Geneva show: Rolls-Royce teases more Wraith
BY TIM NICHOLSON | 23rd Jan 2013
The silhouette image clearly shows the outline of the Wraith and highlights its sloping roof-line that angles towards the rear of the car, giving it a traditional coupe-like shape.
Bold metallic window surrounds demonstrate the ultra-luxury status of the Wraith, which will have a more rounded look than its larger Phantom Coupe sibling.
A glimpse of what appears to be a silver door handle below the exterior mirror suggests the Wraith will have rear-hinged ‘suicide’ doors, like the Phantom Coupe and Drophead convertible.
Rolls-Royce said in a statement that the design of the Wraith will hark back to the brand’s history while highlighting its performance pedigree.
“Flowing lines hint at the extraordinary power and dynamic promise of the most powerful Rolls-Royce in history, yet also highlight design cues that can be traced through the model generations,” it said.
In addition to being the most powerful Rolls-Royce yet, the BMW-owned British ultra-luxury brand has promised the Ghost-based coupe will also be the most dynamic vehicle in the company’s 108-year history.
Power is expected to come from a tweaked version of the Ghost’s twin-turbo V12 engine that will have an output of 447kW, up from the sedan’s 396kW.
The Wraith was recently spotted undergoing cold weather testing and was also spied going through its paces at the Nurburgring in Germany last year.
Australian pricing for the uber-luxury coupe will not be known for some time but more details about equipment and specifications will come to light as the Geneva show approaches.
While there were early rumours that the company would revive the Ghost Corniche moniker for the Coupe, Rolls-Royce has opted for Wraith, a nameplate that originates in 1938 and was last used in 1980 for long-wheelbase versions of the Silver Shadow II, which were called the Silver Wraith.
