Our new luxury car: Rolls-Royce Ghost

Now so much more than a one-car company, Rolls-Royce has built on the success of its Phantom saloon to create a range of super-luxury cars. Sitting beneath the Phantom lies the Ghost, first introduced in 2009. Now like its bigger brother it has been substantially revised to create the Ghost II.

The Ghost II follows the current approach adopted by many cars in the upper sectors of the market in that the visual differences are very subtle between the two generations. A high-tech lighting system is provided by new headlights incorporating brighter LEDs and ‘active’ full beam that can switch off parts of the light in order to avoid dazzling oncoming drivers.

Elsewhere on the outside there are re-profiled bumpers front and rear, the imposing grille has been fractionally raked backwards for a sleeker look and the swage line along the flanks has been given an uplift towards the front of the car for a sportier look. Some exterior details have also been chromed instead of body-coloured on the Ghost I, adding to the feeling of quality and expense.

On the inside the Ghost II has a host of detail improvements all designed to improve the passenger experience. There are new front seats with a revised structure for greater comfort, while the rear seats have a greater angle of recline. The instruments now have ‘floating’ chromed centres and the dashboard has a softer-feel finish. The wide range of personalisation options has been widened still further.

The Ghost II’s ‘Spirit of Ecstasy’ controller operates an updated infotainment system that includes on-board wifi, hands-free functions and a bespoke audio system designed specifically for the car. There’s also a brand-new 10.25-inch display screen and the controller itself now has a touchpad to allow easier controller, entry of characters and even the ability to pinch as on a smartphone.

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