The Ghost Has Taught Rolls-Royce A Valuable Lesson

In late June, Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös wrote an open letter discussing the next-generation Ghost and its 'post opulence' design language. And now, the British carmaker released a new video about the new Ghost in anticipation of the car's arrival this autumn. This is the second video of a four-part animated installment that offers some insight on the newest Ghost.

"The success of the first Goodwood Ghost taught Rolls-Royce a huge amount about itself," explains Stephen Finch, Rolls-Royce Product Manager. "We became aware of an entirely new group of people who used and commissioned their cars in ways that we hadn't seen before."

Before the first-generation Ghost debuted in 2009, Rolls-Royce motorcars were primarily sought by affluent and mature clients, if you will. In most cases, the cars are only driven for grand occasions and remain stowed in climate-controlled garages for the rest of the entire year.

The first modern Ghost was originally known as the RR04 and is purposely designed to be smaller and more affordable than the Phantom. For lack of a better word, the Ghost became Rolls-Royce's entry-level car, and buyers flocked in droves.

Apparently, the Ghost has taught Rolls-Royce a valuable lesson about the company itself. Considering the Ghost quickly became the bestselling vehicle in the carmaker's 116-year history, Rolls-Royce quickly found out that Ghost buyers had an entirely different perspective of what a modern Rolls-Royce should be.

According to studies conducted by RR's Luxury Intelligence Specialists, American Ghost buyers tend to drive the vehicle themselves during the weekend – even those who bought long-wheelbase models of the Ghost. On the other hand, Asian buyers are finicky towards technology and revel in exploring every button and knob in the Ghost's cabin.

Moreover, such buyers were straying away from ostentatious luxury towards minimalism, hence the origins of Rolls-Royce's post opulence design idiom in creating the next-generation Ghost. "We look forward to learning what this exceptional car will teach us about this layer of clients in the future," concludes Finch.