Rolls Royce

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Rolls-Royce motor cars announces first fully electric car

30. September 2021

29^th September, Goodwood, West Sussex

In an historic announcement, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars announced today, that on-road testing of its first fully electric motor car is imminent. In announcing this seminal moment for the marque, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Chief Executive Officer, Torsten Müller-Ötvös, said:

“Today is the most significant day in the history of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars since 4^th May, 1904. On that date, our founding fathers, Charles Rolls and Sir Henry Royce, first met and agreed that they were going to create ‘the best motor car in the world’.

“Using the most advanced technology available to them at the time and by applying their remarkable engineering minds, these two pioneers elevated early internal combustion engine cars, from noisy, uncomfortable and rudimentary means of transportation, by setting a completely new benchmark of distinction.

“The cars they created, introduced to the world a true luxury experience and secured for Rolls-Royce the ultimate pinnacle position that it continues to occupy, unchallenged, to this day. The marque has continued to define the very best in internal combustion motoring for more than a century.

“Today, 117 years later, I am proud to announce that Rolls-Royce is to begin the on-road testing programme for an extraordinary new product that will elevate the global all-electric car revolution and create the first – and finest – super-luxury product of its type. This is not a prototype. It’s the real thing, it will be tested in plain sight and our clients will take first deliveries of the car in the fourth quarter of 2023.”

CEO, Torsten Müller-Ötvös, announces Rolls-Royce’s first fully electric car
Finished product will come to market in Q4 2023
New product named ‘Spectre’
Electric Rolls-Royce fulfils the 1900 prophecy of the marque’s founder, Charles Rolls
A promise kept by CEO, who pledged to bring an electric car to market this decade
Global testing will cover 2.5 million kilometres – a simulation of 400 years of use
By 2030 all Rolls-Royce products will be fully electric
Spectre underpinned by Rolls-Royce’s own spaceframe architecture

A PROPHECY FULFILLED

“The use of electric motors is not a new concept for Rolls-Royce. Sir Henry Royce was fascinated by all things electrified, and his first venture, named F. H. Royce and Company, created dynamos, electric crane motors and patented the bayonet-style light bulb fitting.

“However, it was Charles Rolls who truly prophesied an electrified future for automobiles. In April 1900 he experienced an early electric motor car named the Columbia and declared its electric drive to be ideal.

“Rolls 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. But for now, I do not anticipate that they will be very serviceable – at least for many years to come.’

“Charles Rolls’ prophecy has been the subject of constant consideration during the marque’s Goodwood era. But we have not been satisfied that available technology could support the Rolls-Royce experience. Until now.

“Now is the time to change the course of the future of luxury.

“We embark on this bold new future with a huge advantage. Electric drive is uniquely and perfectly suited to Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, more so than any other automotive brand. It is silent, refined and creates torque almost instantly, going on to generate tremendous power. This is what we at Rolls-Royce call ‘waftability’.

“At Rolls-Royce, we have been experimenting with an electric powertrain for some time. In 2011 we revealed 102EX, a fully operational all-electric Phantom. We followed this in 2016 with our fully electric 103EX, which represented our vision for the marque several decades into the future.”

A PROMISE KEPT

“These extraordinary products prompted a huge amount of interest in electric powertrain technology amongst our clients. They considered it as the perfect fit for Rolls-Royce. And, over the past decade, I have been repeatedly asked, ‘When will Rolls-Royce go electric?’ and ‘When will you produce your first electric car?’

“I answered with an unambiguous promise: ‘Rolls-Royce will go electric, starting this decade.’ Today, I’m keeping my word.”

A REMARKABLE UNDERTAKING

“Charles Rolls’ prophecy and my promise have led us to a seminal moment for the marque. Rolls-Royce has embarked on an historic and unique undertaking, which today becomes a reality. Our designers and engineers have worked relentlessly to bring us here: we are now ready to commence road-testing of the first all-electric Rolls-Royce in history.

“This fundamental change in our powertrain technology requires that we challenge every single aspect of the product before we offer it to the most discerning and demanding individuals in the world – our Rolls-Royce clients.

“To do this, we have conceived the most demanding testing programme in Rolls-Royce’s history. We will cover 2.5 million kilometres – a simulation of more than 400 years of use for a Rolls-Royce, on average – and we will travel to all four corners of the world to push this new motor car to the limit.

“You will see these test cars on roads, around the world. Look out for them – they will be in plain sight. They will be tested in all conditions and over all terrains on their multi-million-mile journey – that will literally accelerate Rolls-Royce into the future.”

