When you get an invitation to drive a car like the all new Wraith through the gorgeous Arizona desert there is always a part of you that believes it cannot truly be real. Instead it seems to be just an extremely elaborate, albeit expensive, plan to take you to a remote location and kill you. As any true auto-aficionado I get chills down my spine whenever I catch a glimpse of anything bearing the Spirit of Ecstasy. When that automotive icon is leading the charge out front of 624 horsepower churned from a twin-turbo V12 – you assume your smiling body will soon be laid cold in the Sonora desert. The word “wraith” by definition references the apparition of a living person after their death so I suppose it’s fitting that I may in fact be writing this article posthumously – but regardless – here is what I (or my apparition) thought of the new Rolls.
When it comes to looks this latest offering from the team in the UK is the most stunning Rolls-Royce that has ever been made in my lifetime. The fastback roof line that flows down into what forms the trunk of the car is powerful and aggressive while still maintaining the overall elegance of the car. From most angles the car looks as if a man who designs getaway vehicles for comic villains and a man who crafts vintage handmade furniture penned the Wraith over tea together. It’s both absurd while making complete sense. The engineering team has even angled the Spirit of Ecstasy forward 5 degrees and recessed the large front grill to give the car an additional presence of speed. The sculpted body can then be covered in over 40,000 paint colors which Richard Carter, Director of Global Communications, jokingly remarked “Were originated by God,” when asked how so many various colors were created.
The most difficult decision with any Rolls may be whether the occupant would be happier in the drivers seat or to be simply chauffeured about from the comfort of the rear seats. For the driver the new car offers up the most powerful motor in any Rolls-Royce ever made. Driving through the highways in Arizona the V12 and the 8-speed transmission offered an effortless, refined, and exhilarating driving experience. There is no argument that the Wraith is extremely fast, 0-60 mph comes in around 4 seconds, but it may be the tamest fast sedan I have ever driven. I found myself north of 85 mph on occasion and was closer to a relaxing nap than I was to white knuckles. The driver also gets the benefit of Rolls-Royce’s new Satellite Aided Transmission which will look ahead for the turns and grade in the road and make the necessary gear changes to prepare for the driving situations before they arrive. It worked well on our drive to avoid any unnecessary jabs at the throttle to beckon a lower cog through the turns or steeper roads. For any passenger in the vehicle the interior of the Wraith is as quiet and comfortable as anything I have ever been in. The only noise you may hear is a slight engine growl once you push the 6.6L V12 up the rev range – a noise reserved only for the power and speed of the Wraith model. One of the more unique features of the Wraith is the gorgeous Canadel wood paneling that covers the interior of the doors. The attention to detail is shown again as the grain of the wood on these panels is arranged so that a perfect 55 degree angle is maintained on both sides of the cabin. The Starlight roof option in the car is a fantastic party trick and can even be customized from the factory to display specific constellations or star patterns from a particular area of the world. Customization like the requested patterns in the Starlight roof are just a small glimpse at what truly makes a car from Rolls-Royce special.
So after driving the Wraith I had to ask myself if the driving experience and performance of the car allow it to stand out enough that it might warrant a price tag in the $400k range. I would confidently state that the new Wraith feels and drives better than, if not as good as, most uber-luxury vehicles on the market today but I would also concede that it doesn’t perform 3-4 times as good as some of them. But what I found was that the price tag on any Rolls-Royce doesn’t necessarily equate itself to just the numbers and luxury features. The true draw for any of the world’s most wealthiest clients to purchase something like the Wraith is more about the customization with the Bespoke program that the marque offers. As part of the Bespoke service the owner can customize any portion of the vehicle to their specific needs and make a Rolls that is truly like no other car in the world. Grandiose examples were shown to us by the designer in charge of the program, Alex Innes, and the depth of detail to match the owner’s dreams is nearly limitless. There have been custom flasks that fit in the doors, picnic baskets, walking sticks mounted in the trunk with Roll-Royce umbrella handles, and the team has even used wood from a fallen tree on an owner’s property for the interior trim of the vehicle. Therefore the Wraith on paper never tells the full story and the real draw to commissioning a Rolls to be built is the hands-on process that takes place. The owners work with true craftsmen to create a car by hand and convert it into a rolling piece of art catered specifically to their dreams. The final product then transcends and floats above the idea of simply an “automobile” and becomes a symbol of utmost success, a spirit and reflection of the vehicles owner that can last generations beyond when they depart; it ultimately becomes a Wraith.
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