2016 Rolls-Royce Ghost Reviews, Pricing & Specs
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The company name has become synonymous with the pinnacle of high-end luxury. It's a car for tycoons and prime ministers and their chauffeurs, or newly-minted millionaire entrepreneurs who are ready to display their wealth but not yet ready to let go of the wheel. Whether you want to drive or be driven in the epitome of elegance and grandeur, the 2016 Rolls-Royce Ghost will satisfy.
Even iconic vehicles like the Ghost need updates every now and then, and the Ghost got that makeover last year. The stately exterior was refreshed with a new hood, bumpers, grille, and LED headlights. The notoriously numb road feel was upgraded with re-engineered suspension and steering systems. New air duct intakes increased airflow over the front brakes. The seats were reworked to become (somehow) more comfortable. A WiFi hotspot was added, as were new wood and leather interior options. And in the end, the Ghost got some new nomenclature to go along with all the upgrades: Series II.
The Ghost Series II version also got a powertrain upgrade. The 6.6-liter, twin-turbo W12 that delivers 563 hp and 575 lb-ft of torque remained the same, and carries over to this year, but the transmission made a serious evolutionary leap. The gear box now features “Satellite Aided Transmission technology.” Translation: it uses GPS technology to predict road changes and shift accordingly, making the Ghost a sort of fortune-telling luxury sedan.
All of that W12 power pushes the Ghost from 0-60 mph in a scant 4.8 seconds. That’s remarkable acceleration for a car that weighs more than 5,400 pounds, but it's not the only remarkable aspect of the Ghost’s performance. Despite its weight and oversized wheels, the Ghost holds true to to its name in terms of ride quality. It glides about in near silence, its smooth ride made even smoother with the new air struts, dynamic dampers, and rear-end kinematics that were included in last year’s remodel.
The only downside of the Ghost’s driving dynamics is the fuel efficiency. The Rolls gets just 13 mpg city/20 highway, but then again, that’s hardly a surprise. If you want fuel efficiency, you’re not going be shopping for a Rolls-Royce anyhow.
The Ghost’s silhouette is both simple and sumptuous, a piece of a usable art. The grille may have undergone some subtle changes, but it is still instantly recognizable, while the new LED headlights add a touch of modern to that iconic face.
It takes seven days to apply the standard five coats of paint and lacquer to each hand-crafted Ghost, and even then it’s still not ready to leave the factory in Goodwood, England. Each Ghost gets an additional five hours of hand polishing, along with hours more of hand painting as ox and squirrel hair brushes are used to apply the coachlines.
The Ghost’s cabin is, of course, lavish to a level most of us can only dream of. There are lambswool floor mats, cashmere-blended roof lining, hand-stitched natural grain leather, gauges that could double as luxury watches, and real wood veneers that are individually shaped, sanded, lacquered, and polished. And, of course, there’s every comfort, convenience, and technological option you might want, thanks to the Rolls-Royce Bespoke program.
You can order the Ghost in a Standard Wheel Base or Extended Wheel Base trim. The extra length means an extra 6.5 inches of rear legroom, which can be accessed by doors that offer an 83-degree opening. If you’re going to spend more than $300,000 on a car, it only seems right that it opens up with grandeur. And since every detail on the Ghost is grand, it only seems right the doors follow suit.
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2016 Rolls-Royce Ghost Pricing
Trims & specs
Air Conditioning
Automatic climate control front air conditioning · Dual front air conditioning zones · Automatic climate control rear air conditioning · Dual rear air conditioning zones
Airbags
Dual front airbags · Dual front knee airbags · Passenger airbag deactivation: occupant sensing deactivation · Front side airbags · Front side curtain airbags
Audio System
Antenna Type: diversity · Voice recognition audio system · Bluetooth auxiliary audio input · Single disc in-Dash CD · MP3 player: CD MP3 Playback · HD radio · Satellite Radio: SiriusXM · Total Number of Speakers: 16 · 600 watts
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel · Front brake diameter: 14.7 · Front brakes: ventilated disc · Rear brake diameter: 14.6 · Rear brakes: ventilated disc
Comfort Features
Armrests: rear center folding with storage · Center console trim: leather · Dash trim: leather · Door trim: wood · Floor Mat Material: carpet · Floor Material: carpet · Floor Mats: front · Steering wheel trim: leather
Convenience Features
Assist handle: front · Center console: with lighting · Cupholders: rear · Dimming rearview mirror: auto-dimming · Memorized settings: driver seat · Multi-function remote: proximity entry system · One-touch windows: 4 · Power outlet(s): 12V front · Power steering: speed-proportional · Power windows: lockout button · Reading lights: rear · Rear power outlet: 12V · Steering wheel: power tilt and telescopic · Steering wheel mounted controls: cruise controls · Storage: front seatback · Vanity mirrors: dual illuminating
Driver Seat
Adjustable lumbar support: power · Power adjustments: 8
Drivetrain
Axle ratio: 2.81
Engine
Alternator: 210 amps
Exterior Features
Door handle color: chrome · Exhaust: dual exhaust tips · Exhaust tip color: chrome · Front bumper color: body-color · Grille color: chrome · Mirror color: body-color · Rear bumper color: body-color · Rear trunk/liftgate: soft close · Side door type: dual rear-hinged access · Window trim: chrome
Headrests
Front headrests: adjustable · Number of front headrests: 2 · Number of rear headrests: 2
In Car Entertainment
Infotainment screen size: 10.3 in.
