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Death-proof Phantom
German firm armour-plates Phantom, attempts to blow it up. Fails
If your Rolls Phantom is constantly under threat from local insurgents, this is for youLatest news
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The Ghost - the 'smaller, more affordable' Rolls-Royce - has finally materialised. After literally several years of teasing concepts, Rolls has finally graced us with a look at its all-new production car, set to arrive next year in a swoosh of gloriously British opulence.
But, because we're lucky souls, Top Gear has already had a good look at the Ghost. For the full story, make sure you get your hands on the October issue of Top Gear magazine - on sale September 9 - but if you can't wait for that, click through our gallery for all the details... -
Will the Ghost do the business for Rolls? Time - and, no doubt, global financial conditions - will tell. Here's hoping. It may not be small or affordable, but it's a magnificent, massively fast, defiantly luxurious thing and we love it. Oh, and Rolls has hinted that a coupe and convertible version could follow, too...
For the full story, make sure you pick up a copy of Top Gear magazine, on sale this Wednesday.
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The Ghost shares around 20 per cent of its underpinnings - mainly electronic - with the 7-Series, but the touchpoints are all pure Rolls. They're lovely. That sat nav screen is a massive 10.2-inch affair, disappearing behind a flush screen if you'd prefer to rely on the navigational abilities of your trusted man.
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Rolls' trademark ‘suicide' rear doors remain, opening to reveal a predictably massive and opulent interior. Don't imagine that this is in any way a more budget cabin than the Phantom: plush carpets and a dazzling array of mod cons are here and force... and don't forget those umbrellas hidden in each front door panel.
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The Ghost's styling is clearly heavily influenced by its big brother, the Phantom, but the overall vibe is softer and more accessible, with softer lines and a dose more modernity. It's a design that's all about understated subtlety - but if you want more glitz from your big Brit saloon, there's always the Bentley Mulsanne...
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You get a lot of fastness for your cash, mind. The Ghost is powered by a 6.6-litre twin-turbo V12, based on the unit in the BMW 760Li but bored out and revised for extra power and torque. 563bhp of power and 575lb ft of torque, to be precise, of which 450lb ft is available from idle. It'll see the Ghost to 60mph in just 4.7 seconds. That's quick.
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In case you hadn't guessed yet, the smaller, more affordable Rolls-Royce is, in fact, neither. It measures 540cm from grille to rear bumper, 40cm less than a Phantom but more than two metres longer than your average family hatch. Kerbweight is around the 2.5-tonne mark.
And the cost? Ah, yes. The cost. Ghost prices will start at around £200,000... before extras. Small and affordable, you say? -
There's more clever stuff on board: a night vision camera is tucked under the top-right corner of the big grille, along with a pair of parking cameras on the underside of each mirror. The air suspension is seriously trick, too, recognising the movement of a rear passenger from one side of the Ghost to the other, and calibrating the set-up to keep the car absolutely flat.
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Rolls-Royce Ghost: caught on camera
Promotional video for the new ‘baby Rolls’ escapes onto the internet. It’s really not very small
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1930s Rolls to fetch £8.5m?
‘Star of India’ Phantom goes up for sale for 10 million euro. Millionaire East Coast rappers ready chequebooks
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Veritas to build SUV?
Is the company behind the insane RSIII planning an off-roader? With an airplane engine?
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Rolls-Royce Ghost: deceptively quick
We’ve got all the numbers on the new ‘baby Rolls’, and it’s bloody fast
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Rear of next year?
The new Jaguar XJ is here, and it’s got one hell of an arse. Is it a grower? We reckon it just might be…
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Rolls-Royce’s new flagship
Yes, it’s an actual ship by Rolls. It’s got a swimming pool and pirate cannons and everything…
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New Arnage out
Bentley reveals first photo of all-new Arnage replacement, but what’s under that sleek new bonnet?
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How not to Rolls
German tuning firm Hamann does terrible things to the Rolls Royce Phantom. It has a sports steering wheel. Enough said
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