2014 Rolls-Royce Wraith Photo Gallery

Rolls-Royce unveiled a classy — yet gigantic — grand touring vehicle called the Wraith today at the 2013 New York International Auto Show. At first glance it might remind you of Rolls-Royce's much smaller Ghost, but a pronounced, slicked-back roofline, upright grille and large 21-inch wheels help form this new coupe's more aggressive stance.

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Underneath the two-tone hood lies a twin-turbo 6.6-liter V-12 that churns out 624 horsepower. Rolls-Royce claims the new Wraith will sprint from zero-to-62 mph in a swift 4.6 seconds. Inside, a welcoming, luxurious cabin features seating for four, elegant open-pore wood trim, a roof liner reminding you of a night's starry sky and, of course, umbrellas in each door — a signature Rolls-Royce move.

Check out the photo gallery below. Cars.com Photos by Evan Sears.

2014 Rolls-Royce Wraith: Up Close

Rolls-Royces are not like other cars. This becomes evident upon approaching one, even in the controlled confines of an auto show. It's massive, upright and it feels like it's of an entirely different species than the vehicles in surrounding displays. The new 2014 Rolls-Royce Wraith, which made its North American debut at the 2013 New York International Auto Show, is no different.

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It frankly looks like nothing else on the show floor. From the upright grille to the totally unique roofline, it has a commanding presence and exudes a sense of gravitas missing from nearly every other car made by any manufacturer. The detailing is extraordinary — the A-pillars, roof and B-pillars are all one surface, an unbroken plane from the base of the windshield up, over and down to the trunk. And it is a trunk, not a hatchback, despite the Wraith's unusual shape. The trunk is completely lined with carpet nicer than what is in most rental apartments.

Rolls-Royce Wraith: First Look

• Competes with: Bentley Continental GT, Mercedes-Benz CL600
• Looks like: An understated coupe design for an ostentatious vehicle
• Drivetrain: 624-hp, twin-turbo 6.6-liter V-12, "Satellite-Aided" eight-speed ZF transmission
• Hits dealerships: Late 2013, in Europe
• MSRP: 245,000 euros ($319,633 equivalent, US pricing not announced)

The Geneva Motor Show has been receiving a lot of press with the idea that the European auto industry is in a slump, that nobody is buying new cars, and that frugality and smallness are prevailing themes. Yet we've seen a new hyper-Ferrari, a new hyper-Lamborghini and this new Rolls-Royce coupe introduced at the show.

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This is the new Rolls-Royce Wraith, essentially a two-door version of the Ghost sedan, an ultra-luxury fastback coupe that will join the lineup in Europe late this year.

Recall Alert: 2013 Rolls-Royce Phantom

Rolls-Royce is recalling 27 model-year 2013 versions of the Phantom luxury car due to a problem with the fuel-filler neck, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The affected vehicles were manufactured from Nov. 2, 2012, through Jan. 18, 2013 (check your vehicle's build date on a sticker on the driver-side doorjamb). In these cars, the fuel-filler necks may be missing a device that prevents static electricity, increasing the risk of a fire.

Rolls-Royce started notifying owners in early February 2013, and dealers will inspect and replace the affected parts for free. Owners can call Rolls-Royce at 877-877-3735 or NHTSA's vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236 for more information.

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Rolls-Royce Teases New Wraith Coupe

British luxury-car maker Rolls-Royce is launching a coupe version of its Ghost sedan and resurrecting an old name for the model. The Wraith will join the Ghost and the Phantom in the lineup and will debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

The automaker released a teaser image but few details, saying only that the Wraith promises to be the most powerful Rolls-Royce in history. The current Ghost sedan is powered by a 563-horsepower, twin-turbocharged 6.6-liter V-12 paired with an eight-speed automatic.

Rolls-Royce didn't provide any specs, but did say, "When Wraith is present, for that fleeting moment, the world will stand still." Commence eye roll.  

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Recall Alert: 2011 Rolls-Royce Ghost

Rolls-Royce is recalling a small amount of model-year 2011 turbocharged versions of its Ghost sedan to address a faulty water pump, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. A total of 69 vehicles equipped with turbocharged eight- or 12-cylinder engines are being recalled.

