It’s thanks to Michael Schumacher that I’m sitting in the plush back bench of the new Rolls Ghost, cool air calmly blowing around me as I’m cheuffeured by editor Bassam.

I know, technically, it should be the other way round, with me wearing the dark suit and gloves, driving the big chief around. But we had a bet. I said The Schu had never lost any of his talent and would finish the Bahrain GP ahead of last year’s champion, Jenson Button. Bassam disagreed. Thankfully my faith in the square-chinned driving machine paid off in the end, allowing me to stretch my legs for the day.

On the face of it, it doesn’t take much effort to sit and make notes of what it feels like to, well… sit. Sounds about as easy as appraising flip flops. Except flip flops don’t cost $ 327,000 and aren’t built by craftsmen or meant to be the first word in comfort. A Rolls does and is.

The Ghost may be billed as more of a driver’s car, but the rear still matters. The rear makes a Rolls. That makes the Ghost’s job more difficult. The Phantom, the Coupe and the Drophead are all engineered for one purpose: to combine the comfort of lying on a mountain of feathers with the serenity of a Buddhist temple. The Ghost’s job of being interesting to drive while allowing passengers to calmly quaf their champagne is a somewhat more difficult one.

As Bassam gathers feedback up front through his black, leather-lined gloves, I absorb the feedback coming through my backside from the leather-lined chair. As you’d expect, it’s a hugely cossetting experience. Step through the bombproof bunker-thick ‘coach’ doors and you’re greeted by an interior of usual Rolls-Royce grandeur. The wheelbase over the Phantom is cut by 37cm yet legroom is plenty. The individual, sculpted rear seats are armchair-supple and the interior ambience is a blend of classical and modern, with polished chrome, cool aluminium and expensive dark-knot wood. The sheepskin floormat is also carried over from the Phantom, along with the swivelling eyeball vents, and each moving part is beautifully damped and has an honest, mechanical feel to it. I particularly love the simple cabin temperature swivels that don’t display numbers but instead twist left to right for hot or cold.

The whole interior oozes class and quality. There are no sharp edges anywhere and build is as you’d expect – second to none. Beside your head is a neat C-pillar that has a small opening in it, so you can see out and at the same time be hidden from the glaring hoi polloi. The only disappointing details in the bespoke interior are the the plastic under-leg lighting and the BMW-borrowed screen and iDrive software that hints at the Ghost’s distant 7-Series origins.

The upshot to having Bavarian roots is the brilliantly honed ride. The air suspension absorbs bumps and silences them. It smoothes over imperfections with ease, doesn’t crash and doesn’t transmit shocks through the seat. It’s a supple Rolls in the true tradition. If you concentrate hard enough you can guess how rough the road below is, but it’ll only be a vague guess. As good as a Phantom? If those Goodyears weren’t runflats, I think it would be. Otherwise, it’s as near as makes no difference.

Yet that’s not what impresses the most. When Bassam puts his foot down, there’s a mild grumble from the bi-turbo V12 (borrowed from the 760i), a faint whoosh and a lot of effortless surge. Coupled to the eight-speed auto (also from the 7 Series) it’s such a smooth delivery that you hardly notice it. Again, in that respect the Ghost is just like a Phantom. Sitting in the rear, it’s the biggest compliment I can pay. Maintaining momentum through corners, the lower, lighter Rolls also has the benefit of active anti-roll bars to control body movements. It’s more entertaining for Bassam, but it also conserves the calm in the interior: I’m not swaying from side to side and it’s only my shoulders that gently rub against the seat’s curved back.

The refinement and suppleness of the Ghost is such that the best way any Rolls-Royce salesman could ever demonstrate it would be to put the interested customer in the back until they fall asleep, then have someone drive as fast as possible within the limits of the road to see how far they’ll both travel before the guy in the back wakes up. My guess would be quite far.

No, it’s not much of a thrill sitting in the rear of a Ghost – although it’s undoubtedly world-class back here – but as an interesting exercise, testing the Ghost’s refinement beats reading the Financial Times.

DP

'The whole interior oozes class and quality'

When Schumacher announced his return to Formula one earlier this year I was as excited as anyone, although probably not for the same reason as his legions of fans. I was looking forward to seeing the seven time world champion humbled by the current breed of young and talented F1 drivers. I have always disliked the elder Schumacher and even in his dominant glory years with Ferrari, I always made a point of betting against him. This often resulted in a significantly lighter wallet, but now was going to be my chance to start a winning streak of my own.

When young Dimitri challenged me to a wager in the pre-season I was happy to accept. I was so confident that Schumacher would not finish ahead of the man he was replacing at Brawn/Mercedes that I boldly proclaimed: “I will chauffer you around for a whole day if Shumi beats Jenson Button in the first race of the season in Bahrain!”

