Rolls-Royce Wraith

Rolls-Royce Wraith Overview

Dubbed the ultimate GT by Rolls-Royce, the Roll-Royce Wraith is the most dynamic and powerful car ever produced by the English marque. Equipped with a monstrous BMW-sourced 6.6-litre turbocharged V12 engine, the Rolls-Royce Wraith boasts 10 percent more power than even the new Rolls-Royce Phantom and Rolls-Royce Cullinan.

Based on the underpinnings of the Rolls-Royce Ghost that has been widened and shortened, the Rolls-Royce Wraith epitomize Rolls Royce’s hallmark luxury and fine craftmanship in a sporty two-door format. Sporting a fastback pillarless body style with the iconic rear-hinged suicide door, the Rolls Royce Wraith is unmistakably Rolls Royce.

The 2020 Rolls-Royce Wraith Black Badge Edition was launched in Malaysia alongside the entire range of Roll-Royce’s Black Badge lineup including the Ghost, Dawn, and the Cullinan. Featuring a dark and distinct styling theme, the Black Badge attempts to attract a younger crowd to the brand. 

Prices starts from RM 1.7 million excluding duties and before any optional specification. The Bentley Continental GT W12 is perhaps the closest natural rival to the luxury Grand Tourer though nowhere close as expensive nor exclusive.

Rolls-Royce Wraith Design

The Roll-Royce Wraith’s silhouette combines the aerodynamic appeal of a fastback with Rolls-Royce’s instantly recognizable classic design features. The classic 2:1 proportions of wheel to roof height, the long overhang beyond the back wheels, and the signature rear-hinged suicide doors give the luxury Grand Tourer its signature look.

Based on the first-generation Rolls-Royce Ghost, the Rolls-Royce Wraith shares a similar imposing front end as its four-door counterpart. The all-aluminium Pantheon grille alongside the iconic rising spirit of ecstasy gives the car a commanding road presence. Staying true to Rolls-Royce’s spirit of limitless customization, the Spirit of Ecstasy can even be opted with material such as gold, silver, diamond, carbon fibre and more.

Each Black Badge model comes with a staggering 44,000 paint options, unsurprisingly with the bespoke, signature Black colour being the most popular. The paint consists of multiple layers, hand polished nearly a dozen time to give the car the riches, darkest and the most intense black colour ever applied on a production car. Exterior chrome elements such as the Spirit of Ecstasy, radiator grille and the windowsills are also finished in darker gloss black for good measure.

Rolls-Royce’s minimalistic elegance is further exemplified in the Rolls-Royce Wraith’s pronounced shoulder line that runs the full length of the car. Opt for the Rolls-Royce Coachline and a dedicated craftsman in Goodwood will hand paint a single fluid line that stretches up to 6 metres long, accentuating the car’s silhouette. The carbon composite 21-inch dual-tone wheels feature a self-righting wheel centres which ensure the RR badge on the wheels always remain upright even when on the move.

Rolls-Royce Wraith Dimension

Like a luxury yacht on wheels, the Rolls-Royce sheer heft is just calling for attention despite a relatively understated design. Weighing in at well over 2.4 tons, the Rolls-Royce Wraith is simply one of the largest and heaviest two door coupé on sale today. It is a whopping 435 mm longer compared to the Bentley Continental GT W12, with a 261 mm longer wheelbase. And despite its sheer size, it is still the smallest car produced by Rolls-Royce. 

Rolls-Royce Wraith Interior

While most Roll-Royce are to be driven in, the Rolls-Royce Wraith is a more driver-focused affair. As to be expected from Rolls-Royce, the interior exudes premium quality ladened with beautifully crafted fine woods, leather, carbon fibre and metal trims that cover just about every surface, leaving no hint of the BMW 7-series tech underneath.

The Rolls-Royce experience starts with the Comfort Entry System that opens and closes the rear-hinged suicide doors with just a touch of a button. Once inside with the door closed, you feel cacooned in near silence, such is the refinement and quality of the sound proofing of the car.