In the affected vehicles, the circuit board that controls the electric auxiliary water pump could overheat. This could lead to a vehicle fire. Several of parent BMW’s vehicles also were recalled for the same problem.

Rolls-Royce will notify owners this month, and dealers will replace the affected parts free of charge. Owners can call Rolls-Royce at 877-877-3735 or NHTSA's vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236 for more info.

$1.2 Million Rolls-Royces are Hot Sellers in China

Rolls-Royce and Bentley cars sold like gangbusters in 2011. Each brand had exceedingly strong global sales, with Rolls-Royce reaching its highest numbers in the brand's history.

While Bentley already has plans to expand its lineup by adding a SUV, we're learning that Rolls-Royce is just trying to keep up with demand for one of its most expensive products: the Rolls-Royce Phantom Dragon Edition, according to Bloomberg News.

Sold in China, the Dragon Edition features gold dragons painted along the vehicle's sides, embroidered head restraints and hand-stitched cushions for rear passengers. The kicker is its whopping $1.2 million price tag. That's about $800,000 more than a standard Rolls-Royce Phantom in this country. If you think its price is a deterrent, Rolls-Royce sold out of the model in just two months; it went on sale in August.

Rolls-Royce is finding huge success in China. In fact, China, not the U.S., is now the automaker's largest market. China's number of millionaires jumped to 1.11 million in 2010, a 33% increase. In the future, the ultra-luxury brand will likely continue to focus on expanding in emerging markets like China. The brand is currently seeing much stronger growth there than in its traditional markets of the U.S. and Britain.

Rolls-Royce Sells Out Dragon Phantom in China (Bloomberg News)

MotherProof.com Car Seat Check Recap

You might think the rakish looks of the new Mercedes-Benz CLS would mean it would be inhospitable to families with children of child-safety-seat age … but you’d be wrong. MotherProof discovers that the redesigned luxury sport sedan/coupe — whatever you call it — has some of the best Latch access on the market, making installing car seats a breeze. Getting the kids in and out might not be as easy, though.

My 3-year-old son had a tough time climbing into his seat during a recent test because there was so little room between the front and rear seats. Though I was pleasantly surprised he wasn’t kicking my seat that often. Check out the full report on the CLS63 and one well-heeled transport probably not used that often for kids.

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What Do These Buttons Do?

Ultra-luxury cars like the 2011 Rolls-Royce Ghost have unique features not found in more pedestrian cars; does your Toyota Camry have an umbrella dispenser inside the door? Unique features are why mysterious buttons flourish inside the Ghost. The most notable is a cluster of four buttons below the headlight controls.

These buttons may not be so mysterious to some BMW owners, because BMW is Rolls’ parent company and the Ghost’s platform is based on the 7 Series. That means there are at least four things familiar to 7 Series owners ready to make a $150,000 jump to the Ghost – most everything else is uniquely Rolls-Royce.

Rolls-Royce President Talks Electrics, High-Tech

The Rolls-Royce Phantom sedan has enough room to cross your legs in the backseat without touching the front seats: one foot propped sideways and the other buried an inch deep in carpet. It’s not a shabby place to sit — and probably better than chatting outside, Rolls-Royce’s David Archibald tells me. He and I are at the jam-packed opening of a Rolls-Royce dealership in Chicago’s moneyed Gold Coast neighborhood. Archibald, 53, is a sum manifestation of today’s global auto industry: a Scotsman who’s president of the North American arm of a British carmaker owned by Germans. BMW has controlled Rolls-Royce since 1998, and Archibald has been with the brand since 2002.

Product changes come slow in the ultra-luxury business and the lengthy product cycles risk having cars with outdated technology. Take the Phantom. It dates back to late 2003 and still employs an early generation of BMW’s iDrive interface. The smaller Ghost, introduced for 2010, has BMW’s latest generation of iDrive, which is far more workable.

Then again, with 11 bull hides and 10 square meters of wood inside a Phantom’s cabin, it’s a long shot whether any Rolls-Royce customer gives a whit about outdated electronics. After all, most Patek Philippe timepieces don’t include a stopwatch.