When you are invited to test
drive of a RR, you would
expect a lazy, chilled out
and elegant drive, looking
for a posh location, for the best photo
shooting, to match its top class. You just
prepare yourself for a cruise control,
soft and immaculate ride, in silence, without
even thinking of looking at the performance
of the vehicle. You know it’s
not about acceleration, handling and
pure speed; you are prejudiced by history.
It looks like we have to start judging
Rolls Royce cars with totally different
eyes from now on. The new born Ghost,
smaller sister of the mighty Phantom,
has hit the market and has entered the
main stage with new, fresh, modern yet
aristocratic look and dynamics.
Well, I don’t remember last time I
was so surprised, nearly shocked to find
out that my expectations were so wrong.
You pick up the car, get briefed by
Manager, receive the due recommendation
and hit the road with some anxiety,
knowing you are driving a nearly 380
Thousand USD machine.
The interior remains as spectacular
as the “mama” Phantom. All the details
you would expect and more are pampering
you from the first second you sit in it.
Comfort is no compromise. The back
seats are perfect for two people with a
central console to let you play with all the
technology the world can offer in this new
century. Chairs, not just seats, sound system,
isolation and control invite you to
stay in the car for hours, as if you were
at a David Gilmour’s concert at the Albert
Hall.
But then something hits the sleepy
part of your brain, the one tuned on performance
and driving excitement. You
squeeze the “go” pedal and you wake up
12 cylinders, a twin turbo 6,6 Litre
engine, 563 bhp, a dragster like 780 Nm
of torque at only 1,500 Rpm and a ZF
eight speed gearbox. You hit 100 Km/h
in 4.9 seconds (yes, four point nine!),
good enough to smoke a Porsche Carrera
off the stick and you can do that in a
world of your own as if you were pushed
by wind only or pulled by an invisible endless
rubber band. An unexpected yet welcome
surprise.
Mr. Helmut Riedl, RR
Engineering Director told us
that “A Rolls Royce should be graceful in
every way: the way it handles, feels and
brakes” and we can assure you that they
hit the spot. We feel so excited about
this car now that we want to drive it
more and more, exploring its hidden,
graceful handling skill and again we get
shocked. The Ghost moves in the corners
with the grace of a mature ballerina; the
steering wheel is very light but not numb,
precision and control are in your hands
and feet, like a modern super saloon
should be. You actually drive a Ghost,
more than be driven. You pick a line and
she holds it for you with a kind smile. You
never feel the two and a half ton weight,
never.
This car is definitely the best driving
RR ever. It’s an outstanding chauffeur
commuter, especially if you choose the
pure lambs wool carpets and you take
your shoes off in the back
seats; and a beautiful creature
to be driven on your
favourite roads. Quick, relaxed, safe and
bearing a badge which demands a lot of
respect and emotion. It’s beautiful looking
car, discreet, yet with its own personality,
elegant, refined and extremely well proportioned
from every angle.
I don’t want to give it back. I would
drive this cocoon of luxury and dynamics
every day, for a lifetime. RR is distributed
by AGMC, which was the number one dealer
in the Middle East in 2009 and the second
in the world. This means we will see
soon many Ghosts in our mirrors.
735,000 AED
155,000 AED
