Used 2010 Rolls-Royce Ghost

The 2010 Rolls-Royce Ghost marks the return of a two-car lineup for the famed English manufacturer. Part of the marque's revival under BMW's stewardship, the Ghost sedan joins the Phantom range, which debuted under the new Munich-based owners in 2003. The remarkably swift and blissfully understated Ghost heralds the rebirth of a daily drivable Rolls-Royce, a workaday business suit to the Phantom's automotive tuxedo.

It's an equally state-of-the-art alternative to ultra-luxury sedans such as the (Volkswagen-owned) Bentley Continental Flying Spur and Maybach 57, either of which will please the owner-driver as much as those who prefer to be chauffeured. The new Ghost may be the most technically transparent, but beneath the classic lines and simplified controls is a powerful and capable sedan that will happily serve in a weekly commute or as swift and luxurious accommodation to your favorite weekend retreat.

This ultra-luxury sedan makes no apologies for its BMW DNA, with its chassis architecture based on the long-wheelbase 7 Series, and its unique power plant an enlarged derivative of the V12 from the 760Li. Bare chassis arrive at the cutting-edge Goodwood factory in southern England, where the Ghost is essentially hand-assembled along a civilly paced production line. Twenty days in the making, the result is a finely crafted luxury conveyance more reminiscent of a commissioned yacht than mass production.

Such craftsmanship does not come without a price tag, but the $245,000 Ghost slots easily into the large gap between the $190,000 Bentley Flying Spur and the $350,000 Maybach 57. The Ghost will appeal to those who can appreciate its deft and non-intrusive application of the latest automotive technology, and traditions of a century-old nameplate including coach-style rear doors. The biggest surprise for many will be how easy the Ghost is to drive, and how fluid its handling is if you seek an elevated pace.