Used Rolls-Royce Ghost for sale: everything you need to know

The Rolls-Royce Ghost name hails from the earliest days of the company, but the Goodwood-based brand revived it in 2009 with a model that sat underneath the gargantuan Rolls-Royce Phantom. In 2020 it was superseded by a second generation, the model we’re covering here.

It is simply one of the best luxury cars on the market, challenged only by some of Bentley’s most prestigious models, the odd Maybach, and by other Rolls-Royces. This kind of prestige does not come cheap, but opting to buy used can still knock tens of thousands from the cost of buying new.

Rolls-Royce would probably tell you the Ghost has no rivals, and most owners would likely agree, but others to consider in this high-end luxury market include the Bentley Flying Spur, Mercedes-Maybach S580, and the most comprehensively equipped Range Rover you can conceive of.

Should you buy a Rolls-Royce Ghost?

Rolls-Royce used to describe its cars, without any irony, as the best in the world. Whether you believe it or not, the reputation has stuck, and even if the Ghost is nominally the entry point to the range, it still offers design, luxury and personalisation on another level to most luxury saloons on the market - and comes with a price tag to match.

When the second generation model arrived in 2020 it subtly sharpened up the original Ghost’s lines and gained some interior enhancements too, including the latest infotainment technology. It’s otherwise packed with the kind of technology that few companies beyond Rolls-Royce offer, including sensors that scan the road ahead to prepare the suspension for bumps, to a gearbox that uses GPS data to select the most appropriate gear for hills and corners.

It’s a true pleasure to drive, with ample performance and outstanding refinement, with handling very much geared towards making easy, effortless progress rather than pushing hard. The downside to the mighty BMW-sourced V12 engine is a hearty thirst for fuel, but this is unlikely to be a concern for most buyers.

Buying a used Ghost does mean you miss out on the pleasure of personalising it yourself, but the flip side is the possibility to save tens of thousands of pounds on a car with only minimal miles. Few would know you didn’t buy it brand new…

Beyond other models from the Rolls-Royce range, such as the Cullinan or an older Phantom, the only cars that get close to the Ghost for sheer luxury are the Bentley Flying Spur and Mercedes-Maybach S580, though used Ghost money could also get you a comprehensively-specified Range Rover and a big bag of change. For a large proportion of the ability without the image, the latest BMW 7-Series (and electric i7) and Mercedes-Benz S-Class are also deeply impressive.

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What’s the best used Rolls-Royce Ghost model to buy?

The best Rolls-Royce Ghost to buy is a new one, since that way you get to choose each and every aspect of how the car looks, provided you have the budget for it. But assuming a used one is the only option, then there’s not much choice here beyond carefully finding an example in a colour that suits you. All use the same V12 engine and there are no trim lines to go for, beyond the Black Badge model, which is said to make up around a quarter of Ghost sales.

Used Rolls-Royce Ghost fuel economy and performance

• Rolls-Royce Ghost V12: The only engine available in the Ghost - not that that’s a bad thing - is a 6.7-litre twin-turbocharged V12, built by BMW. It develops 571PS through an 8-speed automatic gearbox, for a 4.3-second 0-60mph time and combined economy of 18.6mpg.

What used Rolls-Royce Ghost trim levels are available?

Rolls-Royce doesn’t do anything so plebeian as offer trim levels, though it has been known to offer the occasional special model or themed commission. Instead, you are offered simply the Ghost, and it’s up to the owner to decide how many or few aspects of it need changing to suit their personality. This means you’ll rarely find two Ghosts on the used market that are completely identical, though most are notably quite subtle in appearance compared to what Rolls-Royce offers on its extensive personalisation list.

• The Rolls-Royce Ghost is easier to define by what it doesn’t have. Suffice to say, standard equipment includes extensive leather upholstery and trim, computer-controlled suspension that scans the road ahead and adjusts accordingly, GPS-aided gearshifts, button-close doors, screens for passengers in the rear…
• The Rolls-Royce Ghost Black Badge is as close as Rolls-Royce gets to a conventional trim level. Black paintwork and detailing are the order of the day, 21-inch multi-layered carbonfibre wheels (also painted black), a dark chrome finish for the grille and Spirit of Ecstasy, black leather inside, black wool carpets, a black headliner, and no doubt many more black things. Of course, this being Rolls-Royce, it’s still possible to personalise things in such a way that less of it is painted or trimmed solely in black.

Used Rolls-Royce Ghost dimensions and boot size

The Rolls-Royce Ghost’s dimensions are:

• Length: 5545mm
• Width: 1979mm (without mirrors)
• Height: 1550mm

The Rolls-Royce Ghost’s boot size is:

• 507 litres

Used Rolls-Royce Ghost road tax

The unique way the current VED or ‘road tax’ structure works means that the £570 a year you’ll pay for a year’s tax on a Ghost doesn’t seem that bad, when you can spend the same on a Kia provided it cost more than £40,000 to buy new. This higher tax band persists from the second to sixth years of registration, after which time it drops to a lower band (currently costing £180 per year).

How much is it to insure a Rolls-Royce Ghost?

If you need to ask, you probably can’t afford it - Rolls-Royce doesn’t actually publish insurance group data for the Ghost, but suffice to say it’s almost certainly in the top group 50, and still more expensive than many group 50 cars to cover.