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For the ultimate in automotive technology concealed behind a veil of leather and wood with a cloud-like driving experience courtesy of a V12 twin-turbo engine, look no further than the Rolls-Royce Ghost, here improved in Series II form. This enhanced version of the second generation model adds an enhanced cabin experience, slightly smarter looks and more exclusive options to a luxurious recipe that no other rival can quite match. But of course, that's reflected in the price.
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Driving experience
One day soon, all Rolls Royces of this kind will be electrically driven but for the time being, this Ghost remains gloriously un-electrified, as before using the 6.75-litre twin turbo V12 borrowed from the Cullinan SUV. It develops a mighty 563bhp in standard form or 592bhp in uprated 'Black Badge' guise; either way, most of the torque is available from just 1,600rpm. And this leviathan of a powerplant drives all four wheels via an 8-speed automatic gearbox that Rolls insists isn't borrowed from BMW, but which must surely share some Munich technology somewhere.
We said it wasn't electrified; well that's not quite true. There's a 48V active anti-roll bar which draws data from a forward facing camera and will slacken right off if it sees a bump coming. Despite that, there's a little more body roll than you'd get in, say, a Bentley Flying Spur. But Rolls Royce is fine with that; this Ghost, unlike its rival, isn't burdened with any pretensions of 'sportiness'. Yet it's still very fast; even in the standard model, sixty two mph from rest occupies just 4.8s. There's adaptive damping too of course from the planar suspension system, but Rolls Royce doesn't trust you with modes to activate it; Ghost owners expect those sorts of decisions to be made for them. You also get air springs at each corner. And four wheel steering, which turns the rear wheels 5-degrees opposite to front lock for extra manoeuvrability under 40mph; and 5-degrees the same way as the fronts for extra stability over 40mph.
In addition to its extra power, the faster 'Black Badge' version gets decreased pedal travel, a raised brake point and a 'Low' drive mode with 50%-quicker gearchanges when the throttle is 90% opened.
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Design and build
As usual when Rolls-Royce does a 'Series II' mid-term update, the exterior changes here are subtle. An owner of the original version of this second generation model might notice that the lower grille area of the front bumper has been reduced in size, while the daytime running lights now wrap around the outer corners of the main projector lenses. The rear lamps meanwhile, gain a fresh branded design apparently influenced by the Spectre. As before, everything sits on an all-aluminium platform that Rolls Royce calls the 'architecture of luxury'. The dimensions aren't Phantom-sized, but this is still a significantly large piece of Goodwood-fabricated premium real estate, with 5,546mm of length and 2,148mm of width (including the mirrors). Go for the LWB Ghost Extended model and length increases to 5,716mm.
Inside, the update's more obvious, courtesy of a new glass panel that spans the entire width of the dashboard. Plus you can now colour-match the software for the digital instrument panel to the colour you've chosen for the car. The sound system's been uprated from 1,300 to 1,400-watts and there are now USB-C ports hidden in the centre consol. Rear passengers can now connect to the infotainment system with wireless headphones and can connect up to two streaming devices to their rear screens.
Otherwise, everything's as before. The interior doesn't feel as big as those exterior stats suggest, possibly because the extra size is eaten up a little by thickly-insulated doors. But of course it feels very high end, with a smart 'Ghost' nameplate on the dashboard backed by little glowing stars. Obviously, there's plenty of room for rear seat occupants to stretch out, particularly if you opt for the longer wheelbase 'Ghost Extended' model that many chauffeured customers will want. Out back, the boot is 507-litres in size.
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Market and model
Rolls Royce wants around £280,000 from you for a Ghost, a considerable sum when you take into account that the almost equally desirable Bentley Flying Spur (now a PHEV) is around £60,000 less. But it's not a Rolls Royce - and for potential customers here, that will be everything. As before, there's a choice of two body lengths - 'Ghost' and 'Ghost Extended'.
It's well equipped for course, not only with the usual things but also with a range of unique Rolls Royce features. So what'll you notice if you've owned a Ghost before? Well, for effortless egress, the doors electrically open as well as electrically close. There's a down-lit Pantheon grille that discreetly illuminates Rolls-Royce iconography. And an illuminated fascia features a Ghost nameplate surrounded by more than 850 stars. Lovely.
The Ghost comes well equipped with features like on-board Wi-Fi, whilst Satellite Aided Transmission (SAT), ensures the car automatically adapts to its surroundings, augmenting the drive experience. Updates to navigation systems and the car/user interface ensure accessing the Ghost's features remains an effortless experience, whilst the optional audio choices are just amazing. And amazingly expensive if you get too carried away. As usual, many customers will tend to specify their cars via Rolls-Royce's bespoke programme, selecting their own veneers, appliques and leather finishes.
The average Ghost owner spends over £30,000 on options, so for this 'Series II' model, Rolls-Royce has offered more of them. There are several new material options, like 'Grey Stained Ash' (a hand-stained ash wood shimmering with metallic particles) and 'Duality Twill' (a textile woven from bamboo into a graphic inspired by the ropes of sailing yachts).
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Cost of ownership
As the most mainstream car in Rolls-Royce's range - and all things are relative here - the Ghost can't afford to be a total indulgence. It does come fairly close to that description though. There aren't too many twin-turbo V12 petrol engines that return stellar fuel economy figures and getting 18.6mpg on the combined cycle from the Ghost isn't bad going (falling to 17.9mpg for the 'Black Badge' version. In real world conditions, even adopting some fairly feather-footed chauffeur driving tactics, you'll be lucky to get much more than 15mpg. The WLTP-rated CO2 emission figure varies between 347 and 359g/km.
As you might expect, the emissions are in the top tax banding. Residual values of Ghosts have stacked up better than anticipated, thanks to the understandably modest supply that Rolls-Royce can deliver per year.
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Summary
Within Rolls Royce ownership circles, there are two kinds of customer for the company's saloon models. Some like to be seen - and will usually choose a Phantom. Others want a touch of extra discretion - and for them, this Ghost will be just about perfect. These people will like the fact that with the extra exclusive options available for this improved Series II Ghost, this 'entry-level' Rolls-Royce can now be nearly as opulent as a Phantom; almost as exclusive; and in LWB 'Ghost Extended' form, pretty much as luxurious too.
Unlike a Phantom, you could enjoy driving this car quite hard too, particularly in uprated 'Black Badge' form - though, naturally, it's not quite as sporting as a rival Bentley. What's important though, is that this rejuvenated Ghost model feels every inch a real Rolls Royce, all trace of BMW carryover clinically removed. Is it the 'best car in the world', as Rolls Royce's reputation used to promise? Well if you own one, we believe you'll think so.
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