Rolls-Royce has released more details of the upcoming Ghost, a car that slots under the Phantom range. Although not small by any means, it is nevertheless the “entry point” to this prestigious German-owned British brand.
“First and foremost Ghost is a Rolls-Royce,” Rolls-Royce Director of Engineering, Helmut Riedl says. “This means that despite its extraordinary performance figures it has been engineered for effortless composure and refined power delivery. This is illustrated by the significant levels of low down torque available which makes pulling away very smooth and for an exceptionally relaxed driving experience.”
Running things is a brand new 6.6-litre turbocharged V12 engine. No other BMW Group car will be getting this engine. At its highest it froths out 419kW (570hp) at 5250rpm and develops maximum torque of 780Nm at 1500rpm. Changing gears is BMW’s new 8-speed gearbox. The 0 – 100km/h time is 4.9 seconds and top speed is said to be 250km/h.
But of course a Rolls is not just about figures; it is all about itself. While “wafting” is often a word used to describe cars of this nature, RR executives insist the Ghost is more than that, that it is to a large extent a driver’s car. Indeed owners should not be intimidated by it regardless of its 7 Series-beating 5.4m length.
Rolls-Royce CEO Tom Purves says: “Ghost is not about a single superlative but rather a careful blend of attributes. A Rolls-Royce should carry its power with grace, agility and refinement and this is never achieved by a focus on outright performance. Mastery comes in creating a balance and having driven the Ghost again recently I can say confidently that our engineering team has achieved this in fine style”.
The UK and Europe will receive their first shipments of the Ghost before Christmas 2009. Before then it will be exhibited at the 2009 Frankfurt International Motor Show.
Prices at launch
UK £165 000 (R2.1 million)
Europe €213 000 (R2.36 million)
North America US$245 000 (R1.91 million)
Rest of the World US$250 000 (R1.95 million)
