Back in 2011 we heard a rumor that Rolls-Royce could enter the popular SUV market, although since then the luxury car maker has said that this is less likely to happen. This could be because they are putting their effort into the Wraith and its convertible sibling, although that model will be a little later down the line.

The whole Rolls-Royce SUV subject is a bit of a strange one, because one minute it is being considered, and the next it’s put on the back burner again. However, the BMW X7 will be a sort of guinea pig, because if that model does well, then it could pave the way for the Rolls-Royce SUV.

Many Rolls-Royce loyalists will hate the thought of their beloved brand entering a completely different market, but BMW may have seen a potential, one that Porsche has profited on with their Cayenne SUV. Everyone was not certain if Porsche was doing the right thing, but its success has proved those skeptics wrong.

Not only that, the Range Rover is getting more popular because it is one of, if not the most luxurious SUVs on the market, and so Rolls-Royce may want to get in on the action, and take the luxury SUV to the next level?

Because the Rolls-Royce SUV would be based on the BMW X7, the future of the former will depend on the success of the latter. Again, there’s a huge market for expensive SUVs, and a Rolls-Royce model would look good, although that’s just my opinion.

The potential Rolls-Royce SUV could come with a plug-in hybrid drivetrain, so would be able to replace the bulky V12 for a smaller V8 engine, but that’s pure speculation. More details on proposed Rolls-Royce SUV specs can be found by visiting Automobile.

BMW has done a pretty decent job at keeping the Rolls-Royce name alive, so if they believe there is a market for an even more luxurious SUV, then maybe we should let them run with it?

Over the years there have been two vehicles constantly at battle with each other, and they are Bentley and Roll-Royce. For the most part the latter has come out on top, but since both brands have been taken over by different companies, the changes are remarkable, as they both have a new lease of life.

Both Bentley and Roll-Royce have new 2014 models coming to market in 2013, and while some of you may say that each cater for different markets because of their price tags, we beg to differ, as they won’t be as far apart as you would imagine.

On one side we have the 2014 Bentley Flying Spur, and on the other there’s the 2014 Roll-Royce Wraith. So how do these two models compare in terms of specs?

The 2014 Bentley Flying Spur specs are as follows, a 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12 engine producing 610 horsepower, an 8-speed automatic transmission, a 0-60 mph time of 4.3 seconds and a top speed of 200mph. Power will be driven to all four wheels, which is so important when you have a car this heavy with that amount of power. However, there is a price to pay for this, as the fuel consumption will be 12 mpg city and 20 mpg highway. The 2014 Bentley Flying Spur price will start from $200,500 without taxes.

The 2014 Roll-Royce Wraith specs are a 6.6-liter W12 engine, which will produce 624 horsepower, again there’s an 8-speed transmission, but only offers rear-wheel drive. The 0-62 mph time is 4.6 seconds and has a top speed of 155 mph, which we assume has been limited. However, where the two prestige vehicles differ the most apart from the top speed difference is their prices, as the 2014 Roll-Royce Wraith is expected to be around $300,000.

Below we have two videos where you get to see just how these two models differ.

When we started to get more details on the 2014 Corvette Stingray C7 it did not take long for consumers to wonder if there would be a convertible option, which of course there is. The same thing has happened to the Roll Royce Wraith, as there is also a convertible option on its way.

The CEO of Rolls Royce has confirmed that they are planning a Wraith convertible, but try not to get too excited because they have no plans to release a Rolls Royce SUV. It was obvious that we would get a drop-top version, as they have proven so popular in the past.

Don’t expect to see one soon though; as the Rolls Royce Wraith convertible will be delayed until after 2015 at least, well that’s what Auto Express is reporting. This long production time is a bit of a pain, as we know Roll Royce would love to have that option at the same time as the hard-top version is released.

Having said that, future Wraith owners can still take comfort that they will have a huge number of options available to them, as Rolls Royce knows their loyal customer base have different needs, so they do all they can to attend to them.

The Rolls Royce Wraith starting price will be just under $320,000, so expect the convertible version to be several thousand dollars more expensive. It will be interesting to see how well the Wraith does when compared to the Bentley alternative, which as we know is far cheaper.

