Despite being based on the F01/F02 7-Series chassis, the Rolls-Royce Ghost brings alot more to the buyer’s table. Firstly, it looks completely different. Retro-futurism isn’t only confined to modern incarnations of old musclecars – its quite clear that classic Rolls-Royce design cues are executed well here.
The kind of switchgear employed inside look of a completely different standard compared to what you get in BMWs. They look more like they came out of a luxury yacht or helicopter, and you can also say the same about the look of the wood, it’s just a grade above. Frosted lamps, chrome door handles, traditional violin key switches, eyeball air vents, frosted white dials, the works! The interior uses deep-pile carpets and there are even optional lambswool floor mats.
Leather comes only from bulls raised in pastures free of barbed wire to help reduce leather imperfections. Marks are avoided by the laser cutters. At least 8 hides are used in each interior, and a set of hides are drum-dyed in batches at the same time to ensure colour consistency. Seats and interior panels are hand-stitched.
Producing a Ghost requires it to pass through 60 pairs of hands, 2,000 individual operations, and 20 days. 7 days consist of painting and polishing. The Ghost body is first applied with a phosphate electro-coat to protect against corrosion. Then on comes a layer of primer, a colour coat, and two coats of clear lacquer. Between each layer, the body is hand-sanded and once the final cost is on, it is hand-polished for 5 hours.
The Ghost rides on air suspension at all four points. The electronically adjustable air suspension is so sensitive that it can sense the movement of a single rear passenger from one side of the seat to the other and compensate accordingly. Dampers can self-adjust every 2.5 milliseconds. The car can also raise and lower itself by 25mm.
Power comes from a new 6.6 litre twin turbo V12 engine mated to an 8-speed ZF transmission. 0 to 100km/h takes just 4.7 seconds thanks to 563 hgorsepower and 780Nm of torque from as low as 1,500rpm. The dash does not feature a rev counter but a “power reserve” gauge.
I like how they’ve added umbrella storage compartments integrated into the two front doors. The umbrellas are provided too and are Teflon-coated.
After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history. An avid electronic gadget aficionado as well as big-time coffee lover, he's also the executive producer of the Driven motoring TV programme.
nice! owned it?! in my dream can la heheh!
Toilet-free moving mansion … only for those with extras
stunning…
I still prefer the Phanthom dashboard. Ghost meter make it looks el-cheapo.
I like how they put the umbrella storage compartments too. But too bad the design makes tis car definitely need to hire a driver too. :p
damn… how i wish i'm darn rich…
teka sape yg bertuah apabila kereta ini keluar..
1) driver of sultans or DYMM
2) of course the Sultans and DYMM
bertuahnya jadi kerabat diraja..
Wonder how much service cost.
a brick with big engine, but still wan to own 1 cause its very big can fetch lot of gal in 1 go. if…………..im rich enuf la…haha…..
Paul, if you can test drive this. Try sitting in the back and bounce up and down. See if suspension works like you say:P
A killer.
Very soon we will see it
@ BMW's latest PJ showroom launch!
Very nice. I'll buy one. Hmmm, wait a minute…can trade-in with my MyVi? Haha. When our royal family or our ministers start to show good example by buying locally made products. They ask us to buy home made product but they aren't do as what they speak. No good leadership example here. I know local product quality is not as to our standard but help them to improve their quality to be as good as others. We are only being independance for 52 years compared to them. There are so much to learn.
Somehow I feel that the bulls are not only raised in pastures free of barbed wire to help reduce leather imperfections but also fed with organic greens free of any chemicals, handwashed with the best body shampoo so that the hides are of the highest quality just before they are slaughtered. As least those bulls dapat naik Rolls Royce.
The umbrella is a nice feature… but poorly executed. Why put it inside the door panel? You have to open the door first. In a torrential rain like we have here, you'll get drenched first before you got any chance to pull the umbrella out. And not to mentioned – those leathers and lambswool floormats!!!
Oppss I forgot.. this car is chauffeured… and it won't stop in the middle of nowhere. The only place it will park is infront of grand mansions and palaces.
what's its rival?
Maybach? Bentley?
We can only dream…the royal families of Malaysia oledi made booking lorrr……:((
Paul,is the wheelbase of this Ghost shorter than Phantom??The rear legroom looks kinda small for a Rolls.
paul, how does the power reserve meter works?
Yeah can trade the MYVI and get the umbrella only ….impressive ehh!
Ahh, the Ghost is haunting me
The rear looks a bit like the 2003 BMW 7 Series…. Just my opinion…
Teflon coated umbrellas!!! wonder how much one of those costs
the ghost gonna haunt some royal family i guess
At start up, the power meter will show 100% power in reserve.
As the car accelerates and gather speed, more and more power will be used up, so the meter's needle will gradually drops.
jonny blaze,
Sure or not? Are you sure you're not talking about the fuel gauge? =P
Power reserve gauge seems only for an electric / hybrid vehicle. There is no mention of this type of vehicle for this Ghost.
jonny blaze is correct.
the power reserve gauge is what it claims to do. Shows you how much of the engine's power (not range as you probably thought) is left.
Not new though, as with the brolly, was available on the Phantom.
Yes. The Phantom has the power reserve meter too.
At start up and when the engine is lightly loaded, power reserve will be max.
Check out the video. When the car is cruising at low speed, power is max at 95-100%. video time @ 1.47
Apparently, RR don't come with tachometer but some within RR thought it'll be nice to have another meter. So this is the solution the engineers came up with.
Didn't know so many RR owners read paultan
I guess we poor guys will have to wait for rip offs from China. Roll Joyce anyone? Seats covered with kerbau skin from Malaysia. Dont worry these kerbaus free range type, no barb wired.
umbrella works..
Pic of Phantom's dash. Power meter on the left.
http://image.motortrend.com/f/car-news/rolls-royc…
Mr. Tan!
Why did you have to publish this article? I swear, I was about to put downpayment on a Bentley Flying Spur!
… that is, indeed, its main rival. The Mulsanne & Maybach 62 have the Phantom.
My god. This car is gorgeous. I now have to retrieve my chin from the floor & mop up the drool.
Its obviously going to be more expensive than the AP-import Bentley, right?
Looks like I'll be putting the house up for a mortgage before I own this. But when I do, I'll send it to you, so your faithful readers can enjoy a full review.
… but not before you enjoy those bull-hides!
Better buy a house in malaysia………hahah~~~
Never seen such a nice Ghost before but alas, it is a GHOST afterall…so keep chasing.