The Rolls-Royce Ghost V-spec has been unveiled as the brand’s new performance model. Strictly, it’s not a powered-up, hard-core model in the vein of, say, a Nissan Skyline V-Spec (though wouldn’t that be wonderful?), but a special edition to celebrate the Ghost’s fifth birthday. So don’t expect to see this Ghost hauling itself around the Nurburgring Nordschleife in the near future.
A Rolls-Royce performance flagship? Surely not…
Joking aside, this is the new Rolls Royce Ghost V-Specification. Available to order only between January and June 2014, it’s a limited edition package that ups grunt from the 6.6-litre V12 engine, and turns up the visual aggression too.
What of the name? V-Specification relates to the car’s V12 engine, and also the Roman numeral V, meaning five. That’s denoting five years since the emergence of the Rolls-Royce 200EX concept, which went on almost altered to become the Ghost production car. Happy birthday, Ghost!
So, what’s actually new?
Under the vast bonnet, the same 6.6-litre twin-turbo petrol engine as the regular Ghost has been breathed on, resulting in an extra 30bhp. Although that increase in muscle pushes the total out to 593bhp, the Ghost V-Spec is no quicker than before: Rolls-Royce still quotes the same 4.7sec 0-62mph time as the standard car.
Mind you, we’re talking about a 2360kg leviathan here, so a sub-5sec dash to 62mph is no slouch. The top speed will remain limited to 155mph, dashing the hopes of chauffeurs expecting a barnstorming maximum.
Go on…
Mainly, V-Specification is about distinguishing your Roller from other Ghosts, hence the addition of part-polished 21in alloy wheels, ‘V’ motifs engraved into the treadplates and rear armrests, and the multimedia cover lid. You also get an exclusive clock inlayed into the dashboard. How delightfully British, what-what.
Though five (naturally) colours have been recommended for the V-Specification, Rolls-Royce will paint your Ghost special edition in any one of its 44,000 available hues, and match the cabin upholstery to any fabric you desire. Naturally, all this comes at a price, but a Rolls-Royce spokesman told CAR ‘our customers prefer us not to communicate the price of their exclusive models’.
Quite right too. Talking money is frightfully vulgar, especially when a ‘standard’ Ghost sets you back a mighty £170,250…