Rolls-Royce Ghost vs Infiniti Q50

What's the difference?

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.

The Infiniti Q50 Red Sport sedan really wants you to love it, and this latest version is doing its best to impress the heck out of you with its looks and features.

So much so that you'll take it home... and live with it, forever. And then there's that engine – armed with a formidable twin-turbo petrol V6, the Q50 Red Sport's outpowers all its rivals.

But then there's the BMW 340i which is not that much more expensive... and it's a BMW. And what about the Lexus IS 350? That's more like the Infiniti, but also more popular.

Oh, and don't forget that we when first met the Q50 Red Sport last year we didn't exactly get off on the right foot. The engine's formidable grunt seemed too much for the car to handle. Then there was the jiggly ride, and the steering wasn't great either unless you were in Sport + mode. It's all coming back now...

Perhaps the Q50 Red Sport had changed. This is the new one, and Infiniti had assured us it's a different car now.

Do we give it another chance? Of course, and we do, in a quick 48-hour test. So, has it changed? Is it better? Would we live with it forever?