Rolls-Royce announced the name for its new model series which until now has been known as RR4 or 200EX Concept. The new luxury car will be called the Rolls-Royce Ghost. The company did not release any details of the Rolls Royce Ghost but production will begin later in 2009 on its own dedicated production line at Goodwood but will share paint, wood and leather workshops with the Phantom series of cars.
200EX is the latest experimental car from Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. It explores a design direction for a dynamic, modern, four-door Rolls-Royce engineered for the 21st century.
Experimental models have always played a significant role in the history of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, from the first – 1EX, built in 1919 – to the most recent – 101EX, built in 2006. Unlike a concept car, the experimental models developed by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars have always been fully functioning vehicles, residing in a tangible world of wood, leather and metals rather than clay and foam. EX cars offer designers and engineers the opportunity for real-world innovation and have been used to showcase new components and engineering techniques as well as exterior and interior designs. “Modern automotive engineering is a balance of creativity, innovation and application. 200EX is an opportunity to assess these new ideas,” explains Helmut Riedl, Director of Engineering.
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is pleased to announce details of a product update to the 2009 model year Phantom and Phantom Extended Wheelbase. Building on a successful sales year in 2008, the phased introduction of a number of subtle model year enhancements will reinforce Phantom’s position as the pinnacle product of the super luxury segment.
Harmonising the front appearance of the car with that of the Phantom Drophead Coupé and Phantom Coupé, a new streamlined front bumper has been designed and integrated with a shallower grille, finished in stainless steel.
Other new exterior features include LED door handle illumination and the fitting of 21-inch cast aluminum wheels as standard. Two further wheel options exist, both manufactured in forged alloy and available in either painted or part polished finishes.
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars will unveil its new Phantom Coupé at the 78th International Geneva Motor Show on Tuesday, 4 March 2008. Production of the new car will start at Goodwood in the summer of 2008.
The Coupé is the most driver-orientated model in the Phantom line. A number of subtle but significant modifications have been made that change its character. It is noticeably more dynamic, whilst still offering incredible levels of comfort.
Marrying cutting-edge technology with a beautifully proportioned, muscular body that exudes power and style, it incorporates timeless Rolls-Royce design cues in an utterly contemporary manner.
Rolls Royce first produced the Silver Ghost in 1906. It was powered by a six-cylinder engine and was registered AX-201. It competed in the 1907 Scottish Reliability Trial, for which it won the gold medal in its class for hill climbing speed and reliability. The Silver Ghost went on in that year to break the world record for a non-stop motor run, covering a London to Glasgow route 27 times, with mileage totaling 14,371 miles.
Rolls Royce built more than 6000 units Silver Ghost that were sold in every corner of the world. The majority are still in good running order.
The new “baby” saloon will be based on the same BMW F01 platform that will be used on the next 7-Series set to be unveiled in 2008. The next ultra-luxury saloon is currently codenamed the Rolls-Royce NGS (Next Generation Saloon).
During an interview at Shanghai motor show, Rolls-Royce boss Ian Robertson has revealed more details of the next saloon: “The design is finished, and the first prototypes should be running very shortly. We’ll aim to produce around 800 of them a year. That should more than double our overall sales.”

Rolls-Royce Phantom – Driving Impressions: In the realm of automotive performance, more than one thespian has scribed these words: Porsche, there is no substitute. After a few hundred miles behind the wheel of a 2006 Phantom, we’d like to propose a similar distinction for the luxury sedan market: Rolls-Royce, there is no more obvious sign of wealth. During the same week that the Rolls resided under our care, our lot played host to a Bentley Arnage and a striking new Mercedes-Benz S-Class, neither of which elicited more than a passing glance in money-saturated Orange County, Calif. Ah, but the Rolls, that was a different story. All along the 405 freeway, in and around the local office parks, and while hitting local spots for photography, everyone tweaked the vertebrae to get a good look at the Phantom, an odd name for a 5,577-lb. collection of steel, aluminum, and enough leather to shoe the NBA for a decade. The Phantom’s presence and allure is undeniable, though its value at $350,000 is questionable. Yes, the looky-loos will stare from afar until dust comes from their eye sockets, but buyers may be disappointed and surprised to learn that features such as a rear entertainment system and rear seat adjustment controls are optional, and that no amount of money will buy a bigger trunk.