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Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II: Ghost and the grandness

The 2016 Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II gets a mid-cycle refresh with a few enhancements inside and outside, whilst maintaining its timeless majesty

Most auto-makers build commuters, which are essential to society. These are predominantly affordable motorcars that lend mobility to the masses and are equipped with the essentials to make travelling a less mundane routine. Some manufacturers, however, build vehicles that exemplify stature and are intended for cruising - be it on the boulevard or highway - and are prepped with exotic materials and may cost as much as a house or more. The Rolls-Royce Ghost is one such example. It's been around since 2010, and although age has hardly marred its "new car" aura, the BMW-owned manufacturer has decided to make subtle improvements to the skin, stateroom and powertrain. and they are calling it Series II.

DESIGN & AESTHETICS
The Ghost has always been a scaled-down version of the mother ship, the Phantom, but it is still qualifies as a full-size, 4-door sedan. It is capable of making an emphatic entry at any setting, be it in a crowd or amongst other cars, thanks to its bold front fascia, which bears a wide and far-reaching bonnet. and a large stainless steel grille, albeit with a subtle curvature more akin to a jet air-intake. With Series II, they have introduced LED light surrounds that visually encapsulate the re-sculpted headlamps. The silhouette of the Ghost is such that the large and bold face stands head strong in the wind while the rest of the car just flows and follows, like a long and tapering body.  
There is plenty of lustre everywhere, due to the generous use of stainless steel on the door handles, the rear panel over the number plate and the trapezoidal exhausts. But we think an alternative geometry for the tail pipes would have suited better.
There is plenty of customisation too. The base car is fitted with 19-inch alloy wheels, but you can upgrade to the wheel-well filling 21-inch rims - of which you have 3 designs to choose from. The one you see in these pictures is just a suggestion. The bespoke catalogue also allows you to select one from their 44,000-strong colour palette for exterior paint and Rolls-Royce guarantees that no other car will share the same.  
And let's not forget to mention the other two features that make Rolls-Royce unique. One is the lovely lady, commonly known as the Spirit of Ecstasy figurine, that adorns the tip of the bonnet that pops up and hops back in when you start up or by the push of a button. You can have that in a gold-plated finish, pure sterling silver or even frosted glass with an illuminated bottom. The other attribute unique to these cars are self-righting wheel centres that keep the RR emblems upright even when the wheel are rotating.
Getting into one is quite simple and an act of grace, unlike in other cars (assuming you have a butler or valet to open those wide-opening rear-hinged doors as opposed to the front-hinged doors we see in regular cars). Closing them is even simpler - done at the touch of button. Once that happens, you engross yourself in an interior lavish in space, surrounded by the softest hide, inspected by eye and hand to avoid, cracks, scars and stretch marks.
In the Ghost, it's all about rear seat travel. In 'lounge seat' configuration, instead of a bench, you can have two individual outboard seats that are gently angled towards each other to create a more intimate setting. Both come with individual power adjustments and foldable picnic tables to help you with your signatory duties while enjoying a massage from the seats. The Ghost provides superlative cabin comfort like no other - you can really stretch out your limbs -  and with the Extended Wheelbase you get an extra 170mm of legroom. The comfort is also contributed by the almost complete elimination of Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH).  
Unlike the older generation, there is a fair bit of control over the infotainment. If you drop down the centre backrest, you have the same iDrive controller - finished with a glass top and a 'spirit of ecstasy' tag etched under it - through which you can control audio, telephone etc. All the switchgear is BMW-sourced and so is the 10.25-inch infotainment screen.
The highlight, however, is the starlit ceiling which required several craftspeople to painstakingly fit over 1,300 delicate fibre optic strands into the headliner. You can either let this or a real starlit sky be visible through the optional sunroof.

