All-new Rolls-Royce Ghost II breaks cover: ‘Post-Opulence’ priced at Rs 6.9 crore in India

The Rolls-Royce Ghost has been the most successful model in the British marquee's history. Now after a decade since the first one arrived, the entry-level family member has been revised almost entirely for the second generation Rolls Royce Ghost II. In the ‘Post-Opulence’ era, the Ghost brings all-wheel drive and all-wheel steering into the mix along with some of the most intriguing engineering and design, ever seen on a road car and also announced its price in India.

The second-generation Rolls-Royce Ghost has finally been revealed with a philosophy that the British brand calls ‘Post Opulence’. While the covers have just come off, Rolls Royce Motor cars India has announced that the all-new Ghost will have a base price of Rs 6.9 crore (ex-showroom, India). However, that is only the base asking price as each will be customised with additional equipment specific to customer requirements. While the new Ghost is meant to be a subtle Rolls-Royce, the new Ghost II is not entirely subtle in every sense, maybe only subtle in comparison to the Phantom. The front grille of the new Ghost, for example, is fairly large and is also illuminated, but as the engineers decided to brush the back of the grille for non-reflective surface, to give a touch of subtlety so as to not seem ostentatious. Additionally, the retractable Spirit of Ecstasy is now mounted right on the bonnet, rather than on top of the grille. Built on a version of the same “Architecture of Luxury” space frame platform as the Phantom, the Ghost II measures 5,546 mm in length making it 89 mm longer than the one it replaces. It’s 30 mm wider than the older one, but the overall styling has allowed the Ghost to appear smaller than it really is.

Including all double-skinned bulkhead, panel dampening, double glazed windows, and everything else considered, the new Ghost comprises of 100 kilogrammes of just sound-proofing materials. Additionally, to smoothen the ride, the Ghost II features air suspension which is equipped with the ‘Planar Suspension System’ that uses GPS to preempt the road conditions ahead and prepare the dampers beforehand so that the smallest amount of vibrations and sounds are translated into the cabin. Some of the other features in the new Ghost include the starlight headliner which you can, of course, customise to any constellation you wish (and have it approved by authorities for accuracy) and on occasion, you can see a shooting star fly across as well.

The cabin is draped in the finest leather available from 20 half hides. The driver gets two digital screens to play with, and the dash trim can be customised to use any material with any pattern or design, among other parts of the car which can be tailored specificly to the requirements of the customer.

Although the new Ghost has 100kgs of sound deadening, to amplify and make the sound from the audio system crisp, it features a “Resonance Chamber” which helps turn the cabin into anything between a  nightclub, or the Sydney Opera House, whichever floats your boat. Rolls-Royce engineers decided on a 1300W amplifier to power a total of 18 speakers inside the car.

Earlier, the rear doors were able to close themselves with the press of a button. But with the new Ghost II, it can open themselves as well if you like. Additionally, the engineers have been so pedantic that there are longitudinal, transverse and G-force sensors, to ensure the doors can open at the same speed regardless of the gradient the car is parked in.

Lastly, the engine is although not much of a concern for anyone looking to buy a Rolls Royce as long as it gets the job done. Which is why, at the heart of the new Rolls Royce Ghost II is the 6.75-litre, twin-turbo V12 from the Phantom that has been asked to quieten down. The BMW derived engine generates 563hp and 850Nm of torque. Additionally, the Ghost is now all-wheel drive and also comes with all-wheel steering all of which confirms that buyers can rest assured that the performance of the new Ghost will be sufficient.

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