Ghost Series II

A combination of imposing, elegant lines and effortless, contemporary luxury, the Ghost has been the cornerstone of Rolls-Royce’s success over its ten-year lifecycle.

This transformative motor car is the most successful product in the company’s 116-year history.  Precisely tailored to its clients, it appears perfect in its simplicity, underpinned by remarkable substance, that is less but better.

With an obsessive dedication to perfecting the motor car, Ghost has now been completely redesigned – the only components carried over from the outgoing car are the umbrellas and the Spirit of Ecstasy. Obsession creates perfection.

In 2009, Rolls-Royce announced a new addition to its portfolio that offered something entirely different to its flagship Phantom. A product which resonated with a new group of men and women who responded to the marque’s relentless pursuit of perfection in design, engineering and craftsmanship, but sought a more modest and minimalist expression of Rolls-Royce.

More than a chauffeur-driven experience, at the weekend this business tool morphs into a discreet celebration. The new Ghost meets client expectations as a motor car that is equally enjoyable to drive as it is to be driven in.

The new Ghost benefits from significant advances in every aspect of its creation. It adopts Rolls-Royce’s proprietary aluminium spaceframe architecture, which already underpins its flagship, Phantom, and transformative SUV, Cullinan, delivering a driving experience that is agile and engaging as it is powerful and refined.

An authentically super-luxury product, free from the constraints of platforms used to underpin high-volume vehicles, it incorporates state-of-the-art technology such as all-wheel drive and all-wheel steering. This was achieved without compromising the motor car’s low centre of gravity, which aids cornering dynamics, as well as adjustments to the placing of the new 6.75-litre V12, which have helped to achieve an optimum 50/50 weight distribution. Ghost is all-wheel-drive, and with all-wheel steering.

All of this is delivered on an enhanced Rolls-Royce magic carpet ride, featuring a suspension system so complex that it has never been applied to a production car before. Proprietary Planar software allows new Ghost to proactively adapt to intrusions in the road ahead, while a Satellite Aided Transmission system draws GPS data to pre-select the optimum gear for upcoming corners. The result is unprecedented levels of ride comfort and control for a motor car.

Capitalising on the marque’s aluminium expertise, the car’s outer body is rendered as one clean, expansive piece. The complete absence of shut lines allows clients to run their eye from the front to the rear of the car uninterrupted by ungainly body seams. This not only offers weight benefits, but the material has a lower acoustic impedance than steel, improving cabin ambience.

Self-closing doors have been enjoyed by Rolls-Royce clients since the first Goodwood Phantom, for new Ghost, the marque’s engineers elected to further develop this hallmark technology and, for the first time, clients can now also open the doors with power assistance.

Once inside, Ghost’s interior is refined, pared-back simplicity with a dedicated obsession to design and materials. All new is the Illuminated Fascia, developed over two years and more than 10,000 hours, bringing an ethereal glowing Ghost nameplate to the passenger side of the dashboard, surrounded by more than 850 stars.

The Ghost benefits from the latest safety and comfort enhancing technology, such as; LED and laser headlights with more than 600m of illuminated range, vision assist, including day- and night-time wildlife and pedestrian warning; alertness assistant; a four-camera system with panoramic view, all-round visibility and helicopter view; active cruise control; collision warning; cross-traffic warning; lane departure and lane change warning; an industry-leading 7x3 high-resolution head-up display; Wi-Fi hotspot; self-park; and the very latest navigation and entertainment systems.

Rolls-Royce has taken inspiration from ‘restless spirits’ like Charles Rolls, Sir Malcolm Campbell and Muhammed Ali to create a new expression of the marque: glamorous, daring, and distinctive. The Black Badge models are the alter ego of Rolls-Royce, its darker side. In place of sparkling silver comes a deep, rich black for the Spirit of Ecstasy and the iconic Double R badge. Other chrome surfaces, such as the front grille surround, boot lid finisher, lower air inlet finisher and exhaust pipes, also feature a high-gloss dark finish.

Reflecting the mood – and cutting unsprung weight – are new, lightweight, composite carbon fibre wheels with aircraft-grade bonded aluminium hubs. Naturally, owners can specify any colour they wish for the bodywork – but the new Black Badge Black paintwork complements the subtle styling to perfection. Inside, surfaces are covered with aluminium-threaded carbon fibre, a new super-luxury material in place of traditional veneers. Air vents on the dash and in the rear are darkened using Physical Vapour Deposition, to ensure they last as long and look as good as their chrome counterparts. Set into the fascia is a Black Badge clock with orange-tipped hands and the ‘Unlimited’ logo that first appeared in the bespoke Phantom Waterspeed, itself inspired by world record holder Sir Malcolm Campbell. The upholstery in black leather is complemented by Tailored Purple trim, while the black starlight headlining enhances the nocturnal mood.

Ghost Black Badge is created for high achievers in a hurry, and they’ll find the 6.6 litre V12 engine delivers effortless, exhilarating power. Subtle engineering modifications raise power by 40hp to 603hp, while torque is also given a significant 60Nm increase to 840Nm. Brakes are uprated for more positive pedal feel, while Intuitive Throttle Response and upgrades to the 8-speed transmission achieve a transformation in character, holding gears for longer and downshifting more eagerly.

The Ghost Black Badge still provides a magic carpet ride, as a Rolls-Royce should, but a harder-edged side to its character is just a flexed throttle foot away. Owners of powerful sports cars may be startled into a double-take; this is a Ghost with a touch more driver focus, and proof that you don’t need glitter, glitz or sparkle to take centre stage.