POWERTRAIN & PERFORMANCE
The driving experience of a Rolls-Royce can be best described as yacht sailing over serene seas! Mostly because the isolation of the cabin from the engine is so good, the latter is hardly heard, even when revved - almost disregarding the massive direct injection 6.6-litre V12 lurking under its bonnet. The forced fed motor makes 563 horses which is as much as 3 mid-sized sedans and all that motivation goes to the rear wheels.
In the Ghost - like in any other Rolls-Royce - you float down the highway at 80 km/h enjoying the sublime ride quality lent by the soft sprung air suspension rather than slithering in and out of traffic at speed limit. But if you are short for time and would like an early dispatch, simply plant your right foot firmly and it will get from a driveway-friendly 20 km/h to 100 km/h in well under 4 seconds, and the acceleration continues till an electronically limited 250 km/h. It is very capable of being impetuous but prefers the lack of drama.
The Series II also brings a new 8-speed ZF gearbox that operates so smoothly, the transition between ratios is almost unperceivable. This, too, is a Satellite Aided Transmission that will check into the GPS and will automatically switch to the right ratio, keeping ample power in reserve ahead of the upcoming turn or straight.
And the fact it weighs in at just under 2,500kg and is 4,399mm long - some 300kg heavier than a Range Rover and 300mm longer than a Mercedes-Benz S-Class - means that it has to fight physics all the way, whether on the straights or while negotiating corners or braking. However, with Series II, comes improved cornering ability in comparison to its predecessor, thanks to a new rear hydraulic axle bearings and re-designed front and rear struts. That being said, there is perceivable flex in the chassis but you'll be surprised by how fast and miraculously composed the car remains as you come off a corner or when braked hard. But it isn't the high-speed travels we are worried about - it's when you enter the bounds of a parking lot or basement, that you will be put to the test by its 13.4 metre turning radius.
How good is the Ghost for mother Earth? Well, its CO2 emissions of 327g/km is several times that of a hybrid vehicle and at least a couple more than a regular sedan. And that 14.3L/100km fuel economy figure isn't helping either. So you may think that by the end of your drive you have enlarged the hole in the ozone layer or have melted a polar ice cap; but let me tell you that's not entirely true because, in most cases, it isn't what you drive but how you drive it. And in the Ghost, you prefer coasting - that doesn't make it the oil-burner you would presume it to be!

FEATURES & FUNCTIONALITY
The Ghost is as practical as your regular full-size car. The boot will open up to a largish cargo bay that you wouldn't want to set your luggage in thanks to it being carpeted. And if it rains, you have the convenience of two full-size umbrellas - matching the exterior paint - stowed in the doors at your disposal.
There is plenty of technology too - as much as in a BMW 7-Series. You have head-up display,  an adaptive cruise control system, blind spot monitoring etc. As for the infotainment system, you have a large full-colour screen and the familiar iDrive-like rotary knob that recognises handwriting in many languages including Arabic and Mandarin etc.
You have 18 individually-tuned speakers, with two bass speakers located in the boot, to give your those studio-like quality sound and theatre-like sensations. It comes with an onboard hard drive that holds 20.5 GB of storage, nearly 5,000 items on Mp3s. Or, better still, simply play them via the many USB ports or Bluetooth streaming.

VERDICT
The Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II is the genuine superlative to some of the best cars in the world like the Mercedes S-Class and BMW 7-Series. It is a full-size sedan that is more of a portable compact living space draped and decorated in the finest leather and wood; and the level of speed, refinement and exclusivity it delivers makes it, truly, mobility meant for nobility.

FUN FACT
Rolls-Royce only make 4,000 cars a year and so sighting one will leave you in awe or a spasm .almost as if you've seen a ghost. And so how appropriate is it for them to name their cars Ghost, Phantom, Wraith etc?

SPECIFICATIONS  
Body type: 5-seater; 4-door ultra-premium full-size sedan
Engine: Front-engine; twin-turbo 6.6-litre V12; rear-wheel drive
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Peak output: 563 bhp @ 5,250 rpm; 820 Nm @ 1,500 rpm
0 to 100km/h: 4.9 seconds (claimed)
Top speed: 250 km/h (electronically limited; claimed)
Price: Starting at Dh1,300,000

Pros: Visual grandeur; cabin comfort; remarkable craftsmanship; customisable unlike anything else
Cons: Not too different from Series I; lacks the emphatic appeal of the Phantom
Author's rating: 8/10

wknd@khaleejtimes.com