What's the message of the 101EX Concept?
It's a classic grand-touring coupe for this century, built with the most up-to-date engineering and materials possible. A traditional idea, but it's been done in a completely modern way.
How does the interior reflect this approach?
Everything is absolutely best practice, the finest that Rolls-Royce can achieve. The rosewood, red oak, and machined aluminum are real--nothing is a sham. We've simply used modern engineering to give pure, modern architecture the finish of traditional materials.
Love the starlight effect in the headliner...
We put fiber optics in the headliner to remind you of a starry night sky. You can control the brightness with a dimmer switch.
Any big challenges?
A low-roof coupe like this can be quite claustrophobic, so we worked to give it a feeling of space. The rear seat is like a sofa. The doors slope down and beneath you, so the car supports you. Then the hoodline envelopes your view and carries it out of the car. It makes you feel as if you're cradled in a boat. It's a design technique that was used [as long ago as] the 1930s.
Did computer-aided design help you?
We went far beyond the usual concept-car level with the 101EX to make sure we got it right. It's not CAD; it's just hours and hours of bloody hard work.