{"id":92565,"date":"2014-02-28T18:24:20","date_gmt":"2014-02-28T17:24:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gtspirit.com\/?p=92565"},"modified":"2014-10-09T15:18:14","modified_gmt":"2014-10-09T13:18:14","slug":"2014-rolls-royce-ghost-ewb-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gtspirit.com\/2014\/02\/28\/2014-rolls-royce-ghost-ewb-review\/","title":{"rendered":"2014 Rolls-Royce Ghost & Ghost EWB Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Last year, we were lucky enough to get behind the wheel of Rolls-Royce\u2019s gloriously decadent Phantom Series II, the facelifted version of the model that has spearheaded the revitalisation of Rolls-Royce under BMW. Now, a year on, we\u2019ve managed to get behind the wheel of one of the products of that revitalisation: the Ghost, here in full-fat extended-wheelbase form. The question is, does it feel like a cheaper version of the real thing, or is the cost saving and extra performance enough to sway you away from the Phantom? We\u2019re about to find out!<\/p>\n

Engine<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Under the bonnet of the 2014 Rolls-Royce Ghost sits Rolls-Royce\u2019s 6.6-litre twin-turbocharged V12. It\u2019s derived from BMW\u2019s N74 engine, which powers the current 7 Series, and it delivers a huge 570PS, not to mention a whopping 780Nm slug of torque. That gives the Ghost a 110PS advantage over the larger, pricier Phantom, which results in it hitting 100km\/h almost a second faster, in exactly five seconds dead. Top speed, as you\u2019d expect, is pegged back to 250km\/h.<\/p>\n

Gearbox and Drivetrain<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Once again, there are few surprises here. That enormous engine drives the rear wheels through an automatic gearbox \u2013 ZF\u2019s excellent 8HP unit, to be precise. Here it\u2019s been tuned for softness and ultimate luxury, though, so you won\u2019t find the ability to control it manually. Instead, you simply select park, reverse, neutral or drive from a selector mounted on the column, and then leave the car to do the work. Because after all, a paddle shift in a Rolls would be rather unseemly\u2026 <\/p>\n

Like the Wraith we drove a few months ago, this version of the 8HP uses GPS positioning to work out where you are on the road and find the right gear accordingly, sometimes in anticipation of the road ahead. So for example, if the gearbox realises you\u2019re about to hit an incline, it might change down in preparation; or on a winding road, it might hold off on shifting up when it realises you\u2019re approaching a corner. All very clever, and all aimed at making the driving experience as stress-free and as seamless as possible.<\/p>\n

Suspension & Chassis<\/strong><\/p>\n

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The towering flanks of the Ghost actually sit upon a rather more plebeian foundation, though only just: like the engine, the floorpan can trace its roots back to the BMW 7 Series. Here, of course, it\u2019s been extended by 170mm in order to provide that all-important rear legroom. However, suspension is now provided by a four-corner air system, as opposed to the 7 Series\u2019 rear-only setup, which supposedly adjusts itself every 2.5 milliseconds according to the driving conditions. The suspension also offers \u2018lift and kneel\u2019 functionality, allowing the whole car to be dropped slightly to aid entry, or raised to cover rough terrain. <\/p>\n

As you\u2019d expect, the Ghost also comes fitted with a plethora of electronic aids, including dynamic stability control, dynamic traction control and dynamic brake control. And in order to keep body roll in check, active anti-roll bars have been fitted on both axles.<\/p>\n

Design<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Rolls-Royce would like you to think that the Ghost is the sporting option, and while its design is certainly more rakish than the starchy Phantom, it\u2019s far from a razor-edged supercar. Rather, the Ghost looks to all intents and purposes like a Phantom that\u2019s been under a heater for a couple of minutes \u2013 its edges softened off, its roof-line lower and its lines more flowing. <\/p>\n

If that sounds like it\u2019s doing the Ghost\u2019s aesthetics a disservice, it shouldn\u2019t. Rolls-Royce\u2019s design team have done an outstanding job here. It\u2019s imposing, grand and stylish \u2013 every inch a Rolls-Royce, in other words \u2013 and yet that softness gives it a more universal appeal than the Phantom. Don\u2019t think of the Ghost as a Rolls Lite; rather, it\u2019s a fine Saint-Emilion to the Phantom\u2019s vintage port.<\/p>\n

Even more impressive is that the Extended Wheelbase\u2019s alterations are almost impossible to discern unless it\u2019s parked next to a stock Ghost. In fact, after a few days, the EWB begins to look like the car the Ghost always should have been, its extra length giving the standard car\u2019s smooth shape added gravitas. With so many long wheelbase versions looking so obviously stretched, that\u2019s quite an achievement. <\/p>\n

Interior<\/strong><\/p>\n

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