Rolls-Royce Ghost 2016 News

Rolls-Royce has slashed the price of its most basic model to, er, a little more than half a million dollars. Want to drive a bargain? Rolls-Royce has slashed $100,000 off the price of its most affordable model, the Ghost sedan. There is just one catch: it will still cost $545,000 (drive-away, no more to pay) or roughly the average price of a house in Australia. The British brand unveiled the new model in Sydney on Tuesday, announcing that it deleted several luxury items to trim $100,000 off the price. RELATED: Will privately imported cars really be cheaper?MORE: Luxury buyers the big winners if import rules change The updated Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II no longer comes standard with lambs wool floor mats, a sunroof, remote central locking, electrically-adjusted rear seats or aircraft-style tables that fold down behind the front seats. Instead, these items are now individual options. “We want to make Rolls-Royce more accessible to younger buyers,” said Paul Harris, the Asia-Pacific regional director for Rolls-Royce cars. The price cut comes as figures show Rolls-Royce sales are on a roll in Australia -- up by a staggering 183 per cent -- from, er, 12 deliveries in the first 10 months of last year, to 34 deliveries nationally so far in 2014. Rolls-Royce insists the price cut is not a knee-jerk reaction to the Federal Government’s plan to allow buyers to import new cars privately. When asked if Rolls-Royce was concerned about the Federal Government’s proposal to allow buyers to privately import new cars to save thousands of dollars, Mr Harris said: “It wouldn’t make a difference, our prices are the same across the region, before taxes are included.” When asked if someone imported a new Rolls-Royce from the UK, where they are significantly cheaper, Mr Harris said: “Then the customer wouldn’t have a warranty. The warranty comes with the car delivered by a dealer in Australia.” It may be prudent to have a factory-backed warranty as almost every Rolls-Royce sold in Australia over the 10 years from 2002 to 2012 was recalled two years ago because the brakes could fail, or the car could catch fire. The car industry is fighting the Federal Government’s plan to allow private buyers to import their own cars. Initially, the government thought it would lead to cheaper prices for mass market models. But numerous studies have shown that prices for cars less than the $61,884 Luxury Car Tax threshold are similar to or cheaper than overseas models. However, a large gap emerges above $100,000, where almost all cars are cheaper in Europe and the USA than in Australia.

Company founder Sir Henry Royce aimed to "strive for perfection in everything you do" but problems happen even to the best of them - Rolls Royce has issued two recalls on its Ghost and million-dollar Phantom.The BMW-owned British marque is investigating a fault with the Ghost's turbocharger cooling system on its 6.6-litre twin-turbo V12 engine, as well as the Phantom's hydraulic fault within the braking system.The company issued a recall on the Ghost Sedan over fire risks if "the turbo cooling pump cracks, the pump electronics may smoulder, possibly causing an engine compartment fire or a vehicle fire," the notice said. The recall covers Ghosts available for sale between September 1, 2009 and June 30, 2011.Rolls-Royce Asia-Pacific aftersales general manager Carl Whipp said in a letter to customers said vehicles may be affected by an auxiliary water pump failure within the turbocharger cooling system. "In extreme cases this could lead to overheating, posing a potential fire risk," the letter to customers said.The bastion of British motoring has also recalled the Phantom - in sedan, coupe and convertible forms - sold between January 1, 2009 and November 30, 2009, over concerns oil can get into the brake booster. In a letter to owners, Rolls-Royce aftersales general manager Michael Dedekind told Phantom owners a potential oil leak in the braking system and reduce of braking assistance."Mechanical braking is still available to slow and stop the vehicle and there have been no reported incidents among Rolls-Royce owners. "Furthermore, as this issue relates to older vehicles with a high mileage, we believe it is highly unlikely that Rolls-Royce customers will be affected," the letter says.The recall numbers are only a handful as the company's Australian volumes are not considered high - the brand's total sales for 2012 so far is 4 and just 20 Rolls-Royce cars were sold last year.In fact, over the last 10 years only 124 Rolls-Royce cars were sold in Australia - but that's no surprise, given the Ghost starts at $645,000 and the Phantom's asking price starts at just over $1-million. 

