However, as many accolades as the Phantom has won in the last 7 years, the fact remains that the car was launched in 2003 and an upgrade is overdue. The upgrade become nearly necessary when you know that Mercedes’s Maybach is officially dead and Bentley is trying its level best to hijack a couple of Maybach’s celebrity customers for publicity and brand building.

However, BMW has no plans to replace the Phantom any time soon. The next best alternative is a facelift – a little nip and tuck to make the Phantom look fresh and vibrant. CarScoop has managed to snag an image of a prototype showcasing what to expect in the future. The prototype reveals  that the Phantom will sport redesigned headlamp sets.

Being an early prototype, it is possible that the production model may feature more changes such as the bumper and tail lamp redesigns.

That’s not all. Our friends at WorldCarFans have caught the Coupe version of the Rolls Royce Phantom doing its winter testing rounds. Not much else is known about the Phantom Coupe but WorldCarFans expects some updates to the interior and powertrain to go along with the new styling. Expect to see the new Rolls Royce Phantom launched by the end of 2012.

Source: CarScoop.BlogSport.com & WorldCarFans.com

It plans to appoint one dealer in north India and the second either in central or south India. Over 200 Rolls Royce cars have been sold to customers since 2005 and the company is struggling to meet demand of the recently launched Ghost model.

[Source - Zeenews.india.com]

The Ghost is the entry level limousine that Rolls Royce offers to welcome new customers to the brand. It is the most successful product across the globe because a lot of people who were planning to buy a Mercedes S Class or the Audi A8 suddenly saw the spirit of ecstasy in their sight.

The reason why RR is able to offer the Ghost as a lower price is because it did not develop the Ghost platform.

The Ghost is not a bespoke Rolls Royce; it is in fact a BMW 7 Series underneath. However, the boffins at the Goodwood plant have made sure that the connection isn’t so evident. Powered by a 6.6 litre, V12 that that pokes 563 ponies and 780 Nm of torque, the Ghost can do a 0-100 run in 5 seconds.

The long wheelbase version of the Ghost will set you back by a whopping 3.05 crores. Don’t try to sell your organs, you still won’t be able to reach that figure even if your heart is made of gold

Torsten Muller Otvos, Global chief executive of Rolls Royce Motor Cars -

We couldn’t keep up with the demand – by the end of last year, we had more orders than we were able to supply.

With respect to 2009, Rolls Royce India registered an astounding sales growth of 400% YOY.

Most of this growth is fueled by RR’s latest entry level model – The Ghost. And Indians are spending even more on customizing their Ghost. The new customers are adding anything from personalized tread plates to interiors and specialized luggage glassware and picnic sets.

I guess it’s a habit that has been passed on to us by the Maharajas who used to customize their Rolls Royces with ivory and diamonds.

The demand is so lucrative that Mr Otvos is making his first visit to India later this week to expand Rolls’ dealerships network to Bangalore and Hyderabad.

Right from the British Raj, India has always loved Rolls Royce, even more than Mercedes. Most of our Maharajas used to have one (or more than one in some cases) parked in their garages for special visits of their empire. Some even pimped them up with ivory, peacock feathers and diamonds (Yea! 50 Cents move over, we started it way back)

Well, the golden age has returned with India being the 3rd largest market for RR in the Asia Pacific region, after China and Japan. The company is projecting sales of up to 70 units in the coming year. That’s 7 times of what it sold last time!

The company has currently two dealerships in Delhi and Mumbai with a total 5 variants of the Ghost and Phantom on sale priced between 2 to 5 crore rupees. The company is banking on the 7 Series-based Ghost model to drive in majority of the sales.

Globally, the company has had a very successful year and has managed to double its sales with over 2000 units!

Even internationally, majority of the sales have been brought by the Ghost by contributing over three-quarters of Rolls total sales. The company has also plans to introduce long-wheelbase, Drophead coupe and coupe versions of the Ghost very soon.

The Ghost is an entry level Rolls Royce which is built on the BMW 7 series platform and is targeted towards the young buyers who are new to the marque.

Source – motorbeam.com

There will be a lot of ghost on streets if Rolls Royce ambitions are anything to go by. The baby Roller is all set to have many cousin sisters in the future.

Torsten Mueller-Oetvoes, the CEO of Rolls Royce said to Bloomberg -

I’m quite confident that we’re going to see a Ghost derivative to come. There’s still a lot of potential in the market.

The RR Ghost utilizes the BMW 7 Series platform and the company managed to sell the full consignment of 60 Ghosts in less than 2 weeks.

The major focus of the company will be on emerging markets like China, India and the Middle East. The CEO’s enthusiasm is buoyed by the recent increase in the sales. Rolls-Royce had a 17% drop in sales in 2009 due to recession. But as the economy is recovering so are the sales and the company has set an ambitious target of 2,000+ cars in 2010.

Although he didn’t give any hint as to how the product line up will expand, we are expecting a longer wheel base model for the emerging markets following it up with a Drophead.

Source – Car Scoop

The Indian market’s thirst for exotic cars far from getting quenched despite recession or other intervening factors. Rolls Royce, which introduced the Ghost in Delhi a little over two weeks ago, has almost sold out the sixty allotted vehicles for the Indian market.

The RR Ghost costs Rs 2.5 crore rupees. If you choose to customize it, it can cost up to 4.5 crore depending on the level of individualization.

Rolls-Royce has two showrooms in India, one in Delhi and the other in Mumbai.

According to company officials, 80 percent of those who have booked the Ghost are new to the brand.