The future of Roll Royce is still solid, as they already have a replacement to the Phantom, once they have successfully launched the Wraith that is. Because a Rolls Royce Phantom successor is a long way off it’s hard to know what we could expect in terms of design and specs, but it could be getting a hybrid powertrain.

Over the years we have seen Bentley show how you can get a luxury car and make it go fast as well, which is just what Rolls-Royce has done with their 2014 Wraith. The Continental range made the competition think, so it’s nice to see that we now have a GT coupe version of the popular Ghost sedan, but does it have what it takes?

If we were to go by the official specs and interior and exterior shots courtesy of Rolls-Royce then the simple answer would be yes. However, we know that it’s always much more than that because such a car needs to have that special something.

Finding that special something will be a little hard at first because of the big wall standing between you and the 2014 Rolls-Royce Wraith, and that is the €245,000 starting price, which is a lot more than you would pay for the Bentley Continental.

Don’t let a little thing like price stand in your way of owning something truly remarkable because the Wraith has an engine that will go like hell but will not rip your heart out like other vehicles on the road. The V12 engine produces 624 horsepower, which is enough to propel the car from standstill to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds, which is not only thanks to the engine but also the 8-speed automatic transmission as well.

We do love how Rolls-Royce describe this as the “ultimate gentleman’s gran turismo,” and they are correct because you not only get a car with beautiful sweeping lines but also a luxurious interior to help keep you in comfort at the same time.

Rolls-Royce say that first deliveries will begin in the final quarter of 2013, with final pricing for each market being made available at a later date.

Rolls Royce has teased us one last time before they unveil their new car at Geneva next month, and we have to say that this new 2014 Rolls Royce Wraith eye candy is the best yet, not because it gives us a greater insight into the specs but rather because it emphasizes performance.

You’ll notice from the image above that the new Wraith will be a fastback, which sticks with a new tradition that luxury can also be fast. This is not the first time that this car has had its profile teased, but we were unable to make out the rear, that is until now. If you have yet to see some of the interior of the Wraith, then you can do so HERE.

We love how they have gone with a simple sketch to help show off the lines of the Wraith, and we have to say we look forward to seeing the performance figures, because a fastback has to ooze speed. Roll Royce is not known to deliver a car with outstanding performance because they have always been about luxury, which usually comes at a price.

That price is weight, but technology has changed over the years and we have seen a number of Bentley’s proving this. Okay, so we know that the 2014 Rolls Royce Wraith will be a car for the super rich (such as English footballers) but there is still a huge amount of excitement surrounding this vehicle and we should get to see several reviews offering their opinions on the vehicle next month.

If there was ever a luxury vehicle that had the aggressiveness of a Dodge Charger or Ford Mustang, then we hope the Wraith will be it, although we trust that Rolls Royce doesn’t lose what the brand is all about. Image thanks to Rolls Royce.

With just under two weeks to go until the start of the Geneva Motor Show, it’s nice to finally see the 2014 Rolls-Royce Wraith interior teased, which you can see for yourself above. We already knew what to expect, and that was a modern interior with a luxurious feel, all of which helps to supplement the exterior. As you would imagine the inside of Wraith will be hand-finished, which is a dying art these days.

Most vehicles these days have an abundance of leather, but what is supposed to be wood is a sort of plastic, but you know that Rolls-Royce will use only the finest leather and Canadel Panelling, which is an open pore wood to make the interior of the 2014 Wraith be a place that you would not want to get out of.

You’ll notice from the images above that Rolls-Royce has not given much away, as they have only released images of the interior door panel and also the image of a very elegant clock on the dash. Tell us what you think of these teaser images, and what else you think we can look forward to.

In the third image you will get to see what the Wraith looks like from the rear, but the luxury car manufacturer has made it more of a silhouette, just to keep our imaginations going. You can see right away that the car is to take on a muscular stance, no more are these vehicles just designed for comfort, as they also make a statement that they are coming with a great curb appeal – well if you go in for the style that is.

Images thanks to Rolls-Royce.

It is a little hard to know who will purchase this car now, as it will now be out of the league of those who could once afford it. The reason we say this is because the price tag has increased to £5 million, but as far as we know this was a one off. Needless to say it was for a Middle Eastern Businessman, who has not been named.

You may wonder why such a high price, but when you consider that there is now 120KG of 18ct Gold as well as being amour plated you will see why. The car was not just the work of Stuart Hughes though, as they collaborated with Eurocash AG of Zug Switzerland, as it was one of their clients who wanted this bespoke vehicle made.