TRULY FLEXIBLE ARCHITECTURE OF OUR OWN

“In 2017, we debuted Phantom, and with it the marque’s proprietary aluminium architecture: a scalable and flexible spaceframe that would underpin all forthcoming Rolls-Royce motor cars. This unique technology – developed for Rolls-Royce by Rolls-Royce and reserved for the marque’s exclusive use – was created to form the foundation of not just different internal combustion engine models, as it now does with Cullinan and Ghost, but models with completely different powertrains.

“To this end, our forthcoming electric car benefits from the Rolls-Royce architecture and therefore the extraordinary experience of a Rolls-Royce on the road. Free of any group platform sharing strategy, we were able to integrate our plans for an electric powertrain into the architecture’s initial design and ensure that this extraordinary new product meets the extremely high expectations of our clients.”

A NEW NAME: A NEW LEGACY

“This Rolls-Royce is the fulfilment of a prophecy and it represents a promise kept as we embark upon a unique undertaking. It is the beginning of a new legacy for our brand. In that spirit, we have decided on a completely new name for this car. A name that is as powerful and evocative as the nameplates that have served us so perfectly for the past century – names like Phantom, Ghost and Wraith. It’s a name that perfectly fits the ethereal and other worldly environment within which our products exist – a name that we have reserved especially for this moment: Spectre.

“Spectre is a name given to otherworldly beings synonymous with great power and apparition; creatures of an alternative realm that make their presence felt through fleeting manifestation. A spectre forces the world to pause. It dominates the space it occupies. Then, as quickly as it appears, it dissipates, leaving a wake of exhilaration, energy, and intrigue.

“This name perfectly matches the extraordinary Rolls-Royce that we are announcing today – a motor car that makes its presence felt before disappearing into a world inaccessible to all but the very few. As a quintessentially British brand, we have selected the British spelling, however the meaning is universal.

AN EXTRAORDINARY FUTURE

“With this new product we set out our credentials for the full electrification of our entire product portfolio by 2030. By then, Rolls-Royce will no longer be in the business of producing or selling any internal combustion engine products.

“Spectre is the living fulfilment of Charles Rolls’ Prophecy. My Promise, made on behalf of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, is kept. Now we begin a remarkable undertaking. I am proud that we will continue to propel the world’s most progressive and influential women and men into a brilliant, electrified future.”

To watch the launch film please visit www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com

29th September, Goodwood, West Sussex In an historic announcement, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars announced today, that on-road testing of its first fully electric motor car is imminent. In announcing this seminal…

In own affaires, Polo News

The new POLO+10 WORLD is published

20. July 2021

Short, condensed, intense – this sums up the 2020 polo season! Nevertheless, we were offered numerous polo highlights.

It was a challenging 2020 polo season, with the omen often pointing to storm. It is all the more astonishing that, in the end, the review is consistently positive. Not only the team from Polo Park Zurich responded to the challenges of the pandemic with a perfect mix of flexibility, resilience and creativity, but in fact, the entire world of polo sports adapted with these attributes to unpredictable and frequently changing regulations that impacted travel and event organization of the 2020 polo season.

One of the highlights was the Swiss Medium Goal Championship in Zurich, in which visitors were pampered with high-class games and South American flair. And with the German Low Goal Championship 2020 in Berlin, the first great tournament of the German Polo season was able to take place despite the pandemic restrictions.

Fortunately, the signs are now pointing towards optimism for the next season. There was even a tournament premiere to celebrate in June 2021: With twelve teams from eight countries, the first edition of the Polo Rider Cup in Chantilly, France, turned out to be a success and received a lot of media attention.

The anticipation remains and we hope for ride and play through a less stormy season.

(Download of issues see below)

Thomas Wirth
Founder POLO+10

Now enjoy the desktop & mobile version of POLO+10 WORLD for phones or tablets – fully interactive (click on the ads or weblinks😁)

POLO+10 WORLD 2021 II Desktop

POLO+10 WORLD 2021 II Mobile

Tournaments and people, polo science and lifestyle – the new issue of POLO+10 WORLD brings you stories from the whole polo universe.

