The Ghost of Rolls-Royce

Rolls Royce has decided to build a small car.

Please remember that all things are relative. By “small car” we mean smaller than their behemoth Phantom, yet still larger than pretty much anything else on the road.

First revealed at the Geneva Motor Show in March as the 200EX, the factory designated RR4 has officially been named Ghost, courtesy of CEO Tom Purves at a press conference from the Shanghai Motor Show. The Ghost moniker was first applied to a Rolls-Royce model built from 1906 to 1925, of which some 7,876 were produced.

This latest Roller will be built on a stretched version of the new BMW 7-series platform and power comes from a 6.6 liter turbocharged V12 mated to an 8-speed ZF transmission. The motor is said to produce well upwards of 500 horsepower, sure to propel the sedan with alacrity. All of the Rolls-Royce customizable options for paint, wood and leather will be available as expected. The Ghost should be available in Q4 of this year and will be followed by coupe and convertible versions.

As to the Ghost’s raison d’être, the Bentley Continental Flying Spur would probably be to blame. This Bentley sedan has been a sales success and the folks at Rolls-Royce wanted a direct competitor in size and price to cash in on the Flying Spurs market.

Decisions, decisions…