Photo: Stefan Baldauf/SB-Medien
The year 2019 marks the end of the line for the Ghost, but Rolls-Royce doesn’t plan to make do without this nameplate going forward. Scheduled to arrive at dealerships for the 2021 model year, the next generation will switch from BMW 7 Series underpinnings to the aluminum spaceframe of the Cullinan and Phantom.
Architecture of Luxury is how Rolls-Royce calls this platform, and rigidity is of the essence here thanks to processes such as gluing, riveting, and screwing. Chief engineer Caroline Krismer has also made a case for Marget Carpet Ride thanks to air suspension, a double-wishbone front axle, five-link rear axle, active roll bars, and electronically controlled dampers. Otherwise, the 2021 Ghost will feature all the bells and whistles imaginable to stay true to Rolls-Royce’s ethos.
Launched at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2009, the BMW-twinned first generation brought a new audience to the British brand thanks to more affordable pricing. Well-to-do customers were treated to the long wheelbase and tons of special editions in addition to virtually endless customization options. The Ghost Series II came to be in Geneva five years ago, and Black Badge is the moniker of the go-faster model rated at 612 PS (604 horsepower) and 840 Nm (620 pound-feet) of torque.
The carparazzi caught the second-gen Ghost testing time and again out on public roads and at the Nurburgring, featuring similar styling to the Phantom combined with a sleeker silhouette. You could even say that Rolls-Royce took inspiration from the Wraith for the roofline and side windows, but that would be too much praise for what can only be described as an ultra-luxury sedan. The biggest change over the first generation, however, will be the dashboard and interior trim.
R-R wants to elevate the Ghost above the Flying Spur from Bentley, and some would say that not even the Mulsanne can hold a candle to the Spirit of Ecstasy. Like their competitors in Crewe, the Goodwood-based automaker will introduce all-wheel drive to the Ghost in 2020 for safer and sportier handling dynamics.
The biggest question is what’s hiding under the hood, a topic that not even Rolls-Royce is willing to talk about. The N74 engine from BMW is getting on a bit, yet Munich doesn’t have a successor in the pipeline as far as we know. Given these circumstances, the twin-turbo V12 of the Cullinan and Phantom should be the most obvious choice unless the 6.6-liter version is updated for greater efficiency.
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