Spirited away in the lap of genuine luxury

Ghost is about as refined and luxurious an experience as you’ll have on four wheels, writes Matt Allan

Rolls-Royce sees itself as the most customer-centric car b ra n d i n th e wo rl d . W i th around 5,000 buyers a year, all very wealthy and very particular, it’s understandable that it wants to speak to them as individuals about what they expect.

So when it set out to create the second generation of its most successful car, RollsRoyce turned to those customers to find out what they wanted from the new Ghost. It turns out they wanted less, but more.

T h at’s l e s s o s te ntat i o n , more luxury, technology and performance.

So Rolls’ designers went in search of “post-opulence” - all the luxury, none of the showing off. From the outside, that translates into a few simple lines that identify the car as a Rolls-Royce but not a shouty one. That’s not to say it’s a shrinking violet, this is still a 5.5-metre-long car with the famous Spirit of Ecstasy on its nose so people are going to notice it but it’s not flashy like a Phantom.

A s i m i l a r “s i m p l i f y but improve” went into the interior. Owners want the latest connectivity and comforts but don’t want to be overwhelmed. So there’s one elegant digital infotainment screen while everything else is taken care of via beautifully crafted dials and handles.

T h e s i m p l i c i ty ex te n d s to the materials. It’s obvious that everything is of the highest quality but there’s a simplicity at play. Of course, there are flourishes such as the illuminated fibre optic headliner and the i lluminated dashboard nameplate.

Part of the brief for the Ghost is that it should be a Rolls that owners will both drive and be driven in. So, first I let the power assisted rear door close behind me and slipped into the leather and lambswool haven of the back seat to relax.

I t’s a n e a s y t a s k i n t h e Ghost. It is one of the most comfortable, refined experiences you’ll find. While many manufacturers are turning to active noise cancelling, the whisper quiet experience of the Ghost is all down to engineering - from four layers of insulation in the doors to feltlined ventilation ducts - and it’s astonishingly good at cutting out the outside world.

Similar attention was applied to the ride, resulting in unrivalled composure. A new “planar” suspension system smooths out large bumps before they reach the cabin and works with the Flagbearer system which scans the road ahead and primes the adaptive air suspension for changes in surface.

Powe r i n g th i n g s i s a 6.75-litre twin-turbo V12 with 56 3 b h p a n d 627 l b f t . T h at means the Ghost can reach 60mph in 4.6 seconds but while you can stretch the V12 out and marvel at its pace it’s far better to float on a sea of torque.

That said, the Ghost is remarkably easy to drive and doesn’t feel like a 5.5m long, 2.5-tonne car. The steering is weighted to make the car easy to manoeuvre but with enough feedback that you feel fully in command.