The latest addition to the Rolls-Royce collection, the new Ghost, according to the marque’s own words, is the most technologically advanced yet. At first glance however, it doesn’t really feel all that much different from its predecessor. While immediately identifiable as a Ghost, the designers kept the exterior extremely simple. This is very evident in the front end of the car alone where the previous model’s lower vent arrangement, headlights, and grille have now been replaced with a single larger opening at the bottom of the bumper, simple yet beautiful LED headlamps, and the marque’s signature grille that now sits near flush with the front end. As an extra touch, engineers have even added 20 LED’s underneath the top of the radiator grille to subtly illuminate the vanes at night.
Open the coach doors, which are now power operated by the way, and you are greeted with an interior that is nothing short of palatial. Everything, from the supple leather of the seats and the leathers, woods and metals that adorn the dash, right through to the organ-stop controls that open and close vents, everything screams opulence in way that only a Rolls-Royce would. It’s only once you slip into the driver seat that you begin to appreciate the luxurious simplicity and little touches that the Ghost offers. There are no complex arrangement of buttons and touch controls anywhere to be found. Instead, all actions are dealt with a proper button press, switches, and large chunky metal knobs, of which there aren’t many. Everywhere you look, there are the tiny details that really elevate the interior to a class all its own. A great example of this is the Illuminated Fascia on the dashboard with the word “Ghost” surrounded by stars, which perfectly complements the Starlight Headliner, which has now made itself available on the Ghost line, complete with the shooting star program. It is simplicity and elegance at it’s absolute finest.
However, as impressive as the interior may be, its not until you begin to drive the Ghost that you realise just how much it really has changed. The new car no longer uses BMW 7-Series underpinnings. Instead, it uses Rolls-Royce’s own modular vehicle platform – the aptly named Architecture of Luxury. It is this same platform that also underpins the Cullinan and Phantom. Furthermore, while not quite as imposing as the Phantom or Cullinan, this “Baby Rolls” isn’t exactly a small car. The new vehicle is in fact significantly longer than its predecessor, by approximately 7 inches, clocking in at 219 inches. And that is before you consider that there is an ‘Extended’ model that adds a further 6.7 inches to the total length. In true Rolls-Royce fashion the car isn’t light either, weighing in at approximately 5,700 pounds.
Normally a vehicle this big and this heavy would be quite unwieldy. But this isn’t just a “normal” vehicle. And this is also where the engineers at Rolls-Royce have done the most of their magic. Together with the new platform, the engineers have also managed to incorporate an all-wheel drivetrain together with all-wheel steering. This combined with simply effortless steering and bevy of sensors and cameras ensures that the Ghost is easily manoeuvrable, both on the highway and even the tightest of parking lots.
Propelling the Ghost is Rolls-Royce’s own 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine, which now delivers 563bhp and 850Nm of torque; more than enough power to propel the Ghost to 60mph (96kmph) in just 4.6s.
The marque’s hallmark Magic Carpet Ride has also evolved to an entirely new level with the Ghost, thanks to the development of a so-called Planar Suspension System. The result of ten collective years of testing and development, the new system incorporates a world-first Upper Wishbone Damper unit above the front suspension assembly, creating an even more stable and effortless ride. This when combined with the Planar software system, which uses a stereo camera system integrated into the windscreen to see the road ahead, adjusting suspension proactively, and a Satellite Aided Transmission system, which draws GPS data to pre-select the optimum gear for upcoming corners, ensures the Ghost delivers a ride that is simply sublime.
Put everything together and you end up with a car that is effectively the last word in opulence, one that delivers unmatched road presence, solid driving dynamics, a wonderfully minimalist yet luxurious interior, and a true magic carpet ride.
