There's something of the night about the Rolls-Royce Wraith. Or, as the company's director of global communications, Richard Carter, says: "It's a touch noir; there's a sense of danger." I know exactly what he means.
The name will cause those with a pronounced lisp to avoid uttering it at all, but Wraith is a word that hails from a Scottish dialect and it means "ghost". And it's the Rolls-Royce Ghost that this car is based on, so it actually makes sense, and the car is much more than a Ghost coupe so it deserves to have its own distinct nomenclature.
The hype surrounding the Wraith's gestation has been impressive, with Rolls-Royce promising it will be the most powerful and dynamic car in the company's long and distinguished history. That, according to the naysayers, wouldn't take much effort, but the essential waftability that only a Rolls-Royce gives is sacrosanct and must be preserved, whatever the performance statistics. To make a car this large and heavy move like a supercar? That takes some doing.
Practically every week of the year, a new Porsche, Audi, BMW or Volkswagen is launched to the world's media. Journos are flown to central locations from all over the planet, herded around like cattle and given just about enough time behind the wheel of a new model to be able to form a meaningful opinion. Rolls-Royce is different, and the launch of the Wraith has been many months in the planning. The company has chosen the Austrian capital of Vienna to showcase its third model line and, to my mind, it's a perfect location.
The city streets are infuriatingly difficult to navigate, with cars sharing track space with trams, and there's seemingly no rhyme or reason to the way roads intersect. But the city is immaculately clean and, just a few minutes after leaving its confines, you're in some spectacular countryside, with sparse traffic and beautifully surfaced routes that weave through dense forestry and foreboding mountains – quite fitting for a motorcar with such a malevolent name.
I had seen a prototype Wraith at the Abu Dhabi Motors dealership a few months ago and was more impressed than I imagined I would be, by its stance, proportions and design, both inside and out. I recall thinking that it's bound to be a hit in our region for obvious reasons and, seeing it in the cold Viennese morning light on a misty cobbled street, it looks even more magnificent.
Immediately recognisable as a Rolls-Royce, it's still different enough to drop jaws. With bold, broad rear haunches and a distinctive fastback design, combined with subtle but important touches such as the Spirit of Ecstasy mascot, which has been moved farther forward, it looks powerful and menacing, particularly in darker hues. And, like any of its ilk, it seems to work best when the bulk of the body colour is broken up with visual relief courtesy of a silvery bonnet or roofline. The exhaust pipes look big enough to crawl inside, too, simply adding to the eye-grabbing drama.
This is a car that's impossible to ignore. At 5.3 metres long, it's significantly large and physically imposing, although its wheelbase is 180mm shorter than the Ghost, which itself is impish compared to a long wheelbase Phantom. Its two "coach" doors swing open on rear hinges to reveal a cabin that's beyond compare in both design and quality of construction. You can access the rear seats without folding the fronts forward, and there's plenty of room in the rear quarters, too, giving the Wraith genuine practicality.
Its steering wheel is marginally thicker than the Ghost's, another hint that this is the most driveable model in the range, and there's a smattering of BMW switchgear that does nothing to diminish the visual and tactile loveliness. Everything you can see, feel and caress with your fingertips is exquisite.
Take your seat and you feel exalted. The position is high and commanding, although you can't quite see the extremities of the front end of the car, which could result in some nervous moments on the crazy Vienna streets, but the whole car exudes a sense that all is well, at least on the inside. Its prime role in life is to protect its fortunate occupants from the world of hurt that exists outside. Shut the door (by pressing a switch, naturally) and it electronically closes, shutting away the gloom and misery. If this was my car, I'd probably sit in it for a few minutes every day, even if I didn't need to go anywhere.
Press the brake pedal, push the starter button and the Wraith whispers into life. There's no rev counter, just a "Power Reserve" meter and, at a standstill while ticking over, there is no audible clue that the engine is doing anything at all. I have to tug at the steering wheel to see if it's running, reasoning that, if it isn't, I won't be able to turn it.
My passenger has embarked and it's time to head for the hills and forests, through rain that is coming down in huge lumps. Ordinarily, inclement weather is a car launch's worst enemy. Not so today, as it just adds oodles of atmosphere.
After negotiating the awful streets, there's a short motorway stretch ahead and, despite the proliferation of speed and other cameras, I decide to experience some of this increased dynamism. I floor the throttle and the rear of the car immediately squats. Bonnet slightly raised, the transmission shifts down three cogs (probably) and the V12 engine swaps silence for a throaty roar quite unlike any Rolls-Royce before. The speed with which it accelerates is breathtaking, possibly because of the sheer enormity, but it definitely feels faster than the Ghost.
