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Rolls-Royce Ghost 2013

1 Jul, 2013 11:45am Jamie Fretwell

The new Rolls-Royce Alpine Trial Centenary comes with a host of updates

Verdict

The Alpine Trial Centenary Ghost is a great nod to Rolls-Royce’s past and an exclusive piece of history for 35 lucky buyers. Beyond the heritage cues, though, what we have  is a subtly updated Ghost that feels better than ever. The SAT gearbox allows it to feel more alert, while the new touch-sensitive iDrive improves the infotainment system.

The Rolls-Royce Ghost Alpine Trial Centenary Collection marks 100 years since a Silver Ghost took first place in the 1913 Austrian Alpine trial. It’s also the first car to get technology updates that will be applied to all new Ghosts from now on.

Satellite-Aided Transmission helps to make the car feel more responsive, based on sat-nav info. It knows whether a junction, roundabout or hill is coming up, and selects the appropriate gear. The iDrive system has been updated, too, so it now incorporates a touch-sensitive pad on top of the scroll wheel.

The 6.6-litre twin-turbo V12 engine is as muted and smooth as ever, providing searing pace in near silence. The steering is light but responsive enough that you can easily drive down narrow roads with confidence – and even have fun while doing so. The ride, meanwhile, is pillowy soft.

There’s silver and blue paint, as on the 1913 Austrian Trial-winning car, while a black grille and black wheels are also fitted. Inside, the clock, dashboard and rear-seat picnic tables show individual stages of the Alpine Trial route.

A standard Ghost is £170,250, so at around £250,000 including options, this car looks expensive. That’s the price of exclusivity, though – just 35 will be built, and only two are still available.