With the new Rolls-Royce Ghost, the British auto brand has redefined the pleasures of driving for lovers of The Spirit of Ecstasy.
When Rolls-Royce first introduced the Goodwood Ghost back in 2009, it was a departure for the British marque, which was best known for its flagship Phantom. Created to meet the demands of a clientele that wanted a smaller, less ostentatious sedan but with all the refinement of a true Roller, the Goodwood Ghost introduced a new era for the car company, one in which the owner could drive themselves and be part of a rich heritage of craftsmanship and engineering.
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The Goodwood Ghost proved to be the brand’s best-seller in its 116-year history and now, with the arrival of the new Ghost, essentially a top-down redesign, another exciting chapter for Rolls-Royce has begun.
Designed with those same building blocks – minimalism, performance, technology, and ultimate luxury – in mind, the new Rolls-Royce Ghost is based around propriety aluminium spaceframe architecture first used on the brand’s Phantom and later its Cullinan SUV. This ground-breaking design allows for a sedan that’s as pleasurable to drive as it is to be driven in, and for the 6.75-litre V12 engine to be placed behind the front axle to achieve an optimum 50/50 weight distribution.
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The pleasure of driving the Ghost continues with an all-wheel drivetrain, all-wheel steering, and a redesigned Planar Suspension System, the result of ten collective years of testing and development that creates a sense of ‘flight on land’ never before achieved by a motor car. In another feat, the Ghost’s aluminium superstructure is rendered in one clean piece, allowing the eye to run the length of the car without the interruption of shut lines.
Beyond these sleek lines lies some serious power. For punters looking for near-instant torque and near-silent running, the new Ghost’s twin-turbocharged engine delivers 563 horsepower. However, the use of state-of-the-art acoustic damping materials – 100kg in all – incorporated into the roof, doors, tires, and frame, and a new air intake system incorporating larger porting, reduces engine presence in the sedan’s interior to nothing more than a soft hum.
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The sedan’s interiors are an environment defined by reduction, simplicity, and elegance, with leathers, open-pore woods, and metals used to create a sublime cocoon where every detail is measured and choreographed, including the spectacular Illuminated Fascia, a world-first innovation that subtly echoes the brand’s iconic Starlight Headliner, presenting an ethereal glowing Ghost nameplate surrounded by more than 850 stars on the passenger side of the dashboard.
The new Ghost also features the Phantom’s self-closing self-opening doors (because heavens forbid you should do that for yourself), a new air filtration system that channels all cabin air through a powerful nanofleece filter; LED and laser headlights; state-of-the-art vision assist systems linked to four different cameras; wildlife, pedestrian, cross-traffic, lane-departure, and collision warning systems; and an industry-leading high-resolution heads-up display. If there was ever a luxurious spaceship for the road, this is it.
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There’s also a self-park feature, a wifi hotspot, and the latest navigation and entertainment systems, which you’ll be able to enjoy thanks to a powerful amplifier, high-precision magnesium-ceramic compound speaker cones, and two active microphones that create an adaptive and exceptional listening experience.
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