Used 2018 Rolls-Royce Ghost

Aptly named, the 2018 Rolls-Royce Ghost inhabits a world that might as well be another plane of existence to the vast majority of people. This fabled British marque often uses spectral names, perhaps to convey the idea that its cars are not constrained by earthly mundanities. The leathers seem to have come from cows that spent their whole lives reclining on velvet cushions. The woods feel like they were nurtured in a greenhouse rather than left out in the elements. The suspension doesn’t even recognize rough surfaces, like a king might not be aware of his lowliest subjects. If we must speak about something as vulgar as money, the 2018 Ghost Series II starts in the region of $315,000. It’s the company’s least expensive car.

Even in a car that’s nearly 18 feet long and weighs around 5,600 pounds, a twin-turbocharged 6.6-liter V12 engine making 563 horsepower is always going to be entertaining. There’s so much authoritative and effortless thrust that a Ghost driver might think the world should move out of the way. After all, sounds from outside hardly make it into the hushed and plush cabin anyway. But should other drivers not cooperate, the Ghost is still one of the best places to sit through a traffic jam. On clearer roads, the automatic transmission makes an extra contribution by using GPS navigation data to anticipate road conditions, then shifting gears to suit. A 2018 Ghost isn’t necessarily going to fulfill an enthusiast’s dreams, the front end will still protest when a corner is taken too quickly, but otherwise exhibits a pleasing composure under most conditions.

Traditional high-level craftsmanship meets the 21st century in the cabin of the 2018 Ghost. If finer materials exist, then they’re probably in a more expensive Rolls-Royce. They’re assembled by 60 artisans over 450 man-hours. Such admirable talent and incredible attention to detail imbue the Ghost with an aura, a character that even the best mass-produced luxury cars could never match. Which is exactly why one buys a Rolls-Royce instead of something lesser. Naturally, comfort is the principal pursuit. The rear seats may come in a "lounge" configuration, where they are slightly angled toward each other for easier conversation. Extended-wheelbase models have more than six inches of extra legroom beyond the standard model’s already generous accommodation.

In the normal world, an entry-level car is usually small. In the rarefied atmosphere of Rolls-Royce, the Ghost is still big and imposing. Ever since BMW became the owners, Rolls-Royce styling has deliberately avoided the beautiful flowing lines of its old cars and leaned more toward the avant-garde. The important thing is that nothing else looks like a Roller, with its big grille, big hood, big doors, big wheels, and tiny LED lights. The Ghost also deploys rear-hinged rear-passenger doors for more dignified exits. And no other marque has that famed Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament rising out of the body.

BLACK BADGE
Black makes everything cooler. This is an array of themed additions intended to counteract some of the potential fuddy-duddiness of a high-dollar large-luxury sedan. As well as things like carbon-fiber wheels with dark chrome accents, the Black Badge package endows the Rolls-Royce Ghost with a touch more power and improved driving manners.

BESPOKE PERSONALIZATION OPTIONS
Part of the charm involved in buying a Rolls-Royce is the broad scope for personalization. Virtually every car that leaves the Goodwood factory in the south of England is a one-off. Whatever the customer wants, the customer gets. For a price, of course.

Every 2018 Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II comes with that turbocharged V12 engine and an 8-speed automatic transmission. Then come further classy touches like soft-closing doors, 16-speaker audio system, navigation, leather upholstery, wood trim, adaptive cruise control, panoramic sunroof (standard-wheelbase models) and a driver’s head-up display. The infotainment system is based on BMW’s iDrive setup, using a rotary controller in the center console. Rolls-Royce doesn’t like touch screens because they tend to collect greasy fingermarks.

Make sure the checkbook is primed and there’s enough ink in the pen. The many and varied options for the 2018 Ghost can add hundreds of thousands of dollars to the final tally. Front and rear seats may be fitted with ventilation and massaging functions, the outer rear seats can receive power adjustment, an Entertainment package puts screens in the back of the front headrests, a Dynamic package brings larger wheels and revised transmission calibrations, then there are umbrellas that may be stored in the rear doors, power-operated trunk, and the aforementioned Black Badge treatment. Don’t bother asking for Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration, though. Sometimes the customer can’t have everything.

Beneath that monumental hood thrums a magnificent 6.6-liter V12 generating 563 horsepower and 605 lb-ft of torque, which go to the rear wheels via an 8-speed automatic transmission. In the Black Badge versions, that output is boosted to 603 horsepower and 620 lb-ft. If the driver was so inclined, even a regular Rolls-Royce Ghost can sprint from standstill to 60 mph in a mere 4.7 seconds. Given the Ghost’s less-than-ethereal heft, that’s quite an achievement. The GPS-linked transmission sounds cool, but in our experience it performed no better or worse than a conventional setup.

6.6-liter twin-turbocharged V12
563 horsepower @ 5,250 rpm
605 lb-ft of torque @ 1,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 12/18 mpg

6.6-liter twin-turbocharged V12 (Black Badge)
603 horsepower @ 5,250 rpm
620 lb-ft of torque @ 1,650-5,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 12/18 mpg