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      Rolls-Royce opens new showroom in Delhi, launches Ghost Extended Wheelbase

      CarTrade Editorial Team

      CarTrade Editorial Team

      Rolls-Royce Motor Cars continues to penetrate the lucrative Indian auto sector by opening the doors of a new showroom in New Delhi. The new dealership, located at Mohan Co-operative Industrial Estate, Mathura Road, has replaced the Connaught Road centre that the company had been using till now.

      This new facility is spread over an area of 702 m², with total area for showcasing as many as five cars. The interior and customer lounge dimensions of this unit conform to the highest global standards set by Rolls-Royce. Therefore, customers can configure their new Rolls-Royce cars at a svelte and personalised setting that exudes the world class elegance that the company is known for. The company has placed the latest wood and leather samples available at Goodwood, England base of the company. Thus, buyers can easily direct the Bespoke division of Rolls-Royce to produce unique cars that suit their individual tastes perfectly.

      Yadur Kapur, Director, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars New Delhi was quoted, “The opening of this new showroom is a great statement of our ambitions for the brand. This is a space befitting the quality of a Rolls-Royce motor car and the impeccable taste of our customers.”

      Additionally, Paul Harris, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Regional Director for Asia-Pacific said, “The investment in a facility of this quality is a great testament to the confidence Rolls-Royce Motor Cars New Delhi have in the marque. We are committed to building on the recent success we have enjoyed in a market with a long and rich association with the brand.” He also quipped, “This is the perfect space to showcase our latest model, Ghost Extended Wheelbase. I am delighted to say feedback from the media and customers has been overwhelmingly positive since its global launch.”

      Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is, undoubtedly, one of the most prominent luxury car makers in the world. In the year 2005, the company forayed into India after a notable gap of five decades. The company was favoured by the Maharajas and aristocrats even at the time of British Raj, when it used to provide them with tailor-made cars that exhibited royal character to their core. The Bespoke department of the company continues this tradition while developing the current range of Rolls-Royce and provides highly personalised vehicles to buyers.

      In a strategic move, the company launched the Ghost Extended Wheelbase while opening the doors of this new showroom. This extended wheelbase model is the sixth new car released by the company in India. The original Ghost tasted enormous success in the country since its launch in 2010 and the car maker will be hoping to capitalise on that factor with this new car. The original model provided an opulent Rolls-Royce to those who demanded an ‘informal’ car that gave their families the most luxurious driving experience.

      The design theme followed by Rolls-Royce engineers is ‘Indian’ to the core, in order to supply the ideal product to customers. The driver dynamics of this new car are reminiscent to that of the original vehicle, with class-leading cabin space being one of the notable features of the vehicle. Due to the increased wheelbase, the new car has 170 mm extra rear cabin space as compared to the original model. Of course, the matchless Rolls-Royce drive quality has not been compromised while increasing the interior dimensions of the vehicle.

      The British car maker has assimilated the panoramic sunroof as a standard feature in the car to accentuate the elegant interiors, which exude lavishness when set awash with natural light. In terms of interior features, the car boasts of standard attractive lambs-wool carpets and multimedia theatre-configuration, which adds to the elegance quotient of the vehicle. Handcrafted in Goodwood, the car is available with a number of ethically sourced hand-built wood packages, such as the Malabar wood that is procured from Kerala, South India.

      In yet another successful attempt to reach the zenith of automotive luxury, the company worked on the principles of rendering supreme quality to the Ghost Extended Wheelbase (EWB). Thus the vehicle is able to give an effortless performance, a globally-recognised characteristic of Rolls-Royce cars. Owing to such factors, the car proudly carries the well known Spirit of Ecstasy figurine, which turned 100 in the year 2011.

      Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO, Rolls-Royce said “Ghost Extended Wheelbase is the latest Rolls-Royce in our range of pinnacle luxury cars. It is a model of outstanding design and unrivalled luxury, with ride and handling credentials underpinned by the best in engineering expertise. Ghost Extended Wheelbase delivers all the poise and dynamism enjoyed by discerning Ghost owners, with the indulgent experience of an extended wheelbase car. It is the very best of both worlds.”

      Reminiscent of the models that bore the Ghost name in the 20th and 21st centuries, the EWB model exudes simplicity, yet attracts onlookers with its contemporary styling. It commands the attention of passers-by with its flowing lines and prominent 'yatch-line' design theme. The seamless surface design and dominant shoulders and flanks certainly inspire confidence into the driver as well as passengers. The new forged wheel is a notable change from the original model and successfully adds a unique character to the car.

      The exteriors of Ghost Extended wheelbase reflect the Rolls-Royce lineage of the car, with an elevated prow, elongated bonnet, short front overhang and elegant tail. The trademark Rolls-Royce grille has been given a modern twist, with the sides curving inwards and vanes positioned into the opening, quite like a jet intake. This car is half a metre shorter than the Phantom Extended Wheelbase but still remains a class apart from others in its segment.

      The increased rear space of Ghost EWB can make any auto enthusiast to shun the driver seat for the plush rear seats and enjoy an unparalleled passenger experience. In spite of the spacious rear profile of the car, its rear doors have only gained an extra 35 mm over the front doors. The extended coach doors open at an angle of 89 degree and provide a clear view of the elegant rear cabin of this stupendous vehicle.

