Magic carpet ride makes this a desirable Ghost
It is not everyday that you're offered the opportunity to drive not one, but two, Rolls-Royce cars around town. But when the e-mail popped up in my inbox inviting me to do just that, let's just say I had mixed emotions. After all, I wasn't quite sure if the car company's PR agency knew it was inviting a girl who was more used to writing about dune bashing in sporty 4x4 motors in the desert than testing a luxury car worth more than her life's assets put together. And frankly, I wasn't sure if I wanted the responsibility of driving a Rolls-Royce on the emirate's busy roads in rush hour.
Nevertheless, journalism is about taking risks and trying something new, so I decided to take the plunge.
The meeting point was at the plush Burj Al Arab – not a surprising choice, considering a range of Rolls-Royce cars are available for the hotel's guests.
After having my driver's licence checked and signing away (what probably was) my life in case I damaged any one of the cars, I was introduced to my two new friends for the day: the Rolls-Royce Ghost and Rolls-Royce Phantom. I instantly warmed to the first as the Phantom looks huge. Thankfully, I found I'd be driving the Ghost first, so we'll talk about the Phantom later.
Test Drive One involved driving the Ghost from the Burj Al Arab all the way to the Meydan hotel. As soon as I entered the car, I was captivated by the stunning interior. It's not just about the hidden technology or features, but also about how every single vehicle is unique in terms of design, thanks to the company's Bespoke Programme. This is where Rolls-Royce designers spend time with each client to design an interior that would truly suit the car's future driver. Not surprisingly, the Middle Eastern arm of Bespoke is popular – so popular that last year saw every Rolls-Royce Phantom becoming a Bespoke model.
Back to our test drive, the 2011 Rolls-Royce Ghost is the first 'small' Rolls-Royce to be launched since the 1949 Silver Dawn. Its length is 5399mm, width is 1948mm, and height is 1550mm as opposed to the Phantom's 5834mm x 1990mm x 1632mm dimensions.
The Ghost is still bigger and heavier than, say, a Bentley, but let us just say that if a female was to invest in a Rolls-Royce, she'd be attracted to the more sporty-looking Ghost. And driving it was certainly a pleasant experience.
From the moment I started up the 536-horsepower, 6.6-litre, V-12 engine and began to head out of the hotel, I understood why the manufacturer's rep compares the ride to that of a magic carpet. Smooth and effortless.
The V-12 has 575 pound-feet of torque from just 1500rpm, so the Ghost easily reaches 100 kilometres within 4.9 seconds and can eventually get to a top speed of 250 km per hour (I'm gutted to confess that I did not try that).
Heading to the Meydan via a route that doesn't consist of just Sheikh Zayed Road, it becomes apparent that the reps had devised a more complicated route so testers could get a feel of the car on smaller roads: shifting lanes, multiple turns and U-turns…
The Ghost handles all perfectly, but what really amused me was the fact I had earned a new level of respect on the road from other drivers. Nobody wanted to cut in front of me, other drivers wouldn't speed past to delay me in changing lanes, and one driver even let me through when it was his right of way on a road. Money indeed can buy you power!
In terms of the interiors, a series of exciting technology features is hidden amongst the elegant, frosted lamps, chrome door handles, and deep-pile carpets.
Particular favourites included the audio system featuring 16 speakers (including two floor-mounted subwoofers) and a 12.5GB hard drive for storage of music files; as well as its Advanced Crash and Safety Management system that takes measurements 2,000 times per second from sensors located around the vehicle. Basically, it can indicate if you're getting too close to a car in front of you, and can judge which safety features to deploy in which areas in the event of a collision.
Confident after driving the Ghost, I was still feeling apprehensive about taking on the Phantom and driving it from the Meydan to the
Atlantis Palm Jumeirah for Test Drive Number Two. And although comprising features similar to that of the Ghost, I just wasn't comfortable driving the Phantom – it was just too big (thank goodness I didn't have to park the motor). When it came to making a U-turn with the 453-horsepower, 6.6-litre, V-12 monster, it felt as if I was driving a bus.
The Phantom is the daddy of the Rolls-Royce range. If I was buying, I'd go for the girl-friendly Ghost. The Phantom is definitely best left as a big toy for the big boys.