Recent Patents Hint at Another New Rolls-Royce Wraith Model
Newly discovered patents hint that Rolls-Royce could be coming out with yet another variant of its Wraith coupe.
The British luxury automaker recently patented Wraith Merlin with the European Union Intellectual Property Office, hinting that a new Wraith variant is in the works. The Merlin name represents Rolls-Royce’s Second World War-era 27-liter V12 aircraft engine that powered the Spitfire fights and other planes. It is the most produced Rolls-Royce engine type of all time and the company celebrated the 80th anniversary of its first run in October 2013.
Production of the Merlin engine ended in 1951 with a total of 168,040 engines produced, including over 55,000 units built under license as the V-1650 by Packard in the U.S.
SEE ALSO: 9 Things I Learned Driving the 2016 Rolls-Royce Wraith
Over the years, enthusiasts have managed to shoehorn the Merlin engine into production vehicles, but don’t expect the modern Wraith to be coming with one. It’s more likely that Rolls-Royce will use the nameplate to pay homage to its past and will come out with a limited edition Wraith with visual cues, a color combination or styling that have something to do with the military aircraft.
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Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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Why doesn't BMW boss at Rolls Royce Peter Schwarzenbauer just make Rolls Royce in Mexico too?