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Rolls Royce Ghost
The Rolls Royce is popular for many reasons, but creating small
cost effective cars is not one of them. With the release of the
new Rolls Royce Ghost, the British car maker hasn't exactly delved
into the compact automobile market, but it does cut things down
somewhat.
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Rolls Royce presented the Ghost to the
media at the Pelican Hill Resort in Newport Coast (near
to where I live just south 3 miles). This is the only fourth
new release for the company in fifty years, and it is noticeably
smaller than the company's other models, in addition to
being one of the most robust. With this release, Rolls Royce
clearly aims to attract a whole new generation of drivers.
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But what really has the market abuzz has nothing to do with the
Ghost's size as much as its price. For this new Rolls Royce is
not only a foot and a half shorter than its brethren, but it also
comes in at about 50-percent less than the price of the company's
previously least expensive model.
Of course the list price of $245,000 isn't exactly peanuts. Nevertheless,
it is quite reasonable for a Rolls Royce. Compared to the company's
own Phantom for instance, the base model of which costs $380,000
and the expanded wheel model of which costs $443,000, the Ghost
seems downright affordable.
The move of Rolls Royce to capture a larger portion of the market
appears to have paid off, as the company has since registered
1,600 orders that have been placed from all over the world. This
figure is a significant increase from the company's sales in 2009,
which in itself was 20-percent more than the previous year's sales
(and in a car market that was dismal overall).
But one thing that hasn't changed is the company's focus on meticulous
craftsmanship and innovative technology. The Rolls Royce Ghost
has the same immaculate interior that has characterized other
Rolls Royce models, and the company has seen fit to temper the
sheer technological edge of the automobile with exquisite hand
crafted wood trim and slick leather.
In spite of its reduced size, the Rolls Royce Ghost is still
pretty roomy, with an interior that can accommodate up to 5 passengers
comfortably. This feature goes to show that Rolls Royce is still
firmly attuned to the needs of its existing market, while making
a bid to pull in new customers.
Of course, being Rolls Royce, the company has also poured its
extensive knowledge and expertise into maintaining the safety
standards that the company has been known for throughout the years.
The ability to see around corners and back into a space safely
are provided by the small exterior cameras, and these features
really help reinforce the idea that this is a true Rolls Royce
through and through, with all the attendant safety features that
you have come to expect from the company.
Also on the safety front, Rolls Royce has included an innovative
vibrating steering wheel that can wake up sleepy drivers, helping
avoid a possible mishap. And with features such as a night vision
system and infrared imaging that can detect the presence of pedestrians,
you are assured of safe driving under all weather and light conditions.
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