Used 2014 Rolls-Royce Ghost

One would think that simply owning a 2014 Rolls-Royce Ghost – regular or long-wheelbase version – would be enough. Yet the storied British manufacturer has added a special edition to its Ghost sedan: the V-Specification. In addition to adding 30 more horsepower to the already-powerful V12 engine, the V-Specification gives the Ghost special wheels, embroidered armrests, and other touches, for an additional $20,000. That’s a lot, to be sure, but considering the entry price for a Rolls-Royce Ghost is already more than $267,000, we suppose it’s not too bad. Besides, anybody shopping for a Rolls-Royce isn’t really looking for bargains. In fact, part of the appeal of the brand is its Bespoke division, which can individualize your car however you can imagine…and afford.

Rolls-Royce refers to its vehicles as "motorcars," a 50-cent word that goes from snobby to sensible after you drive one. Driving the Rolls-Royce Ghost reinforces that perception. Power from the V12 is effortless, with only the slightest murmur of the engine’s growl allowed inside. At speed, the Ghost is as quiet as its namesake, gently wafting over pavement imperfections as if it were hovering above them. Yet what’s startling is the Ghost’s performance. Hidden deep beneath the leather and luxury are the bones of a BMW 7 Series, borrowed from the corporate parent of Rolls-Royce. Highly modified for supreme-luxury duty, there’s still a bit of ultimate driving machine here, and it shows in the way the Ghost accelerates, brakes, and even takes a corner. How quick? Rolls-Royce used to hide its performance specs, but the Ghost can accelerate to 60 mph in just 4.8 seconds, quicker than many so-called sports cars.

Rolls-Royce cars are handbuilt, allowing the 2014 Rolls Royce Ghost to become a canvas on which ultra-wealthy buyers can express themselves. Rolls-Royce’s Bespoke division lets them go well beyond custom paint or interior colors. There’s custom embroidery, special woods with gold inlays, matching crystal glasses with your family crest on them…you get the idea. Regardless, you’ll always be surrounded by the finest leathers, wood veneers, and even built-in umbrellas housed within the Ghost’s front doors. The driver’s seat is commanding, the rear seats are like a private jet, complete with an integrated chill unit with champagne glasses.

Subtle, this car is not. The 2014 Rolls-Royce Ghost has a commanding presence, with a massive grille, slab sides, soft curves, and the head-turning appeal that only comes with a car as rare and expensive as this. Even opening the rear doors is an event: They’re hinged at the rear, and power open and closed. Not only is it dramatic, but it’s practical: they can serve as protection from paparazzi or something worse hurling toward VIP passengers. The Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament guides the way up front, automatically retracting into the hood to avoid being snatched by passing miscreants.

AIR-SUSPENSION SYSTEM
The 2014 Ghost’s air-suspension is sensitive enough to detect a rear passenger moving from one side of the seat to the other. More importantly, it helps this big Rolls-Royce sedan take corners at speeds much higher than you’d expect.

STARLIGHT HEADLINER
Under the "what will they think of next" heading is the Starlight Headliner option for the 2014 Rolls-Royce Ghost. It’s speckled with more than a thousand fiber optic lights, creating the illusion of a starry sky above your head. You can even customize the arrangement to your favorite constellations.

As noted, each Rolls-Royce Ghost can be configured to a customer’s taste, but each comes with a V12 engine and 8-speed automatic transmission, multiple cameras, separate climate zones, a heads-up driver’s display, and an upgraded audio system with a 10-channel amplifier, ceiling mounted "exciter" speakers and built-in 12.5-gig hard drive for music storage. A rotary dial on the armrest controls functions such as navigation and audio.

Beyond the Bespoke individualization program, there are standardized option packages for the 2014 Rolls-Royce Ghost. Among the extras you can add onto your Ghost are tech and safety features like lane-departure warning, active cruise control and even a night-vision camera that can detect objects nearly 1,000 feet away. In the rear passenger compartment you can have climate-controlled seats, veneered picnic tables and twin 9.2-inch LCD screens for a private theater. For those who must watch "American Idol" or the Super Bowl live, a TV tuner can also be had.

At 5,545 pounds, the Ghost is a heavy car that needs a big engine to push it. That push comes in the form of a 6.6-liter twin-turbocharged V12 that puts out 563 horsepower and 575 lb-ft of torque, the latter from just 1,500 rpm for a broad path of power. The V-Specification package adds 30 horsepower to that total. All that gusto finds its way to the rear wheels via a buttery-smooth 8-speed automatic transmission. It all works to make the Rolls-Royce Ghost wickedly quick for such a car, with a stated top speed of 155 mph.

6.6-liter twin-turbocharged V12
563 horsepower @ 5,250 rpm
575 lb-ft of torque @ 1,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 13/21 mpg