Item: Rolls-Royce Ghost
Rating: 5
Author: What Car? Team

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Rolls-Royce Ghost

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Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

You will by now understand that the Ghost is an exceptional car. The catch? Well, it is extremely expensive. Vastly more so than any of its rivals. But that will no doubt carry zero shock value to you, and anyone toying with the idea of Ghost ownership is unlikely to be deterred – or surprised – by either its sky-high list price or the huge running costs (that V12 engine brings an official fuel economy of just 18.6mpg, for example).

Of course, there’s lots of equipment as standard but few (if any) will resist the urge to dip into their pockets and take their pick from the seemingly endless options list. You can have TVs, a starlight rooflining (complete with shooting stars), massaging seats, even a backlit front grille. In fact, if you can think of something you’d like to add and have the financial means to pay for it, Rolls-Royce will do what they can to accommodate your whim.

So yes, ultimately an <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a8/saloon/review/n17302">Audi A8</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/7-series/saloon/review/n127">BMW 7 Series</a>, and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/s-class/saloon/review/n17355">Mercedes S-Class</a> are spacious luxury cars with nice interiors and powerful engines for a lot less money – but that’s like saying that an Asda suit is a cut-price alternative to one from Savile Row.

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That enormous V12 petrol engine is the silent yet savage heart of the Ghost. It pulls effortlessly from low revs, with almost imperceptible gearshifts, ensuring that you simply glide through cities, along country roads and on motorways.&nbsp;

Should the need arise, it will catapult you from 0-62mph in a sports car-worrying 4.8sec, helped by assured traction from the standard four-wheel drive system. And you can retain an impressive pace when the road gets bendy; while the Ghost leans noticeably in corners, there’s masses of grip. The steering impresses, too; it’s helpfully light when you’re sweeping around town but weights up just enough as you go faster to help you place the Ghost accurately with confidence. And, as all four wheels steer as standard, at low speeds the surprisingly easy to manoeuvre for such a long, big, heavy car.

As with every other Rolls-Royce, the Ghost has air suspension as standard. Careful calibration ensures that it irons out most surface imperfections and deals with bigger bumps efficiently enough to make it one of the comfiest cars around, demolishing long journeys like a private jet.

And when you accelerate hard enough to unleash the V12’s tuneful, bassy soundtrack, that’s pretty much the only exterior noise that can penetrate the Ghost’s hefty sound-deadening. When exercising more restraint, the engine is so smooth, hushed and free of vibration that you really will sometimes wonder if it’s running at all. Wind and road noise is exceptionally well suppressed, harmonising with perfectly weighted pedals that make smooth stops and starts an entirely effortless business. This makes it easy for anybody to drive like the Queen’s chauffeur.

Add this all up and, while the Ghost’s <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bentley/flying-spur/saloon/review/n17297">Bentley Flying Spur</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/7-series/saloon/review/n127">BMW 7 Series</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/s-class/saloon/review/n17355">Mercedes S-Class</a> rivals offer similarly impressive performance on paper, none get close to the all-round cosseting luxury the Ghost delivers.

Fuel 

Gearbox

0-62 MPH

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Black Badge

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It’s hard to describe a car costing more than £250,000 as “entry-level”, but the Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II is the most attainable car in the brand’s rarefied portfolio.

The new car is, obviously, very different from the famous Silver Ghost of 1906, but it is also very different from its much more recent Ghost predecessor. While that car shared many of its parts with the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/7-series/saloon/review/n127">BMW 7 Series</a>, this Ghost Series II is based on the same aluminium underpinnings as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/rolls-royce/cullinan/4x4/review/n18282">Cullinan SUV</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/rolls-royce/phantom/saloon/review/n131">Phantom saloon</a> – these being exclusive to Rolls Royce. And if this new Ghost is anything like its megabuck stablemates, then owners and passengers are in for a treat.

Like every current car with a Spirit of Ecstasy on its prow, it’s powered by a whopping great big 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine that delivers 563bhp and 627lb ft of torque, with four-wheel drive and four-wheel steering both standard. But chest-thumping acceleration may not be the first thing you associate with the British marque. Instead, you’ll more likely expect exquisitely serene and tranquil cruising manners, and an interior fit and finish to please even the most pernickety and fastidious of well-heeled patrons.

So does the Ghost deliver? Well, without giving too much away, it certainly does. But, of course, such opulence doesn’t come cheaply, and it needs to justify its intimidating price tag, which overshadows such esteemed luxury car rivals as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audi_A8">Audi A8</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bentley/flying-spur/saloon/review/n17297">Bentley Flying Spur</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/7-series/saloon/review/n127">BMW 7 Series</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/s-class/saloon/review/n17355">Mercedes S-Class</a>. Can it possibly carry this off? Read on to find out. And if you’d like buying your next car to be as relaxing as cruising in a Roller, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals">our New Car Buying service</a> has your best interests at heart.

Think you can name a more luxurious car interior than the Ghost? You’ll struggle to come up with anything without a Rolls Royce badge, and even then the Ghost can go toe-to-toe with the luxury offered by the Cullinan and the Phantom.

Exquisite materials and expert craftsmanship are exhibited in every millimetre of the Ghost’s interior. Almost everything is wrapped in leather, carved from wood or milled from metal, and there are precious few man-made environments in which you’ll feel more special.

