2019 Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II Review

For most of its history, Rolls-Royce has been the car you buy when you can also afford to buy a driver to go with it. In this context, it's easy to understand the emphasis placed on passenger comfort in the 2019 Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II. But like most Rolls-Royce cars of the last decade, the new Ghost doesn't disappoint should you be the one behind the wheel.

Much of this owes the English automaker's integration into the BMW portfolio. And since the Ghost shares some of its basic architecture with the previous-generation 7 Series, there's a bit of dynamic athleticism absent in the Rolls-Royce models of old. You might still choose to keep a driver on call, but consider making it a part-time arrangement. You'll likely want to take the wheel yourself more often than not.

With 563 horsepower coming from a massive twin-turbo V12, the big sedan gathers speed effortlessly and occupants are well insulated from any noises coming from under the hood or anything else from the outside world. Nominally considered an entry-level Rolls-Royce (a rich phrase, that), you'll find the Ghost's interior bathed in premium leather, with equally opulent touches throughout the cabin. Even the buttons are made of glass instead of plastic.

For tech and infotainment, the Ghost borrows heavily from BMW and benefits from proven features and ease of use. And as if an off-the-shelf Ghost weren't special enough, you can also customize your car from an array of paint, trim and interior materials for a truly bespoke automobile.

And if you find you still can't stomach the thought of threading traffic yourself — or if you really just need to get some work done — there's always the Ghost's larger and more formal sibling, the Phantom. In contrast to the Rolls-Royce Ghost, the Phantom is a bit more of a traditional take on old-world luxury Rolls, lending itself to chauffeured action.

And if you like everything about the Rolls-Royce aesthetic, but wish you could drive one to the mountains to go skiing, there's now the all-new Cullinan SUV. The next-generation Ghost is actually slated to use an aluminum spaceframe derived from the Cullinan for the 2021 model year for weight savings and, ultimately, better fuel economy.

While Bentleys, Mercedes Maybachs and Aston Martins are all coveted cars in their own right, there's nothing quite like a Rolls-Royce to announce that you've arrived.