German driving force for 'curvy' new Rolls-Royce has a

ROLLS-ROYCE yesterday gave full details of its new pounds 155,000 "curvy" model, which will be powered by a German engine. The Silver Seraph, the carmaker's first all-new model for nearly two decades, will have 5.4-litre V12 engines from BMW, which is keen to acquire the up-for-sale company.

The more rounded contours of the car, built at Rolls's headquarters in Crewe, Cheshire, will be unveiled for the first time at next week's Geneva Motor Show.

Capable of accelerating from 0-60mph in just under seven seconds, the Seraph will go on sale straight after its world debut on Tuesday.

The car has new seats, new braking, a new heating system and more luggage space. "This is the dawn of a new era for Rolls-Royce and we approach the millennium in confident mood," said the company's chief executive, Graham Morris today. The Seraph is the first product to come out of the company's pounds 40m investment in new facilities at Crewe. For the first time, cars at Crewe come off assembly lines and robots are also used in the production process. But the production line moves somewhat slower than those at other car plants - going at just 0.01mph, so that it takes a car 20 hours to reach the end of the line.