+++ PPZ Best Of: The unexpected successful polo season 2020: Who would have expected 2020 to turn into such a success, while half of the world was being put on hold due to the COVID19 pandemic? Navigating between the constantly changing regulations was challenging; resilience was our magic ingredient, flexibility our secret touch and creativity wrapped it all up. +++ Swiss Medium Goal Championship: As we encountered delay in the season with late arrival of petiseros and horses, the Swiss Medium Goal was moved from its initial June date to August. Nevertheless, four competitive teams applied and fought hard to win the coveted title of Swiss Champion Medium Goal. +++ Rolls-Royce Motor Cars: Upon announcing that Rolls-Royce equips its motor cars with a refrigerator that has two cooling modes: “Summer” and “Winter”, thus ensuring occupants’ beverages are delivered at the optimum temperature for the relevant season, the marque has witnessed significant interest in the myths and legends that endear so many to the brand. In this spirit, the time is now to reveal more of the truths that have defined the modern Rolls-Royce success story. +++ Polo Rules: If you know the basic rules, you will quickly find your way into the game, even as a polo novice. Here are the basics of the fast-paced sport at a glance, a short polo crash course for newcomers. +++ Polo Rider Cup: The first edition of the POLO RIDER CUP, was held from 10 to 20 June and hosted 12 teams from 8 different countries. +++ The Prince of Wales’s Championship Cup: Guards Polo Club launches The Prince of Wales’s Championship Cup New 22-goal tournament will be played from 1 – 22 August 2021. +++ Neil Andrew Egerton: Best Of Polo: Neil Egerton (The Edge) Photographer, Cinematographer, Video Director. +++ Julia Greb: Healthy muscle development in horses: Horse expert “Julia Greb” about how to ensure healthy muscle building. +++ Marcos Uranga (1936-2021): Founder and first president of the Federation of International Polo, Marcos Uranga has worked a lifetime on promoting, organizing and spreading the word about the sport of polo. +++ Regent Seven Seas Cruises®: Published Itineraries to be Preserved for Majority of Ships, plus New Sailings Created in the Mediterranean and Caribbean. +++ Cartier: The double C de Cartier bag: We are pleased to present the Double-C de Cartier campaign with the following influencers: Veronika Heilbrunner, Belen Hostalet, Chriselle Lim, Erika Boldrin, Geraldine Boublil, Denni Elias, Leia Sfez, Mthayel Al Ali and Yoyo Cao. +++

© Thomas Wirth

Short, condensed, intense – this sums up the 2020 polo season! Nevertheless, we were offered numerous polo highlights. It was a challenging 2020 polo season, with the omen often pointing…

Fashion, Lifestyle, Polo News

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

30. April 2020

You know those stories about Rolls-Royce? They are all true

Upon announcing that Rolls-Royce equips its motor cars with a refrigerator that has two cooling modes: ‘Summer’ and ‘Winter’, thus ensuring occupants’ beverages are delivered at the optimum temperature for the relevant season, the marque has witnessed significant interest in the myths and legends that endear so many to the brand. In this spirit, the time is now to reveal more of the truths that have defined the modern Rolls-Royce success story.

Images: Rolls-Royce

1) At prototype stage the 6.75-litre Rolls-Royce V12 engine had to faultlessly revolve 750million times before being approved for production.

2) The mechanism that retracts the Spirit of Ecstasy to prevent theft and damage is comprised of 24 unseen linkages and bearings.

3) 14 highly qualified Rolls-Royce engineers run a fleet of 16 intensive test vehicles 365 days a year on top of their normal workloads. They do this without complaint.

4) The sensors in a Rolls-Royce are so sensitive they are able to detect if a driver or passenger shifts their body weight from one side to the other and adapt accordingly.

5) The 1300 Watt, 18 speaker Bespoke Audio system in a Rolls-Royce is so exhaustively tuned, interior designers must seek the permission of the audio engineer who created it before making any design changes.

6) Much like the wood veneer inside a Rolls-Royce motor car, the weave of the carbon-fibre that makes up the central spine of Dawn’s ‘Aero Cowling’ tonneau cover is expertly hand book-matched to achieve a perfect chevron pattern.

7) The marque’s lauded Starlight Headliner began as a Bespoke request. A Rolls-Royce client was suffering from Photophobia, an extreme sensitivity to light, and was only able to enjoy reading his daily newspaper under the starlight on his rural ranch. He requested that the marque develop a similar ambience in his Rolls-Royce.

8) The marque’s Bespoke designers increasingly facilitate commissions via mobile messaging services. Indeed, one of the first clients to take delivery of her Cullinan commissioned the motor car entirely via WhatsApp, witnessing the finished product for the first time upon its arrival at her home in the United States of America.

9) Before building the ‘Clean Room’ where the ‘Gallery’ fascia within Rolls-Royce Phantom is assembled, Associates from The Home of Rolls-Royce visited pharmaceutical and microprocessor Clean Rooms in order to fully understand these complex manufacturing laboratories.

10) A Rolls-Royce Wraith ascended the famous hill-climb at the 2015 Goodwood Festival of Speed in just 52.71 seconds. A feat that could not be bettered by two Maserartis, a Porsche and a Bentley.

11) Sommeliers advise that the optimum serving temperatures of non-vintage Champagne is six degrees centigrade and vintage Champagnes is 11 degrees centigrade. Rolls-Royce equips its motor cars with a refrigerator that operates two cooling modes, chilling to six degrees and 11 degrees respectively.

12) Phantom’s world-leading sound insulating properties were employed by London-based musician Skepta, who was able to record a track in its entirety from the rear seat.

