ashes To Ashes actor Philip Glenister, athlete Edwin Moses, supermodel Natalia Vodianova, musician Brian Johnson, TV presenter Kevin McCloud and The Queen’s nephew Lord Linley.

During the Festival weekend, a visit to the Cartier ‘Style et Luxe’ is made all the more enjoyable by a superb soundtrack of live jazz playing on the bandstand on Saturday and Sunday, making this is an unmissable occasion for anyone who appreciates the inherent creative magnificence of great automobiles.

Source: Goodwood

‘GRAND TOURING GREATS’ TO STAR IN THE EARLS COURT MOTOR SHOW AT THE GOODWOOD REVIVAL

Following the growing popularity of the annual Earls Court Motor Show at the Goodwood Revival, this key attraction will once again add an exciting element to the annual Revival meeting, the world’s most authentic historic motor race meeting, being held in just four week’s time, from 17-19 September.

The Earls Court Motor Show takes its inspiration from the celebrated London Motor Shows of the 1950s and 60s, with an Art Deco frontage reminiscent of the glory days of exhibitions of the past. This spacious area will give the expected 130,000 Goodwood Revival visitors an insight into how the motoring of tomorrow might look from a pre-1966 perspective, with a display of ‘futuristic’ late 20th and early 21st century cars.

Externally, Earls Court looks like the entrance to a 1950s Motor Show, promising to display ‘cars of the future’ inside. As no post-1966 vehicles are ordinarily allowed on site during the Goodwood Revival, the Earls Court Motor Show enables the event to break out of its ‘period’ timeframe and display post-1966 vehicles. The effect is like walking into a Tardis, offering other-worldly futuristic new cars to see, right up to and including manufacturers’ latest products.

Each vehicle manufacturer’s stand is presented in the style of a traditional Motor Show of the 1950s or 1960s. As with the rest of the Revival, the overall display is not set in a specific timeframe, but rather at some unidentified point prior to 1966. Manufacturer displays are therefore expected to include contemporary cars of the 1950s or 1960s, as well as some ‘concept’ cars showing each company’s vision of what production cars might look like in the early 21st Century. Car manufacturers confirmed to be exhibiting at this ‘motor show of the future’ include Maserati, Jaguar, BMW, Nissan and Rolls-Royce.

In addition to the manufacturers’ stands, there will be a central ‘concours d’elegance’ exhibition. This display will commemorate ‘Grand Touring Greats’, featuring around 25 elegant GT cars, from the 1950s right through to the present day. Expect to see important GT cars such as the influential Lancia Aurelia B20 Coupe, Bentley Continental R, Facel Vega HK500, Gordon Keeble and Ferrari 365 GTB/4 ‘Daytona.’

Goodwood’s historic links with Earls Court are very strong. The famous London Earls Court exhibition site was built on land once owned by the Duke of Richmond; the Earl in the name referring to the Earl of March, from whom the present 10th Duke of Richmond, and his son Lord March, are directly descended.

Source: Goodwood

WHY THE CHINESE GET A SHORTER PHANTOM

Chinese customers are getting a little less than for their money when they buy a Rolls-Royce Phantom - around 4cms less.

The Roller hit something of road block in China in the middle of last year following the introduction of new laws prohibiting vehicles over 6 metres long driving in cities at night.

It was legislation aimed at reducing congestion by banning trucks - however it collected the Rolls-Royce Phantom as well, all 6m 4cms of it.

"It took three months to re-engineer the bumpers," said Ian Robertson, board member for sales and marketing for BMW, the German owner of Rolls-Royce.

"It held sales up for a while but we are now back on track," he added. Rolls-Royce sales in China have grown from zero five years ago although the company did not provide exact figures for last year.

Robertson said: "The growth in the vehicle market in China is phenomenal. Will it continue at that pace? I doubt it but it will remain strong for the next 10 years and the premium market will grow strongly there as well.

"BMW has added 20 dealers in the past year, we expect to appoint another 10-15 before the end of 2010. It's a case of finding the right partners. China is now our fourth largest market after Germany, USA and UK. BMW Group is currently selling around 100,000 vehicles a year there.

"For this year the market in China will remain explosive. In the US I expect the market to be up by 10-15 per cent, in Russia there are some signs of recovery but we are expecting Germany to be down considerably, maybe by a million cars."

Source: headlineauto.co.uk

RARE GLIMPSE INSIDE BENTLEY AND ROLLS-ROYCE TREASURE TROVE

One of the motor industry’s hidden treasure troves will be opened for the first time in September when Bentley Motors holds a one-off parts and accessories sales fair.

