New car on show: Wraith
Wraith
When Rolls-Royce first told us that it would reveal its new Wraith fastback at the Geneva Motor Show it said: And the world will stand still’ when that happens. You’ll feel like you’re standing still when you witness one on the move, as this is the most powerful Rolls Royce ever.
Its V12 engine produces 624bhp and 800Nm of torque, and while the firm normally describes the performance of its cars as ‘more than ample’, the Wraith will complete the 0-62mph sprint in 4.6 seconds. Suspension tuned to minimise bodyroll should handle this incerease in performance amicably.
The Wraith is an extremely nice car. Of course, the word ‘craftsmanship’ was repeated at an almost obscene level, but when a car is as glorious as this, you have to forgive the PR hyperbole. Inside you get ‘Phantom-grade’ leathers, serious amounts of wood and carpet that needs a sickle to wade through. For the first time the Starlight headliner, with its 1,340 individual fibre optic lamps hand-sewn into the roof lining, is available in anything below the Phantom models. It’s just lovely.
According to Rolls-Royce the finish presents an interior space that hints at the interior of an ultra-luxury yacht, the cabin echoes the cove at Le Canadel in the South of France where Sir Henry Royce and his design team spent their winters and the clock has a ‘Blood Orange’ needle that pays homage to the marque’s aviation heritage.
There’s plenty of tech to get excited about too, including Satellite Aided Transmission using GPS to analyse the roads in front and pre-select the correct gear. The revised Spirit of Ecstasy Rotary Controller including a new pinch and pull functionality and touch-sensitve trackpad is worthy of mention also.
Ooh, I think I need to sit down.
