A new luxury sedan with a massive V12 engine nestled beneath its hood may not seem the right car to launch now, especially with a world obsessed with EVs and SUVs, but Rolls-Royce exists on a different stratosphere. To them and for the super-luxury sector, the new Ghost would be a major volumes model along with the Cullinan SUV. The previous Ghost expanded the Rolls portfolio and also pushing the outer edges of how much engaging to drive a Rolls-Royce can get. The Wraith and Dawn, along with the Black Badge models, brought in a new clientele and cementing Rolls-Royce as the luxury behemoth that it is today. Thus the new Ghost and the later models from this range of cars would be a significant facet of what Rolls-Royce would be for years to come; hence getting this one right was of utmost importance. Rolls has played it safe and kept the original essence of the Ghost but subtly steered it into a new direction.
The new Ghost has to be more than just a collection of numbers, and here Rolls has stuck to its roots by making some substantial changes beneath the skin. The biggest one would be the fact that the new Ghost sits on a bespoke architecture that also underpins the Cullinan and Phantom, thus being “free from the constraints of platforms used to underpin high-volume vehicles.” By that, it means the new Ghost does not sit on a 7-Series platform, which is a crucial factor in today’s world of increasing platform sharing. It also means more rigidity and flexibility, along with added refinement plus comfort.
The new Ghost is also an all-wheel-drive and features all-wheel steering, thus further cementing its status as the most advanced Rolls ever made. However, we must also discuss the exterior and interior where Rolls is speaking of a shift in its approach with ‘Post Opulence’ being the term. Thus the new Ghost is all about less clutter, less flamboyance, and subtle luxury with all the usual Rolls trappings but not layered with the slightly vulgar outlook of too much technology being smeared all over. The Ghost is for Rolls-Royce customers who want luxury but without shouting from the rooftops about it.
Thus it does not move too far from the previous generation car in terms of design, yet you identify the subtle changes enough to differentiate it from the earlier Ghost. It is sharper but still restrained and has a more ‘flowing’ design. It is bigger and wider to liberate more space inside.
Speaking of which, the interior is also bathed in the new Rolls philosophy of minimalistic execution. The new Ghost, like any modern-day luxury car, is fitted with all kinds of luxury and technology features but executing them is much simple compared to many other luxury cars that flaunt their technology prowess more.
For Rolls-Royce, the comfort and silence matter more. Hence noise reduction to the absolute minimum was the core focus, and here its aluminum architecture played a big role along with extra sound deadening material. Every switch and control inside the car has been tuned by the engineers for utmost refinement though apparently complete silence has been avoided. A subtle undertone is being embedded.
Elsewhere you now have doors that are now fully electric in its mechanism. At the same time, there is also a ‘Micro Environment Purification System’ that removes nearly all ultra-fine particles from the cabin environment in less than two minutes.
We will not dive into the long equipment list or the 1300W output as instead, the interior design and finish are more worthy of words here. Amongst the vast array of personalization options available, the new Ghost interior requires 20 half hides to complete one interior while an open-pore wood finish is draped generously throughout the cabin. Not just that, as there is also an “Illuminated Fascia,” which replicates the starlight headliner!
Of course, while an all-electric Ghost would have been in-sync with the times we live in, there is no arguing with the new 6.75-liter twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine. It develops 563 bhp and would no doubt whisk away the Ghost to ludicrous speeds with ease. There is also the ‘Magic Carpet Ride suspension system’ and the ‘Flagbearer system’ system. It scans the road ahead to ‘prepare’ the car’s suspension plus more such devotion at the altar of comfort and refinement.
No doubt, the new Ghost is an impressive feat and is rather wonderfully different from other luxury cars out there. Of course, it needs to be since Rolls-Royce owners already own other cars, and the Ghost needs to deliver a different or dare I say it a ‘Rolls’ experience.