Its engine develops some 800Nm of twist, making absolutely effortless performance, and 633hp gives it plenty of get-up-and-go. Two turbochargers are fitted to the 6.6L V12 and 100kph from a standstill takes only 4.6 seconds. But this is no sports car and Rolls-Royce has never hinted that it was. It's simply powerful and more dynamic, so I'm not expecting to experience go-kart handling once we reach the mountain switchbacks.
Rather, I tackle the wonderful, twisting highways with a lightness of touch. Yes, you can hustle it along at an impressive rate of knots if that's what you insist. But the serenity it provides in such abundance means it's much more suited to crossing entire continents than it is powersliding around hairpin bends.
Rolls-Royce has been making much of the Wraith's cutting-edge technology, especially its eight-speed automatic transmission. Apparently the system, named "Satellite Aided Transmission", utilises GPS data in conjunction with information from Google Maps, to "predict the road ahead" and "automatically selecting the right gear, delivering power smoothly without any unnecessary gear changes". I've also been informed that, within a couple of years, the system will know all about hill inclines, too.
While the drive is, indeed, effortless, I can't really get a sense for what it's doing. The Ghost has always been an exercise in absolute refinement and I never found it wanting in the transmission department, so this will take more time than I have today to prove itself.
The Wraith is also a Wi-Fi hotspot, keeping you connected when you're on the move, and the new rotary controller allows you to access music or directions with a simple swipe of a finger. All it takes to zoom in or out is a small pull or pinch movement. This connectivity and interactivity is essential for the modern business user and the Wraith is bound to tick the appropriate boxes for the CEO who likes to stand out from the crowd. Being a Rolls-Royce, though, the Wraith's application of tech inside the cabin is subtle and as discreet as you'd wish.
As the day unfolds, the roads become more twisting and challenging. Mist rises from the thick forestry like it's dry ice being pumped onto the set of a horror film, and eventually the rain eases off. It's still bitingly cold out there, so the tarmac isn't exactly baked dry, and the Wraith's progress along the 400km route remains sedate and steady.
This relaxed approach to covering ground allows me to soak up the wonderful details that one would otherwise miss if one was in a hurry. Like the open-grain timber panelling inside the doors, the starlight headlining and the blood orange-coloured needles that swing around the power reserve meter and the speedometer. The attention to detail and the craftsmanship on display here are second-to-none.
Once we're back on the open highway heading back to Vienna, I'm able to once again open the Wraith's taps and experience its brute force. But now that the rain has vanished, a fly in the car's ointment makes itself manifest, and that is some unacceptable wind noise at anything over 120kph. In anything else you probably wouldn't notice, but here it's not acceptable.
When we get back to base, the head of product PR asks me what I thought. After banging on about how glorious the entire thing is, I remember the wind noise and bring it up. He says he's aware of the issue with some of the cars and that what we've been driving are, to all intents and purposes, preproduction models with door and glass seals that aren't quite up to the mark. Before customer deliveries commence, he assures me, this will have been properly sorted. I have no reason at all to disbelieve what he says, because the rest of the Wraith is unimpeachable, almost beyond criticism in every respect.
The Wraith is not the ultimate driver's car. It's a gentleman's express without peer and is available for the same sort of money that would get you a well-specified Ferrari FF, and I absolutely adore it. Far from being a malevolent force, it has massive reserves of usable power and is here to protect, not destroy. It's silent and devastatingly quick, just like an actual Wraith might be. But this is one we can all believe in – a truly special automobile.
khackett@thenational.ae
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Under 19 Cricket World Cup, Asia Qualifier
Fixtures
Friday, April 12, Malaysia v UAE
Saturday, April 13, UAE v Nepal
Monday, April 15, UAE v Kuwait
Tuesday, April 16, UAE v Singapore
Thursday, April 18, UAE v Oman
UAE squad
Aryan Lakra (captain), Aaron Benjamin, Akasha Mohammed, Alishan Sharafu, Anand Kumar, Ansh Tandon, Ashwanth Valthapa, Karthik Meiyappan, Mohammed Faraazuddin, Rishab Mukherjee, Niel Lobo, Osama Hassan, Vritya Aravind, Wasi Shah
RESULTS
Time; race; prize; distance
4pm: Maiden; (D) Dh150,000; 1,200m
Winner: General Line, Xavier Ziani (jockey), Omar Daraj (trainer)
4.35pm: Maiden (T); Dh150,000; 1,600m
Winner: Travis County, Adrie de Vries, Ismail Mohammed
5.10pm: Handicap (D); Dh175,000; 1,200m
Winner: Scrutineer, Tadhg O’Shea, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
5.45pm: Maiden (D); Dh150,000; 1,600m
Winner: Yulong Warrior, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
6.20pm: Maiden (D); Dh150,000; 1,600m
Winner: Ejaaby, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson
6.55pm: Handicap (D); Dh160,000; 1,600m
Winner: Storyboard, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
7.30pm: Handicap (D); Dh150,000; 2,200m
Winner: Grand Dauphin, Gerald Mosse, Ahmed Al Shemaili
8.05pm: Handicap (T); Dh190,000; 1,800m
Winner: Good Trip, Tadhg O’Shea, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
FA CUP FINAL
Manchester City 6
(D Silva 26', Sterling 38', 81', 87', De Bruyne 61', Jesus 68')
Watford 0
Man of the match: Bernardo Silva (Manchester City)
Brief scoreline
Switzerland 0
England 0
Result: England win 6-5 on penalties
Man of the Match: Trent Alexander-Arnold (England)
