ROLLS-ROYCE Ghost Review

Rolls-Royce explains that the aluminum construction of the Phantom has determined them to use thicker panels, whereas the steel used for the Ghost has reduced the thickness. Thus, despite being 15.8 inches (400 mm) shorter than its flagship sister, the Ghost isn't too far off in terms of cabin space. Let's hope Phantom owners don't hear about this.

There would be one little grudge though and that has to do with the front passenger seat. In the standard rear bench configuration, this can't be controlled from the back. Thus, to make sure the front passenger never intrudes the personal space of the one behind him, they've limited the seat travel compared to that of the driver.

Well, your female companion won't appreciate that if she has long legs. And women who get to ride in such cars usually do.

Going past that, the coziness provided by the seats and the soundproofing are simply overwhelming. Sitting in here is like spending an evening with the princess.

Even the stuff that gets packed in the 17.3 cubic inch (490-liter) luggage compartment is treated with a carpet that puts German luxury vehicles to shame.

We don't have too much to carry around today, but we are a bit burdened at the moment. We're navigating the Rolls-Royce Ghost through the city. Those door mirrors never disappear when they're not in use, so we'll count them too and give you the overall width of the Ghost as an indicator: 74.4 inches (2,108 mm).

And the steering setup doesn't help too much either. The turning circle of 44 feet (13.4 meters) doesn't even tell the whole story. You see, the Ghost has a large, thin steering wheel, which requires 3.1 turns from lock to lock. This was all designed to generate smooth movements, so it's not exactly ready for your daily swift urban maneuvers.

Nevertheless, the visibility is surprisingly good. As for the ultra-tight moments, BMW has lent its surround-view system to the Rolls Royce Ghost.

Inside the city, the V12 powertrain feels so relaxed that we suspect Goodwood engineers secretly give it a massage every night.

Things, of course, change if you happen to be riding in the back. All you have to do here is hide behind the C-pillar, which has been specifically designed to conceal you from the outer world.

We also have to talk about the Ghost’s presence in the city. Yes, it may be smaller than the Phantom, but its stance still spells "occupy Wall Street". This thing dominates the road.