I remember trying Waygu beef for the first time and thinking, “Oooooh I get it now.” Such was my experience stepping into the ultra, extra, uber world of luxury transport by way of the 2021 Rolls Royce Ghost and it left me feeling like my back seats suck.
Since 1903, the Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament has been a pinnacle of status for aspiring bond villains, however as the romantic hourglass shape of a classic coca cola bottle gave way to plastic atrocities of corn syrup, so went the way of the classic staples of luxury. Rolls Royce has been a subsidiary of BMW since 1998 and their cross-country estranged sibling to the north, Bentley has been a subsidiary of VW since about the same time. I watched reviews of some of these gold-plated land-yachts and thought, “That’s just an expensive 7-series.” Now I see things differently.
Approaching the car is imposing for sure, thanks to the massive trademark front grille. At over 18ft long, it’s about as long as the colossal new Chevy Suburban, It’s a chonk too, at around 5,500lb it’s just as chubby as a base F-250 Super Duty pickup however, unlike most bricks this size, the perfect proportions keep it looking agile, or even sporty from the front A-pillar angles.
First-off, the old cliche is true- this car is meant to be reviewed as a passenger. The experience is set off right away when the powered suicide doors greet you like Jeeves saying, “Welcome home to your palace, Lord Poshshire.” The front dash will remind you of any modern peasant cruiser like an S-class. It’s fine. I don’t care. The rear is where the magic lies. In this feudal world, the money goes into the carriage and the driver sits atop the bench seat and whips the horses- in this case, about 530 of them thanks to the twin-turbo V12 engine. It’s enough to get away quickly from your manor, yet it’s much quieter than my all-electric Model-S thanks to over 300lbs worth of soundproofing.
Stepping into the rear cabin, it’s immediately apparent that this is not your grandpa’s Buick. The mats are, well, not mats at all but rather lambs wool. It was the first thing I noticed and I had to touch it with my hands. It felt like I was snuggling an Alpaca. The rear seats alone have more controls than my Tesla does for the entire car. They also happen to be pillowy-soft, yet manage to hold you gently in-place around turns. Every exposed panel is wrapped in padded three-tone leather, save the wood and metal accents. The wood paneling is made from a single tree to maintain consistent markings and feels like actual wood rather than the over-processed epoxy junk mere mortal cars settle for. Everything is superb. The fit, finish and attention to detail are top-notch, almost unbelievably-so. The softest thing in the car might be the footrests, which of course rise to provide a reclined La-Z-Boy effect.
In case you’re already accustomed to being swaddled by the finest materials and getting bored, don’t worry–the middle armrest is where things get interesting. The top is wrapped in the softest, smoothest padded leather I have ever felt. The cup holders slide out from the front, or rather present themselves via some hydraulic-like smooth motion. The self-gripping tension inserts secure your typical canned beverages and also have chrome accents, but the real show is yet to come. Sliding above the standard cupholders are soft, shallow rubberized stem holders for the included crystal champagne glasses (What, you bring your own set of champagne flutes when you drive?) This glass storage compartment emerges from the rear fold-down center area, and reveals yet another compartment that flips forward, gently tilting the chilled wine bottle your way in one smooth motion. Rolls has been doing this trick for years, but seeing it for the first time still took my breath away.
I wish we had reviewed the car at night to see the illuminated grille in all its glory. Even during the day, the fiber-optic-laced headliner shows out, and has some easter eggs such as shooting stars and constellation patterns. And the powered shades provide a welcome relief from the sun, or perhaps paparazzi.
Modern cars are understandably built with the driver in mind. This makes sense because 99.9% of buyers ARE the drivers. This attention to the rear cabin is practically extinct, and a clear indication that the vehicle is purpose-built for that rare demographic that has a staff, including a driver and prefers to be driven. It provides true comfort to rear passengers on trips that might otherwise be uncomfortable. Limos seem stupid now, thanks to their sloppy bench seats and wasted space. When I got out, I felt relaxed and even pampered.
This vehicle is the product of an uncompromising standard where cost is not a consideration, and it shines through. The car is hand-built by artisans that have decades of experience coachbuilding. The quote of the day was from my wife, who said “My butt will never be the same.” This is the kind of emotion inspired when some hicks from rural Tennessee meet the coachbuilders from West Sussex.
Eagle-eyes may read a Double-R service manual and spot some bolts from the BMW 7-series parts bin. I don’t think that’s entirely a bad thing. Even a modern economy hatchback is objectively a better car (reliability, efficiency, etc.) than the bespoke, handmade priceless classics, in part because VW and BMW perfected quality at scale, plus they always get the small stuff right. It’s just that no Jetta ever sparked the kind of emotion that greets you when the suicide doors open electronically.
A car of this cost is not for everyone, but that’s the point. People that buy the Ghost don’t worry that an oil change costs more than my mortgage. The RR brand stands for excellence and exclusivity. If everyone had a Rolls in their driveway, they wouldn’t be cool or special. I understood that before but now I think there might be a market for a sub-60K luxury car with extra love paid to the rear passengers. I just hope some bean-counter from a value-brand finally figures out that people will pay extra for a back seat that doesn’t suck.
I certainly would.