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Company%20profile%20
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
US PGA Championship in numbers
1 Joost Luiten produced a memorable hole in one at the par-three fourth in the first round.
2 To date, the only two players to win the PGA Championship after winning the week before are Rory McIlroy (2014 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational) and Tiger Woods (2007, WGC-Bridgestone Invitational). Hideki Matsuyama or Chris Stroud could have made it three.
3 Number of seasons without a major for McIlroy, who finished in a tie for 22nd.
4 Louis Oosthuizen has now finished second in all four of the game's major championships.
5 In the fifth hole of the final round, McIlroy holed his longest putt of the week - from 16ft 8in - for birdie.
6 For the sixth successive year, play was disrupted by bad weather with a delay of one hour and 43 minutes on Friday.
7 Seven under par (64) was the best round of the week, shot by Matsuyama and Francesco Molinari on Day 2.
8 Number of shots taken by Jason Day on the 18th hole in round three after a risky recovery shot backfired.
9 Jon Rahm's age in months the last time Phil Mickelson missed the cut in the US PGA, in 1995.
10 Jimmy Walker's opening round as defending champion was a 10-over-par 81.
11 The par-four 11th coincidentally ranked as the 11th hardest hole overall with a scoring average of 4.192.
12 Paul Casey was a combined 12 under par for his first round in this year's majors.
13 The average world ranking of the last 13 PGA winners before this week was 25. Kevin Kisner began the week ranked 25th.
14 The world ranking of Justin Thomas before his victory.
15 Of the top 15 players after 54 holes, only Oosthuizen had previously won a major.
16 The par-four 16th marks the start of Quail Hollow's so-called "Green Mile" of finishing holes, some of the toughest in golf.
17 The first round scoring average of the last 17 major champions was 67.2. Kisner and Thorbjorn Olesen shot 67 on day one at Quail Hollow.
18 For the first time in 18 majors, the eventual winner was over par after round one (Thomas shot 73).
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Friday (UAE kick-off times)
Real Sociedad v Leganes (midnight)
Saturday
Alaves v Real Valladolid (4pm)
Valencia v Granada (7pm)
Eibar v Real Madrid (9.30pm)
Barcelona v Celta Vigo (midnight)
Sunday
Real Mallorca v Villarreal (3pm)
Athletic Bilbao v Levante (5pm)
Atletico Madrid v Espanyol (7pm)
Getafe v Osasuna (9.30pm)
Real Betis v Sevilla (midnight)
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20IPHONE%2015%20PRO%20MAX
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The%C2%A0specs%20
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MATCH INFO
France 3
Umtiti (8'), Griezmann (29' pen), Dembele (63')
Italy 1
Bonucci (36')
Key changes
Commission caps
For life insurance products with a savings component, Peter Hodgins of Clyde & Co said different caps apply to the saving and protection elements:
• For the saving component, a cap of 4.5 per cent of the annualised premium per year (which may not exceed 90 per cent of the annualised premium over the policy term).
• On the protection component, there is a cap of 10 per cent of the annualised premium per year (which may not exceed 160 per cent of the annualised premium over the policy term).
• Indemnity commission, the amount of commission that can be advanced to a product salesperson, can be 50 per cent of the annualised premium for the first year or 50 per cent of the total commissions on the policy calculated.
• The remaining commission after deduction of the indemnity commission is paid equally over the premium payment term.
• For pure protection products, which only offer a life insurance component, the maximum commission will be 10 per cent of the annualised premium multiplied by the length of the policy in years.
Disclosure
Customers must now be provided with a full illustration of the product they are buying to ensure they understand the potential returns on savings products as well as the effects of any charges. There is also a “free-look” period of 30 days, where insurers must provide a full refund if the buyer wishes to cancel the policy.
“The illustration should provide for at least two scenarios to illustrate the performance of the product,” said Mr Hodgins. “All illustrations are required to be signed by the customer.”
Another illustration must outline surrender charges to ensure they understand the costs of exiting a fixed-term product early.
