Rolls-Royce is embracing a new “Post Opulent” philosophy in the redesigned 2021 Ghost. That’s the British automaker’s special way of saying that the swanky sedan was designed with substance over style, though the Ghost certainly boasts plenty of the latter and a price tag to match.
First, there’s a big mechanical change that needs to be addressed. Instead of a BMW 7-Series platform, the Ghost now shares the same proprietary aluminum spaceframe architecture that underpins the flagship Phantom and Cullinan SUV. Car and Driver reports that the car is subsequently 3.5 inches longer and 1.2 inches wider, although the wheelbase has remained unchanged.
Rolls’ 6.75-liter twin-turbocharged V12 still produces 563 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque, but power is now delivered to all four wheels. Reaching 60 mph takes 4.4 seconds, which isn’t bad for a 5,500-pound luxobarge. A “world-first” upper wishbone damper unit above the front suspension assembly works in tandem with a Flagbearer system, which uses cameras to read the road ahead and prepare the suspension system for any changes in the road surface.
The Ghost’s doors can also be electronically operated when opening or closing. It’s a minor detail made more significant when you consider that each door has G-force, longitudinal and transverse sensors to allow the same speed of operation regardless of hill or driveway angles.
Inside is another world-first: an illuminated fascia, inspired by Rolls’ iconic starlight headliners. Exactly 152 LEDs mounted above and beneath the fascia are color-matched to the cabin’s clock and instrument dial lighting. To ensure the dash is lit evenly, a 2mm-thick light guide featuring more than 90,000 laser-etched dots across the surface is installed.
Rolls engineers also did everything they could to keep passengers’ ears protected from the engine’s roar by adding 220 pounds of acoustic damping, which should help the cabin’s resonance chamber, 18-channel amplifier, and embedded exciter speakers to deliver crystal clear tunes.
Prices weren’t announced, but C&D predicts that the Rolls-Royce Ghost will retail for about the $314,400 price of the outgoing model.
