New Rolls-Royce Ghost Extended offers extra space and luxury

Rolls-Royce has launched an Extended version of its new Ghost luxury saloon, with additional space for rear passengers.

The new variant of the recently launched second-generation Ghost is developed for use as a chauffeured limousine, offering extra space and special features focused on the rear of the cabin. It will likely prove particularly popular in China, where there's high demand for extended-wheelbase saloons.

Rolls-Royce boss Torsten Müller-Otvös said the Ghost Extended was developed because the firm’s customers had asked for a version “that provides the indulgence of enhanced rear space within the rear suite with no compromise to driving dynamics”.

The Ghost Extended is based on a stretched version of the aluminium spaceframe architecture used on the standard Ghost (and the Rolls-Royce Phantom and Rolls-Royce Cullinan). It has been lengthened by 170mm from the standard Ghost’s 5549mm, with the wheelbase increased by 170mm to 3465mm. 

Rolls-Royce said that to maintain the Ghost’s ‘minimalist’ styling, its designers only extended the rear door and body around the openings, which ‘cloaked’ the extra length and helped to preserve the lines of the car.

Inside, the extra rear cabin room of the Ghost Extended has allowed for a number of new features. Reclining ‘serenity seats’, which Rolls-Royce likes to those in a business jet, are optional.

A champagne fridge has also been fitted between the rear seats. Because the optimum serving temperature of champagne is 6deg C for non-vintage bottles and 11deg C for vintage bottles, the fridge has two cooling modes at those temperatures. Other comfort features include built-in wi-fi and a new air purification system.

The engineering and drivetrain of the Ghost remains unchanged, using the same 563bhp twin-turbocharged 6.75-litre V12 petrol engine.

Customer deliveries of the Ghost Extended are due to begin before the end of 2020. Rolls-Royce hasn't disclosed pricing details.