Every nation, every religion, and even different communities mourn their lost ones in different ways. Whatever manifestation grief takes, a hearse is always a part of the picture, if only on considerations of convenience.
The early hearses were simple horse-drawn carriages that people used so they could transport the departed loved one with more ease, yet with plenty of time for the actual mourning. We're long past the horse-drawn-carriage days, looking at the all-electric, hopefully fully autonomous future, so it makes sense for the old hearse to find a replacement.
This explains the wave of more modern takes on the rather creepy but ever-present vehicle: Tesla hearses or even luxury models. The Ghoster falls in the latter category: a hearse that brings an aura of prestige to the somber occasion but also allows for some not-so-subtle showing off. Everyone grieves differently, remember?
The Ghoster is based on a new Rolls-Royce Ghost, hence the unsurprising but occasion-appropriate choice of a name. It's the creation of Italian specialist Biemme Special Cars, and it's described as the ultimate sophisticated way to go.
Morbid functionality aside, it presents as a sleek, quite flawless custom vehicle, with beautiful lines and a paintjob that brings the eye to the one thing you couldn't possibly overlook: that bulbous extension over the coffin compartment.
Photo: Beimme Special Cars
The Ghoster features an extended wheelbase and the corresponding extension, which has been turned into the coffin compartment. You still get a four-seat configuration in the front, so three more people can ride with the driver in style to the funeral site or wherever else they might need to go on that occasion.
Finishes are typical Rolls-Royce fare: wood and leather, starry headliner, and customizable LED lighting.
You also get a minibar and foldable tables inside the passenger compartment, and "acoustic comfort" courtesy of 100 kg (221 lbs) of sound-absorbing material that Rolls-Royce put in the doors, the roof, the wheel arches, the double glazing. That's relevant because you also get an audio system with eighteen speakers and 1,300 W of power, Biemme points out. The joke writes itself here, but it's in bad taste.
The coffin compartment is separated from the passenger compartment with a shatterproof partition wall and consists of an automatic platform that comes with separate controls. You have customizable LED lights here as well, and privacy curtains as an option.
Biemme notes that The Ghoster is pending approval from the country's Ministry of Transport.
The modifications to the original Ghost are aesthetic only, so power still comes from the V12 engine developing 570 hp, mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. This shouldn't make a difference for whoever buys The Ghoster for the purpose it was designed for, so we reckon the reason Beimme is mentioning it in the first place has to do with the vehicle's ability to handle the extra weight.
What Beimme doesn't mention is price. The Ghost starts at $335,000, and buzz online claims The Ghoster could fetch at least twice that. This hearse isn't just a memorable, super-stylish, fancy, and possibly loud last ride but also a very expensive one.
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
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