By: Denis Droppa
Johannesburg - High rollers have a new carriage in which to swish around town with, in the form of the newly-upgraded Ghost.
It’s arrived at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Sandton, South Africa’s sole dealer of the ultra-luxury British brand, and the order books are now open for business.
Whilst the larger Phantom is a more chauffeur-oriented piece of motorised snobbery, the Ghost has been a more driver-focused Rolls-Royce since its launch in 2009.
To this end, the Ghost Series II has been made an even better driver’s car with the introduction of a clever piece of tech called Satellite Aided Transmission (SAT), which made its debut on the Rolls-Royce Wraith in 2013. It uses the onboard satellite navigation to predict upcoming corners and shifts the eight-speed transmission to the correct gear even before you get to the turn, ensuring you’re always in the right ratio to exploit the twin-turbo 6.6-litre V12’s power – all 420kW and 780Nm of it.
New hydraulic rear-axle bearings enhance ride quality and further reduce vibrations, and customers can specify a Dynamic Driving Package that offers a more involving driving experience without compromising ride quality.
Cosmetic revisions have been kept very subtle and the church-organ grille and chunky lines remain to lend that unmistakable sense of gravitas, but there are resculpted LED auto-dipping headlights encircled by daytime running lights.
A new tapered “wake channel” on the long bonnet, emanating from the Spirit of Ecstasy figurine, evokes the wake of a fast luxury yacht. Subtly re-sculpted bumpers create a sense of extra width and height while the “waft” line on the flanks has been redesigned to lean further and “emphasise the car’s effortless vigour”.
ELEGANT CABIN
The cabin blends elegance with high tech, and on-board Wi-Fi now gives high rollers a mobile office from which to conduct their mega-buck deals.
The redesigned front seats get adjustable thigh supports, while the rear offers a Lounge configuration where the seats are slightly angled towards each other to create a more intimate setting. The seats are available with three-level heating as standard with optional massage function and can be reclined for comfort.
The infotainment system has a 10.25” high-definition screen that is accessed by a new Spirit of Ecstasy Rotary Controller with a touch pad that recognises handwriting and also has “pull and pinch” functionality like a smartphone. An 18-speaker Bespoke Audio system comes with a 20.5GB hard drive that can store up to 5700 songs.
The clock fascia and instrument dials are enhanced with the addition of polished metal chaplets that evoke premium watch design.
If you have to ask, put six zeroes behind a seven.
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is part of the newly-renamed Daytona (formerly Daytona Group), South Africa’s purveyor of McLaren, Rolls-Royce and Aston Martin.
Star Motoring