The latest experimental creation from Rolls-Royce, 101EX has been designed and built to investigate the stylistic and engineering requirements of a more dynamic Rolls-Royce. To this end the EX team has created a thrilling 21st century interpretation of the classic Grand Touring coupe.Once again its aluminium spaceframe is a modified version of that used in the Phantom, along with the familiar 6.75 litre, V12, 48 valve direct injection petrol engine. Shorter, and with a lowered roofline, the 101EX is a sleek, lithe, muscular machine, with tighter, more overtly sporting lines to emphasise it's high performance capability, while under the bonnet a black engine bay and specially finished black cam covers set a suitably distinctive tone.
In contrast to production Rolls-Royce cars, which rely on predominantly alloy body panels, the 101EX's sleek lines are formed from special carbon-fibre composites. Once again, a pair of rear-hinged doors are used, and the waistline of the car is high, to emphasise the cocoon-like nature of the interior. Providing, intimate, opulent space for four, the 101EX features an extraordinary 'Starlight headliner', which employs fibre-optics to create the illusion of a star-filled night sky. The iconic Spirit of Ecstasy has also been the focus of attention. In place of the traditional nickel-plated steel mascot, the EX team fashioned it from a polycarbonate material. With a frosted finish and illuminated via fibre-optics, the 101EX's Spirit of Ecstasy is a fittingly spectacular figurehead for a truly extraordinary car. In the finest tradition of Rolls-Royce's experimental cars, the 101EX is the latest tantalising taste of what might be.