The all-new Rolls-Royce Ghost will spearhead Rolls-Royce’s presence at this year’s Salon Privé when the car makes its public debut later this month at Blenheim Palace, the perfect backdrop for such an elegant car.
The Rolls-Royce Ghost is the most technologically advanced model ever designed by the iconic marque and replaces the company’s most successful product in its 116-year history, reflecting the company’s ‘Post Opulent’ design philosophy as well as Sir Henry Royce’s timeless edict to ‘Take the best that exists and make it better’. The only two items carried over from the previous model are the famous Spirit of Ecstacy and the umbrellas, whilst everything else has been crafted and engineered from the ground up.
The new vehicle is based around a rigid aluminium spaceframe and features an immensely powerful 6.75-litre twin-turbo V12 engine that incorporates all-wheel drive and all-wheel steering. The Planar suspension system has been redesigned to provide the marque’s fabled ‘magic carpet’ ride and works in tandem with the Flagbearer system, which uses cameras to read the surface ahead so that the Ghost can anticipate and react to even the most demanding roads. Add to this the Satellite Aided Transmission, which uses GPS data to pre-select the optimum gear for the corner ahead, and you really do get the ultimate driving experience from the all-new Rolls-Royce Ghost.
As you would expect, the sumptuous interior of the new Ghost has been designed to create the ultimate serene driving experience as you can see from these photographs, with a world first in the shape of its Illuminated Fascia which was developed over the course of two years. It produces a glowing ‘Ghost’ nameplate surrounded by 850 stars on the passenger’s side of the dashboard and indicative of the incredible attention to detail that has gone into designing every aspect of this new car.
Of course, engineering excellence has always been a Rolls-Royce hallmark, as visitors to this year’s Salon Privé will be able to see, as Rolly-Royce will also have on display a 1911 Silver Ghost with two-seat open tourer coachwork by Rippon. It was the legendary 40/50hp that first earned the famous label of ‘the best car in the world’, and this particular car, which is one of a number of cars owned by The Daniel Ghose and Ana Polo Collection, was first delivered to London-based Sir Adolph Tuck.
The car originally had Mulliner Landaulet bodywork but, as with so many Edwardian and Vintage cars, it was rebodied following World War Two, and in 1977 formed part of the Queen’s Jubilee Parade from Windsor Castle to Ascot. It has more recently been restored to its present concours-winning condition and will be joined by an ex-Sir Malcolm Campbell Phantom II Continental Touring Saloon. Chassis number 140MY was delivered to the Land Speed Record hero on 28th March 1933. Campbell was such a fan of the marque that he wrote the official brochure for the Phantom II, entitled ‘The best Rolls-Royce yet produced’. The car wears handsome Barker & Co coachwork, and Salon Privé will be the final chance to see this beautiful car before it heads to India, where it will be housed in the prestigious YZP Collection & Museum.
Salon Privé Director David Bagley said: “With more than 20 new models set to be unveiled by some of the world’s greatest automotive brands, this year’s event is already set to be a landmark week. The announcement that Rolls-Royce has chosen Salon Privé to give the new Ghost its UK public launch is particularly exciting. We can’t wait to get a glimpse of the marque’s future, alongside the great models from its past that will be centre-stage in the Salon Privé Concours d’Elégance presented by AXA.”
Tickets for this year’s Salon Privé, which takes place between 22nd and 26th September 2020 are available at www.salonpriveconcours.com or by calling the Ticket Hotline on 0808 100 2205.
Author Bio:
Simon Burrell is Editor of Our Man Behind The Wheel, a member of The Guild of Motoring Writers, professional photographer and former saloon car racing driver.
Photographs courtesy of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
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