[M.D. Holloway]

Design News - Electronic News & Comment - Slideshow: Electronics Add Glitter to New Rolls-Royce

I think there could have been a better choice in the name...

Rolls-Royce is rolling out a new fastback-style vehicle that cranks out 624 HP, goes from 0 to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds, and employs more electronic technology than any vehicle in the company's storied history.

Known as the Wraith, the new luxury car combines a V-12 engine with an eight-speed, satellite-aided transmission that "sees" the road ahead. It also incorporates LED exterior lights, a "starry night" array of fiber-optic lamps on the ceiling, and a touchscreen that reads handwritten messages. "It's a very intuitive vehicle," Rolls-Royce spokesman James Warren told Design News. "It can see beyond what the driver sees."