21 February 2009 - 10:00
This is how one Rolls
More pictures of the Rolls-Royce 200EX
This is the Rolls-Royce 200EX, a concept that previews the affordable new baby Roller set to go on sale later this year.
Remember, though, that words like ‘affordable and ‘baby’ are relative when you’re talking about Rollers. So what you’re looking at is a £250,000 super-saloon (of sorts) that’s bigger than a long-wheelbase BMW 7-Series… with enough space between the axles to park a Toyota iQ.
If you want to get an idea of the scale, consider that those modest wheels are 20-inchers. Though the 200EX is 43cm shorter than the Phantom and 8cm lower, it’s still a beast.
The 7-Series reference is apposite: the 200EX shares similar chassis architecture and should benefit from BMW’s engine mastery. It will be powered by a 500bhp V12, but not the same as the Phantom’s – it’ll be a new unit with, we suspect, BMW’s clever twin-turbo technology: good news for consumption and CO2.
The 200EX may be a concept, but it isn’t one of the clay-and-foam models rolled out by the piteous proletariat manufacturers. This is a fully-functional concept. armed with a grand set of suicide doors which open, says Rolls, to an angle of 83 degrees, giving the 200EX the widest rear access in the car industry. If you’ve got a wide rear, this is the car for you: those rear-hinging doors will definitely make production.
Unlike the aluminium-bodied Phantom, the 200EX is built from steel, which has a higher tensile strength and can therefore be made thinner: good news for interior space. As you’d expect, the 200EX’s cabin is as sumptuously appointed as Alan Stanford’s master bedroom, with wood and thick carpets and even cashmere. Mmm.
Expect the 200EX to provide a more (whisper it) dynamic driving experience, if you’re uncouth enough to try such a thing. We’ll see it in the metal in Geneva in a couple of weeks before the production version turns up late in the year.
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Oh, you mean the 100EX? That was previewing the Drophead. This car should be easier to park, so there'll be no parking sensors on this one plz.
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Front doors are short. It look's cramped... hard to get in, behind the steering wheel. Other than that, (ofcorse) if you like so much beige, it looks decent.
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i know its not . but this car just looks plasticy and cheep , even though its far from it , i would not like to be seen in one . for the amount of money youd pay for that , i can think of much more enjoyable cars
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Looks good, hint of Quattroporte in the rear 3/4 anyone?
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ALL rolls royces's are for rich old fogeys
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I Think that Rollers have never really looked as stunning as some of their other rivals, compare this Roller to the Mybach 62 and it looks FANTASTIC. This 200ex won't be as good as the Phantom.
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I'm sure it will be a pleasant car, but that isn't good enough, Shades of the large AUdi saloons in the C-pillar? And on the inside, that same C-pillar and the centre pillar look positively dreadful, swathed in some dark hide -- very heavy-handed. The thing is, there is no charm, and ditto for the Phantom. One thing that is as unforgiveable as the horrendous grille: the nasty exposed seam just forward of the front wheelarches.
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this car looks brillllllllllllllient, its both sheik and fashionable.
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I agree, Sandman, in that compared to the Phantom it looks far more chic and fashionable. But, a Rolls-Royce shouldn't ever be about exposed seams and lack of careful attention to detail. Even on the Phantom, exposed seams at window frames etc give the cost-cutting game away -- have a look at any Shadow or Spirit, and the detail is far better. With all the technology available, I would like to see BMW lavish the same attention to detail ... certainly at the price, one would expect that. Cheers.
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Very remeniscent of rollers before the silver shadow shape, with long bonnet, short front overhang and nicely rounded rump. Nothing apart from a Phantom looks nearly as good in the serious luxury department. It looks like a winner to me.
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It has volvo-ish roofline ugly! rollses aren't uposed to be cheap
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they call it an affordable rolls royce but they are meant to be luxurious not cheap and £250000 isn't cheap houses are cheaper than that!
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Try making an A4-sized Bentley... Should be fun...
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it looks like a brick
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it looks like a brick
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So £250,000 is considered cheap? Thats Ridiculous. You can get a good second hand Phantom for that Money.
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A bugarlow has more features than that
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and just as much
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Yeah but why would you want a phantom, this looks way better
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I love my Rolls Royce's and Bentleys but this looks like a Rover from behind with 20" rims !!! Please redesign the back side BMW.
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FR offers ignificant performance shortfall versus insignificant savings. Buy the Cupra. Or better yet the Clio Cup.
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scuderia commented on this article
20 February 2009
any1 remember the 300ex that was on top gear before it was basically this but it was also the drophead in the styling of it with a solid silver women on the badge
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