2012 Rolls Royce Ghost Preview

Rolls-Royce "baby" Ghost is anything but that same luxurious treatments are much larger and more established older brother Phantom. The Ghost retains all the extravagance you would expect from a car with the double-R badge, but in a more city-friendly format.

This shrunken size, Rolls-Royce Ghost sees it as an everyday car, a luxury sedan that can be driven to the office and shopping every day. Note: it is driven, not driven in, as most owners would expect Phantom. And despite being smaller, the Spirit still has all the modern amenities of a custom luxury sedan. The seemingly endless array of cabin amenities include adjustable rear seats with individual DVD screens, automatic closing doors, a door mounted umbrella holder, and any surface dressed in real wood, leather, aluminum and chrome.

Under the hood of the Ghost is a completely new 6.6-liter twin-turbo V-12 engine with 536 horsepower as the Rolls-Royce owner would expect nothing less. Coupled with a silky smooth eight-speed automatic transmission, it is as smooth as the owners would expect, including those new to the brand. Rolls-Royce Ghost believes that many customers will be new to the brand, and hopes to double its U.S. sales.

Body Style: Sedan

Engine: 6.6-liter turbocharged V-12

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

Model: Ghost

The Ghost was a completely new car in 2009, and at Rolls-Royce, progress has not come quickly. The Ghost is a boon for the Rolls-Royce brand, selling well in Asia, the Middle East and America.

Anaesthetics, yet elegant, muscular, the Ghost takes its styling of the Phantom, but shrinks them to a more manageable scale. The upright front remains largely intact, adding an impressive appearance. The rear "coach doors" are reverse-hinged and two-tone paint is available as part of a range of options. The Spirit of Ecstasy hood legendary ornament can rise at the touch of a button, for maximum attention.

Inside, it is luxury all the way, with an outstretched hand polished wood on the dash and double-stitched leather everywhere else. All switchgear the Ghost is unique to the model, and while some controls are clearly less extravagant than in the Phantom (astute drivers will notice that the navigation system is shared with that of the BMW 7-series), all pass Rolls-Royce demanding application .

On the road, the Ghost does not feel very small. It is still large and stately - surging forward on a seemingly endless wave of torque from the V-12 engine. Shifts are seamless and silky, and the Ghost right angles to its size, thanks to the active shock absorbers. Those wealthy few expect the Ghost to maneuver for a Rolls-Royce will not be disappointed. But if they come out with the agility of a 7-series sedan expect they will not find it here.

Traction and stability control are standard equipment, like the front and side airbags for front passengers. Front and rear occupant side curtain airbags are also standard.

13 mpg city/20 mpg highway