      Despite gaining just 170 mm of space over the previous model, Ghost EWB has considerably more space than its sibling. This is evident from the increased legroom, with just the knee-room featuring more than twice the increase, from 160 mm to 330 mm. Such figures are just indicators of the kind of space that the new car has to offer, since the true meaning of these numbers can only be understood by occupying the seats.

      Designed to render paramount comfort level, the EWB model allows occupants to relax and stretch in standard lounge seats at the click of a button. Passengers feel at home in the plush leather seats, placed behind the C-pillar, thus giving them a sense of personal space even while driving. The curved seating arrangement allows the passengers to turn to face each other quite easily, thus facilitating an informal environment to chat.

      The rear seats instil a sense of privacy among the occupants due to the convivial design of the car, thus enabling them to conduct business, maybe with the help of the wireless hotspot functionality of the vehicle. For entertainment, an optional theatre-configuration is available in the Ghost Extended Wheelbase model. The settings of this configuration allow rear seat passengers to regulate the functions that do not affect the driver from the rear.

      Apart from these, the entertainment quotient of the vehicle is further enhanced with an advanced audio system that produces 600 W via a 10 channel amplifier and 16 speakers. The system is further integrated with USB and auxiliary inputs, thus allowing occupants to listen to music stored in external devices. The car also features two 9.2 inch LCD screens placed on the backs of the front seats. Rear seat occupants can alter the angle of the screens to suit themselves; these are regulated from the central rotary controller, which is placed on the armrest. In the Ghost EWB, occupants can also start the climate control to control the air temperature on their sides. They can also tune TV channels and CDs, radio and browse the navigation menu conveniently.

      Helmut Riedl, Engineering Director said, “In Ghost we engineered a car with outstanding refinement and dynamic ability and it was important this was not lost in the development of Ghost Extended Wheelbase. I can confidently say we achieved this fundamental aim: performance is astonishing and the difference in driving dynamics almost imperceptible.”

      As was the case with Ghost, EWB renders a matchless driving experience, something that attracts people to undertake long drives quite more and more. The chassis of the car has the same poise that the standard model is well known for. Power, a trademark of Rolls-Royce cars, is again excellent in the new car. This vehicle runs on a 6.6 L twin turbo charged V12 engine, which produces 563 hp power. The same engine was assimilated in the original Ghost, as was the intelligent air suspension system, which is known for providing an enjoyable driving experience.

      An ideal reflection of the power of Ghost Extended Wheelbase is the power reserve gauge on the fascia. The advanced eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox successfully transmits power in the car, which enables it to churn out 780 Nm torque at a relatively low 1500 rpm. The car can successfully move from naught to 100 kmph in an astounding 5 seconds and registers top speed of 250 kmph.

      The car sports a double-wishbone suspension in the front and multi-link suspension in the rear; both have contributed heavily to render a pleasant riding experience. Moreover, the vehicle also boasts of an intelligent, four cornered air-suspension system and electronic variable damping mechanism, so that the vehicle provides a smooth ride even on the most demanding roads.

      The sensitive air suspension system can easily detect changes from one end of the car to the other effectively. The high-end digital mechanism computes the inputs from sensors all parts of the car, with the dampers carrying out individual calculations after each 2.5 milliseconds. Therefore, the car is able to provide the driver with the best steering and dynamics, while the the passengers enjoy the highest level of comfort throughout the ride.

      The new Ghost Extended Wheelbase consists of a number of complex electronic aids which ensure that the car is composed on all types of surfaces. Some of these aids are anti-roll stabilisation, dynamic brake control, dynamic traction control and cornering brake control. The engineers of Rolls-Royce have assimilated these such that each technology works closely under dual Integrated Chassis Management systems, thereby ensuring that the car maintains composure even while being subjected to the most strenuous tests.

      As many as 60 people work together to produce a single Rolls-Royce before the vehicle is rolled out of Goodwood, England. Among these are skilled craftsmen and technocrats, who partake in 2000 individual operations in a span of 20 days to develop the Ghost Extended Wheelbase. The paintjob and polishing itself takes 7 days; buyers can opt for the car in any one of the 12 colours that can be assimilated with an optional Silver Satin bonnet.

      The painting and polishing process is spread over 5 stages, wherein the first involves a phosphate electro-coating that wards off rust. Thereafter, the car receives a layer of primer, colour coat and two layers of clear lacquer. Subsequenty, the body of the vehicle is sanded inbetween each layer and polished manually for five hours after the final coating has been applied.

      Inarguably, Rolls-Royce cars are flawless and this holds true for the interiors of Ghost Extended Wheelbase too. The interiors of  this elegant car consists of nine types of high-grade bull hides. The leather is drum-dyed before being used, so that the colour permeates uniformly in the most effective manner. The leather is, then, dried naturally in order to obtain the characteritic texture by bringing out the grain, thus rendering a contemporary and opulent feel to the vehicle. The leather used in the car is cut with utmost accuracy with lasers and then handstitched via conventional upholstering techniques. After the seats and interior panels are personally signed by the crasftpeople who created the car, the leather is draped on the interiors.

