2014 Rolls-Royce Wraith

Hauntingly sleek and powerful, our latest quick spin comes in the 2014 Rolls-Royce Wraith, the brands most ambitious production car to date.

Like its four-door kin, the Ghost, the Wraith is big and bold; there are hints of old-school elegance throughout, but its fastback styling makes a modern day statement on the road. Smoothed bodylines streak rapidly rearward, and the large, reverse-hinged coach doors add a look of considerable length to the Wraith’s profile, despite a shorter wheelbase than the Ghost. 

Interior quality is, perhaps, some of the finest available. Premium materials and leathers are spread throughout, as is a specially sourced type of wood for the panel and door accents. A curious option for the Wraith is fiber-optic lighting woven into the roof liner, dubbed the Starlight Headliner. You’ve already spent this much money, why not keep going?

Under the Wraith’s massive hood you’ll find a massive engine: a BMW-sourced, 6.6-liter twin-turbo V12 rated at 624 horsepower, and every bit as powerful as it reads on paper. Despite a curb weight north of 5,000 pounds, the Wraith lays down serious power, with a 0-60 time of only 4.4 seconds.

A Rolls-Royce with supercar power and ultra-luxury comfort is nothing new, of course. The real surprise comes from the Wraith’s ride quality, though, where on roads around Scottsdale, Arizona we found it a little stiffer than we were expecting. Not harsh, just more sporty and very much of the Grand Touring variety. The four-corner, air suspension can be tuned to a softer ride, though, for brand purists.

A technological first for the Wraith is the Satellite Aided Transmission. It uses GPS to predict road conditions ahead and pre-determines future shift points for the 8 speed automatic.

Taking orders now, the 2014 Rolls-Royce Wraith is aimed at a decidedly younger clientele, looking more for performance and power than all-out luxury. Prices start at about $260,000 but options can add $100,000 or more to this “ultimate” GT.