By Cassandra Yany
Rolls-Royce revealed the design for its New Ghost on Tuesday. CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös described the Ghost as “the most technologically advanced Rolls-Royce yet.” The first Goodwood Ghost, released in 2009, was the company’s most successful product in its 116-year history.
The automobile company released the launch film in which Müller-Ötvös shares the importance of refinement and simplicity in producing the new Ghost. The six-minute video showcases the appearance of the car, highlighting the small, unique details. Müller-Ötvös said that a client-first approach played a huge role in the car’s conception.
A team of specialists, engineers and craftspeople used research of Ghost clients’ interests, opinions and taste patterns to develop a new model that meets the preferences of these drivers. The style of the Ghost was created using the ‘Post Opulence’ philosophy, which designer Henry Cloke says is “about simplicity. [It’s] about something that doesn’t shout at you, but it whispers.”
The new Ghost has been termed “future-focused with a minimal aesthetic.” Engineers worked to combine dynamic highlights from the portfolio of numerous types of cars into one vehicle. It was formulated to remove as much energy transfer as possible from the road into the body of the car to create a smooth ride. The car was built with sound absorbing materials to reduce the level of noise inside the car. A soft undertone was created for the driver and passengers to hear a single, subtle note while on the road. Media screens fold out from behind the driver’s and passenger’s seats, providing entertainment for those sitting in the back seats.
Behind the grill of the car are lights that provide a subtle glow below the Rolls-Royce logo, between the “laser” headlights. The interior contains wood accents, and was intended to promote a relaxing and serene driving experience. The dashboard features hundreds of illuminated stars surrounding the Ghost nameplate, and the headliner is adorned with star-like lights.
The new Ghost has all-wheel drive and all-wheel steering, and was constructed to drive easy, regardless of road conditions. It was built on Rolls-Royce aluminum spaceframe architecture, which was adapted to make way for advances in this model. The Planar system increases agility through three elements:
- The Wishbone Damper unit above the front suspension assembly creates a secure and effortless ride.
- The Flagbearer system uses cameras to read the road and prepare the suspension system for any upcoming changes in the road surface.
- Last, the Satellite Aided Transmission uses GPS data to pre-select the optimum gear for approaching corners.
The new Ghost is equipped with a 6.75-litre, twin-turbo V12 engine. The doors open and close electrically for an easy entrance and exit. Engineering Lead, Jonathan Simms, said the team “pushed [their] architecture even further and created a car even more dynamic, even more luxurious and, most of all, even more effortlessly usable.”
Additionally, Rolls-Royce released a podcast series explaining the aesthetic and engineering of the new Ghost. The sleek, luxury car is expected to retail around $322,500, with the first deliveries anticipated for early next year.
