Rolls Royce Ghost to Feature "Intelligent" Air Suspension System

As we're getting closer to the Frankfurt motor show, Rolls Royce is releasing further technical details on its new 'baby' model. This time, the British automaker revealed that like the larger Phantom, the 2010 Ghost will make use of an "intelligent" four corner air suspension system and multi link aluminum front and rear axles that promise to offer driver and passengers alike the ride of the their life - or so to speak.

"The Ghost will be as refined and as cosseting as anything that this marque has ever produced," said Rolls-Royce CEO, Tom Purves. "But it will have a dynamic vitality afforded to it due to the latest technology and engineering techniques. We are very proud of our engineering team's achievements with Ghost. The balance of refinement and dynamic ability is astonishing," he added

Rolls Royce claims that the newly developed air suspension system is so sensitive that it can detect even the smallest of changes, including the movement of a single rear passenger from one side of the seat to the other, and compensate accordingly.

The system uses an on-board computer that reads multiple inputs from sensors around the car with the dampers alone making individual load calculations every 2.5 milliseconds. Rolls Royce said that the air suspension system also incorporates a so-called "lift and kneel" function, raising or lowering the Ghost by 25mm. This can either assist those folks that have a problem getting in or out of the car -or at least that's what the company suggests...- or allow the Ghost to travel over rough ground.

In an earlier release, Rolls Royce revealed that the Ghost will be powered by a new 6.6-liter V12 engine churning out "more than 507HP". Series production of the new Rolls will begin in late 2009.

MINI Rolls Royce Edition Scooped but Report Claims it Won't go on Sale

Talk about a 'hot and cold shower' story... Just as we were getting ready to post the first photos of the rumored MINI Rolls Royce limited edition model that appeared on the 'Total Mini' forum, we discovered a report from the MINI-loving crew over at 'Theswitchback' saying that the car will not go on sale. More specifically, the report said that while a company spokesman confirmed the production of the Rolls Royce Edition model for a recent dealer event, he claimed that MINI has "no current plans" to release the car into the market.

"MINI is known for successfully marketing special edition models. But for every 100 that are proposed, 99 don't make the final cut," the unnamed spokesman was quoted as saying.

Nonetheless, if you're were wondering what a $50k MINI Rolls Royce Edition would look like, these shots from 'Totalmini' forumster 'Posts001' give us a pretty good idea. Aside from the RR blue finish, the special edition MINI features a bodykit and new alloy wheels while the interior of the car seems to be upgraded with premium materials and new trim. Unless we're missing something, it doesn't seem as special as some speculated.