The Black Badge edition gets a Technical Carbon Finish, with a stunning centre piece displayed across the dashboard featuring naked carbon-fibre and aircraft-grade aluminium thread weave. Polished metal on the air vents and other controls are also darkened through Physical Vapour Deposition for that darker interior theme.

Other key highlights to the interior include the classic Starlight headliner, a crystal-glass finished Spirit of Ecstasy rotary controller, ventilated front seats with natural grain leather upholstery and lambswool floor rugs. Interior space is ample with four proper seats and luggage rooms for all. At 470 litres, the vast luggage compartment space trumps the Bentley Continental GT by 112 litres, making it a true 4-seater Grand Tourer.

Rolls-Royce Wraith Features

Rolls-Royce Wraith’s Comfort Entry System enables you to lock and unlock your car by touching the door handle. The key also stores individual preferences such as seat adjustment, steering wheel position and Head-Up display settings. Closing of the doors can be done by the motor at the press of a button near the A-pillar.

There is no shortage when it comes to in-car technology. The 10.3-inch HD multimedia display reveals itself behind a sliding wood panel, controlled using the fingertip-sensitive iDrive-style rotary controller that is made from crystal cut glass and decorated with the Spirit of Ecstasy figurine. Also available are the voice-activated satellite navigation, optional head-up display, Rolls-Royce Connect iPhone App and the 18-speaker Bespoke Audio system.

Strategically placed cameras offer a 360-degree view around the car to aid in maneuvering while an infrared ‘eye’ in the Pantheon grille detects potential hazards at night from up to 300 metres away. Other standard safety features include dual front, side, and full-length curtain airbags, ABS, traction and stability control among other things. Driver assistance feature includes Lane Departure Warning, Active Cruise Control, automatic high-beam and front/rear parking sensors.

Technical highlights include the satellite-aided transmission system where it predicts the road ahead using satellite-communication technology and selecting the correct gear for the prevailing road condition. Rolls-Royce’s renowned adaptive air-suspension system allows the 2.4 tonne GT to maintain its composure on any surfaces, compensating for the subtlest lateral movement.

Rolls-Royce Wraith Driving Performance

Engine

Breathing through the Pantheon grille is a BMW-sourced 6.6 litre twin-turbocharged V12 engine, developing 632 PS at 5,600 RPM and a whopping 870 Nm of torque from 1,700 RPM. 

Century sprint is dealt with in 4.5 seconds, onwards to an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph). The uprated BMW N74 engine in the Rolls-Royce Wraith Black Badge Edition is the most powerful engine ever to be fitted in a Rolls-Royce.

Transmission

Power is sent to the rear via a ZF 8-speed automatic transmission. Gear changes are seamless and barely noticeable. 

Rolls-Royce Wraith Ride Comfort

Riding on an electronically controlled adaptive air suspension system, the Rolls-Royce Wraith is borderline silent whether you are wafting along in town or on the highway. The renowned ‘magic carpet ride’ soaks up any road imperfection effortlessly. 

Despite its weight and hefty size, the car feels light on its feet and effortless to move around. Considering that this is the most dynamically inclined and the most powerful Roll-Royce available, you will be glad to know that Rolls Royce has not given up an ounce of refinement and luxury in its pursuit of speed and power.

Rolls-Royce Wraith Fuel Consumption

Rolls-Royce Wraith Conclusion

Nothing else on the road screams exclusivity more than a Rolls-Royce does. What the Rolls-Royce Wraith offer is a sublime mix of luxurious heft and near-silent tranquility in a desirable two-door coupé silhouette. A Bentley Continental GT V12 may be more a more dynamically competent car, but the Rolls-Royce Wraith is simply in a class of its own. It is as good as any Rolls-Royce can be yet as dynamically rewarding as any car with a near 2.5 tonne kerb weight has any right to be.