Rolls-Royce Wraith: the fastest Roller in history

Rolls-Royce has given the world the first glimpse of the new Wraith, essentially a two-door sporting coupe version of the Ghost. It revives a name first used by Rolls-Royce in 1938 for one of its pre-war luxury cars.

The new 2013 Wraith is set to become the fastest and most powerful Rolls-Royce in the company's 108-year history, thanks to its 6.6-litre V8 expected to be carried over from the Ghost saloon. Performance will be electrifying, owing to the lighter kerbweight of the two-door bodystyle and the stout 600bhp from the twin-turbocharged engine, up a little from the more sedate four-door.

The Goodwood factory, in West Sussex, is remaining tight-lipped ahead of the Wraith's planned debut at the 2013 Geneva motor show and has only issued this solitary shadowy teaser photo for now.

Rolls-Royce confirms new Wraith name

However, MSN Cars understands the Wraith will go on sale later in 2013 with a price tag expected to exceed £190,000. It marks a further expansion of the iconic British luxury brand, which has prospered under German ownership. BMW bought Rolls-Royce in 1998 and announced a record 3,575 cars were sold in 2012, the third successive annual increase.

In a brief statement, Rolls-Royce said: "The Wraith's graceful silhouette gives expression to a bold and thoroughly contemporary luxury motor car. Flowing lines hint at the extraordinary power and dynamic promise of the most powerful Rolls-Royce in history, yet also highlight design cues that can be traced through the model generations."

Don't think that the Wraith will be a performance-obsessed sports car, though. This will be a comfy four-seat luxury express, the ultimate tool for a pan-European cruise in the true Gran Turismo tradition.

Expect nothing but the finest materials in the four-seat cabin: a 'star-lit sky' LED-festooned roof, leather everywhere and a subtly sporting cabin with room for four to lounge around as they're whisked from London to Monte Carlo.

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