The Rolls-Royce Ghost teaser campaign continues. We’ve already seen a basic outline of the vehicle, a shape that the manufacturer calls minimalist. The teaser basically said Rolls-Royce customers want something more restrained and less ostentatious, which led the automaker to coin the awkward phrase Post Opulence.

Now, this latest teaser is focusing on the engineering that goes into the new luxury vehicle. Like the previous two, the message is that of something simplified – or rather, that’s the marketing-speak message on the surface. Watching and rewatching the above teaser video, we suspect the Ghost engineering is anything but simple. Actually, the teaser itself says as much just 13 seconds after opening with the phrase perfection in simplicity. That’s when the voiceover states how creating an incredible driving experience for the new Ghost would be a "highly complex task."

Gallery: Rolls-Royce Ghost and Ghost EWB spy photos

What exactly does that mean? With the ambiguity of the teaser we aren’t given a clear picture, but we are told that engineers spent three years developing the suspension alone. Dubbed the Planar system, this suspension incorporates an upper wishbone damper with forward-looking cameras to monitor the road surface, and GPS data to predict curves. The result is said to be a predictive/reactive suspension that’s both comfortable and dynamic.

We’re also told the Ghost will feature all-wheel drive and all-wheel steering, and as the automaker points out, each Rolls-Royce rides on its own architecture. In that sense, the new Ghost really will be new from the ground-up, designed to be a Ghost and nothing else. In fact, previous teasers stated the only carryover items from the current model are the door-stowed umbrellas, and Spirit of Ecstasy adorning the grille.

“When it came to creating a new Ghost – one that outshines its incredibly capable predecessor – the engineering team had to start from scratch,” said Rolls-Royce Ghost Engineering Lead Jonathan Simms. “We pushed our architecture even further and created a car even more dynamic, even more luxurious and, most of all, even more effortlessly usable.”

Rolls-Royce will unveil the all-new Ghost in the fall of 2020.

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ROLLS-ROYCE REVEALS SIGNIFICANT ENGINEERING ADVANCES DEVELOPED FOR NEW GHOST



10 August 2020, Goodwood - embargoed to 07:00 pm EDT
Third of four animated films offering insight into the substance of new Ghost
Reveals highly advanced Planar chassis system with world-first suspension technology
New episode of Podcast series exploring new Ghost available now

The first Goodwood Ghost reflected a layer of clients who use their Rolls-Royce in a completely unique way. These men and women required a motor car able to offer an impeccable chauffeur-driven experience as well as a vibrant dynamic personality when they chose to drive it themselves. In 2009, when the first Ghosts entered the market, this collective of business leaders, founders and entrepreneurs were unanimous in their feedback that the marque had created a product that balanced their requests perfectly.

When these clients were informed that Rolls-Royce would begin developing a new Ghost, their request was simple: deliver a motor car that they could use even more; something even more refined to be driven in and even more enjoyable to drive.

To fulfil this challenging brief, Rolls-Royce’s engineering experts rejected the use of a pre-existing platform. Instead, they configured the marque’s proprietary spaceframe architecture to incorporate elements of the brand’s existing model portfolio such as all-wheel drive and all-wheel steering, while adapting the structure to accommodate significant advances in Rolls-Royce’s hallmark magic carpet ride and dynamic abilities.

A key development was the Planar system, which is comprised of three elements. The first is an Upper Wishbone Damper unit, which is mounted above the front suspension assembly and creates an even more stable and effortless ride. The result of three years of development, this is a world-first technology. The second is the Flagbearer system, which uses cameras to read the road ahead and prepare the suspension system for any changes in road surface. The third is Satellite Aided Transmission, which draws GPS data to pre-select the optimum gear for upcoming corners. The Planar system allows new Ghost to anticipate and react to even the most demanding road surface.

During the engineering design process, new Ghost’s chassis and suspension specialists were tasked with regularly presenting the technical advances they had made to other departments, as well as showcasing how these remarkable developments met the client brief. Rolls-Royce has elected to share elements of these internal briefings to demonstrate the engineering substance that underpins this extraordinary new motor car ahead of its official unveiling in autumn this year.

New Ghost Engineering Lead, Jonathan Simms, says, “Ghost clients told us that it’s the car in their collection that they’re drawn to the most. They love its uncomplicated versatility. It’s not trying to be a sports car, it’s not trying to be a grand statement – it’s simply exceptional and exceptionally simple. When it came to creating a new Ghost – one that outshines its incredibly capable predecessor – the engineering team had to start from scratch. We pushed our architecture even further and created a car even more dynamic, even more luxurious and, most of all, even more effortlessly useable.”

The marque chose the popular and aesthetically appealing medium of animated illustrations to convey these insights. Rendered first by renowned illustrator, Charlie Davis, they were animated to cohesively and beautifully represent these findings in a fashion that befits the highly progressive new Ghost.

In addition to these insights presented in animation form, a series of five podcasts have been launched that reveal the marque’s findings, as well as insights into the underlying material and engineering substance of new Ghost in long form. Hosted by Johanna Agerman Ross, Curator of Twentieth Century and Contemporary Furniture and Product Design at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, the podcasts are available on Apple, Google, Spotify and Deezer.