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Introducing: The "Nighthawk"
Rolls-Royce Unveils the Latest Craze in Ultra-Luxury Automobiles.
JENNIFER AGRESS
Defined by its bold designs and aerospace-inspired technology, Rolls-Royce’s latest “Nighthawk” — the first of only nine sleek, luxury automobiles from its latest Phantom Drophead Coupé ‘Nighthawk’ Bespoke Collection — debuted in Phoenix in late January 2015. On display to millions of Americans during the Super Bowl XLIX week festivities, this limited edition masterpiece took the automobile industry by storm; fusing technical expertise with contemporary design to create a chic, yet edgy super-luxury motor car built to exude confidence from those who own it.
With only nine cars being made across the entire United States, Rolls-Royce’s “Nighthawk” embodies exclusivity at its finest. Powered by the same world-class V12 engine present in the infrastructure of all Rolls-Royce vehicles, this automobile delivers an effortless, bold performance — not surprising, considering that it was originally designed to earn a reputation as the “Best Car in the World.” Exclusive to North American dealers, the inaugural Nighthawk was built without compromise. As a contemporary interpretation of the classic Rolls-Royce motor car, as well as a symbol of luxury living in North America, this coveted model has become the object of desire for many celebrities and automobile enthusiasts alike. It is currently on the market for the price of $569,600.
As with the Centodieci, Bugatti employs the shock effect when showcasing its latest work of art. After debuting at the Geneva International Motor Show in Switzerland, the Bugatti La Voiture Noire sold for $12.5 million. Built to mark the automaker’s 110th anniversary, La Voiture Noire, which is French for “the black car,” resembles the classic Batmobile. The La Voiture Noire is, according to Bugatti, a homage to the Bugatti Type 57 SC Atlantic, of which only four were made between 1936 and 1938.
For the Centodieci, the challenge was to create a vehicle in the memory of the 1990s EB110, but not to duplicate it. As Achim Anscheidt, Head Designer at Bugatti, stated in the press release, “We faced a number of technical challenges in terms of the development and design of the Centodieci. Transporting this classic look into the new millennium without copying it was technically complex, to say the least. We had to create a new way of combining the complex aerothermal requirements of the underlying Chiron technology with a completely different aesthetic appearance.”
Built to Last for Collectors
As is expected, the Centodieci is very fast, with a sprint time of zero to 62mph in 2.4 seconds, which is faster than the Chiron, and that is probably because it is 44 pounds lighter than the Chiron, too. The top speed on the Centodieci is electronically controlled to 380 kilometers per hour (236 mph). Only ten of these Bugattis have been handbuilt in Molsheim, (all sold out), with deliveries to the first Centodieci customers expected to begin in 2022. It looks like other potential collectors will have to wait for Bugatti’s next work of art to come to fruition.
