Driven: 2021 Rolls-Royce Ghost Extended Is a Baby Phantom With Big Ambitions

Before the drive, we attended a presentation of the two models, and the Extended one was shown next to the standard Ghost.

The most surprising thing is that you cannot notice exactly where the wheelbase is extended. You know that there is a difference, but it is not noticeable if the Ghost and its Extended version are side by side.

Less than a car's length, anyway. So not that far away. That is an accomplishment, as other stretched versions can be easily observed from their regular wheelbase siblings. Rolls-Royce describes the new Ghost as being a representation of the Post Opulent design philosophy.

The concept rejects superficial expressions of wealth, which makes this model less flashy than it could have been if you consider its price tag. But Rolls-Royce models have never been flashy, they have always had a certain level of elegance. If you ever take a glimpse of a Ghost in real life, you might notice that its body does not have any seams from its B-pillars to its end. That was done with numerous welds that have been masterfully covered.

Please observe the hand-painted coach line, which is exquisite. The Ghost Extended continues this idea with the Post Opulence philosophy. It comes with less chromed surfaces, a Spirit of Ecstasy that has been moved from the full-metal grille, a profile that is not exaggerated in any way, and an elegant all-around appearance. It is like someone wealthy and well-dressed, but never exaggerated in appearance. Think George Clooney in a suit, but without a tie. Now, back to the Ghost.

As Rolls-Royce officials explained, the Ghost is for someone who likes to drive more and gets chauffeured occasionally, while the Ghost Extended is for someone who likes to be chauffeured more often than driving but still drives the car. While it may be considered a faux pas, we did drive the Rolls-Royce Ghost Extended instead of being chauffeured in it.

So, what is it like? Let us start by entering the vehicle. The doors are electrically operated, so all you need to do is slide your fingers inside the door handle while having the key in your pocket. The door will open with no effort on your part.

The first step inside leads to the first step on the finest carpets you will ever encounter in a production automobile. They are better than those found in most houses, and I have experienced hotel sheets less soft than these automotive carpets.

Then, you place yourself on the driver's seat. It is not like an armchair, so you do not sink into it, but it has a nice firmness to it. Not too firm, though, as the seats are still soft. The only effort involved in closing the door is keeping a button on the center console pressed.

While I have never found opening or closing a car door inconvenient or requiring too much effort, this is just an example of how Rolls-Royce spoils its customers. It is the kind of system that you do not think much of when you first use it, but then feel its absence whenever you get into another vehicle.

Now, it is time to drive. The engine is started by pressing a button on the left side of the steering wheel. That area includes multiple controls, and it is styled to remind us of traditional Rolls-Royce switches and buttons. Its finish is perfect, and it is easy to understand and operate.

The engine starts without any vibrations, and you cannot tell it is running when sitting inside the vehicle with closed doors. The column-mounted gear selector comes with feedback for the selection of gear, which is reassuring. It almost feels like those gear selectors with a small left-right route for the lever, which must be done to reach Drive.

With the turn signal engaged and the right foot off the brake, a gentle tap of the gas pedal gets the car going from its parking position. The Ghost pulls off with elegance, without noise or vibration. It is like a cocoon of silence that moves with its occupants inside. It is somehow disconnected from the outside world, which takes a bit of time to get accustomed to. It is even quieter than an electric vehicle, as the latter category does not have as much soundproofing as the Ghost.

The steering is light and easy to operate, even though the wheel itself is large. From personal experience, it feels a tad nimbler than the Phantom's, but it is not meant for going from apex to apex. There is a bit of feedback, so it is not completely anesthetized, but it is gentle. Bumps in the road are not perceived as in a normal vehicle, as the suspension levels them out, but the steering does leave a bit for the driver to understand.

The Ghost comes with a  so-called Planar suspension system, which is a world first. It is meant to make the ride even smoother on high frequency bumps. The latter mean short imperfections in the road surface, from minute potholes to small bumps. With a dedicated damper element added to the front upper wishbones, Rolls-Royce managed to make the roads seem perfect.

How does the Rolls-Royce Ghost feel in the corners? Well, we took our time before attempting to put it through its paces. With all-wheel-drive, all-wheel steering, adaptive suspension, and wide tires, it comes with a lot of mechanical grip.

The suspension eliminates almost all sway in corners, which makes it difficult to estimate how fast you are going on feeling alone, if it is too much, or if the car could go significantly faster. It also adapts to the road ahead using satellites. The front seats' side support shows that this model is not made for extreme cornering action.

It does hold the road perfectly, and it feels composed every second. That is no surprise, though, as this is expected from this class of vehicles.

