2:35 pm, February 18, 2009
Click the image for a gallery of pictures
IT’S one of the most important Rolls-Royce models in decades – and Car Dealer has exclusive pictures!
Reader Kevin Watson, from Autotrade-mail.com, and his son snapped the ‘baby’ Roller – codenamed RR4 – while it was out testing in Arundel at the weekend.
The new model is set to be officially unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in a couple of weeks and is likely to catapult Rolls-Royce into the stratosphere.
Rising on a high of superb sales in 2008 – despite the credit crunch – the RR4 is bound to be a hugely successful model and bitter Bentley Arnage rival.
Roughly a foot longer than the current BMW 7-Series, of which the RR4 will borrow many parts, the car is being described as a ‘Phantom that will fit on your driveway’ by industry commentators.
The car is due to go on sale in 2010 and will be produced at the firm’s factory at Goodwood, West Sussex. Tooling for the new car is already in place after extensive work at the plant took place last year.
Kevin’s spy shots show just how long the new car will be – stretching well beyond the length of the Vauxhall Vivaro van next to it.
Despite being heavily disguised we can still see the car will be equally as imposing as its bigger brother with a gaping front grille and dramatic lights.
Also on show in the pictures are the suicide doors of the Phantom, suggesting they will be making an appearance on the RR4 too.
Rumours suggest the new car will be offered with two engines – the first being the 6.75-litre V12 unit from the Phantom and the second possibly the 5.0-litre V8 currently making appearance in numerous BMW models.
Prices for the new model are expected to be in the region of £175,000 – nearly half that of the Phantom.
Exclusive by JAMES BAGGOTT
