There’s no head-to-head contest here, no gleaming trophy and no official tag. But the title of ‘Best car in the world’ is one of the most coveted crowns a car can wear. In its illustrious past, Rolls-Royce has worn it with pride for decades. The company was widely acknowledged as the world’s best carmaker but then, the crown passed. With time, better-engineered cars unfolded, with the three-pointed star wresting the crown away. Now Rolls, it seems, wants it back.

STYLE FILE

Enter the new Ghost, Rolls’ new super-luxury car that offers Phantom limo-like comfort, indulgence and hedonistic pleasures on the one hand, and modern technology, performance, driving pleasure and even fuel economy on the other. Designer Ian Cameron has carried over details from the Phantom, like the strong shoulder line, that ‘cliff’ of a bonnet and those distinctive horizontal headlights that are countersunk into the body, leaving no doubt that this is a thoroughbred Rolls.

Of course, the famous Rolls-Royce ‘Parthenon’ grille is there too, but it’s a more modern and less upright version. ‘Less upright’ is also a phrase you can use to describe the overall silhouette of the Ghost, especially in comparison to the Phantom. The windscreen is as steeply raked as any modern saloon and the roofline drops to the boot in a shallow dive, meeting the sweeping shoulderline gracefully near the tail. In profile it looks spectacular, especially when the car sweeps past you, led by that flying damsel perched on the nose.

INSIDE STORY

Tug at the huge bar of chrome that moonlights as a door handle and the rear carriage door swings open. The door is narrower than expected, but the manner in which it is hinged (at the rear) allows an elegant entry. Once inside, it’s very clear that this is not as wide as the Phantom. The rear seatback, however, is like an old-fashioned sofa, curving around to meet the rear door, while the seat is glorious.

You’re seated high with an abundance of thigh support, good back and elbow support and tremendous legroom. Rolls has got the understated but opulent equation spot-on and the surroundings have that rare ability to leave you in a sense of speechless joy.

Climb into the driver’s seat and the cabin feels instantly familiar. The design language is all Phantom — acres of wood, big chrome vents, chromed-over speakers and beautifully chromed buttons on the traditionally thin leather-rimmed Rolls steering wheel. And the quality is just what you’d expect, save for a few unimportant bits — cupholders or the doorpad bottoms — that sadly puncture the feeling of perfection that this car otherwise exudes.

UNDER THE HOOD

Beneath the long hood reside 563 well-drilled dressage horses. The twin-turbo direct-injection V12 motor is based on a BMW unit and has been designed to deliver that Rolls-like quality of effortless waftability.

The engine and eight-speed transmission work as a single unit. There’s no dull ‘thunk’ from the transmission tunnel when you select ‘drive’, it’s near-impossible to count all the gear changes and you always find the right gear. Then there’s that light but direct Rolls steering, the serene ride quality and once you get up to cruising speed, it’s like momentum has taken over the job of propulsion. This motor makes its peak torque of 79.4kgm at just 1500rpm!

DRIVER’S DEAL

Once on the move, there is a distinct impression of calm. A hush descends on the cabin as the doors are shut and you become aware that you’re being whisked forward rapidly. But close your eyes once the car is cruising and the sensation of speed simply dissolves.

From the rear seat the bi-turbo V12 simply does not exist, there is almost no squat at the rear nor any dive of the nose. The Ghost smooths ripples on the road like a giant clothes iron and it’s so silent that you think the suspension is made of pure rubber. To achieve all this, the Ghost uses special low-friction rubber sleeves on its air suspension.

Though the Ghost weighs 2.4 tonnes, zero to 100kph takes an unreal 4.7 seconds! Even so, the Rolls feels anything but savage or brutal, maintaining its charisma all through. There’s just an elevated whirring of the V12 as the Ghost leaps off the line like it’s been shot out of a catapult.

Of course, you’d expect this façade of performance to wither and die as you approach a set of corners. With all that mass, the pillowy ride and a light steering, you’d expect it to roll like a bus. But it feels under control, thanks to the active anti-roll bars and the fast-acting dampers.

And though the steering is initially quite light, it weighs up superbly with the essential amount of information filtering back through your palms. It helps place the car with pinpoint accuracy and delivers bags of confidence to the driver, making for a uniquely relaxed yet strong driving experience.

FINAL VERDICT

As things stand, the Ghost is well suited to Indian conditions. The suspension can be raised for challenging driveways at the touch of a button, it can run on our fuel and, at Rs 2.5 crore, it is even decent value for our high society. It’s also a car that has the potential to wrest the ‘Best car in the world’ crown back — it has it all and does it all. So be quick if you want one, the numbers are limited.

SPec check

ROLLS-ROYCE GHOST

Price: Rs 2.5 crore (est; ex-showroom, Mumbai)
L/W/H: 5399/1978/1550mm
Kerb weight: 2360kg
Engine: 12 cyls in V, 6592cc, twin-turbo petrol, front, longitudinal
Power: 563bhp at 5250rpm
Torque: 79.5kgm at 1500rpm
Gearbox: 8-speed automatic
Brakes (F/R): 410mm ventilated discs/ 402mm ventilated discs