Audi A8 vs Rolls-Royce Ghost

What's the difference?

VS
Audi A8
Audi A8

2023 price

Rolls-Royce Ghost
Rolls-Royce Ghost

2024 price

Summary

2023 Audi A8
2024 Rolls-Royce Ghost
Safety Rating

Engine Type
Diesel Turbo V6, 3.0L

Fuel Type
Diesel/Electric

-
Fuel Efficiency
5.9L/100km (combined)

-
Seating
5

-
Dislikes
  • Big turning circle
  • No folding rear seat
  • No front door bottle slots

  • Price
  • Options prices
  • Not being rich
2023 Audi A8 Summary

Audi’s flagship is the A8, a long, luxurious sedan where being driven is often as important as doing the driving.

To put this ultra-premium machine in context, it competes with other German heavyweights like BMW’s 7 Series and, of course, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class as well as Porsche’s Panamera. Not to mention the Lexus LS or Maserati’s Quattroporte.

What’s life like at the top of the Audi pyramid? Stay with us to find out.

View full pricing & specs
2024 Rolls-Royce Ghost Summary

It’s finally happened: Rolls-Royce has become so divorced from the everyday world of common folk that it's no longer even sharing the previously agreed meanings of words. Rolls has its own meanings, possibly its own language, which must be spoken with a plum on the tongue.

They’ve been heading here for a while. For example, at Rolls, “affordable” means the car we're driving today, the Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II, which is yours for just $680,000 (an indicative price, bumping to $800K for the Black Badge). And “iconic British marque” means, obviously, “BMW bought us in 2003, so there might be some German bits”.  

It turns out that “driver-focused” means something different at Rolls-Royce, too. Thanks to a smattering of chassis innovations, Rolls says this updated 2025 Ghost is “the most driver-focused V12 Rolls-Royce ever”. Which is “a side of Ghost’s character that our clients increasingly and enthusiastically embrace”.

Don’t fall for it. The Ghost’s extra focus is not actually very focusy, and its additional dynamism is really only more dynamic in the way that a bed that could corner at all would be more dynamic than a normal bed. None of that matters. 

The reason it doesn’t matter is because the Ghost Series II is wonderful. Indeed, it is very nearly perfect. Which is a word that even Rolls won’t quibble over.

View full pricing & specs

Deep dive comparison

2023 Audi A8 2024 Rolls-Royce Ghost

Change vehicle