Press Release: Rolls-Royce unveils second experimental car at Geneva show

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has unveiled a second experimental car, 101EX, at the Geneva show today. It has been hand built to explore a potential design direction for a future coupé model.

"It is a very modern car, a 21st century design that respectfully nods to the past but focuses indisputably on the future," said Ian Cameron, Chief Designer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

101EX uses the same lightweight aluminium construction that was developed for the Phantom, although the body is shorter by 240mm. A full four-seat coupé, twin coach doors add to the car’s rakish good looks and streamlined coupé profile.

The roofline is lower than the Phantom’s, with a shallower glass area. Streamlined styling starts at the front with the famous grille, discreetly reclined, and extends back across a brushed aluminium bonnet and windscreen surround. The rest of the sleek bodywork is finished in dark tungsten. New 21-inch forged aluminium wheels complete the exterior look.

Inside, the cosseting interior has been designed for elegance and maximum comfort for all four occupants. Machined aluminium, fine leather and rosewood and red oak veneers are used throughout. Slimline bucket seats offer outstanding comfort for front passengers while the exceptionally spacious rear seat delivers intimate comfort for two. Privacy is assured by the sweeping C-pillars.

The design team has experimented with interior lighting on 101EX, and the car features a ‘starlight headliner’ made up of hundreds of fibre optic cables to give the impression of a star filled night sky.

Ian Robertson, Rolls-Royce Chairman and Chief Executive, said, "101EX employs the same engineering philosophy as the Phantom, balancing high technology with hand craftsmanship. It illustrates the position of strength from which we operate and points the way for potential new models."

Currently there are no plans to develop a production version of 101EX.

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I guess they are planning on giving the world a coupe and a converstible. Nice news.

True, but the convertible has been confirmed... this is not yet (at least that's what it says)

^^
Producing a coupe is definetly easier than producing a convertible and therefor it isn't totally impossible that they will also hit us with a coupe.

Direct competitor to the Continental GT... sickness.

I don't think this is supposed to compete with the Continental GT. This car is going to be more expensive and larger than the GT, plus it won't be nearly as sporty/fast.

This car will compete w/ the Bentley CGT > same size, same prospective customers, same performance, but no, not the same price. RR is of a different caliber than Bentley now, albeit, not that different, but another step up(if you can imagine). Not as sporty? This is a car engineered by BMW you know...

This car (I would assume) is going to use the same 6.7 liter V12 as in the Phantom, which produces 453hp and 531 lbft of torque. Compare this to the Bentley Continental GT with 552hp, 675 lbft of torque and roughly the same weight and you're not going to have a close fight on your hands. This RR coupe is going to much more of a luxury cruiser than the Bentley. The 100EX Concept, off which this more production ready version is based, was huge, much bigger than the Bentley. I'm fairly certain that this car is going to be larger than the Bentley. Also the car will not have the same prospective clients because people who can spend $160K do not necessarily have the resources to spend ~$300K on a car. The reason the Bentley is so successful is partly because it is so relatively cheap for the Bentley name. Don't forget that BMW designed the Phantom and I wouldn't call that car sporty.

seriously that car does not look good.. very long from good loking imo..

PS
It still looks better than the Conti GT

Looks very sleek this is the first photos that i like of it.