• Spy photographers have snapped the facelifted Rolls Royce Ghost testing near BMW’s Munich HQ.
  • The most important visual update is a new set of LED headlights that taper upwards in the direction of the RR grille badge.
  • Rolls moved the Ghost to the same platform as the Phantom and Cullinan in 2019; previously it was based on the BMW 7-Series.

Rolls Royce’s design team facelifted the Phantom limo in 2022 and the Cullinan SUV in 2024, leaving only the entry-level Ghost sedan in need of an update. That’s happening for the 2026 model year, but don’t expect to see any radical changes when Rolls does whip back the covers.

Radical changes or not, you’ll still easily be able to tell the current Ghost from the new one our spy photo team has captured testing in prototype form. One look at the headlights will do it. Instead of the rectangular lamp units fitted to the second-generation Ghost since it made its debut in 2019, the refreshed ’26 sedan features a new pair of headlights whose inner part tapers as it nears the iconic Rolls grille.

Related: Rolls-Royce’s V12 To Survive Until 2030, Electric SUV And Sedan In The Pipeline

When we previously spotted Ghost prototypes testing back in March and May, we suspected Rolls was making this kind of tweak to the lights, but wondered if it was just the camouflage wrap playing tricks on our eyes. But the latest images are much clearer and remove any doubt.

The new LED setup will make it much easier to differentiate the Ghost from its more expensive Phantom brother when one is heading down the road towards you, although brand fans will know that the Phantom has a much more upright grille. And the vastly grander scale of the Phantom means there’s no confusing the two from the side.

Facelifted 2026 Rolls Royce Ghost Looks Less Like A Cut-Price Phantom

Other facelift updates for the Ghost include a redesigned lower bumper and air intake at the front, and the presence of a prominent ADAS sensor signaling improved driver assistance tech. Parent company BMW already offers Level 3 self-driving tech on the 7-Series, but since the the Ghost is no longer on the 7 platform, having switched to the Phantom’s architecture in 2019, it’s not a given that it will appear here.

The rear lights – still disguised on this car – are sure to be in line for a new LED signature, but we’re not expecting any big changes to the model’s 6.75-liter V12, which pumps out 563 hp (570 PS) in standard tune and 592 hp (600 PS) and 664 lb-ft (900 Nm) of torque in Black Badge guise.

Facelifted 2026 Rolls Royce Ghost Looks Less Like A Cut-Price Phantom
Facelifted 2026 Rolls Royce Ghost Looks Less Like A Cut-Price Phantom
Facelifted 2026 Rolls Royce Ghost Looks Less Like A Cut-Price Phantom
Facelifted 2026 Rolls Royce Ghost Looks Less Like A Cut-Price Phantom
Facelifted 2026 Rolls Royce Ghost Looks Less Like A Cut-Price Phantom
Facelifted 2026 Rolls Royce Ghost Looks Less Like A Cut-Price Phantom
Facelifted 2026 Rolls Royce Ghost Looks Less Like A Cut-Price Phantom
Facelifted 2026 Rolls Royce Ghost Looks Less Like A Cut-Price Phantom
Facelifted 2026 Rolls Royce Ghost Looks Less Like A Cut-Price Phantom
Facelifted 2026 Rolls Royce Ghost Looks Less Like A Cut-Price Phantom
Facelifted 2026 Rolls Royce Ghost Looks Less Like A Cut-Price Phantom
Facelifted 2026 Rolls Royce Ghost Looks Less Like A Cut-Price Phantom
Facelifted 2026 Rolls Royce Ghost Looks Less Like A Cut-Price Phantom
Facelifted 2026 Rolls Royce Ghost Looks Less Like A Cut-Price Phantom
Facelifted 2026 Rolls Royce Ghost Looks Less Like A Cut-Price Phantom
Facelifted 2026 Rolls Royce Ghost Looks Less Like A Cut-Price Phantom
Facelifted 2026 Rolls Royce Ghost Looks Less Like A Cut-Price Phantom
Facelifted 2026 Rolls Royce Ghost Looks Less Like A Cut-Price Phantom

Images: Baldauf