The Rolls-Royce Ghost Extended Wheelbase makes Australian debut in Sydney to coincide with the opening of a new and extended showroom in Sydney's O'Riordan Street.  The long wheelbase Ghost, which at $695,000 is $50,000 more expensive than the existing Ghost, is the sixth new Rolls-Royce model to be available in Australia.  Standard is a panoramic sunroof, lambs wool carpets, multi-media theatre system and electronically-controlled air suspension. But more than luxury on wheels, the 420kW/780Nm 6.6-litre V12 engine allows the lengthened Rolls to sprint to 100km/h in only five seconds - about the same time as a Subaru WRX. Rolls-Royce regional director for Asia-Pacific, Paul Harris, says "The Ghost Extended Wheelbase is a car for all occasions''.  "Owners who enjoy Ghost for its effortless power-delivery and driver dynamic will be delighted with the enhanced rear-cabin space in Ghost Extended Wheelbase,'' he says.  "This truly is the perfect, no compromise motor car - a fact that's been reflected in the phenomenal media and customer response the car has enjoyed across Asia-Pacific.'' Rolls-Royce in Australia sold 20 cars in 2011, down from 25 in 2010, and has sold three cars to the end of February.  But Mr Harris says the Ghost - at $645,000 a "less formal'' Rolls-Royce that is $423,000 shy of the bigger Phantom - has seen "exceptional demand'' since its 2009 launch in Australia.  "It has introduced a new generation of customers to the marque, wowed by its combination of drivability and hallmark Rolls-Royce exuberant luxury,'' he says.  The new Rolls-Royce showroom, operated by Trivett, is described as a custom-built, state-of-the art facility with room for four cars and a "bespoke'' space for customers to comm ission their hand-built cars. In addition to the bespoke area, the showroom has a mezzanine entertainment lounge designed by renowned interior designers POCO.  Customers will be able to view the latest paint, leather and wood samples from the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, England, and commission a car "as unique as their own fingerprints'', says Harris.

The show includes artworks and objects that tell the story of motoring pioneer Lord John Montagu - editor of The Car Illustrated magazine, his secretary and mistress, Eleanor Thornton, and the sculptures of her that led to the Spirit. The first Rolls-Royces did not have radiator mascots, but many owners commissioned their own to decorate their cars. Montagu had Charles Sykes create one for his Silver Ghost, and the sculptor modelled The Whisper -- a figurine of Eleanor Thornton in fluttering drapery, with her finger to her lips symbolising the secret affair. It was one of the more dignified personal mascots of the day. By 1910 Rolls-Royce had become concerned that many owners were mounting vulgar mascots to their cars, and managing director Claude Johnson commissioned Sykes to design a mascot that could be "the spirit of the Rolls-Royce". Sykes again used Eleanor as the inspiration for the figure that was first known as the Spirit of Speed and later became the Spirit of Ecstasy, which has since decorated nearly every Rolls-Royce. (Notable exceptions are Queen Elizabeth's mascot of St George slaying a dragon, and the late Princess Margaret, who chose a Pegasus.) However, Eleanor did not live long enough to see how enduring her image became. She was killed in 1915 when the ship on which she and Lord Montagu were sailing to India was torpedoed by a German submarine. Montagu survived and is said to have grieved in secret for the rest of life. The exhibition at Palace House - the Montagu family home - will feature The Whisper and other Spirit of Ecstasy figurines, and special edition covers created by Sykes for The Car Illustrated magazine, among other items. The mascot - which is also nicknamed Ellie in her Nightie - has been through many changes over the years, several of which were prompted by the lowering height of the cars. A kneeling version was produced briefly in the 1930s, but was later replaced by a smaller standing mascot. In the US she was made to bow a little lower to better protect the car bonnets. On recent cars, the Spirit is spring loaded and retracts into the bonnet to deter thieves.

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.

Well, you will in 2010 when the newest Rolls-Royce hits the road. The baby brother of the hulking Phantom has just been named, and it's officially the Ghost. The name takes over from the RR4 tag used during development of the compact new Rolls-Royce and was announced today at the opening of the Shanghai Motor Show. The Ghost name has a long history at Rolls-Royce, starting from 1906, although it has not been used since 1925. The company's best-known car is the original Silver Ghost. The Ghost will become Rolls-Royce's fifth model when it joins the Phantom, Phantom extended wheelbase, Phantom Drophead coupe and Phantom coupe. It will be built on a dedicated production line at the Rolls-Royce factory at Goodwood in the UK, and is expected to more than double sales from the 1212 sold in 2008.