Rolls-Royce Ghost, 2010

 

 

 

Rolls-Royce Ghost, 2010

The Rolls-Royce 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 Rolls-Royce 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.

Rolls-Royce Ghost is more driver-focused than any Rolls-Royce car before it. The driver sits in a slightly elevated position behind the wheel, described as the authority position. This makes the view of the road much clearer. The fascia has been kept deliberately clear; it is spacious in design and has an intuitive layout. The controls are neatly sculpted, with the more important functions emphasised by accents of chrome. The soft light of the instrument panel glows through the familiar black-rimmed steering wheel, which in turn employs a number of violin keys as well as an ergonomic roller-ball control.

The control centre display is concealed behind a veneered panel until its services are called upon. All features such as satellite navigation, telephone, communication and entertainment functions are displayed here and managed via a central rotary controller, flanked by quick-access buttons on the front centre console.

The optional driver assistance systems and technologies in Rolls-Royce Ghost are notable for their discretion and ease of operation. From the moment the driver approaches the car, optional Comfort Entry allows easy access, unlocking the doors when the key fob is within 1.5 metres and the cool chromed handle is grasped. Once you are in the car, voice control allows you to select from the control systems menus without using the central controller.

THE CONCEPT
Autumn 2006, Paris motor show: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars announced that work had begun on a new model series. The new car would be in production and on sale by the turn of the decade. The only other facts confirmed at that stage were that it would be smaller than the Rolls-Royce Phantom saloon and priced somewhere between €200,000 and €300,000 before tax. Speculation about its style and specification began almost immediately...

As sightings of secret development models on the road increased, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars unveiled Rolls-Royce 200EX, the experimental forerunner to Rolls-Royce Ghost, at the Geneva motor show in March 2009. An instant hit, 200EX bore the trademark Rolls-Royce design cues but in altogether more compelling fashion. It was a clear statement of intent.

DESIGNING THE FUTURE
Rolls-Royce 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. Powerful shoulders and flanks draw in sharply as they flow from the rear wings to the tail lights, while touches such as the optional chromed exhausts hint at Rolls-Royce Ghost's more dynamic nature.

While incorporating classic Rolls-Royce design cues - the elevated prow, long bonnet, short front overhang, sharply raked A-pillar and elegant tail - Rolls-Royce Ghost exudes an informal aura. Contemporary touches include self-righting wheel centres 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 Ian Cameron.

Inside Rolls-Royce Ghost, 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 lambswool floor mats for a truly luxurious feel.

Rolls-Royce 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.

Four-zone automatic air conditioning can be individually tailored to each passenger's requirements, with separate controls for front and rear. Automatic air recirculation, condensation prevention and solar compensation are delivered through classic chromed eyeball vents controlled via organ-stop plungers.

Within Rolls-Royce Ghost's ample doors and high shoulder line, occupants feel serene, cosseted and safe. In the rear, the intimate ambience of the lounge seat is emphasised by its position behind the C-pillar, heightening the sense of privacy. The informal seating creates a convivial environment, its slight curve allowing you to turn more easily towards the person next to you. Its elevated position gives a clear view past the electronically retracting Spirit of Ecstasy to the road ahead.

ENGINEERING A BENCHMARK
When considering a Rolls-Royce car it is usual to think of wood, leather and chrome, but the company has its roots in engineering. The refinement of its end product stems from its engineers' desire to get the smallest details correct. Long before the interior items are prepared, experts are working to ensure that the chassis components, power trains and bodywork are operating in fluid harmony. This is a world where welds are an art form and craftsmanship exists at a nano level.

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, Rolls-Royce 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.

Rolls-Royce 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.

LEGENDARY CRAFTSMANSHIP
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.

Rolls-Royce Ghost is available in 12 exterior colours, 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 colour consistency, each hide comes from a batch dyed at the same time. The hides are drum-dyed rather than painted, ensuring that the colour 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.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

•     * Number of doors / seats: 4 / 5
•     * Vehicle length: 5399 mm
•     * Vehicle width: 1948 mm
•     * Vehicle height: 1550 mm
•     * Wheelbase: 3295 mm
•     * Turning circle: 13.4 m
•     * Overhang front: 867.5 mm
•     * Overhang rear: 1236.5 mm
•     * Track width front: 1622 mm
•     * Track width rear: 1660 mm
•     * Shoulder room front: 1510 mm
•     * Shoulder room rear: 1418 mm
•     * Elbow room front: 1540 mm
•     * Elbow room rear: 1448 mm
•     * Max headroom front: 1030 mm
•     * Max headroom rear: 990 mm
•     * Effective headroom front with sunroof: 995
•     * Effective headroom rear with sunroof: 975 mm
•     * Ground clearance: 150 mm
•     * Width including mirrors: 2108 mm
•     * Luggage compartment capacity (ISO3832): 490 l
•     * Fuel tank capacity: 82.5 l
•     * Unladen weight (DIN / EU): 2360 kg / 2435 kg
•     * Axle load ratio, rear: 48.2 %
•     * Gross axle weight / max payload: 2940 kg / 580 kg
•     * Axle payload limit front / rear: 1445 kg / 1575 kg
•     * Engine type: V12
•     * valves: 48
•     * Fuel management: Direct injection
•     * Engine injector set-up / Aspiration: DI(VVT) / twin turbo
•     * Displacement: 6592 cm3
•     * Stroke / Bore: 88.3 mm / 89.0 mm
•     * Power output: 563 bhp (420 kW) @ 5250 rpm
•     * Max torque: 780 Nm (575 lb/ft) @ 1500 rpm
•     * Compression ratio: 10.0
•     * Fuel type: Super unleaded
•     * Transmission type: 8 speed automatic
•     * Transmission ratios 1st/2nd/3rd/4th: 4.717 / 3.143 / 2.106 / 1.667
•     * Transmission ratios 5th/6th/7th/8th: 1.285 / 1.000 / 0.839 / 0.667
•     * Transmission ratio reverse gear: 3.317
•     * Final drive ratio: 2.813
•     * Steering wheel revolutions lock to lock: 3.1
•     * Brakes front / diameter x thickness: Ventilated discs / 410x36 mm
•     * Brakes rear / diameter x thickness: Ventilated discs / 402x30 mm
•     * Drag co-efficient cd / A / cd x A: 0.33 / 2.60 m2 / 0.863 m2
•     * Top speed: 250 km/h (155 mph)
•     * Acceleration 0-60 mph / 0-100km/h: 4.7 s / 4.9 s
•     * 1km from standing start: 23.1 s
•     * Power to weight (DIN-Unladen weight): 5.6 kg/kW
•     * Power per litre: 63.7 kW/l
•     * Consumption urban (EU): 20.5 l/100 km
•     * Consumption extra urban: 9.6 l/100 km
•     * Combined consumption: 13.6 l/100 km (20.8 mpg (imp. gal.))
•     * Range: 605 km (376 miles)
•     * CO2 Emissions (combined): 317 g/km
•     * Exhaust emissions standard: EU5
•     * Front tyres: 255/50 R19 103Y / 255/45 R20 101Y
•     * Rear tyres: 255/50 R19 103Y / 285/40 R20 104Y
•     * Front wheels: 8.5J x 19 EH2 / 8.5Jx20 EH2
•     * Rear wheels: 8.5J x 19 EH2 / 9.5Jx20 EH2
•     * Battery capacity / location: 90 Ah (AGM) / Luggage compartment
•     * Alternator output rating: 210 A / 2900 W