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First Drive Review: Rolls Royce Wraith 2014

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Author: | Updated: 01 Jul 2014 13:08

The name Rolls-Royce immediately instils notions of prestige and next-level luxury, arguably more than any other car brand.

However the fact that the Wraith was designed with the aim of embodying the spirit of co-founder Charles Stewart Rolls, and intended as a car which Mr Rolls would himself choose to drive, should outline just how exemplary this car is intended to be.

From the trademark Spirit of Ecstasy-topped Pantheon grille and 21-inch seven-spoke wheels to the swooping coupe roof, it’s understandable why even the oil-rich are impressed by the Wraith.

The Wraith is the fastest car in Rolls-Royce's 107-year history

Fastest Rolls ever

Effectively a four-seat GT coupe version of Ghost sedan, the Wraith is the most potent in Rolls-Royce’s 107-year history.

It uses a 6.6-litre 624bhp V12 engine, more than double the power of a Porsche Boxster S, and can ramp up to 62mph in 4.6 seconds, the same as an Audi R8 and Bentley’s Continental, the Wraith’s closest rival.

Mated to a slick eight-speed automatic transmission, picking up pace is too easy, however going fast is the possibly worst way to spend your time in the Wraith.

Such is its sheer magnificence and unrelenting attention to detail, that it delivers so much more satisfaction when you take your time, cruising a smug-inducing crawl and letting passers-by get a good long gawping stare.

We’re not encouraging anyone to create city-wide congestion or promoting self-indulgence but in a vehicle this special, you deserve to relish the moment. Noise is isolated so well that Godzilla could be tearing up the building fifty yards away and you wouldn’t hear a brick drop.

At more than 5.2 metres long and almost two metres wide, the Wraith’s agility is its most embarrassing factor.

Hard to handle

At more than 5.2 metres long and almost two metres wide, the Wraith’s agility is its only real drawback.

Adaptive steering means the car is heavier at high speeds and lighter at low speeds but when cornering, the barge-like silhouette abets dangerously lax cabinet-esque handling and you’ll either be brave or stupid to attempt corners with any real pace.

The Continental may be a handful to navigate but it’s notably less demanding than the Wraith.

Painstakingly divine

It’s also too easy to pay more attention to the interior than the road ahead. We’ve all seen elegance in Mercedes’ S-Class and Bentley’s Continental, but the materials and painstakingly divine build quality in the Wraith is on a scale rarely seen.

Soft cream interior laces the seats and much of the interior surfaces with Canadel wood panelling in the door and centre console

Soft cream interior laces the seats and much of the interior surfaces with Canadel wood panelling also in the door and centre console. Exactly 1,340 fibre-optic lamps are hand-woven into the roof lining to give the impression of a glittering, starry night sky. It’s like sitting in a top floor penthouse on wheels. Maybe the novelty wears off with a few thousand miles on the clock, but we doubt it.

The Wraith's two doors open from the middle offering a view of the entire car’s interior, front and back

Actually getting into the Wraith is odd with the door hinch opening from the middle of the car, which gives a view of the entire car’s interior, front and back.

With the chauffeur market in mind, comfort is universally outstanding wherever you choose to sit.

Exactly 1,340 fibre-optic lamps are hand-woven into the roof lining to give the impression of a glittering, starry night sky.

The Wraith is also meant to be the most technologically advanced Rolls ever too. As such, it is the first car to come with a new Satellite Aided Transmission which uses GPS mapping data to pre-select the right gear for the road ahead.

There is also an inbuilt wi-fi hotspot and while there’s no touchscreen feature – to avoid grubby finger marks on the screen – there is a clever new rotary controller.

Prices start from £230,320 OTR, over £100,000 more than the most basic Bentley Continental (GT V8 Coupe), but the Rolls badge delivers that extra dollop of class, not to mention better residuals, and for some, there is no alternative; it’s a Rolls or nothing. They’ve got a point.

For some, it’s a Rolls or nothing. It's easy to see why...

Wraith at a glance:

We like: Cars don’t get more luxurious than this, sub-five second 0-62mph acceleration

We no like: Bentley Continental provides much better value, tough handling

Length: 5268mm
Width: 1948mm
Height: 1506mm
Wheelbase: 3112mm
Boot space: 470 litres
Engine: 6,592cc V12 twin turbo 624bhp, 8 speed ZF automatic
0-62mph: 4.6s
Top speed: 155mph
Kerb weight: 2360kg
CO2 emissions: 327g/km
Combined fuel economy: 16.8mpg
Main rival: Bentley Continental GT
Starting price: £230,320
On sale: Since late 2013

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