Illustrations must also be kept updatedand insurers must provide information on the top five investment funds available annually, including at least five years' performance data.
“This may be segregated based on the risk appetite of the customer (in which case, the top five funds for each segment must be provided),” said Mr Hodgins.
Product providers must also disclose the ratio of protection benefit to savings benefits. If a protection benefit ratio is less than 10 per cent "the product must carry a warning stating that it has limited or no protection benefit" Mr Hodgins added.
THREE
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Malcolm & Marie
Directed by: Sam Levinson
Starring: John David Washington and Zendaya
Three stars
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
Seven tips from Emirates NBD
1. Never respond to e-mails, calls or messages asking for account, card or internet banking details
2. Never store a card PIN (personal identification number) in your mobile or in your wallet
3. Ensure online shopping websites are secure and verified before providing card details
4. Change passwords periodically as a precautionary measure
5. Never share authentication data such as passwords, card PINs and OTPs (one-time passwords) with third parties
6. Track bank notifications regarding transaction discrepancies
7. Report lost or stolen debit and credit cards immediately
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Ajax v Juventus, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match on BeIN Sports
MATCH INFO
Fixture: Thailand v UAE, Tuesday, 4pm (UAE)
TV: Abu Dhabi Sports
GOODBYE%20JULIA
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: ten-speed
Power: 420bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: Dh325,125
On sale: Now
if you go
The flights
Etihad, Emirates and Singapore Airlines fly direct from the UAE to Singapore from Dh2,265 return including taxes. The flight takes about 7 hours.
The hotel
Rooms at the M Social Singapore cost from SG $179 (Dh488) per night including taxes.
The tour
Makan Makan Walking group tours costs from SG $90 (Dh245) per person for about three hours. Tailor-made tours can be arranged. For details go to www.woknstroll.com.sg
Full list of Emmy 2020 nominations
LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Anthony Anderson, Black-ish
Don Cheadle, Black Monday
Ted Danson, The Good Place
Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Method
Eugene Levy, Schitt’s Creek
Ramy Youssef, Ramy
LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Christina Applegate, Dead to Me
Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Linda Cardellini, Dead to Me
Catherine O’Hara, Schitt’s Creek
Issa Rae, Insecure
Tracee Ellis Ross, Black-ish
OUTSTANDING VARIETY/TALK SERIES
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Jason Bateman, Ozark
Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us
Steve Carell, The Morning Show
Brian Cox, Succession
Billy Porter, Pose
Jeremy Strong, Succession
LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Jennifer Aniston, The Morning Show
Olivia Colman, The Crown
Jodie Comer, Killing Eve
Laura Linney, Ozark
Sandra Oh, Killing Eve
Zendaya, Euphoria
OUTSTANDING REALITY/COMPETITION PROGRAM
The Masked Singer
Nailed It!
RuPaul’s Drag Race
Top Chef
The Voice
LEAD ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES/TV MOVIE
Jeremy Irons, Watchmen
Hugh Jackman, Bad Education
Paul Mescal, Normal People
Jeremy Pope, Hollywood
Mark Ruffalo, I Know This Much Is True
LEAD ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES/TV MOVIE
Cate Blanchett, Mrs. America
Shira Haas, Unorthodox
Regina King, Watchmen
Octavia Spencer, Self Made
Kerry Washington, Little Fires Everywhere
OUTSTANDING LIMITED SERIES
Little Fires Everywhere
Mrs. America
Unbelievable
Unorthodox
Watchmen
OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Dead to Me
The Good Place
Insecure
The Kominsky Method
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Schitt’s Creek
What We Do In The Shadows
OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES
Better Call Saul
The Crown
The Handmaid’s Tale
Killing Eve
The Mandalorian
Ozark
Stranger Things
Succession
Selected fixtures
All times UAE
Wednesday
Poland v Portugal 10.45pm
Russia v Sweden 10.45pm
Friday
Belgium v Switzerland 10.45pm
Croatia v England 10.45pm
Saturday
Netherlands v Germany 10.45pm
Rep of Ireland v Denmark 10.45pm
Sunday
Poland v Italy 10.45pm
Monday
Spain v England 10.45pm
Tuesday
France v Germany 10.45pm
Rep of Ireland v Wales 10.45pm
ENGLAND SQUAD
Joe Root (c), Moeen Ali, Jimmy Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Alastair Cook, Sam Curran, Keaton Jennings, Ollie Pope, Adil Rashid, Ben Stokes, James Vince, Chris Woakes
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Why seagrass matters
- Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
- Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
- Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
- Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality
2.0
Director: S Shankar
Producer: Lyca Productions; presented by Dharma Films
Cast: Rajnikanth, Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Sudhanshu Pandey
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
