Basic Specs

Base From$5
Unveiling 2011 Shanghai motor show
Availability China now, Global unknown
Status For sale (China)
Engine 563HP twin-turbo 6.75L V12
Body Style Sedan
Segment Luxury High-Performance Grand Touring
Size Large
By Andrew Ganz
Tuesday, Apr 19th, 2011 @ 11:52 am

With austerity long a thing of the past in Shanghai, Rolls-Royce has taken the wraps off of an even more luxurious version of its Ghost at the city’s Motor Show.

The Ghost Extended Wheelbase that bowed in Shanghai is designed to take advantage of the increasingly lucrative Chinese market, which has helped Rolls-Royce double its year-over-year sales so far in 2011.

The BMW-owned British luxury brand added just short of 7 inches to the standard Ghost to create the Extended model. Not surprisingly, all of the added room comes in the rear passenger area, where knee and leg room has reached stretch-out proportions. In addition, a longer panoramic moonroof adds more ambient light for passengers.

(More after video)

When Rolls-Royce first launched the Ghost, which traces some of its roots to the BMW 7-Series, the marque said that it was a car designed for both drivers and chauffeurs. Although the automaker’s message hasn’t strayed, the Ghost Extended Wheelbase appears to focus more on those who prefer to be driven – a demographic that is very much alive in China.

Like the standard Ghost, the long wheelbase model is powered by a 563 horsepower twin-turbo V12 that helps the big sedan sprint to 62 mph in under five seconds.

Rolls-Royce will built limited numbers of the Ghost Extended Wheelbase models in 2011 before beginning full scale production in 2012. For now, sales are limited to the China market only.

China Edition Ghost
Further placing emphasis on the Chinese market, Rolls-Royce also debuted a special edition Ghost aimed directly at its fastest-growing and second-largest (behind the United States) market.

The China Edition features a consort red interior, gold twin coach lines, a gold-plated Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament and stainless steel pinstripes.

The automaker will make this limited run model available only to select buyers in China and only in three paint shades (Deep Garnet, Black Ember and Infinity).

  

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