INCREASING interest for a super luxury motor car has given Australia the opportunity to be one of the first Asia-Pacific markets to see the new Rolls-Royce Ghost Extended, first hand, with the new model making its debut atop Brisbane’s Calile Hotel today.
It’s powered by a 6.75-litre twin turbocharged V12 engine developed exclusively for the Ghost, which produces 420kW of power and 850Nm of torque. The marque’s hallmark Magic Carpet Ride is delivered by a new planar suspension system.
The result of more than 10 years exhaustive testing and refinement, it features continuously variable, electronically controlled shock absorbers, self-levelling high-volume air strut assemblies and a world-first upper wishbone damper.
The Ghost Extended also benefits from all-wheel drive and all-wheel steering for the first time, as well as 100kg of acoustic damping materials, put in place to meet the requirement for silence when travelling.
The significance of the Extended version is not lost inside either, with 170mm of additional rear legroom over the standard Ghost, making it the largest rear space of any four seat sedan available today.
Rolls-Royce designers worked to cloak the extra length by only extending the rear door and body around the rear door apertures, preserving the lines of the car. This ensures it still bears striking resemblance to the iconic new Ghost.
A suite of enhancements to the rear of the cabin reflects Ghost Extended’s flexibility. For the first time, a reclining Serenity Seat can be specified, offering a new dimension of rear seat comfort akin to a business jet cabin environment.
The rear cabin also provides the perfect environment to transition from business to leisure. To enhance this, a Champagne fridge is provided between the rear seats and has been developed with exacting attention to the needs of the Rolls-Royce client.
To achieve this, the marque’s engineers consulted with a Master Sommelier. They learned that the optimum serving temperatures of non-vintage Champagne is around six degrees centigrade and vintage Champagnes is around 11 degrees centigrade.
To that end, the refrigerator operates two cooling modes, chilling to six degrees and 11 degrees. The technology enhancements don’t stop there though, with the Ghost Extended offering WiFi and cutting-edge infotainment systems.
Traditional craft is given contemporary expression through the introduction of two new wood finishes as well, developed especially for Ghost.
Obsidian Ayous is inspired by the rich palette of colours found in igneous rocks, while Dark Amber has veins of fine aluminium particles running through the wood. Both are available in open-pore finish, allowing the tactility of the material to fully express itself.
The commitment to delivering a pure, detoxifying space extends to the air within the cabin. To deliver this, the Ghost is equipped with a new micro-environment purification system, which enhances existing air filtration systems through software and hardware.
Highly sensitive impurity detection sensors detect ambient air quality, automatically activating fresh air intakes into re-circulation mode. If unacceptable levels of airborne contaminants are detected, the air is passed through a nano-fleece filter.
A suite of technologies enhances the driving experience in urban and country settings as well. This includes laser headlights with more than 600m of illuminated range and key safety enhancements including vision assist.
The latter offers day and night-time wildlife and pedestrian warnings, via alertness assistants, a four-camera system with panoramic view, all round-visibility and helicopter view.
In addition, active cruise control, collision warning, cross traffic warning, lane departure and lane change warning are all included. An industry-leading 7×3-inch high definition head-up display and self-park ensures absolute effortlessness whatever the conditions.
The new Rolls-Royce Ghost model range is priced from $628,000 plus on-road costs. The Ghost Extended starts from $740,000 plus on-roads. First customer deliveries will commence early next year.