Seeing as I’m a man of my word, fast forward to the day of our first Middle East test of the Rolls Royce Ghost and I find myself reluctantly donning chauffer attire at the wheel of the new baby Rolls. I glance in my rear-view mirror and am greeted by the sight of Mr Pesin sprawled out behind me reading the Financial Times. I grit my teeth and concentrate on the job at hand, all the while reminding myself of my strong sense of humour. The jokes on Dimitri though, as the Ghost is proving to be a mighty good steer

Inside, there’s a stunning blend of classic and modern. Rolls’ traditional violin key switches and eyeball vents are mixed with the finest materials, as well as a cabin control system based on owner BMW’s iDrive set-up. That aside, there is no blue propeller switchgear on display – every button and dial is unique to the British manufacturer. Plus, all the controls are laid out logically and weighted beautifully for precise operation.

As Dimitri is discovering, the traditional rear-hinged coach doors open to reveal a sumptuous passenger space. The sense of luxury and refinement you get inside the Ghost is amazing – but Rolls buyers expect that. What’s likely to surprise them is the performance on offer. Under the bonnet, the new 6.6-litre twin-turbo V12 – exclusive to this car – produces 563bhp. It also delivers a huge 575lb ft of torque from only 1,500rpm. That translates into sports car performance, with the sprint from 0-100kph dispatched in 4.7 seconds and a top speed limited to 250kph.

Push the accelerator deep into the sheep skin carpet and the spirit of ecstasy on the bonnet lifts momentarily as the Ghost hurls itself down the road.

While the staggering forward thrust is effortless and silent, you also get the sense that the car shrinks around you on a twisty road. As long as you are precise with the light steering, the Ghost can be driven with the sort of enthusiasm normally reserved for a sports saloon. Amazing levels of grip inspire confidence, and while the body leans in corners, the active anti-roll dampers ensure this movement is well controlled. On top of that, the huge brakes wipe off speed reassuringly. Despite Rolls Royce’s claims that the Ghost is a driver’s car, I am still blown away by just how well it handles for a car of its size. If only the large door mirrors didn’t cause such nasty blind spots at junctions.

Impressively, the Rolls’ composure hasn’t come at the expense of ride comfort and refinement as the advanced air-suspension irons out imperfections in the road with aplomb. The eight-speed auto box adds to the sense of calm with its seamless shifts while hi-tech options abound including night vision, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and head-up display.

Visually, the Ghost is as beautiful on the outside as it is on the inside. The imposing shape of the Phantom has been successfully carried over – but the smaller dimensions mean the Ghost looks more natural than its gargantuan big brother- and it still looks every bit as glamorous as you would expect for a car wearing the legendary Flying Lady on its nose

The Ghost is a very special car due to its combination of luxury, power and comfort. I would even go as far as saying that it has changed my perception of what a luxury car should be. I liked it so much that I almost forgot about the person sat in the back seat, until my serene surroundings were abruptly interrupted by the rustling of a newspaper behind my head. Where would Sir like to go next?

BK

'I'm blown away by how well it handles for a car of its size'

It would be easy to stick a metaphorical knife into the Ghost’s heart and dismiss it as just another luxo-barge for the well-heeled. Its weight, proportions and efforts in supressing road and engine noise go against evo principles. So the very fact that we’re won over by the Ghost serves as an indicator of just how much sense this car makes. That is, if you are in the fortunate position of being able to afford one.

Before its release, the Ghost (then known as the 200EX) was described as a ‘baby Rolls’ – a misleading nickname, since it simply suggested luxury in a smaller package than the Phantom. Designer Ian Cameron has managed to get all the elements of Rolls-Royce into the Ghost and the ride is still silky smooth, but it’s really the feeling behind the wheel that makes the Ghost a very different car to the Phantom. Rolls-Royce has managed to get the balance of refinement and dynamic ability just right; adding performance but maintaining the luxury lineage. The engineers deserve a pat on the back.

If you really want to arrive in style, the $ 450K Phantom is still the way to do it. But if you’re serious about driving (or your chauffeur is), the Ghost is really a world away. Perhaps it’s not so surprising that most of the orders placed worldwide are from customers new to the marque.

AGMC, the Dubai RR dealer we borrowed the car from, had the second highest number of RR sales worldwide in 2009 and was also the number one dealer in the region in the same year. Yet despite that success, with the driving appeal of the Ghost, it may yet see a few new buyers walking through its doors.

With thanks to Falcon Aviation (www.falconaviation.ae) for use of the helipad

'Rolls-Royce has managed to get the balance of refinement and dynamic ability just right'

	Ghost
Engine	V12, twin-turbo
Location	Front, longitudinal
Displacement	6592cc
Max power	563bhp @ 5250rpm
Max torque	575lb ft @ 1500rpm
Transmission	Eight-speed automatic gearbox, rear-wheel drive, DSC
Weight (kerb)	2435kg
Power-to-weight	231bhp/ton
0-100kph	4.9sec (claimed)
Top speed	250kph (claimed)
Basic price	$ 327,000
EVO Rating	4 stars