At the launch for the Ghost, we spoke with Dan Balmer, the Ghost's product manager in charge of marketing. Check out our interview and hands-on video.
Feel the luxury
From the moment we opened the coach doors and dug our heels into the Ghost's thick carpet, it was apparent that despite being the million-dollar Phantom's younger, less expensive brother, the Ghost is left wanting for little in life's quest for luxuries. Almost every surface that can be touched is either padded with soft leather, lined with matching wood grain or finished in metal. Knobs are rubberised and only the least used switches are left as naked plastic.
Rear seat accommodation is capacious with, we suspect, enough leg, shoulder, hip and head room for a sumo wrestler. Rolls-Royce claims that space is "comparable" with the larger Phantom, as the smaller car's body is made from thinner but more dense steel rather than aluminium. Should one desire it, the rear seats can be specified to recline and massage.
See the luxury
Individual entertainment can be provided via a set of LCD screens built into the back of the front seats. Below each screen is a fold-down table, the mechanism for which recalls England at the height of its powers. The iDrive-like controller is altogether more modern, with one controller up front and one hidden in the rear armrest. In each of the front doors resides a teflon coated umbrella that, according Dan Balmer, is infrequently used by owners and guests, but is a party trick that's become a part of the Rolls-Royce heritage.
To our eyes, at least, the smaller yet still massive — 5.4m long and 1.95m wide — Ghost is a better looking vehicle than the Phantom. While being unmistakably a Rolls-Royce, its rounded sides, smoother lines and "faster" angles make it the most attractive Rolls in a very long time. And that's before we even mention the silver matte bonnet and the optional chrome exhaust tips.
Perfectly adequate performance
For its launch, the preproduction Ghost that we sampled stayed strictly showroom bound. Despite this, we're sure that its performance is perfectly adequate. According Rolls-Royce's figures, the 6.6-litre twin-turbo V12 engine is able to propel the 2.3-tonne beast from standstill to 100km/h in 4.9 seconds. The Ghost's instrument pack features a speedometer flanked by a fuel/temperature gauge and a power meter in lieu of a tachometer.
The air suspension system is said to serve a dual-purpose, providing not only the company's trademark waft, but also sharper handling. This should please the estimated 90 per cent of Aussie Rolls owners who, at some stage, drive their Rollers. Radar-guided cruise control, heads-up display and an infrared night vision camera are among the Ghost's driver-oriented options.
Can I have one now?
Most of us don't have a spare AU$695,000 lying around, and that's before we even begin considering niceties such as the aforementioned entertainment system and matte finish bonnet. Even for those who past muster, the Ghost doesn't go on sale in Australia until the middle of 2010. Start saving now.
Whilst the dollars and cents are slowly accumulating in the piggy bank, check out our comprehensive Ghost photo gallery.
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