2011 Rolls-Royce Ghost

VIDEO: NEWS & REVIEWS Rolls-Royce Motor Cars unveiled 200EX, the experimental forerunner to Ghost, at the Geneva motor show in March 2009. After the show, 200EX embarked on a world tour, during which further information about the forthcoming production model became available. It would be called Ghost. Ghost's flowing lines are dominated by its majestic ‘Yacht Line' styling. Large, uninterrupted surfaces flow between finely sculpted horizontal lines that provide definition. Together, the upward-sweeping sill line and low-cut roof create a powerful profile, almost as though the cabin has been pushed toward the rear. The interior design team has come up with a contemporary ambience while staying true to Rolls-Royce Motor Cars' traditions of fine materials and peerless comfort. There are elegant, frosted lamps and chrome door handles, traditional violin key switches and eyeball air vents, frosted white dials and refined instrumentation. Deep-pile carpets can be complemented by optional lamb’s wool floor mats for a truly luxurious feel. Ghost is entered through substantial doors. Housed within the front doors are integrated Teflon-coated umbrellas. The rear doors are traditional, rear-hinged coach doors, opening to a generous 83 degrees. Once the passenger is inside, these doors can be closed at the touch of a button. The interior space is filled with natural light, enhanced by the optional Panorama Sunroof, which extends from the front into the rear compartment. 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 15 inches shorter overall than the Phantom, its interior space is comparable. 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 one inch. Ghost is powered by a brand new, 6.6 litre twin-turbo V-12 engine, unique to the model. Featuring direct injection, it produces 563 hp – enough to propel Ghost from 0-60 mph in just 4.7 seconds and on to an electronically governed top speed of 155 mph. Power is transmitted through an eight-speed, shift-by-wire, automatic ZF gearbox. 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. PHOTOS: click photos to enlarge