This is the Rolls-Royce 200EX, a study for a smaller and more affordable luxury sedan than the Phantom that will officially be revealed at next month's Geneva Motor Show. Even though Goodwood bosses would like us to believe that the 200EX is an "experimental car", what you see here is what you'll get this fall when the British firm unwraps the production version at the Frankfurt Show.
Codenamed 'PR4', the four-door luxury sedan from Goodwood is loosely based on the BMW 7-Series with which it shares approximately 20 percent of all components including a modified version of the platform, electrics and suspension hardware. The 200EX, whose production name has yet to be revealed, will be equipped with an all-new V12 engine that will also find its way under the hood of the BMW 7-Series.
Measuring at 5,399 mm in length, the 200EX is 187 mm longer than a LWB 7-Series (5,212 mm) but nearly half-a-meter shorter than the Phantom (5,83m). It's exterior styling is evidently influenced by Rolls-Royce's flagship sedan, but due to its more compact dimensions and clearer lines, the 200EX looks more like a car and less like a tank. As anticipated, Rolls-Royce designers maintained the Phantom's characteristic suicide doors on the 200EX
"The 200EX is a modern execution of timeless Rolls-Royce elegance, breaking with some areas of tradition but retaining the core values that make our marque unique," says Rolls-Royce CEO Tom Purves. "We expect the more informal, agile design to broaden the appeal of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, attracting people who appreciate its fusion of reļ¬nement, new technology and contemporary style."
Within the 200EX, the cabin's design is more contemporary and less obtrusive than that of the Phantom. As with any Rolls-Royce, the 200EX gets high-quality materials and that special attention to details. One thing that caught our attention but is not mentioned on the press release, is a large rotating knob on the lower part of the centre console that appears to be similar to BMW's i-Drive (U-Don't) system.
Following the introduction of the production version at the Frankfurt Show this September, the Rolls-Royce 200EX will go on sale worldwide in early of 2010.
