Driving a Rolls Royce is a special experience. Personally, I’ve only had the privilege once, when I drove a Rolls Royce Wraith Black Badge from southern New Jersey up to Greenwich, Connecticut for the Greenwich Concourse. It’s still a car I remember very fondly. Despite that, there’s no getting around the fact that the Wraith is quite old now. So has time been kind to it or are its old bones starting to show their age? Top Gear recently found out.
Since its debut in 2013, the Rolls Royce Wraith has been the “sporty” Rolls, if you can call it that. While it’s not so much sporty as it is less yacht-like than other Rolls’, the Wraith is the most powerful Roller in history. Its 624 hp from the twin-turbocharged 6.6 liter V12 make it even more potent than newer Rolls vehicles, such as the new Phantom and Cullinan. However, despite still being the most powerful, it’s on the oldest chassis.
The Wraith is built on the same chassis as the Ghost, which is essentially a last-gen BMW 7 Series chassis. So it’s not dripping with the same luxury tech as its newer siblings. Still, that lack of tech is almost a virtue, as it allows its passengers to enjoy some more traditional luxury. Rather than having a zillion USB ports or screens to play with, the Wraith just provides sumptuous leather and silence.
Don’t mistake the Rolls Royce Wraith for something sporty, though. It’s still very much a quite, comfortable Roller designed to coddle and relax. It’s just that it’s more of a Rolls to drive and not be driven in. So if you’re touring continents and encounter a twisty road, the Wraith won’t fall down and become a barge.
So is the Rolls Royce Wraith any good six years on and toward the end of its existence? Of course. It’s not as luxurious or as impressive as the new Phantom but it’s still a Rolls Royce and even a dated one is more luxurious than anything else on the market.
[Source: Top Gear]