The famous Crewe-based manufacturer will be offering professional traders and owners of both Bentley and Crewe-built Rolls-Royce cars, as well as enthusiasts of these iconic British marques, the opportunity to purchase anything from a V8 engine block or replacement gearbox right through to an indicator bulb or pristine, beautifully illustrated 1950s handbook.


Bentley Motors holds over 55,000 part lines for all Bentley models (1955 onwards) as well as Rolls-Royce cars built in Crewe (1955-2002) at its state-of-the-art 143,000 square foot warehouse on the outskirts of the Cheshire town. This equates to an astonishing 7 million items - all stored and catalogued on the company’s database.

The September sales fair will enable Bentley to create additional space for parts and accessories for upcoming cars like the Continental Supersports and the much anticipated all-new Bentley which is due to make its debut in California this August.

Over the weekend a range of Bentley’s factory trained experts will be on-site to provide visitors with advice on identifying and sourcing the correct parts for their car. All the items will be clearly catalogued and displayed by model type with a range of systems available to source the perfect part.

Unlike a typical ‘autojumble’, all the parts available will be original and unused, backed with a manufacturer warranty and many provided in branded packaging. Bentley’s official logistics partner will also attend the weekend to support any customers needing parts to be shipped.

Anyone wishing to attend this unique Bentley parts and accessories can register their interest by contacting the team at heritage.event@bentley.co.uk by 21 August 2009.

Press release & images from:Bentley Motors

Coming soon from Veloce! Bentley Continental, Corniche & Azure 1951-2002 – Revised Edition by Martin Bennett.
Definitive history of the fastest and most elegant Bentleys: the Continentals. Includes Bentley Continental R and S-Types (1951-66), Bentley Corniche (1971-84), Continental Convertible (1984-95), Continental R/S/T (1991 to date), and Azure (1995 to date).
Click here for more info about the book.

BENTLEY CONTINENTAL SUPERSPORTS

Here's a look at The Bentley Continental Supersports - the fastest and most powerful Bentley ever. It is the extreme Bentley, a muscular two-seater that delivers supercar performance and a highly focused driving experience.

The Supersports is also the first Bentley capable of running on both petrol (gasoline) and biofuel, pioneering the use of FlexFuel technology in the luxury sector. This represents stage one of the company’s commitment to make its complete model range compatible with renewable fuels by 2012.

Available worldwide from autumn 2009, the Continental Supersports will be FlexFuel compatible in the majority of markets from launch with North American cars offering the capability by summer 2010, following regulatory approval.
Source:newspress/Bentley

This forthcoming Veloce book covers the Continental Supersports' predecessors from 1951-2002.

Bentley Continental, Corniche & Azure 1951-2002 – Revised Edition by Martin Bennett.
The book of the Continental in the Rolls-Royce era.

★ Brand new Revised Edition with an exciting, updated format
★ The fastest and most powerful coachbuilt Bentleys described in vivid detail
★ Includes technical specification, performance data, and a listing of individual cars
★ Profusely illustrated
★ Martin Bennett is an internationally acknowledged Rolls-Royce and Bentley expert
★ Covers 1951 to 2002 models
★ Bentley Continental R type, S1 S2 and S3; Bentley
★ Corniche; Bentley Continental Convertible; Bentley Continental R, S and T; Bentley Azure

Click here for more info about this forthcoming book.

Goodwood Revival

To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the re-opening of the 1948 Motor Show, Goodwood has announced the recreation of this classic motoring event, as held immediately after WW2 at Earls Court.
The Goodwood Earls Court Motor Show exhibition area will take its inspiration from the celebrated London Motor Shows, with an original Art Deco look reminiscent of the glory days of exhibitions of the past. This spacious new area will give the expected 115,000 Goodwood Revival visitors an insight into how motoring of the future might look from a pre-1966 perspective, with a display of 'futuristic' 21st century cars.
Car manufacturers confirmed to be exhibiting at this show in September will include Maserati, Jaguar, BMW, Ford and Rolls-Royce.

All of the British cars of 1948 can be found in the Veloce book:

The Complete Catalogue of British Cars 1895-1975
By David Culshaw, Peter Horrobin



Description

The most comprehensive record of British cars in a single volume. Covers nearly 700 manufacturers and some 3700 models.
Synopsis

The British car Bible. Revised and updated reprint of a long out of print classic - the famous "Culshaw & Horrobin". Catalogues all of the cars built in Britain from the dawn of the industry to 1975. Many of these vehicles are now prized and collectible veteran, vintage and classic cars.

The most comprehensive account of British cars ever published in one volume, this book presents a huge amount of information - historical as well as technical - in a way which will serve the needs of the dedicated enthusiast, automotive historian and the general reader.

Nearly 700 manufacturers and some 3700 individual models are covered - including technical specification for most cars. A wide selection of photographs feature all of the major marques and many of the minor ones

click here for more info