Used 2019 Rolls-Royce Ghost

The Ghost has been with us for a decade and remains one of the smoothest, most luxurious sedans made. Opt for the long-wheelbase model and this 5,000-plus-pound machine is nearly the length of a crew-cab full-size pickup. Under that long, exquisitely polished hood sits a BMW-derived V12 pushing 563 horsepower. The top Black Badge model provides 20 more horsepower and a sportier, yet ominous dark trim vibe.

Slide inside and the experience is pure Rolls-Royce plushness. This may be the firm’s least expensive car but it pampers like none other. The leathers seem to have come from cows that spent their whole lives reclining on velvet cushions. The interior woods feel like they were nurtured in a greenhouse rather than left out in the elements. Of course, all this had better be true considering the least expensive Ghost will drain more than $300,000 from your bank account.

It might be hard to imagine, but the 2019 Ghost is based on an older BMW 7 Series chassis. That’s no bad thing. This sedan has one of the supplest suspensions in the automotive world. Potholes and pavement pockmarks disappear beneath this nearly 3-ton beast. The mass too seems to melt once you depress the right pedal because there’s over 500 horsepower on tap from the 6.6-liter V12 — or more than 600 if you’re willing to spend for the Black Badge model.

Just don’t ask this machine to handle canyons like a sports sedan. Under less stressful conditions, the Ghost remains pleasantly composed. No matter the route, the new Rolls-Royce will always be in the right gear at the right time thanks to an automatic transmission that uses GPS data to anticipate road conditions. Wow. One of the greatest advantages of driving a Rolls-Royce happens at the end of the trip. You and your passengers arrive refreshed and ready for the next adventure.

Traditional high-level craftsmanship meets the 21st century in the cabin of the 2019 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.

It’s a level of detail you can feel when you graze your hand across the soft leather or move a button or switch. And you can see the quality in these furnishings when you examine the rich veneers on the dash. It’s clear you are sitting in a very special car. And isn’t that 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. So, if you prefer to ride instead of drive — your sedan has arrived.

Few cars have more presence on the road than a Rolls-Royce. They are all very large, very imposing and very stately. And the Ghost, despite wearing a shape that’s been around for a decade, is no exception. There’s a big boastful grille with that famous Spirit of Ecstasy ornament, a long hood and hefty 21-inch optional forged wheels.

However, the design feature that will draw the most attention when you arrive at your destination are those rear hinged doors — allowing for a grand entrance. Yet the lines of the 2019 Ghost are also smoother and sleeker than the company’s larger vehicles. It’s really the most understated vehicle in the company’s line.

BLACK BADGE
Black makes everything cooler. And that’s true here too. The Black Badge trim is a way to inject some youth into the Ghost — the Rolls-Royce way. Of particular coolness are those carbon-fiber wheels with dark chrome accents, which reportedly took four years to develop. The Black Badge package endows the Rolls-Royce Ghost with a touch more power and improved driving manners too. It’s the one we’d park in our own garage.

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.

The good news about the 2019 Rolls-Royce Ghost is that in terms of mechanical components, almost all the best stuff comes standard. And that includes the new Ghost’s potent V12 engine and smart 8-speed automatic transmission.

Passengers will be particularly impressed by the soft-closing doors, leather interior and rich wood trim. Of course, there’s a wonderful-sounding 16-speaker audio system as well as navigation, both of which use a rotary controller based on BMW’s iDrive. But don’t worry, if that big knob gets in the way, it can be hidden away.

As one might expect, the 2019 Ghost has a standard adaptive-cruise-control system. But there’s also a grand panoramic sunroof (standard-wheelbase models) and a driver’s head-up display too.

Rolls-Royce motorcars are rare. Rarer still would be two Rolls-Royces carrying the exact same options. That’s because nearly every one of them is built to order and not only offers a long list of options but also one-off “bespoke” custom paints, trim and furnishings. If you can dream it up, Rolls-Royce can probably fit it to the Ghost.

Some of the most popular options include lamb’s-wool foot mats ($1,575), picnic tables ($3,750) and a rear-compartment cool box ($3,250). But the list is exhaustive. Want personalized headrest embroidery? That’s a cool $4,250. How about gold-plated pinstripes? Those would be $10,375. It wouldn’t be hard to add more than $100,000 worth of options to a Ghost. But it boggles the mind why a car costing as much as a condo doesn’t include Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration?

Lift the Ghost’s long hood and you will find a mammoth 6.6-liter, twin-turbocharged V12. It’s an engine that feels incredibly under-stressed and yet it belts out a magnificent 563 horsepower and 605 lb-ft of torque, channeled to the rear wheels through an 8-speed automatic transmission. Black Badge versions, receive a version of the same V12 boosted to 603 horsepower and 620 lb-ft.

If the driver is so inclined, even the regular 2019 Rolls-Royce Ghost can sprint from standstill to 60 mph in a mere 4.7 seconds. The extended-wheelbase model takes just a tenth-of-a-second longer to complete the task. Given the longer Ghost’s 5,665-pound base curb weight — that’s supremely impressive.

Of course, the downside to all this heft and thrust is that even under the best conditions, this sedan returns 20 mpg on the highway. That’s in the same class as a full-size pickup truck.

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