Rolls to drop models as new plans emerge

Change is coming to Rolls-Royce's tony product portfolio.

The British purveyor of ultraluxury will sunset sales of its coupe and convertible models in the U.S. next year to make room for new product, including the brand's first electric model.

The Dawn and Wraith will not move to Rolls-Royce's Architecture of Luxury platform, limiting their shelf life, so bringing them to spec to meet U.S. emissions standards for 2022 didn't make financial sense. Discontinuing their U.S. sales also allows Rolls-Royce to assign more production capacity to the Ghost and family-friendly Cullinan.

But the two-door models have helped Rolls chip away at its stodgy image by attracting new and younger buyers. The Wraith coupe, launched in 2013, lured Ferrari's and Lamborghini's performance buyers as a "sporty" Rolls. The Dawn convertible, which debuted in 2015, has drawn female buyers to the brand.

Rolls-Royce also is looking beyond the throaty V-12 engine to stay relevant in a rapidly de-carbonizing world, as cities around the globe seek to ban high-emission combustion engine-powered vehicles by 2030.

The first full-electric Rolls will be offered "within this decade," CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös told Automotive News Europe last year.

Production of the EV is expected to begin by 2024, according to AutoForecast Solutions.
Ghost: The second-generation Ghost went on sale last December. In a pivot from the previous Ghost, which was rear-wheel drive, the sedan now features all-wheel drive as well as all-wheel steering. It shares the Architecture of Luxury platform with the Cullinan and Phantom. The Ghost is powered by a 6.75-liter V-12 engine that delivers 563 hp.

A long-wheelbase model, under the Ghost Extended name, increases the vehicle's length by 7 inches to 225 inches.

That vehicle is available primarily through special order. A variant from Rolls-Royce's engineering and performance subbrand, Black Badge, will arrive by the first quarter of next year.

The Ghost should see a freshen around 2026.

Wraith: U.S. sales of the coupe will end after the 2021 model year, the company said, giving way to the market's preference for SUVs and crossovers. The nameplate will continue to be available globally.

Dawn: As with the Wraith, Rolls-Royce will not continue sales of its lone convertible in the U.S. after the 2021 model year.

Phantom: Rolls-Royce left its chauffeur- driven sedan unchanged for the 2021 model year. The Phantom, redesigned for the 2018 model year, is powered by a twin-turbo V-12 that delivers 563 hp and a 0-to-60-mph time of 5.1 seconds.

Expect a freshening in 2023, followed by a redesign around the end of the decade.

Cullinan: In late 2019, Rolls-Royce bolstered the large crossover with a Black Badge variant. The Cullinan Black Badge received design and performance changes over the standard model, including an increase of 29 hp to the 6.75-liter twin-turbo V-12 engine for a total of 600 hp. The drivetrain and chassis also were retuned. A freshening could happen in 2025, followed by a redesign before the end of the decade.
Electric crossover: A battery-powered crossover will glide into U.S. showrooms by the middle of this decade. The automaker has not provided any details beyond confirming it is working on such a vehicle.

The EV would be built on the Luxury of Architecture platform and will share drivetrain technology with parent BMW's next-generation electric vehicles, according to reports.

BMW last year filed a trademark with the German patent office for the name Silent Shadow, a nod to the Silver Shadow model sold from 1965 to 1980.