Rolls-Royce Wraith: the fastest ever sports cars
Bad: this is how Rolls-Royce defines new ghost from 633 l. Pretty pretty and damn pretty in an assortment of elegant ladies and cutlery. Its obvious rival is Bentley Continental GT Speed from 625bhp, but at a base price of 223.835 euros, the Continental is less upmarket than the Wraith, which should start at 240.000 XNUMX.
The ghost is based on ghost, but it has been improved in almost all areas. For starters, V12 6.6 biturbo The direct injection of the Ghost has been increased to 633 hp. and 800 Nm (respectively, 62 hp and 20 Nm more) due to modification of the boost and mapping. Rolls-Royce engineers claim that engine is capable of doing better, but the Wraith's performance is limited by the maximum torque that the new eight-speed ZF can handle. In fact, to go beyond 800 Nm you will need Speed to order, but not on a small series car.
Other changes made to Wraith include: rack a little faster (now to completely rotate steering wheel required three full turns compared to 3,2 for the Ghost), greater roll control thanks to advanced anti-roll bar technology, coil springs and shock absorbers modified with air suspension, pavement extended by 24 mm for better cornering stability e floor tougher to compensate for the absence center pillar... All these improvements make the Wraith the fastest production Rolls-Royce ever, with a claimed 0-100 acceleration time in 4,6 seconds and an electronically limited speed of 250 km / h. But does a Rolls stay with Rolls like that? Here's what we want to know ...
The Wraith is an impressive machine. Classic grill Rolls-Royce it has been slightly modified, reduced and tilted back to give the front a more aerodynamic look. IN Bonnet it's very long, but starting with the windshield, the Wraith is more compact than the Ghost, so much so that it has step shortened by 163 mm. With this roofline that blends into rear window almost horizontal, there is no doubt that the Wraith has a curved line, especially when viewed from a three-quarter angle. At the rear, however, it looks a little odd due to the rear panel of the cabin, which weighs down its line, making it look like some sort of washed-out weatherstrip. But this is not just an impression: 5,27 meters long and 1,95 meters wide, it is really big.
Thecockpit it is very luxurious. IN swing rear doors they are huge, and the opening is so wide that it is easy to climb on them. At this point, simply press the button at the base of the A-pillar, which will automatically and silently close the door to escape the noise of the outside world and indulge in luxury and comfort. Wraith also has unpublished Canadel panels: apparatus made of large wooden panels covering the inside of the door and the back. The effect is great, and when combined with soft leather, chrome fans and glass buttons on the dashboard makes the Wraith cockpit even more special.
Il V12 it is activated by pressing the starter button on the dashboard, but you do not realize that you woke it up, as silence continues to reign in the cockpit. It is only when you push down on the paddle to the right of the steering wheel to shift the transmission to D and the car starts to move that the engine is active and active.
Behind the wheel ghost it is soft and velvety. Irregularities and irregularities just disappear under circles 20 "is standard (or 21" optional), and the Wraith moves with such ease through the busy streets of Vienna (where it was tested) and with such quietness in the cockpit that it almost feels like an electric car.
We leave the capital and take the motorway to exit after 80 km in search of the most difficult roads that Austria has to offer. On the freeway, the nose rises as soon as I turn off the gas as the Wraith downshifts a number of gears, firing 2.360 kg of leather and wood towards the horizon. As the car picks up speed, the interior shudders with deep barking: this is something new in the Rolls house, but this is the first Rolls with more than 600 hp. This is sound different from the usual: it is harsh, but not rude, and fits perfectly with the level-headed nature of the Phantom. If you remove the accelerator pedal, the car becomes a silent flagship that burns kilometers in complete relaxation. On the most winding roads, the car exhibits another quality: smooth driving, which, however, does not become wobbly if you decide to increase the pace. The chassis is controlled by Active Anti-Roll Bar technology, which allows the electronic dampers to stay soft without affecting ride quality. From time to time, the biggest holes are felt in the cockpit, but in many ways it is the fault of the giant wheels on which the flat tires... However, despite everything, the Wraith has excellent chassis level control. The wider rear track makes driving in high-speed corners even more controlled. steering with a thicker crown, it is much more sensitive than the Ghost.
The real problem is that, even with aids turned off, the Wraith is not the type of car you can comfortably drive fast. The engine brake, for example, is not very efficient and therefore you must rely entirely on brakes ultra-assisted. And even if Satellite transmission (SAT) is great for always choosing the right gear for the situation, without being able to control changes that the driver feels less attached to the car, as well as the lack of tachometer It does not help.
The Wraith is a great car in many ways, but it's definitely not interesting. It's a smooth and relaxing GT designed to teach sports car enthusiasts that 633bhp even a large and bulky vehicle can move quickly over any terrain. Does it make sense? Yes, sure. Not everyone wants to negotiate corners sideways, counteracting the steering. Best of all, the Wraith glides over asphalt with the grace of a boat over water, and it does so with the same ability that a Porsche GT3 attacks the Nürburgring with. The fact that it has 633 hp under the hood makes it even more fun. But what strikes me most about it is that if you don't overdo it with the throttle, you can drive it even for years without realizing all that power. Which not only proves that this is a great car, but also that it is real. Rolls-Royce.
