Tuesday 12th March 2013

Rolls-Royce Wraith - it's a truck: PH Blog

What's in the Wraith's onboard fridge? Caviar? Champagne? Nope, a Yorkie bar

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I had to have a little chuckle to myself at the news that the Rolls-Royce Wraith will introduce a new gimmick to the world of cars in the form of Satellite Aided Transmission that pre-empts inclines and junctions and primes the gearbox accordingly. One wonders if the next 911 GT3 will introduce something similar for its PDK gearbox to shave a few more seconds off its 'ring lap but for now Rolls is the first. Or so everyone thought.

It's not just the size that brings to mind lorries

Why the smug, know-it-all grin then? Because I'd ridden in a Mercedes the previous week that features very similar technology and brought it to the market a year ago. One with a luxurious cabin with beds for two. And a 12.8-litre engine with nearly 2,000lb ft of torque - enough to humble the Wraith's 590lb ft.

Yes, the Rolls-Royce Wraith's clever GPS-enhanced gearbox is in fact truck technology. Which is slightly less glamorous than the F1-inspired link Rolls-Royce claims. And will probably remain the one and only similarity one could ever draw twixt a Wraith and a Mercedes Actros.

To be fair if I hadn't had the benefit of a ride in a new Actros alongside Mercedes' ever-enthusiastic commercial vehicles PR man Simon Wood just before the show I'd have been as ignorant of its optional Proactive Powershift Control as anyone else outside of the CV world. But, just like the Wraith's SAT, PPC 'reads' the road ahead using proprietary 3D mapping and pre-selects gears accordingly, even shifting up before the crest of the hill at exactly the right moment for momentum to carry you over it. Mercedes reckons fuel consumption can be improved by as much as five per cent as a result, meaning a 'pay back' on the circa £1,349 cost within a year for a typical operator.

Pre-emptive shifting saves fuel on the Actros

Now if you can just spec an Actros with the trademark LED 'starlight' roof option the truckers really will be on equal terms with Rolls drivers.

Dan

[SRi Slim R]

That Roller looks sublime

[Jaged]

Oh! Sticky Fingers!

[iva cosworth]

IBtt

[Pints]

iva cosworth said:

IBtt

+1

[troc]

I do so love the mysterious ones.
IBTT etc

[enroz]

As the Actros said to the bishop

[dinkel]

Did you see the Knightsbridge version?

http://i.auto-bild.de/ir_img/1/0/5/5/4/6/2/Rolls-R...

LOL.

[Digger]

In before the t . . . ??

[rajkohli81]

'..One wonders if the next 911 GT3 will introduce something similar for its PDK gearbox to shave a few more seconds off its 'ring lap but for now Rolls is the first. Or so everyone thought.'

Dear Mr Trent

I would like you meet my friend Mr Comma. He will make your world of editing a whole lot better.

Kind regards

RK

[PHuzzy]

Digger said:

In before the t . . . ??

Title. This thread had no title when first posted.

[Gorbyrev]

About the same size aren't they? Both awesome machines. Something about that Wraith that looks purposeful, slab sided and wonderful, like the British Museum.

[RTH]

GPS road guidance

........can it steer round the hundred million bad potholes in UK roads at present.

[Chris Stott]

The Wraith is mostly stunning, but easy to see why it's 2 tone - it would look very heavy around the rear 3/4's in a single colour.

[DrGP]

Its certainly striking. Anyone know, have they built it with a convertible in mind? That rear pillar looks hefty to say the least.

[BlackPrince]

rajkohli81 said:

'..One wonders if the next 911 GT3 will introduce something similar for its PDK gearbox to shave a few more seconds off its 'ring lap but for now Rolls is the first. Or so everyone thought.'

Dear Mr Trent

I would like you meet my friend Mr Comma. He will make your world of editing a whole lot better.

Kind regards

RK

Commas are for kids. Big boys know how to read between the letters. Jesus, GG really is a cesspool of dead leukocytes isn't it?! Glad I mostly stay in Biker Banter where all the cool dudes are

[J4CKO]

Looks like a premium conti gt, epic but would feel very conspicuous driving it.

[renrod]

Look a bit like a Bentley GT,a bit.

[rajkohli81]

BlackPrince said:

Commas are for kids. Big boys know how to read between the letters. Jesus, GG really is a cesspool of dead leukocytes isn't it?! Glad I mostly stay in Biker Banter where all the cool dudes are

Cool dudes... LOL

[mc_blue]

I'd love to see it in real life to understand the shape better.

[cptsideways]

A regular Ghost is a pretty rapid car by any measure if one preses the more whoosh pedal into the lambswool carpet


So this should at least be adequately quick....