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Rolls-Royce rolls out more powerful Ghost V-Specification

With the release of the 624-horsepower Wraith fastback, Rolls-Royce proved that its 6.6-liter V12 engine could produce significantly more than the 563 horsepower it offers in the Ghost. But those looking for an extra dose of power yet still want the extra two doors - and have the six-figure price of admission to burn - will be delighted by the release of the Ghost V-Specification.
Although Goodwood has yet to put out a press release, its consumer website already has all the details we could want: the engine has been upgraded to 593 horsepower (to sit in between the base Ghost and the more powerful Wraith), driving the rear set of 21-inch two-tone alloys. Buyers will be able to choose from white, grey or three shades of black (or pick an existing color from the catalog), with a hand-painted coachline incorporating the same V-Specification emblem you'll find inside, where you'll also find unique piping and top-stitching, a custom dashboard clock, special treadplates and more.
Buyers will also be able to order their V-Specification Ghost in either standard or extended wheelbases at a price that's expected to, like the engine's output, bridge the gap between the more sedate Ghost and the more powerful Wraith. We're looking forward to seeing it in person at the Geneva Motor Show in a few months, but for now you can scope out the images in the gallery below and play with the configurator tool on the Rolls-Royce website.

2015 Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II [w/video]

Rolls-Royce Director of Global Communications Richard Carter tells me that his storied employer is "a company that does not chase volume." In a perfect world, mused Carter, the carmaker would sell "one less" of its ultra-luxury vehicles than the fast-expanding world market demands.
And, thanks in no small part to the unprecedented success of the Series I Rolls-Royce Ghost that launched in 2010, the Brit brand seems well positioned to strike that perfect balance between exclusivity and record profits. In 2003 (the year in which the first BMW-backed Rolls rolled off the line in West Sussex), the company managed to sell around 500 cars. This year, with the first run of already-back-ordered Ghost Series II models still weeks away from delivery, the marque will top 4,000 units for the first time in its history.
Considering that each one of those "units" - a somewhat unsatisfying term for motor car this special ­- will gross Rolls-Royce $300,000 if we're being very conservative, you'll quickly see that creating a very desirable product for one of the best brands in the world negates the need to chase volume. The rich and free-spending are chasing this Ghost, instead.

Rolls-Royce Wraith convertible planned, SUV rumors kicked to the curb

Seeing as it adheres to the exotic car template we've known for years, it should surprise no one that the next model from Rolls-Royce will reportedly be a convertible version of the Wraith. When the coupe is on its way to dealers at the end of this year, company CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös has told Autocar that the British luxury marque start applying itself to the convertible.
At no time will they apply themselves to an SUV, though. Still sticking to its brand-value guns, Müller-Ötvös says that an SUV wouldn't have that trademark Rolls-Royce feeling and that such a vehicle hasn't even been discussed. Having heard this before from other brands, we can't help but suspect that one day in the future we'll hear the phrase, "Oh, but this is the Rolls-Royce of SUVs."
The investment in an SUV would also mean a huge investment in the factory at Goodwood, however, since Wraith production is expected to need three shifts and raise levels to near capacity. And forget about building anything from The Spirit of Ecstasy somewhere else, Müller-Ötvös saying, "Rolls-Royces are built in Goodwood."