A couple of weeks ago, we had reported on how changing demands from the new generation of the brand’s patrons, and altered perceptions on luxury brought about by the coronavirus have led Rolls-Royce to reimagine its concept and execution of opulence.
The first model to reflect the idea of minimalism brought about by the new sets of demands placed by clients combined with market intelligence gathered over the last six years is the upcoming new Rolls-Royce Ghost. Termed ‘Post Opulence” by Rolls-Royce, this new strategy is aimed at incorporating the “divergent interests, opinions and changing taste patterns within Ghost clients’ appreciation of luxury.”
However, the idea of minimalism will be limited to aesthetics, as the mechanicals of the upcoming Ghost are set to be as complicated and advanced as can be. Rolls-Royce has today revealed that the new Ghost will feature both all-wheel drive and all-wheel steering, while the proprietary spaceframe architecture will be adapted to enhance the magic carpet ride and dynamic abilities even more.
The Planar suspension system of the new Ghost will comprise three elements. The first is an Upper Wishbone Damper unit, which is mounted above the front suspension assembly and creates a stable and effortless ride. The second is the Flagbearer system, which uses cameras to read the road ahead and prepare the suspension system for any changes in road surface. The third is Satellite Aided Transmission, which uses GPS data to pre-select the optimum gear for upcoming corners. Essentially, the Planar system helps the Ghost anticipate and react to different kinds of road surface.
“Ghost clients told us that it’s the car in their collection that they’re drawn to the most. They love its uncomplicated versatility. It’s not trying to be a sports car, it’s not trying to be a grand statement – it’s simply exceptional and exceptionally simple. When it came to creating a new Ghost – one that outshines its incredibly capable predecessor – the engineering team had to start from scratch. We pushed our architecture even further and created a car even more dynamic, even more luxurious and, most of all, even more effortlessly useable,” says New Ghost Engineering Lead, Jonathan Simms.
