Rolls also announced final specifications for the new car. The 6.6-liter turbocharged V-12 will pump out 563 hp and 575 lb-ft of torque and will mate to a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission. Zero to 60 mph is said to take 4.8 seconds, and the top speed will be governed at 155 mph. Likely to be shown in production trim at the Frankfurt auto show in September, the 2010 Ghost will slot below the current Phantom range and gives Rolls-Royce a more attainable model to compete against the Bentley Continental Flying Spur, as well as the upcoming 2010 Aston Martin Rapide. At 212.6 inches long—with a 129.7-inch wheelbase—76.7 inches wide, and 61 inches tall, the new Rolls is slightly longer and taller than the Bentley, but a smidge narrower. The Continental lineup also includes GT coupe and GTC convertible versions, and we expect two-door and droptop iterations of the Ghost to launch after the sedan.

Rolls-Royce CEO Tom Purves said the Ghost name is fitting for the new model because it evokes a sense of “adventure and technical innovation,” as well as “flair and style.” The latter elements shouldn’t be an issue, as the Ghost will share the Goodwood plant’s paint, wood, and leather workshops with the Phantom (vehicle assembly will be handled by a separate production line). Stay tuned for more details closer to the unveiling.

The Rolls Royce logo consists of two ‘R’s or doubles ‘R’ which apparently stands for Rolls and Royce. Though the Rolls Royce logo was simply designed, the name is so powerful that the Rolls Royce logo looks attractive and distinctive. There is, however, an ambiguous quality to the Rolls Royce logo that is often neglected. The name “Rolls Royce” in the Rolls Royce logo is always written complete with a hyphen. That’s because ‘the hyphen’ symbolizes the partnership or the link between the two founders. In a more profound meaning, the hyphen in the Rolls Royce logo represents Claude Johnson, ‘a recognized authority on motoring matters at the time of the company’s formation and the man who is accredited with building the name into what it is today’.

Rolls Royce MascotAlthough not used with the Rolls Royce logo, “The Spirit of Ecstacy” or “The Flying Lady” is also an important element of Rolls Royce. It was designed by Charles Sykes as a statue to embellish Rolls Royce cars. The mascot was commissioned by Claude Johnson to ‘counteract a craze among motorists for fixing golliwogs, toy policemen and other unseemly objects to their cars’.

The Rolls Royce logo and ‘The Spirit of Ecstacy” had adorned the radiators of Rolls Royce motor cars since 1911. No doubt, the Rolls Royce logo has been a huge hit.