The Quiet Ghost

Anytime is a good time for a Ghost story. 

Especially an extended tale. 

So here we are, luxuriating in leather and wood with the stars overhead even though it’s like 35°C and the sun is unbearably hot. 

But I am in air-conditioned comfort on the ventilated backseat equipped with massage function, which has been inclined at a comfortable angle, taking in the “less is more” feel of the New Ghost Extended. 

If the driver gets too noisy, or you want to keep things hushed, there isn’t a privacy screen in this Ghost Extended, but you can plug in your headphones and watch what you fancy on the screen.

Or you could connect your device and stick your nose in it.

It’s quiet enough in the cabin to think. Especially in the backseat, with legs stretched out as the coddling seat gently cradles you.

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Serenity was what the Ghost’s designers were after. The Rolls-Royce space frame architecture gets things on the right path, since it is designed to have less flat surfaces, and is also double-skinned with damping felt to reduce any external noises; up to 100kg worth of quietening material are applied to doors, the roof, between the double-glazed windows, in the tyres.

So, it is a big, quiet car that ghosts along. And it’s the kind of quiet that pushes out the noise when you shut the door.

It’s a great meeting room on wheels and you could even have the celebratory champagne at the ready.

You would think the Ghost Extended’s formidable size would require piloting skills better than the Ever Given which blocked off the Suez Canal. But, with AWD the Ghost Extended adjusts its movement by degree shifts to the wheels. The result is a smaller turning radius as it glides out of a parking lot or when reversing out of a narrow driveway, which it did quite smoothly with the help of reverse cameras that intuitively shift the perspective on the centre display, to help you safely guide this 5.7m vehicle.

Powerful Ghost

The 6.75L V12 is mounted just behind the front axle to achieve a 50/50 weight distribution for this 2.5 ton aluminium-infused car.

The first Goodwood Ghost was rolled out in 2009, based on a demand by the brand’s well-heeled, and therefore influential, customers for something smaller and less ostentatious than a Phantom.

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This second generation Ghost Extended has shaken everything off, only carrying over the Spirit of Ecstasy and umbrellas, according to the brand’s CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös, and it’s also grown; it’s now just 46mm shorter than the Phantom. 

But the price difference is significant. The New Ghost Extended starts from *S$1,418,888 which is $360K away from the Phantom.

The Ghost Extended has a sleeker profile than the Phantom, especially around the area of the rear pillars, but is not lacking in the usual plushness and refinement that is expected of a Rolls-Royce.

There’s a starlit roof with shooting stars, a Ghost dashboard in case you forget which automobile you’re in, comfortable armchairs to sink into and everything a busy senior executive/business owner or monied scion would want on the move.

And it would be a smooth ride as a result of the bespoke Planar software system. The satellite-aided transmission system uses GPS data to help engage the optimum gear for upcoming corners, ensuring a ride that is unruffled. The Flagbearer system uses a camera to read the road ahead and will adjust the suspension proactively up to 100kmh (which it can reach from standstill in 4.8 seconds).

Customisation options will rank high on the desirability list of potential customers. Rolls-Royce is every eager to support that which pushes the envelope for the designers, and continues to bring the brand on a successful sales trajectory. Thanks to the New Ghost and Cullinan SUV models, Rolls-Royce is currently enjoying its highest sales demand in its 116-year history. 

That’s something for Torsten to celebrate in the backseat of his Roller of choice.