£200k Rolls-Royce Ghost: world debut

by Vijay Pattni

We hope Sirallun is paying attention – the new Rolls-Royce Ghost has just made its world debut at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show.

The £200,000 Roller is the smallest in the range – but it's only small in comparison to, say, an oil tanker.

It might be the smallest, but it packs the largest punch of any Rolls before it. The 6.6-litre V12 engine produces a bonus-shredding 563bhp and 575lb/ft of pulling power, capable of getting corporate-types from 0-62mph in just 4.7 seconds.

And just in case angry creditors are chasing you, the Rolls-Royce Ghost tops out at an electronically-limited 155mph.

Gallery: click below to view images of the Rolls-Royce Ghost at Frankfurt

The Ghost features an eight-speed automatic gearbox, which together with the new powerplant helps deliver 20.8mpg and 317g/km of CO2. But as always, if you have to ask…

Far from being a hippy’s worst nightmare – which it probably is – the Rolls-Royce Ghost isn’t about outright grunt. The company helpfully explains that “Rolls-Royce power is delivered in a very different manner to other cars.

“It arrives in an elegant, cosseting way that some have described as being designed to lower the pulse, not raise it.”

Like the look of the Rolls-Royce Ghost? Search for used Rolls-Royces on Auto Trader

And elegant is the best way to describe this gorgeous new Roller – the driver sits in a slightly elevated position, dubbed the ‘authority’ position, while all sorts of high-tech weaponry are at your disposal, including night-vision, lane departure warning, high-beam assistance, active cruise control and a head up display.

What do you make of the 'baby' Roller? Tell us now:

If you aren’t enamoured by the Rolls at this point, well shame on you. “There is a magic attached to the name”, reckons Rolls. And this is because each Ghost passes through 60 pairs of hands, takes 20 days to complete after more than 2,000 individual operations.

Want it? You’ll pay £192,500, with first UK deliveries hitting our shores before Christmas. Time to cash in that bonus…

Video: Rolls-Royce Ghost