November 18, 2020

The first New Rolls-Royce Ghost and Ghost Extended have arrived in South East Asia following a highly anticipated global debut. Singapore, the launch destination in the region for previous Rolls-Royce motor cars, again reprises its role as a leading business and luxury hub to showcase the latest Ghost models.

New Ghost is the result of careful consultation with the marque’s customers and observation of its role as both a chauffeured business and self-driven leisure car. Over a decade, which saw the first Ghost become the most successful Rolls-Royce model in the marque’s 116-year history, it became clear that clients appreciated the breadth of capability but wanted the new model to adopt a minimalist, ‘post-opulent’ design, entirely appropriate for this current era. This resulted in a design and development process which focused on simplicity, delivered through cutting- edge engineering and manufacturing techniques. The only remaining items left over from the previous model are the famed Spirit of Ecstasy and signature umbrellas.

The front of new Ghost is an instant example of reduction. For the first time, the Spirit of Ecstasy is not surrounded by panel lines but rather stands sits within her own ‘lake’ of bonnet.

Turning to the flanks, a single straight stroke is used to emphasise the motor car’s length. The lower ‘waft line’ borrows from boat design and uses reflection to lighten the surfacing and create a pure, uncomplicated sense of motion.

The subtle near-square rear light graphic has become a tenet of contemporary Rolls-Royce design. It remains, but has been modernised with a slight forward tilt. Not surrounded by shut lines, it appears as if it is an island within the painted surface.

Integral to new Ghost’s engineering substance is the marque’s proprietary aluminium spaceframe architecture, providing strength, rigidity and the acoustic properties to deliver Rolls- Royce’s highly vaunted ‘magic carpet ride’. Enhancing its agile character, new Ghost is now equipped with all-wheel drive and all-wheel steering. An innovative, world-first ‘Planar Suspension System’ creates a sense of flight on land never before achieved by a motor car. Combined with self-levelling, high-volume air suspension technology, stability control, self-drying braking systems, Satellite Aided Transmission, and the ‘flagbearer’ system which consists of a stereo camera system integrated in the windscreen to see the road ahead, new Ghost achieves unprecedented levels of ride comfort and control for a motor car.

The hallmark Rolls-Royce 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine produces 563bhp/420kW and 850Nm/627lb ft to power the new model from 0-100km/h in a mere 4.8 seconds.

New Ghost’s driveability is further enhanced with LED and laser headlights which provide more than 600m of illuminated range, vision assist, including day- and night-time wildlife and pedestrian warning; alertness assistant; a four-camera system with panoramic view, all-round visibility and helicopter view; active cruise control; collision warning; cross-traffic warning; lane departure and lane change warning; an industry-leading 7×3 high-resolution head-up display; Wi-Fi hotspot; self-park; and the very latest navigation and entertainment systems.

New Ghost owners can now, for the first time, open the doors from inside the motor car with power assistance, as well as close them from the exterior. On-board longitudinal and transverse sensors, as well as G-force sensors fitted to each door, allow the same speed of door operation regardless of hill or driveway angles.

A new Micro Environment Purification System (MEPS), creates the cleanest micro environment available within the cabin of a motor car. The system detects ambient air quality, automatically switching fresh air intakes to Recirculation Mode if unacceptable levels of airborne contaminants are present. And is capable of purging the Rolls-Royce’s micro environment in less than two minutes.

Rolls-Royce’s acoustic engineers created a unique Formula for Serenity with the use of the aluminium spaceframe architecture, copious damping, more than 100kg of acoustic insulation, applied in the doors, roof, between the double-glazed windows, inside the tyres and within nearly all of the architecture itself. Obsessive engineering led to the development of the ‘whisper’ – a soft undertone that is experienced as a single, subtle note. To achieve this, each component had to be tuned so it shared a common resonant frequency. Ports in the 507-litre boot capacity were even created to harmonise new Ghost’s overall acoustics.

This level of engineering has allowed new Ghost to create a peerless sound studio, which, in Bespoke Audio form, comprises an 18 channel, 1300W audiophile-grade system. The fabled Starlight Headliner, now with shooting star feature, has in effect been transformed into a large speaker.

Continuing the contemporary and minimalist theme in the interior, only the very finest materials; leathers, woods and metals have been utilised. Only the very best quality 20 half hides comprise 338 panels on the interior of Ghost’s suite with complex, busy stitchwork eschewed for scant but incredibly long and perfectly straight lines.

A new illuminated Ghost fascia takes pride of place in the suite – to ensure the Ghost wordmark is lit evenly, a 2mm-thick light guide is used, featuring more than 90,000 laser-etched dots across the surface. This not only disperses the light evenly but creates a twinkling effect as the eye moves across the fascia, echoing the subtle sparkle of the Starlight Headliner.

Where equipped, a Champagne fridge is provided between the rear seats and was developed with the assistance of a Master Sommelier. As connoisseurs will know, the optimum serving temperatures of non-vintage Champagne is around six degrees centigrade and vintage Champagnes is around 11 degrees centigrade. To that end, the refrigerator operates two cooling modes, chilling to six degrees and 11 degrees.

Ghost Extended offers 170mm more space than Ghost, providing more rear legroom than any four-seat sedan in its segment. A key learning over the previous generation was that Ghost Extended customers wanted no compromise to Ghost’s pure, minimalist design. The marque’s designers worked to cloak the extra length by only extending the rear door and body around the rear door apertures, preserving the lines of the car.

Ghost in Singapore retails from SGD 1,258,888, while Ghost Extended starts at SGD 1,398,888. Pricing is heavily dependent on customer specifications. Orders for Ghost and Ghost Extended have already commenced.