Aluminium space-frames are not a new development in the auto world; Audi has been heavily reliant on them since the mid-1990s and has sold 750,000 cars with aluminium frames over the past two decades. Even so, Rolls-Royce joining the wave of aluminium automobiles goes to show that both luxury and mass-market car buyers want lighter, more fuel-efficient vehicles with lower emissions and better mileage.

Nearly a year after the initial announcement, Rolls-Royce began the testing phase of the space-frame with engineering "mules" driving out onto public roads around the world in January 2016. For the company, it is essential that the new aluminium frame maintains its longstanding tradition of a "magic carpet ride" riding experience, wherein the company's world-class suspension systems offer a seamless ride across a variety of surfaces and prove resilient in extreme weather.

This and other assessments are a key stage in developing the new architecture before it hits production lines in 2018. As of now, the only aluminium car on offer from Rolls-Royce is the Phantom, whose spaceframe is hand-welded from 500 separate parts. On the whole, it takes sixty professionals to hand-build the Phantom.

The announcement that the new aluminium architecture would underpin all Rolls-Royce vehicles from 2018 marks a major evolution from the initial decision publicized in 2015, when it was thought that the new spaceframe would only be put to use in a new crossover SUV Rolls-Royce announced at the same time. That new vehicle, currently being referred to as "Project Cullinan," will put the company into an arena Porsche and Range Rover have pioneered but which other luxury auto companies will soon be joining. Range Rover has already made the switch to all-aluminium cars, using recycled aluminium that requires 95% less energy to produce than primary aluminium.

Like other automakers, Rolls-Royce's move from steel to aluminium is a matter of fuel economy. With global efforts now squarely focused on reducing the impact of greenhouse gases and car companies required to prove to eco-conscious consumers that their vehicles are getting cleaner, the light weight, strength, and durability of aluminium makes it an ideal building material for fuel-efficient cars. With even the most high-end brands now embracing aluminium frames and bodies, lower emissions are becoming something all drivers can agree on.