Rolls-Royce has confirmed that it is working on an all-new vehicle called the Silent Shadow as the ultra-luxury brand prepares to deliver a fully electric car to its customers this decade.
The BMW unit last year registered a trademark with the German patent office for the name Silent Shadow, a nod to the Silver Shadow model sold from 1965 to 1980.
But Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Mueller-Oetvoes has not revealed a potential launch date for the vehicle.
“It’s still a secret,” he said in an interview with Bloomberg Television. “But it will obviously be a brand new Rolls-Royce, don’t worry.”
The regulations are catching up with automakers, with many countries like the UK planning to ban the sale of combustion engine vehicles.
While part of the allure of owning a Ferrari comes from the sound of its engine, Mueller-Oetvoes said the Rolls-Royces’ calmer tones work well with battery power.
“Electrification is perfect for Rolls-Royce – it’s torquey, it’s super quiet,” he said. “We’re not known for the roar of engines and exhaust noises, and that’s a big plus.”
While the pandemic has suppressed demand for vehicles in many areas, Rolls-Royce production is on hold for the year. Orders started to surge sharply from the fourth quarter of last year as the pandemic sparked a free-spending attitude, Mueller-Oetvoes said of the company’s customers.
“Many of them have witnessed how quickly life can end, so it’s good to enjoy life today and not postpone it for years to come,” Mueller-Oetvoes said. .