Instrumentation
Fuel economy display: range · Warnings and reminders: coolant temperature warning
Lights
Daytime running lights: LED · Exterior entry lights: security approach lamps · Headlights: self-leveling · Tail and brake lights: LED
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: power
Passenger Seat
Adjustable lumbar support: power · Power adjustments: 8
Rear Seats
Type: bench
Safety
Child seat anchors: LATCH system · Impact sensor: post-collision safety system · Parking sensors: front
Seatbelts
Front seatbelts: 3-point · Seatbelt pretensioners: front and rear · Seatbelt warning sensor: driver and passenger · Second row seatbelts: 3-point
Seats
Driver seat power adjustments: reclining · Front seat type: bucket · Passenger seat power adjustments: reclining · Rear headrests: adjustable · Upholstery: premium leather
Steering
Steering ratio: 19.9 · Turns lock-to-lock: 3.1
Suspension
Front Spring Type: pneumatic springs · Front Suspension Classification: independent · Front Suspension Type: double wishbones · Leveling: self leveling suspension · Rear Spring Type: pneumatic springs · Rear Suspension Classification: independent · Rear Suspension Type: multi-link · Stabilizer bar(s): rear · Suspension control: electronic
Telematics
Navigation system: with voice recognition · Phone wireless data link: Bluetooth · Satellite communications: Rolls-Royce Assist
Tires
Type: performance
Tires and Rims
Wheel type: aluminum alloy
Wheels
Wheel spokes: multi-spoke
Windows
Front wipers: variable intermittent · Laminated glass: acoustic
Air Conditioning
Automatic climate control front air conditioning · Dual front air conditioning zones · Rear air conditioning: with independent controls · Dual rear air conditioning zones
Airbags
Dual front airbags · Dual front knee airbags · Passenger airbag deactivation: occupant sensing deactivation · Front side airbags · Front side curtain airbags
Audio System
Antenna Type: diversity · Voice recognition audio system · Bluetooth auxiliary audio input · Single disc in-Dash CD · MP3 player: CD MP3 Playback · HD radio · Satellite Radio: SiriusXM · Total Number of Speakers: 16 · 600 watts
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel · Front brake diameter: 14.7 · Front brakes: ventilated disc · Rear brake diameter: 14.6 · Rear brakes: ventilated disc
Comfort Features
Armrests: rear center folding with storage · Center console trim: leather · Dash trim: leather · Door trim: wood · Floor Mat Material: carpet · Floor Material: carpet · Floor Mats: front · Steering wheel trim: leather
Convenience Features
Assist handle: rear · Center console: with lighting · Cupholders: rear · Dimming rearview mirror: auto-dimming · Memorized settings: steering wheel · Multi-function remote: proximity entry system · One-touch windows: 4 · Power outlet(s): 12V front · Power steering: speed-proportional · Power windows: lockout button · Reading lights: front · Rear power outlet: 12V · Steering wheel: power tilt and telescopic · Steering wheel mounted controls: cruise controls · Storage: front seatback · Vanity mirrors: dual illuminating
Driver Seat
Adjustable lumbar support: power · Power adjustments: 8
Drivetrain
Axle ratio: 2.81
Engine
Alternator: 210 amps
Exterior Features
Door handle color: chrome · Exhaust: dual exhaust tips · Exhaust tip color: chrome · Front bumper color: body-color · Grille color: chrome · Mirror color: body-color · Rear bumper color: body-color · Rear trunk/liftgate: soft close · Side door type: dual rear-hinged access · Window trim: chrome
Headrests
Front headrests: adjustable · Number of front headrests: 2 · Number of rear headrests: 2
In Car Entertainment
Infotainment screen size: 10.3 in.
Instrumentation
Fuel economy display: MPG · Warnings and reminders: low oil pressure
Lights
Daytime running lights: LED · Exterior entry lights: security approach lamps · Headlights: self-leveling · Tail and brake lights: LED
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: power folding
Passenger Seat
Adjustable lumbar support: power · Power adjustments: 8
Rear Seats
Type: bench
Roof
Moonroof: power panoramic · Moonroof / Sunroof: power sunshade
Safety
Child seat anchors: LATCH system · Impact sensor: post-collision safety system · Parking sensors: front
Seatbelts
Front seatbelts: 3-point · Seatbelt pretensioners: front and rear · Seatbelt warning sensor: driver and passenger · Second row seatbelts: 3-point
Seats
Driver seat power adjustments: reclining · Front seat type: bucket · Passenger seat power adjustments: reclining · Rear headrests: adjustable · Upholstery: premium leather
Steering
Steering ratio: 19.9 · Turns lock-to-lock: 3.1
Suspension
Front Spring Type: pneumatic springs · Front Suspension Classification: independent · Front Suspension Type: double wishbones · Leveling: self leveling suspension · Rear Spring Type: pneumatic springs · Rear Suspension Classification: independent · Rear Suspension Type: multi-link · Stabilizer bar(s): rear · Suspension control: electronic
Telematics
Navigation system: with voice recognition · Phone wireless data link: Bluetooth · Satellite communications: Rolls-Royce Assist
Tires
Type: performance
Tires and Rims
Wheel type: aluminum alloy
Wheels
Wheel spokes: multi-spoke
Windows
Front wipers: variable intermittent · Laminated glass: acoustic