Engine

Ghost is powered by a brand new, 6.6 litre twin-turbo V12 engine, unique to the model. Featuring direct injection, it produces 563bhp – enough to propel Ghost from 0-60 mph in just 4.7 seconds* and on to an electronically governed top speed of 155mph. With 780 Nm of torque available at just 1,500rpm, delivery of power is immediate and extremely smooth.

Power is transmitted through an eight-speed, shift-by-wire, automatic ZF gearbox. What this achieves is a feeling of endless, surging power, which is illustrated by the power reserve gauge on the fascia, replacing the more common rev counter. The new powertrain delivers this performance while emitting just 317g/km of CO2.Fuel consumption is 20.8 mpg / 13.6 l/100km.

Ghost is the most powerful car that Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has ever produced. However, Rolls-Royce power is delivered in a very different manner to other cars. It arrives in an elegant, cosseting way that some have described as being designed to lower the pulse, not raise it.

The principle of simplicity extends to the act of driving Ghost. The host of complex engineering software and technologies beneath the surface serve to make driving easier and more enjoyable, not to intrude or confuse.

“Nothing should distract from the pleasure of driving Ghost.” Helmut Riedl, Engineering Director

Craftmanship

Rolls-Royce has a reputation for producing cars that transcend the mere automotive. There is a magic attached to the name, which stems in part from exquisite attention to detail and the fine materials used throughout.

Passing through 60 pairs of hands, the production process involves more than 2,000 individual operations and takes at least 20 days to complete.

“We don’t just paint our cars, we strive to create an incredibly deep, flawless shine.” Lisa Taylor, Paint Associate

Ghost shares the same paint shop as Phantom and spends seven days being painted and polished to perfection. Five stages are required for the Ghost body. First a phosphate electro-coat is applied to protect against corrosion, then a layer of primer, a color coat and finally two coats of clear lacquer. The body is hand-sanded between each layer and once the final coat is applied it is hand-polished for five hours.

Ghost is available in 12 exterior colors, each of which can be contrasted by the optional Silver Satin bonnet.

Flawless leather is an absolute requirement for the interior of a Rolls-Royce. For this reason, our leather is sourced from bulls raised in pastures free of barbed wire, ensuring that there are fewer imperfections in the leather. Any other marks are carefully avoided by our skilled laser cutters. At least eight hides are used for an interior, and to ensure color consistency, each hide comes from a batch dyed at the same time. The hides are drum-dyed rather than painted, ensuring that the color permeates right through the leather. The process also means the leather remains much more supple, preventing cracking or squeaking and ensuring durability and longevity. All seats and interior panels are hand-stitched, using traditional upholstering techniques by those most skilled at their craft.

The natural beauty of the veneers in Ghost is brought to life by the skill of dedicated craftsmen and women. The natural burrs and grains are chosen for their intricacy and interest: veneer specialists choose only the finest logs from which these very thin cross sections are taken. Only veneer from one tree is used in any car. This ensures not only that the grain matches throughout the interior, but that each area ages and colors at the same pace. The parts are milled and sanded by hand before being coated with five layers of lacquer for protection and a mirror-like shine.

Engineering

Ghost is built around a steel monocoque body, which means there is no separation of chassis and body. The advantage of this construction is a reduction in exterior dimensions while preserving interior space. Consequently while Ghost is over 400mm shorter overall than the Phantom saloon its interior space is comparable.

The body has been engineered with a double front bulkhead to help insulate the interior from engine noise. It is constructed from steel sections and then wrapped in steel panels, which are brazed by hand. This allows a near-seamless join, which is then sanded by hand until it is perfect. In total, Ghost’s frame contains 4.9m of seam weld and braze and 6,988 spot-welds. The bonnet and windscreen surround are then honed from aluminium.

“A Rolls-Royce should be graceful in every way: the way it handles, feels and brakes.” Helmut Riedl, Engineering Director

Ghost rides on a bed of air. Double-wishbone front suspension and multi-link rear suspension work with an intelligent, four-cornered, air-suspension system and electronic variable damping to deliver the refinement that has been associated with Rolls-Royce for more than 100 years.

The new air suspension system in Ghost is so sensitive that it can detect even the smallest of changes. For example, it will sense the movement of a single rear passenger from one side of the seat to the other and compensate accordingly. A complex computer system reads multiple inputs from sensors around the car; the dampers alone make individual load calculations every 2.5 milliseconds. This ensures not only perfect comfort but also precise steering and dynamics for the driver. The air suspension system also incorporates a lift and kneel function, raising or lowering Ghost by 25mm.

Ghost also has a series of complex electronic aids to keep it composed on virtually any surface. These include Anti-Roll Stabilization, Dynamic Brake Control and Dynamic Stability Control, including Dynamic Traction Control and Cornering Brake Control. These individual technologies work together under dual Integrated Chassis Management systems, meaning that even when subjected to a vigorous test Ghost remains perfectly poised. Its handling and safety systems operate as one, imperceptibly to the driver and passengers, to maintain optimum contact with the road in any condition.

“Our challenge,” says Engineering Director Helmut Riedl, “has been to preserve the prerequisite levels of comfort while delivering the most modern, dynamically interesting drive ever in a Rolls-Royce.”

Safety remains paramount and the very latest technologies are used in Ghost. Side-impact beams in the front and rear doors combine with progressive rear crumple zones to absorb impacts. The Advanced Crash and Safety Management (ACSM) system takes measurements 2,000 times per second from sensors located around the vehicle. The ACSM uses this information – in conjunction with the engine and chassis management systems – to judge which safety features to deploy in which areas in the event of an accident. If necessary, ACSM will activate – among other things – seatbelt pre-tensioners and all encompassing airbags surrounding the cabin, creating a safe zone for all occupants.

Design Award

The new Rolls-Royce Ghost has received the prestigious “red dot: best of the best” award for the very highest level of design.

The red dot award recognizes unusually high quality and groundbreaking design. The Rolls Royce Ghost has a unique character expressed by an exclusive, unmistakable appearance whose design reinterprets the classic values of the brand in a modern style for the 21st century.

Speaking on the news of this prestigious award, Chief Designer Ian Cameron passed credit to his design team. “This is a tremendous accolade for the entire Rolls-Royce design team”, said Ian Cameron. “As a designer the challenge lies in translating ideas into a medium which others can see, touch and feel. We are very proud of what we have achieved with Ghost and are delighted to have been recognized with this very special award.”

Ghost’s flowing lines are dominated by its majestic ‘Yacht Line’ styling. Large, uninterrupted surfaces flow between finely sculpted horizontal lines that provide definition, highlighting the solid, luxurious and supreme character of the vehicle. Powerful shoulders and flanks draw in sharply as they flow from the rear wings to the tail lights. While incorporating classic Rolls-Royce design cues – the elevated prow, long bonnet, short front overhang, sharply raked A-pillar and elegant tail – Ghost exudes an informal aura. Contemporary touches include self-righting wheel centers and the Xenon headlamps that frame the latest evolution of the Rolls-Royce grille. Here the sides of the intake have been curved inwards and the vanes set back into the opening. “We wanted this to be less reminiscent of the traditional Parthenon style and more like a jet intake,” says Cameron, which, along with touches such as the optional chromed exhausts, hint at a more dynamic nature of the most powerful Rolls-Royce ever built.

The red dot award is one of the most important awards in the world for product design. It was first awarded in 1955 and recognizes outstanding design work in a wide range of categories including not only automobiles, architecture, household and home electronics but also fashion, life science and medicine. Previous winners include the Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé, which was acknowledged for outstanding design quality in 2008.