Rolls-Royce ghosts in with updated model as sales soar

Although Rolls would never say such a thing, the Ghost series is the manufacturer’s entry-level car – the company prefers “least expensive”. Prices are expected to start at around £150,000.

The Ghost was deliberately positioned to appeal to entrepreneurial buyers after the company launched the new Phantom in 2003. It had set out to build the “finest motor car in the world” that would be bought by more traditional buyers such as royalty, diplomats and films stars. Rolls likes to think of purchasing a Ghost as a signal of success.

The current Ghost outsells the larger Phantom by a ratio of about three to oneand was instrumental in driving Rolls’ total sales to 3,630 cars last year, a record for the fourth year running, though the company, which is owned by Germany’s BMW, insists it would never chase volume by setting a sales target.

“We find those who have bought a Ghost then tend to add to their stable,” the spokesman said. “Next they buy a Phantom for more formal events such as trips to the opera, then a smaller Wraith tourer.”

Rolls, based in Goodwood, West Sussex, likens its range to a “beautifully stocked wardrobe” – the Phantom is a tuxedo, the Ghost a modern business suit, while the Wraith is a tailored sports jacket.

The company has learned from the first Ghost. The design has been softened, with fewer hard edges; the connectivity improved to ensure it can act as an office on wheels, and the level to which it can be tailored improved.

“We can now offer more bespoke options with the Ghost II,” the spokesman said. “Our customers tell us that seeing a Rolls-Royce should make a statement.”

Meanwhile, luxury car sales are surging amid a broader recovery in the economy.

The latest figures from the Department of Transport show that 943 Bentleys were bought in the first half of this year in the UK, compared with 692 during the first six months of 2013, an increase of 36pc.

Rolls-Royce sold 260 cars during the first half of 2014, compared with 196 during the same period last year, according to the official government data published yesterday, a rise of 33pc.

Sales of Porsches and Jaguars increased by 20pc and 15pc respectively year on year, while Maserati sold 624 cars

during the first half of 2014, almost doubling the 337 it sold during the whole of 2013.

more