Keeping the new baby Rolls under wraps for its outing
The chief executive of Rolls-Royce, Ian Robertson, told reporters at last year's Geneva Motor Show that the introduction of a new entry-level model will likely double the prestige label's annual output to roughly 1,600 cars.
According to Automotive News, the smaller car is expected to enter the market in 2010 and will be priced between €200,000 and €300,000.
Robertson wasn't willing to give a description of the new model, but said it will be "unmistakably a Rolls-Royce", and that it will remain a niche model in order to retain the exclusivity of the marque.
A second shift will be added to the Goodwood factory in England, where some 800 units will be produced on top of today's output of 800 vehicles per year.
These spy-shots give us a glimpse at the design for the new baby Rolls, and show that its designers will likely stick with the chiselled looks of the larger Phantom saloon. To cut development costs and time, engineers will use parts from BMW's long-wheelbase 7-Series, but will utilise a powerplant that's uniquely Rolls-Royce.
Most of the shared parts will include various electronic components, but the car "will have the attributes and behaviour of a Rolls-Royce" said Robertson.
Audi has chosen the Moscow Motor Showto debut its revised A6 model. The face-lifted saloon gets a full range of updated or new engines which cut fuel consumption by about 15 per cent across the whole range. The new entry-level petrol engine is an efficient yet sporty 170hp, 2.0-litre TFSI unit, while diesels benefit from common-rail injection for increased power and improved efficiency.
The new entry-level, 136hp, 2.0-litre unit is a special low CO2 model badged 2.0 TDIe, but the new 170hp 2.0-litre TDI will likely be the big seller. There are also two new 2.8-litre engines with variable valve timing (190hp and 220hp) and a new 290hp, supercharged 3.0-litre V6 with quattro and Tiptronic as standard. Inside the A6 has adopted the A4's new MMI multimedia/vehicle set-up control system and hi-res instrument panel graphics.
Safety tweaks have optional LED daytime lights, adaptive xenon headlamps, a blind-spot warning system and adaptive cruise.
Visually, it's almost identical to the current model except for the signature single-frame grill, new bumpers, LED rear lights and a small boot lip. It goes on sale in October, with prices and Irish specification expected to be announced shortly before launch.