      Taking as many as 16 days to be crafted, the woodset of Ghost EWB consists of a minimum of 3m2 of veneer, with 18 wood parts. Each and every piece includes 11 layers of veneer, one layer each of foil and aluminium, which successfully provide strength and save it from shattering in case of collision. The talented and creative craftsmen employ all of their skills to develop the most elegant material for the Rolls-Royce.

      The car sports premium grade wood veneers that are provided to customers in four finishes, such as contemporary straight grain and classic burr finishes. In order to ensure that the wood grains match throughout the car and all parts age simultaneously, the company uses veneer from the same tree for a single car. They are subjected to manual milling and sanding processes and then coated with five layers of lacquer that renders protection and the trademark mirror-like sheen.

      Indeed, the interior experience of Rolls-Royce Extended Wheelbase is peerless, perfectly in line with the ethos of Sir Henry Royce – to strive for perfection in everything Rolls-Royce does.

      TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

      Number of doors / seats

       -

      4 / 5

      Vehicle length (unladen)

      mm

      5569

      Vehicle width (unladen)

      mm

      1948

      Vehicle height (unladen)

      mm

      1550

      Wheelbase

      mm

      3295

      Turning circle

      m

      14

      Overhang front

      mm

      867.5

      Overhang rear

      mm

      1236.5

      Track width front

      mm

      1622

      Track width rear

      mm

      1660

      Shoulder room front

      mm

      1510

      Shoulder room rear

      mm

      1418

      Elbow room front

      mm

      1540

      Elbow room rear

      mm

      1448

      Max headroom front

      mm

      1030

      Max headroom rear

      mm

      990

      Effective headroom front

      mm

      995

      Effective headroom rear

      mm

      975

      Ground clearance (unladen)

      mm

      150

      Width including mirrors

      mm

      2108

      Luggage compartment capacity (ISO3832)

      ltr

      490

      Fuel tank capacity

      ltr

      82.5

      Unladen weight (DIN / (EU)

      kg

      2420

      Axle load ratio, rear (unladen)

      %

      48.2

      Gross axle weight /max payload

      kg

      2940 / 580

      Axle payload limit front / rear

      kg

      1445 / 1575

      Engine type / Cylinders / valves

       -

      V / 12 / 48

      Fuel management

       -

      Direct injection

      Engine injector set-up / Aspiration

       

      DI(VVT)/ twin turbo

      Displacement

      cm3

      6592

      Stroke / Bore

      mm

      88.3 / 89.0

      Power output @ engine speed

      bhp / kW (PS)/min-1

      563 / 420 (570) / 5250

      Max torque @ engine speed

      lb/ft / Nm/min-1

      575 / 780 / 1500

      Compression ratio / fuel type

       -

      10.0 / Super unleaded*

      Transmission type

       -

      8 speed automatic

      Transmission ratios 1st/2nd/3rd/4th

       -

      4.717 / 3.143 / 2.106 / 1.667

      Transmission ratios 5th/6th/7th/8th

       -

      1.285 / 1.000 / 0.839 / 0.667

      Transmission ratio reverse gear

       -

      3.317

      Final drive ratio

       -

      2.813

      Steering / Total

       -

      Hydraulic rack and pinion 19.9

      Steering wheel revolutions lock to lock

       

      3.1

      Drag co-efficient cd / A / cd x A

       - / m2 / m2

      0.33 / 2.60 / 0.863

      Top speed

      Mph / km/h

      155 / 250

      Acceleration 0-60 mph / 0-100km/h

      S

      4.7 / 4.9

      1km from standing start

      S

      23.1

      Power to weight (DIN-Unladen weight)

      kg/kW

      5.6

      Power per litre

      kW/ltr

      63.7

      Consumption urban (EU)

      ltr/100km

      20.6 l/100 km / 13.7mpg (Imp)

      Consumption extra urban

      ltr/100km

      9.6 l/100 km / 29.4 mpg (Imp)

      Combined consumption

      Mpg (imp. gal.)/ ltr/100km

      13.7 l/100 km / 20.6 mpg (Imp)

      Range

      Km

      602

      CO2 Emissions (combined)

      g/Km

      319

      Exhaust emissions standard

       

      EU5

      Front tyres

       -

      255/50 R19 103Y
      255/45 R20 101Y

      Rear tyres

       -

      255/50 R19 103Y
      285/40 R20 104Y

      Front wheels

       -

      8.5J x 19 EH2
      8.5Jx20 EH2

      Rear wheels

       -

      8.5J x 19 EH2
      9.5Jx20 EH2

      Wheel inset (difference between mounting face and centre of tyre section)

      Mm

      25

      Capacity of radiator incl. heating / motor oil

      Ltr

      17.2 / 10.5

      Transmission oil / final drive fluid

      Ltr

      Lifetime filling

      Battery capacity / location

      Ah / -

      90 (AGM) / Luggage compartment

      Alternator output rating

      A / W

      210 / 2900

      *The engine is designed for Octane 95 fuel