- Rolls Royce is testing a facelifted version of the second-generation Ghost revealed in 2019.
- Changes are subtle, but headlights appear slimmer, and less box-shaped.
- Bi-turbo 6.75-liter V12 engine likely to be carried over with no changes.
Rich people don’t need to worry about depreciation the same way us regular folk do, but they might be worried about the shame of being seen in outdated cars, so Rolls Royce’s strategy of making only minimal changes at facelift time is sure to keep existing owners happy.
In the last couple of years the Phantom and, more recently, the Cullinan SUV, have received mid-life makeovers that are so discrete the updates can be hard to spot. And it looks like smaller Ghost sedan will be following suit later this year.
Related: Miami Beach PD Faces Blowback After Flaunting Roll-Royce Ghost Cop Car
We last spotted the revised Ghost undergoing winter tests in a snowy Sweden, but these latest images taken in bright springtime weather give us a clearer look at the tweaked exterior design. And the fact that the bikini disguise is only covering the nose tells us not to expect anything new from the profile view or at the rear, except a redesigned taillight graphic.
But the front LED lights are definitely slimmer, and though it’s hard to be certain, it looks like they might be less rectangular than the current lamps. Maybe it’s just the camo doing it’s job and playing tricks on our eyes, but the lights themselves appear more eye-shaped, with a narrower section near the grille that will help create more visual differentiation between the Ghost and Rolls’ other models.
The lower bumper is also new, its horizontal slats emphasizing the car’s width, and the ADAS sensor at the center, below the license plate, has been reshaped, and presumably brings with it more sophisticated driver assistance features.
Unlike the last prototype we spied, this one’s Spirit of Ecstasy was hidden below the hood line, but with that iconic grille and the RR badge clearly displayed at the top of it, there’s no mistaking this Ghost for another brand’s car. The Cullinan recently received an illuminated grille for the first time, but the Ghost already offers that option.
One thing about the current Ghost that should be staying put is its 6.75-liter V12. The twin-turbo motor makes 563 hp (570 PS) in standard tune and 592 hp (600 PS) and 664 lb-ft (900 Nm) of torque in Black Badge guise, and since those outputs exactly match those of the facelifted Cullinan, we’re not expecting the Ghost to gain any additional horses when it arrives, probably later this year.
