Rolls-Royce’s Ghost Extended is as purposeful as it is posh
Nothing says affluence more than a Rolls-Royce. Stately, purposeful and sleek, every car the British marque produces is not only a mode of transport, but also an experience in its own right.
Adding to its roster of luxurious beasts is Ghost Extended, an updated version of its entry-level sedan, Ghost. You won’t find much difference to the style, but as its name suggests, it comes with a six-inch longer wheelbase, 170mm-worth of extra room and the same level of confidence unfazed by the extra weight. It handles like a smaller, sprightly car, and packing in 563hp and 850Nm of torque, it will hit the 100km/hr mark in 4.8 seconds or even its top speed of 250km/hr.
Like Ghost, it is fitting for owners who want to drive as much as they want to be chauffeured. It has retained the standard suite of driver-assistance technology – a 360-degree camera, auto-parking and laser headlights with a range of over 600m – and capitalises on its custom-built aluminium chassis by adding four-wheel drive.
Ghost Extended also comes equipped with a powerful twin-turbocharged 6.75-litre V12 engine, though you won’t be hearing any of it. Acoustic damping will keep the noise out, resulting in a near-silent soundstage that’s a blessing after a hard day’s work. You can, however, break the silence with the 1,300-watt audio system and its 18 speakers, turning the car into one big subwoofer.
But there’s more to the back-seat driver experience than great music. Tucked between the rear seats (opt for reclining) is a Champagne fridge designed to cool your vintages at sommelier-approved temperatures – replete with fine crystal flutes – and cushioning your feet are soft lambswool floor mats. There’s Wi-Fi, personal touchscreens and even the air that you breathe smells like luxury. An ultra-sensitive micro-environment purification system will remove any airborne contaminant so your Rolls-Royce will always be that clean slice of heaven, in the grand tradition of the English automaker.
This story first appeared in the August 2021 issue. Purchase it as a hard or digital copy, or consider subscribing to us here