13) 4,500 automated electronic test and commissioning sequences are executed during assembly to ensure the car is crafted to its correct specification. A further 3,500 take-place once the car is finished. A car must pass every test before it is permitted to leave the factory.

14) Over 100 microprocessors decipher 130 million lines of code, ensuring every Rolls-Royce’s suite of cutting edge technological features can be called upon instantly and seamlessly by the driver or passengers.

15) Over 25m of cabling is used to transfer audio data in a Rolls-Royce. Fiber-optic cabling is used to ensure immunity against interference.

16) In 2018, Rolls-Royce added shooting stars to its celebrated Starlight Headliner with eight shooting stars that fire at random across the ceiling panel.

17) To achieve the marque’s mirror-like finish, 5 layers of paint are applied by the only robots you will find at the Home of Rolls-Royce. Any hard-to-reach spots are painted by highly skilled paint experts. In total the process of applying a flawless exterior finish takes seven days and uses over 100lb of paint.

18) Paint quality is checked by the most sophisticated measuring tool in the world: the human eye. If a car does not meet with the approval of the marque’s notoriously fastidious auditors, it will be scrapped.

19) It takes 17 days to hand-craft the leather elements of a Rolls-Royce interior.

20) The most detailed single piece of embroidery to feature in a Rolls-Royce motor car is a Peregrine Falcon, the fastest bird in the world. The photo-realistic design consists of nearly 250,000 stitches and took a team of designers, craftspeople and engineers over one month to develop.

21) The 48 painstakingly crafted wood parts that comprise a Phantom interior take 28 days to produce. A sense of seamless flow of grain is ensured by only using wood from one tree for each motor car.

22) Mark Court is the only man in the able to hand-apply a perfectly straight Phantom coachline. In total it takes 3 hours per side. He uses special brushes made from ox and squirrel hair to ensure the line is precisely level and a uniform 3mm in width. He honed his steady-hand painting pub-signs.

23) Engineers will analyse cavities with an endoscope during monsoon water tests to ensure no moisture ingress. Should a car fail this test it will be scrapped.

24) A Rolls-Royce is so quiet, Sir Henry Royce ordered the fitting of signs at the factory proclaiming ‘Caution, Silent Cars’. Modern health and safety dictates that craftspeople maneuvering cars around the Manufacturing Plant must intermittently sound the horn as a warning.

25) A Rolls-Royce rides on a 16litre air cushion married to dampers and springs that dynamically adjust themselves every five milliseconds to deliver the marque’s sovereign magic carpet ride.

26) When driven in a spirited manner the Rolls-Royce suspension system can draw on two high-torque electrical motors to minimise body-roll.

27) Legend has it that during a particularly spirited birthday celebration, Keith Moon drove his Corniche into a hotel swimming pool. This story is untrue – he was far too fond of his Rolls-Royce to let it come to harm.

28) When creating the Rolls-Royce Architecture, on which all contemporary Rolls-Royces are built, engineers incorporated a resonance chamber into the body’s sill section. This, essentially, transforms the body of the motor car into a subwoofer, delivering exceptional low frequency audio performance.

29) A tailor made heat station brings every Rolls-Royce body to an exact temperature of 25 degrees Celsius to ensure that the rubber seal between the sunroof and the body is perfectly mated, this eliminates any road and wind noises over many years of driving.

30) It takes 60 pairs of hands 400 hours to build a Rolls-Royce – this can more than double depending on the complexity of a Bespoke commission.

31) Rolls-Royce sells cars on five continents. Should a customer live in a country without a dealer, specially trained technicians will fly to their home country to service their car. This small band of experts have been affectionately dubbed ‘Flying Doctors’.

32) The brief given to the marque’s engineers tasked with developing the roof mechanism for the Rolls-Royce Dawn was to create a silent ballet. They emphatically succeeded. While being the largest production convertible roof in the world, it is also the quietest.

33) During the testing period of the Rolls-Royce Dawn, lead Test and Analysis engineers were required to wear shorts so they were able to detect unpleasant airflow around their legs and feet. This testing was conducted in January at three degrees centigrade.

34) At 70 mph, a Rolls-Royce still has 90% of its power left in reserve.

35) A sensor within the Gallery Clean Room continually measures the particle concentration in microns – an alert is sent if particles are detected at a size larger than 0.001 of a micron. The width of a human hair is between 50-100 microns in diameter.

36) Every single component that makes a Phantom Gallery is painstakingly cleaned by hand inside a particle proof cleanroom before final assembly – this takes two people two hours to complete.

37) The Spirit of Ecstasy is so valued by the marque that there is a safe lock on the shop floor containing no more mascots than the necessary for one day of production. The code is known only by a small circle of craftspeople.

www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com