The most successful model in Rolls-Royce history has been updated for 2025. And it’s still totally worth the shocking price<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By KONSTANTIN TOMOV<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Photography ROLLS-ROYCE<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the entire history of the automobile, this is probably the only model that has been ashamed of its own success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since its appearance in 2009, the Ghost has established itself as the best-selling Rolls-Royce car of all time – that is, for more than 120 years. But the exact number of sales remains a jealously guarded secret of the company. Its concern with numbers is understandable: an exclusive product, when sold in large quantities, ceases to be exclusive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
HOWEVER, GHOST CUSTOMERS have nothing to worry about: in 16 years, Rolls-Royce has produced fewer units of this car than a single Hyundai plant makes in a week. The reason for the huge success of the most luxurious brand in the last decade is not that its cars have become more common on the streets. No, its geography has expanded considerably, instead. What used to be a brand focused mainly on the US, Western Europe and the Middle East, is now selling a lot in Eastern Europe, Central Asia and, of course, China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Its cars remain a rare sight. If we exclude special places like the Monte Carlo casino or some Sofia malls, you can safely not see a single Rolls-Royce with your own eyes during the year. The parking lot of our hotel in the south of France currently contains three, but this is an exception.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
THE GHOST HAS BEEN MAJORLY UPDATED for 2025 (at Rolls-Royce, they call it ‘Series II’), but it continues to have three very separate identities still. There is the regular Ghost, insofar as we can use the word “regular” for a Rolls-Royce. There is the long-wheelbase, created for people who still prefer to be driven in the back seat. And finally, there is the Ghost Black Badge – the alter ego of the Ghost, which adds 29 horsepower to the maximum power, and a much more youthful appearance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The most visible change concerns the headlights, which have a new shape, slightly beveled on the inside and with a new light signature. The end result is much more pleasing to the eye than the purely rectangular lights of the previous Ghost. Other innovations are also in this direction: smaller air vents at the front, a more compact grille. In certain places, the body panels are slightly smoother. The overall impression is of a more elegant car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
THE CHANGES INSIDE are more substantial. Rolls-Royce has never been one of the brands that rushes to introduce new technologies: the British have always preferred to wait until they are sure that the innovations meet their high standards. Apparently, this is already a fact with digital displays. The iconic analog instruments are gone. The updated Ghost gets fully digital instruments and a new generation multimedia system, the same as in the electric Spectre. Both are tucked away under an impressive strip of tempered glass that crosses the entire dashboard. The last third of it is for the so-called Illuminated Fascia, which captures the movement of the starry sky, and for the clock with a miniature copy of the Spirit of Ecstasy. Another example of the meticulousness and attention to detail that has been invested here: it took the designers months to find the optimal position of the figurine and its lighting so that glare does not irritate passengers in the cabin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The basic audio system has 18 speakers and a power of 1400 watts. Special cavities in the aluminum body of the car are used as resonators, and in the most luxurious Bespoke Audio system, the ceiling itself becomes a speaker. Two active microphones in the cabin constantly monitor frequencies and adjust the amplifier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Google-based entertainment system now supports up to two streaming devices simultaneously, so each rear passenger can watch their own movie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
SOME THINGS, HOWEVER, REMAIN just like in the good ol’ days. The climate control is entirely manual, with simple dials: blue for cold, red for warm. You also have eight buttons, each of which you can personally assign to perform a function – quite convenient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The multimedia has a new application called Whispers. Getting into it is incomparably more difficult than in the Pentagon’s secret chats – the application is available only to people who have bought a Rolls-Royce. It not only gives you remote control of the car and access to concierge services, but can also connect you with other RR owners – the most exclusive club in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Exactly how exclusive, you might ask. Well, the regular Ghost Series 2 starts at 275,500 euros without local taxes and fees. The long version starts at 306,500 euros. And the Black Badge, which we will pay more attention to in a moment, is a minimum of 327,500 euros. If you add Bulgarian VAT, the price is almost EUR 400,000. And that’s before you reach for the catalogue of colours, materials and extras. There is a whole separate factory in Goodwood for these things: satisfying even the most avant-garde wishes of customers. You just have to ask for it. And pay for it. Some things are relatively affordable: the two-tone upholstery in the extended Ghost that we are testing is a modest four-figure sum. For some customer wishes, the figures can be as much as seven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
THE LONG BASE ADDS A WHOLE 17 CM to the length, which goes entirely into the space of the back seat. But this extension does not negatively affect either the road behaviour of this car or the exterior design. However, for the actual test on the excruciatingly narrow mountain roads of the Var department, we chose not it, but the Black Badge. Rolls-Royce calls this car the Ghost’s “other self.” A design that will attract not old aristocrats, but football superstars and bitcoin billionaires. But in fact, its main target is people who love to drive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The English have announced a course towards electrification, but it will not affect this car. Under the hood here you still get the classic V12 – one of the last chances to have such an engine these days – with a volume of 6.75 liters, with 571 horses in the regular version. In Black Badge, however, the horses have been increased to 600, and the torque – to 900 Nm. The wheels are a futuristic combination of aluminum hubs, carbon ring and titanium spokes, borrowed directly from NASA space technology. The roof is made of a single piece of aluminum thanks to an extremely complex simultaneous welding system. The suspension self-levels in a fraction of a second. The effects of all this are quite unexpected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
WHEN YOU’RE DRIVING NORMALLY, it feels like a very luxurious yacht floating in very calm water. But when you want to step on the pedal, this Ghost transforms. You might not believe it for something with the mass of the Bulgarian parliament building, but this car is very, very fun to drive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Every Ghost has standard four-wheel drive, which helps a lot to control the weight of two and a half tons (without passengers). The suspension uses both cameras and satellite navigation data to predict the road ahead. There’s also a Low button on the gear lever, which in the regular Ghost simply lowers the suspension a little. But in the Black Badge it has a completely different function: it shortens the gear ratios of the automatic transmission. And it makes this car extremely suitable for mountain bends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
THE REAR WHEELS ALSO STEER – very useful for these dimensions. At high speeds, they are turned slightly in the direction of the bend, which increases stability. At low speeds, they turn in the opposite direction to the front ones to make manoeuvring easier. Making a U-turn with this over 5.5-meter-long car is easier than with a supermini.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is much more complicated to fill the tank: it holds a full 100 litres, and the average consumption is over 16 litres per 100 km. Even over 20 litres if you choose a mountainous section like us. But fuel costs, of course, are not among the three main factors when buying a Rolls-Royce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The important questions are different. Is it luxurious enough? Will it set you apart from the crowd? Does it offer a feeling like no other car in the world? For the new Ghost, the answer to all three is the same: without a doubt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
——–<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II BB<\/p>\n\n\n\n
6749 cc displacement (V12)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
600 hp maximum power<\/p>\n\n\n\n
900 Nm maximum torque<\/p>\n\n\n\n
5.545 m length (short wheelbase)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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