Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has just revealed the first design sketches of its next new model. Known as RR4, the car is due to be launched in 2010 and will sit alongside the Phantom model line-up. RR4 will be smaller than Phantom and powered by a new engine, unique to Rolls-Royce.

Rolls-Royce’s plans to build RR4 have been public knowledge since the Paris motor show in 2006, the design was signed off in 2007 and engineering development is now fully underway.

The Goodwood manufacturing facilities are being completely reconfigured to accommodate the RR4, with extended paint, wood and leather shops as well as a second assembly line. Unlike the Phantom, which has its own extruded aluminium monocoque skeleton, RR4 will have a steel body structure shared, in many respects, with the new BMW 7-series. Various chassis, cabin, drivetrain and electrics components will also be shared with the new Seven, but according to one RR source, they’ll be confined wherever possible to those components the owner can’t see.

The new car will be priced in the $250,000-$280,000 range, considerably below the Phantom’s $340,000-430,000 asking price. This more affordable Rolls-Royce model is expected to increase the hallowed British brand’s sales by three to four times from 2010.

Further design and engineering details will be announced during the course of 2009.

The New York International Auto Show at the Jacob Javits Center features a stunning Rolls-Royce motorcar mascot designed by a Manhattan-based jeweler.

The mascot, known as the Spirit of Ecstasy, sits on every Rolls-Royce coming out of the factory. A one-of-a-kind mascot was commissioned by local luxury car dealership Manhattan Motorcars.

Designer Jean Kemanjian described his creation, valued at $200,000, and the design process.

Rolls-Royce does things differently.

Doors open backwards, hood ornaments are powered, engine displacement is measured to two decimal places, and headliners are designed to mimic the night sky.

Even the company’s product launches are unique. At the 2008 Geneva show, Rolls-Royce will formally announce the Phantom Coupe. This comes over a year after the Phantom Drophead Coupe was launched.

This is not your ordinary coupe/convertible timeline.The fixed-head Phantom is expected to be much like its convertible precursor. The same 6.75-liter V-12 sits under the long hood, making a familiar 453 hp and 532 lb-ft of torque. The Coupe can be equipped with the starlight headliner seen on the 101EX concept and also available in the four-door Phantom.

Because we all know that the rich can never be too comfortable, EDAG set about to improve the ergonomics of the stately Phantom. Their solution was to develop and articulated roof over the rear seat area so that passengers could get in and out of the car more easily.

By simply pressing a button, the driver or passenger can activate the specially developed electronic controls, and raise the hydraulically powered roof segment with practically no sound whatsoever.

Source : dubdaily

A New York man paid a whopping $825,000 for one of the most prominently flawed stamps in U.S. history.

The rare 1918 24-cent stamp shows an upside-down Curtis JN-4 biplane known as Jenny, a World War I training aircraft that became an airmail plane.

The mint condition red, white and blue stamp is said to be one of the finest known existing stamps from the original sheet of 100 misprints.