Rolls Royce Ghost Launch Image Gallery

If you aren’t able to view the image slideshow above, why not view the images directly at the Rolls Royce Ghost Image Gallery?

Press Release -

Rolls-Royce Ghost Debuts in India

Mumbai, India, Friday, December 4th, 2009 –

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Headquarters: Goodwood, West Sussex, United Kingdom previewed its new four-door super-luxury saloon, Ghost, for the first time in India today.

Ghost is smaller and more dynamic than previous models and is instantly recognisable as a Rolls-Royce, achieving a new modernism but remaining true to its luxurious heritage. The car is the first in a new Rolls-Royce model series, separate from the Phantom family which comprises Phantom, Phantom Extended Wheelbase (four door saloons), Phantom Drophead Coupé (convertible) and Phantom Coupé (fixed roof).

At the preview, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Asia Pacific Regional Director Colin Kelly said: “Ghost is a more informal design that broadens the appeal of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, combining refinement, new technology and contemporary style. It bears all the hallmarks of other Rolls-Royce cars, using the finest wood and leather materials and employing manufacturing standards which are no different to Phantom. Ghost will be built-to-order.”

Brenda Pek, General Manager for South & East Asia Pacific added, “We have seen a healthy level of interest around Ghost in India, which started earlier this year during the 200EX world tour. Ghost has appealed to a broader set of Indian buyers, which has further strengthened the high demand that we are experiencing around the region despite the current economic climate.”

Peerless Comfort

The interior of Ghost features a number of Rolls-Royce design cues such as traditional violin key switches and eyeball air vents. Deep-pile carpets can be complemented by optional lambswool floor mats for a truly luxurious feel.

Housed within the front doors are integrated Teflon-coated umbrellas, while the rear coach doors, unique to Rolls-Royce open to a generous 83 degrees. The interior space is filled with natural light, enhanced by an optional Panorama Sunroof, which extends from the front into the rear compartment. Four-zone automatic air conditioning, automatic air recirculation, condensation prevention and solar compensation, lounge or individual seating (the latter with optional massage function) offer outstanding comfort for passengers.

Picnic tables, incorporating the finest leather and veneers matched to the rest of Ghost’s interior, also house two 9.2in LCD screens in the back of the front seats. The Ghost audio system delivers 600 Watts of sound through a 10-channel amplifier and 16 speakers, including two floor-mounted subwoofers. USB and auxiliary inputs allow for the integration of external audio devices, while a 12.5 GB hard drive enables storage of music files from USB or CD player sources.

Riding on a sophisticated four corner air suspension, Ghost can detect even the smallest of changes. For example, it will sense the movement of a single rear passenger from one side of the seat to the other and compensate accordingly. A lift and kneel function raises or lowers Ghost by 25mm.

A host of optional aids make Ghost the most driver-focused Rolls-Royce Motor Car yet, and include rear, front side and top view cameras, Night Vision camera, Head-up Display, Lane Departure Warning, High Beam Assistance, Adaptive, directional headlights and Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go Active Brake Intervention. Optional Comfort Entry allows easy access to the car, unlocking doors when the key fob is within 1.5 metres.

Exemplary performance

Ghost is the most powerful Rolls-Royce built to date, yet delivers its performance in an entirely Rolls-Royce manner – effortlessly. The epitome of dynamic refinement, the Ghost drivetrain comprises a unique 6.6 litre twin-turbo charged V12 engine and a new 8-speed automatic ZF gearbox.

Peak power output of 563bhp / 420kW / 570PS at 5250rpm is combined with a maximum torque of 780Nm / 575lb ft at only 1500 rpm. The result is that Ghost is able to reach 60mph in 4.7 seconds / 0-100km/h in 4.9 seconds, and an electronically governed top speed of 155mph / 250km/h. The new drive train significantly improves Rolls-Royce Motor Cars class leading position on CO2 (317g/km) and fuel efficiency (Combined consumption: 20.8 mpg / 13.6 l/100km).

Electronic aids keep Ghost composed on virtually any surface and include Anti-Roll Stabilisation, Dynamic Brake Control and Dynamic Stability Control, Dynamic Traction Control and Cornering Brake Control. Ghost’s handling and safety systems operate as one, imperceptible to the driver and passengers.

Production

Production of Ghost has begun at Goodwood and the first customer cars are expected to be delivered to India by the second quarter of 2010. In order to cope with anticipated demand, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars will increase its manufacturing workforce by 50 per cent.

Notes to Editors:

1.Rolls-Royce Motor Cars showrooms in India are located at:

North India

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars New Delhi

Shangri La Hotel, 19, Ashoka Road, New Delhi 110 001

Tel : +91 143505888 Fax: +91 11 4168 2555

Chief Executive Officer: Yadur Kapur

South India

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Mumbai

Navnit Motors Pvt. Ltd.

48, Atria Millennium Mall, Annie Basent Road, Worli, Mumbai 400 018

Tel: +91 22 2481 3326 / 35 Fax: +91 22 2481 3336

Sales and Marketing Director: Sharad Kachalia

2. The 2008 Rolls-Royce Motor Cars product range*:

Phantom- Launched January 2003

Phantom Extended Wheelbase- Launched March 2005

Phantom Drophead Coupé- Launched January 2007

Phantom Coupé- Launched March 2008

Ghost- Launched March 2009

Approximately Rs. 2,50,00,000*

*Manufacturer’s suggested on-road price. Rolls-Royce Ghost is built to order

Rolls Royce Ghost Launch Image Gallery

If you aren’t able to view the image slideshow above, why not view the images directly at the Rolls Royce Ghost Image Gallery?