If you happen to be driven around in the limited edition Rolls Royce Phantom and suddenly come under machine gun fire and a couple of hand grenades, then rest assured that you will not be harmed. So you know the thing is tough as well as sexy looking – well to some it is.

The job of applying the gold and amour was not done in a greasy auto repair shop, it was done in a clean environment over 18 months – you heard right – one and a half years. If you would like a version of this car, then you will need to give Eurocash a call.

However, if this is not to your liking, then they do have a range of other cars for you to choose from. These range from another version of the Rolls Royce Phantom, BMW 760 Li, Ferrari 599, Aston DBS and a Helicopter Augusta 109 MC thrown in for good measure. All of these have been armored to take a beating. The only issue we have is that they do not have that certain something, and the reason for this is due to the fact that Stuart Hughes was never involved with them.

Having said that, why would you want someone trying to shoot or blowup all that gold that you have just paid for? Then again, having that gold will make you an even biggest target than you were before.

Let’s start with the painful bit, its price, according to a recent article posted on TopGear the Rolls Royce Mini will cost £41,000. At first glance this seems like a lot, and it is, however you have to take into account that this is no ordinary Mini, it is much more luxurious than any Mini we have ever seen before. So, what makes it luxurious? Well let’s start with materials used in the car’s interior, its trim is made out of premium wood and the floor mats will be made from dee-pile lambswool, also it features an onboard computer, sat nav and a Harmon Kardon speaker system, these sort of luxuries are what we are more used to seeing in high-end Rolls Royce cars.

In terms of design it has the same look as the recent Minis, however it comes with 17-inch spoked light-alloy rims and it has a diamond-black metallic body, currently the Rolls Royce Ghost and Phantom are both available in this color, therefore the Rolls Royce Mini should look like a Royles Royce motor.

Underneath the bonnet you have the same turbocharged 1.6-litre engine which features in the Mini Cooper S, this is capable of 0-62mph in just seven seconds and allows for a maximum speed of 142mph, for those of you who are interested it produces 184bhp and 177 torques.

Another TopGear post from April tells us a little more about this car, apparently its interior is lined with Cornsilk leather (scroll down to see it), finally we can confirm that as standard you get park distance control and adaptive headlights. Currently the Rolls Royce Mini is not on the Rolls Royce website, hopefully it will show up soon so we can point you in the direction of a full technical specification breakdown.

Below we have embedded a couple of photos of the the Rolls Royce Mini, do you like the look of it? Remember that only 1000 of these cars will be made, therefore we expect there to be a lot of interest surrounding them.

According to Slashgear, the design is based on their Phantom, except it has an electric-powertrain that replaces the 6.75L engine. This isn’t the first luxury car to get an electric makeover. Hybrid cars have been around for a while now; Lexus’s LX600hl is an example of one such motor.

It seems big named car manufacturers are trading their fuel guzzling, growling engines for more smoother, quiet running engines with the potential to offer ultimate-luxury and at the same time becoming environmentally friendly. However luxury these vehicle are, the price may seem less of a luxury.

The Rolls Royce 102EX will cost 2p per mile which compared to the Phantom which does 15 miles to the gallon, the savings are significant. Unthinkable say the fuel price is unlikely to compensate enough for the cost of the car which they believe will be in the region of £1 million if put into production.

The Geneva Motor Show runs from the 3rd to the 13th of March. If you own a Rolls Royce you will be able to test drive the 102EX in order to give feedback that will aid Rolls Royce when/if the vehicle goes into production.

Do you think this electric motor vehicle will make the production line? Would you be willing to pay this sort of price for Ultimate-Luxury? Let us know your thoughts.

Courtesy of this report by USPostToday, we now have a complete list of the models affected by this particular recall. They include the BMW 5, 6 and 7 ranges with V8 and V12 engine cars, and also the luxurious BMW Rolls Royce produced between July 2001 and November 2009.

Although the models listed above are not deemed ‘unsafe’, BMW has issued this recall because of a fault with the power-braking system. It is important to note that the mechanical braking system in these models can still slow and stop the vehicle as normal.

Do you own a BMW model listed above in the US or UK? If so, let us know your thoughts on this.