All the controls feel expensive in their operation, too. Plus, the infotainment system is fantastic. It’s based on BMW’s fantastic iDrive system but wears a carefully tailored Rolls-Royce disguise, and can be operated via the rotary dial controller on the centre console or through the big central touchscreen itself. It’s brilliantly simple to us, and packed with features. There’s also a crisp and clear instrument display that, although entirely digital, still carries the classy look of traditional analogue dials.

This is more than a story of cutting-edge technology and impeccable quality, though; the Ghost also offers sound ergonomics. There’s a terrific range of position adjustment for both the seat and steering wheel, and the forward visibility is pretty good, too. The driver’s over-the-shoulder view is rather hampered by the bulky rear pillars, but a 360deg camera comes as standard for guidance in close-quarters manoeuvring.

Even by the very high standards of today’s luxury car interiors, the Ghost feels a dramatic step up from the efforts from Bentley, Mercedes, Audi and BMW.

Saloon

When it comes to making a statement about how successful you are, there is no brand that shouts “I’ve made it!” more emphatically than Rolls-Royce.

If that’s all you want from your car, look no further. The firm has expanded its range in recent years, with the top-of-the-range Phantom saloon being joined by the Cullinan SUV, and other models including the Wraith and Ghost.

Whichever way you go, if you have to ask how much it costs, the chances are you can’t afford it. And, even then, the base price is unlikely to be what you end up spending, such is the list of alluring options on offer.

It’s also a moot point whether the cars themselves – rather than the image they portray – represents the very best way to spend your money. What Car?’s testers rate all of them positively but reckon that – if you’re buying with your head rather than your heart – there are other cars that you should also consider.

ROLLS-ROYCE

GHOST

Those who can afford to buy this exquisite luxury saloon will not be disappointed

It may be the smallest car in the Rolls-Royce lineup, but the Ghost is still enormous by most standards. At 5549mm long, it is bigger than the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/7-series/saloon/review/n127">BMW 7 Series</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/s-class/saloon/review/n17355">Mercedes S-Class</a>,&nbsp; and even the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bentley/flying-spur/saloon/review/n17297">Bentley Flying Spur</a>. So inside, you will not be surprised to hear, there is a lot of room. No matter where you’re sitting, whether you’re driving or being driven, it feels very open and spacious.

There is a choice of five-seat or four-seat layouts, and all models have rear-hinged doors – that can be opened and softly closed from the inside at the press of a button. And should you want even more space to stretch out in the rear seats, a longer Extended Wheelbase version is available with an extra 170mm of added between the front and rear axles.

The boot is fittingly massive, too, but while the load bay is very long, access is hampered by a comparatively narrow opening. So while the Ghost will certainly carry your golf clubs or holiday luggage, you may wish to augment it with another car if you need to shift bulky furniture. Plus, if you specify a fridge to sit between the rear seats, it eats into boot space. The agony of justifying that option is one of the first-world problems faced by the Rolls Royce Ghost buyer.

ghost

Unbelievably luxurious and comfortable, offering monstrous performance along with serene cruising manners and a truly exquisite interior. For those who can afford to buy and run it – you will not be disappointed.

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Plush ride and the ability to cruise in near-silence </li> <li>Powerful and efficient engine</li> <li>Space for passengers to stretch out in the rear seats</li> <li>Exquisite materials and build quality</li> <li>Endless luxuries on the options list</li> <li>Sensible fuel and tax bills</li></ul>

If you’re in the market for a luxury car, you’ll be after a sumptuous interior, a ride that can soak up the worst of the UK’s pockmarked roads and supreme refinement that allows you to travel at speed in near-silence.

Your cheapest (and smallest) options are the Audi A6, Mercedes E-Class and brilliant BMW 5 Series, the latter of which is so good we voted it our 2017 Car of the Year. Larger options that are definitely worth considering if you plan to travel in the back include the BMW 7 Series, Audi A8 and the Mercedes S-Class, which is beautifully finished inside and not as expensive to run as you might think.

Or if money really is no object at all, the Rolls-Royce Ghost is hard to overlook – especially in extended-wheelbase form. It’s as opulent as cars get.

Luxury

Rolls-Royce Ghost review

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Read review covering Rolls-Royce Ghost boot space, size and dimensions, front and rear seat comfort by the expert What Car? test team.

It may be the smallest car in the Rolls-Royce lineup, but the Ghost is still enormous by most standards. At 5549mm long, it is bigger than the BMW 7 Series, Mercedes S-Class,  and even the Bentley Flying Spur. So inside, you will not be surprised to hear, there is a lot of room. No matter where you’re sitting, whether you’re driving or being driven, it feels very open and spacious.,There is a choice of five-seat or four-seat layouts, and all models have rear-hinged doors – that can be opened and softly closed from the inside at the press of a button. And should you want even more space to stretch out in the rear seats, a longer Extended Wheelbase version is available with an extra 170mm of added between the front and rear axles.,The boot is fittingly massive, too, but while the load bay is very long, access is hampered by a comparatively narrow opening. So while the Ghost will certainly carry your golf clubs or holiday luggage, you may wish to augment it with another car if you need to shift bulky furniture. Plus, if you specify a fridge to sit between the rear seats, it eats into boot space. The agony of justifying that option is one of the first-world problems faced by the Rolls Royce Ghost buyer.,

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