LUXURY CAR
ROLLS-ROYCE
Rolls-Royce has announced its first special series for 2020, what the automaker refers to as Collections.
It will be based on the Dawn convertible which for the new series is being transformed into a speedster.
Rolls-Royce calls it the Dawn Silver Bullet Collection and just 50 examples will be built for worldwide sale.
Where the rear seats are normally found, Rolls-Royce will add an aerodynamically shaped cover sporting a pair of cowls, which should give the car a real sense of speed, visually at least.
Naturally, silver will be a key theme in the design given the name of the series. It will start with the car's exterior paint, which Rolls-Royce says will be exclusive to the model. A titanium finisher with the “Silver Bullet” inscription will also sit between the two cowls of the aero cover.
Inside the vehicle will sit an open-pore carbon fiber element, a quilted transmission tunnel, contrast stitching, and special badging.
No change will be made to the powertrain, which hardly needs any improvement. All Dawns come with a 6.6-liter twin-turbocharged V-12 modestly tuned to deliver 563 horsepower. It's enough for 0-60 mph acceleration in 4.9 seconds, a time that is definitely quick enough for the upcoming Dawn speedster.
Beyond the reveal of the Dawn Silver Bullet Collection, 2020 will also see Rolls-Royce introduce a redesigned Ghost.
JAGUAR XJ
Jaguar's XJ flagship sedan bowed out at the end of 2019 but a successor based on a new platform and offering battery-electric power has been spotted testing for the first time.
The new XJ sticks to the coupe-like format of its predecessor but modernizes it with fresh details. The daytime running lights of the headlights look similar to the design used in the new Land Rover Defender, while we know the taillight graphic will be similar to the design used on the latest Jaguar XE. Jaguar dropped a teaser for the new XJ during the 2019 Frankfurt International Motor Show. It revealed that the taillight will likely span the full width of the rear, too.
Underpinning the car is Jaguar Land Rover's new Modular Longitudinal Architecture (MLA) platform. This is actually be the first application of the platform which will eventually underpin almost every model in the Jaguar Land Rover portfolio.
The platform supports mild-hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery-electric powertrains. In the case of the XJ, the car is expected to arrive with electric power only but later offered with hybrid options. Expect battery capacity to meet or exceed the 90-kilowatt-hour rating of Jaguar's I-Pace.
NEW B.500 BY BVLGARI - “MAI TROPPO”
New 500 is the first fully electric FCA car. And is a one-of-a-kind Bvlgari jewel
This year, Bvlgari teams up with Fiat to release the New B.500 By Bvlgari Mai Troppo – the first-ever electric model of the Fiat New 500 series that comes as a convertible. As expected from the partnership, the iconic car looks fabulous, brimming with Italian creativity and luxury.
Previously in 2011, a special edition of the iconic Fiat 500 was introduced and it was customised by Gucci’s creative director Frida Giannini in partnership with Fiat’s Centro Stile.
Inspired by Bvlgari’s birthplace Rome, B.500 BY BVLGARI Mai troppo comes as a convertible and incorporates the colours and the exceptional light of the Eternal City. Its metallic paint in Imperial Saffron – a shade iconic to Bvlgari – is obtained through the integration of a special gold dust, the highly precious scraps of the jewels’ manufacturing process coming from Bvlgari’s production site in Valenza.