Rolls-Royce Ghost Ghost 4dr Car Review - March 2012

The 6.6 litre twelve cylinder twin-turbo engine produces maximum figures of 563bhp at 5250rpm and 575lb-ft at 1500rpm and offers spectacular performance for a car of this size but as befitting its stature, it is delivered with consummate ease and discretion rather than screaming aggression. A 0-62 mph time of 4.9 seconds and a limited top speed of 155mph prove that it’s no slouch and it never gives you the impression that’s its trying too hard.

The Ghost’s ride comfort is generally rather splendid and it can waft along on a wave of serenity all day, but attack a suitably interesting road and it grips surprisingly well in corners and maintains a dignified poise. The steering feels nicely weighted and fluid too. At higher cruising speeds there is a bit of wind noise from the large door mirrors while under hard acceleration you get the pleasure of hearing that glorious V12 but it goes without saying that it’s never intrusive.

There are all kinds of electronic adjustment in the driver’s seat and the steering wheel so most drivers should be able to find a decent position. Sideways visibility is hampered somewhat by the large door mirror and of course trying to manoeuvre a barge of this size around town will often see the driver holding his breath but rear parking sensors should help take the worry out of reversing.

The Rolls-Royce Ghost 4dr is a sleek yet grand looking car and while it has lost some of the prettiness of earlier incarnations, there’s no denying its imposing presence. Inside, you get pretty much everything you can think of as standard but if there’s something you want that isn’t on the options list, then for a suitable emolument, Rolls-Royce will no doubt design and create it for you.

There is plenty of head and legroom in the cabin and rear seat passengers are able to take control of the entertainment and communication functions, should they desire. The boot has a useful 490 litres of space with a good wide opening to make access easy for the bellboys and butlers to handle your monikered luggage.

As with equipment levels the Ghost is loaded with safety features too and comes with every piece of technology designed for the 7 series BMW. As well as all the usual airbags and driving controls aids it includes perimeter cameras, a blind-spot warning system and a highly advanced anti-theft protection.

Reliability is unlikely to be an issue but for a certain piece of mind this car comes with a four year unlimited mile warranty. Fuel economy is never favourable with a car like this but even so 20.8 mpg is no disgrace for the class.

At £200,500 the Rolls-Royce Ghost 4dr is as much as a trendy apartment in London. But then cars like this aren’t really about value for money. Overall, It has a quality, a majesty, a class, a status that very few marques can match.

A combined cycle of 20.8mpg is a reasonable figure all things considered but with a CO2 emissions figure of 317g/km the taxes and running costs are about as high as its possible to get with a car. All in all value for money is virtually non existant but in many ways the sheer prestige of driving a Rolls-Royce is priceless.