Rolls-Royce Ghost

The British super-luxury brand confirms the Ghost, which arrived last year as a four-door limousine, will be stretched into both a coupe and convertible to copy the lineup of the flagship Phantom.  There are no details yet, but Rolls-Royce chairman Ian Robertson hints to Carsguide that a drophead coupe based on the Ghost could be seen later this year.

"There is likely to be an entry to the model line-up. I think you will see some Rolls-Royce derivates this year that move in that direction. A derivative," Robertson says.

Rolls-Royce brought the convertible first when it stretched the Phantom line, before going on to the drophead coupe, but Robertson refuses to be drawn on the way the Ghost will be stretched.  "You'll have to wait and see," he says.

The smaller, less-expensive Ghost - priced from $645,000 in Australia - has been a huge hit for Rolls-Royce and helped the company to sales of 2711 cars in 2010. This was a new record and more than double the previous record of  1212 cars in 2009.

"Ghost is doing phenominally well. The Ghost has done the job it was supposed to," says Robertson.  "The interesting thing is that Phantom is holding up as well."  The top selling models in the Phantom range are the four-door cars, including the extended-wheelbase limousine that lists from $1.25 million without the bespoke customising done by almost all owners.

Rolls-Royce says almost every Phantom had some sort of custom work in 2011, from something as simple as a special paint colour to kick panels inside the doors to full custom wood interiors with major entertainment packages.

"The bespoke operation requires non-normal processes. If you use the normal process it does not happen," says Robertson, who predicts the bespoke business to grown considerable in 2011 with the Ghost.