When you decide to slow down before a corner, you will find that brakes are good and silent, which is as expected. Normally, this is where the vehicle's weight would be felt, but even the kind of braking that is not appropriate to be performed in a Rolls-Royce will not make the car feel like it is trying too hard.

The driver's level of smoothness with pedal application is not essential for maximum comfort, but it sure helps. In other words, even if the car can stay unimpressed by heavy braking, your body will still feel it because of physics.

Going full throttle will leave you with the sensation that everything is moving around you faster and faster. Subtle engine noise from the V12 is heard only after you have been sitting with the pedal to the metal for more seconds than it takes the vehicle to exceed the speed limit. The eight-speed automatic gearbox shifts gears without you ever feeling them, even with wide-open throttle acceleration.

Acceleration is brisk, and wide-open throttle is the only moment when you hear the exhaust roar. The Ghost does not lean back when accelerating, nor does it lean forward during braking. It feels like it could drive with a full glass of water on top of the vehicle without spilling a drop.

There is also a bit of wind noise, but it is also subtle. We were told that these two factors, especially the latter, are present to prevent occupants from feeling sick or anxious due to too much silence. Yes, that is a thing, and it can make people sick, especially in a moving vehicle.

It is extremely easy to drive, and its size is not felt in any way. This aspect makes things difficult in congested traffic and narrow streets. Remember that the Ghost is a long and wide vehicle, and you must keep that in mind on every maneuver in tight spaces.

With time spent behind the wheel, you will get a feeling of the Ghost's size and get the hang of it. Three-point turns are easy to perform, but we did ours slowly and carefully, as one does while driving a car that is 390,000 euros (approx. $460,000) without tax, which they do not own.

Overall, driving the Ghost gives you an experience that is not matched by any other car on the road except for another Rolls-Royce. It is comparable to the Phantom, but the latter felt even more out of this world than the Ghost back when I drove it. Just like the Phantom, the Ghost offers something between the feeling of flight and driving, and the separation from the outside world brings a new dimension to the level of comfort offered.

The steering wheel is pleasant to maneuver, despite its size, while the suspension is better than you can imagine, and its power level is more than adequate. There are tuning companies that offer packages for the Ghost, but this is the kind of vehicle that should not be changed from stock.

Concerning practical aspects, the trunk offers 507 liters (17.9 cu-ft) of cargo space. It also comes with a soft carpet inside, which covers it entirely, but the latter is not as soft as the one on the floor. It is still soft, though. The trunk opening is wide enough for anything you might want to carry, and the lower sill of the trunk is not high. So, it is easy to load luggage inside, but there is no way to stabilize them, as there are no cargo hooks, which means that you cannot fit a cargo net.

Cabin space is generous for each occupant, and those sitting in the back are spoiled with seats with electrically operated recliners. The fit and the finish of the interior elements is exemplary, and you would have to think long and hard to find things that are off from perfection.

Our only complaints come from the buttons inside the trunk, which are made of plastic that looks just like the one found on BMWs, as well as the turn signal stalk that is made of plastic that has a fine finish, but it is still something found in normal cars. If you look at the gear selector lever, you will find polished aluminum, which is not present on the turn signal.

The door handles have an area for the sensors that are required to activate the electrically operated door opening mechanism, and that shade of mint-green does not have any relation with the rest of the interior.

The complaints mentioned above pale in comparison to the otherwise perfect finish found onboard, along with the level of quality offered by the materials that you can see and touch. Rolls-Royce uses a type of leather that is incredibly smooth, and it is all hand-stitched to perfection.

All the controls on-board are easy to use and understand, and each comes with a dedicated switch. The multimedia unit does have a touch feature, but you do not need it to operate the vehicle. There is Apple CarPlay connectivity, but the same cannot be said for Android Auto.

Moving your eyes to the passenger side of the dash, the part that has the Ghost name written on it is a fascinating example of artisanship. It is made from wood veneer that has been laser cut to allow light from LEDs placed behind it to go through. The result looks like a sky full of stars that sits in the background of the illuminated Ghost nameplate. The British marque also offers a headliner with LED-lit stars on it. The latter looks better in real life than it does in photos.

Should you get one if you can afford it? Well, this is where it gets tricky, because its price is close to the Phantom's. It is the most affordable Rolls-Royce, and it is meant for younger customers, but one does wonder if there is a point to getting a Ghost instead of a Phantom. Yes, there is, because it does look (a bit) different, it is more engaging to drive whenever one decides to do so, but without losing any comfort when being chauffeured.