Rolls-Royce unveils second-gen Ghost, most technologically advanced Rolls yet
Rolls-Royce says the second-gen Ghost is the result of listening to its customers a request for something even more refined, even less ostentatious, a car that "whispers, not shouts". To that end, the styling on the Ghost Series II is even more minimalistic, and though it doesn't look like it at first glance, it's brand-new from the ground up, only sharing the Spirit of Ecstasy and the umbrellas from the first Ghost introduced in 2009, which has gone on to become Rolls' most successful model. Telling the new Ghost from the previous model requires a keen look at the squared off headlights, the new subtly illuminated grille, and the more detailed, 3D-like tail lights, while the "waft line" from front to rear is unmistakably Rolls.
While the new Ghost moves away from the BMW Group's underpinnings, to Rolls' bespoke aluminium spaceframe chassis used on the flagship Phantom and Cullinan SUV, it also brings with an 89mm increase in overall length, and 30mm increase in width. The advanced spaceframe chassis has also allowed engineers move the front suspension forward to achieve a 50:50 weight balance, and to re-think how the aluminium body panels are affixed to the car, resulting in hand-welded panels, and a massive reduction in overall shut lines.
This has resulted in a more monolithic look, with certain sections of the body appearing as one continuous piece. The new Ghost debuts a slew of firsts for the brand, including all-wheel drive and all-wheel steer for greater agility, and a revolutionary Planar suspension system. In Rolls-Royce's own words, the upper wishbone damper serves as a damping system for the dampers themselves, quietly working to reduce the transmittance of road vibrations through to the cabin. All this ties in to the radar and camera assist systems to prepare the suspension for upcoming road conditions.
The simplification continues inside, with self-opening doors being added to the previously available self-closing functionality. Details like the illuminated dash fascia are available on demand, otherwise hidden away. The attention to detail doesn't end there, with each of the 338 panels of leather upholstery/trim going through stringent checks, and even the seats get their own damping units to match the frequency of vibration in the body, while the Starlight Headliner can now effectively act as one giant speaker for the sound system, in addition to the 18-speaker 1300W setup.
Rolls engineers also went to great lengths to provide venting in the boot to prevent any untoward sound frequencies building up. In fact, the aim had been to create a unified sound tone for the cabin while the car is in motion, meaning Rolls-Royce has literally redefined the term "whisper-quiet".
Even the driveshaft sending power from the 571PS/850Nm twin-turbo 6.75-litre V12 to the rear has been engineered to cancel out operating vibrations, for the smoothest experience possible. All this while delivering a 0-100kmph run in 4.6 seconds, mind you. The new Ghost is set to roll into India in 2021, at an ex-showroom price starting at Rs 6.95 crore.
