Keeping with the spirit that quality work needs to continue at all times, particularly industry-challenging times, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has today confirmed 1 September as the launch date for its latest model “Ghost”.

The product of six years of work, it becomes the second Ghost model produced from Goodwood in Sussex, England, the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars global hub since becoming a subsidiary of BMW from 1998.

“Rolls-Royce plc” making aircraft engines and more is a separate entity. The new “Ghost” will be released in India in 2021, Rolls-Royce informed The Statesman.

“The launch is this autumn but customer deliveries will land in Q1,” emailed Hal Serudin from the Rolls-Royce Asia-Pacific regional office in Singapore.

Rolls-Royce has throughout August released a series of project notes, animated films and podcasts, giving rare insights into creating the new “Ghost” as perhaps the most silent car ever made. Other engineering innovations included the “Planar System”: an “Upper Wishbone Damper” unit above the front suspension for a smoother ride; “Flagbearer System” of cameras reading the road ahead to prepare the suspension for road surface changes; a GPS-guided transmission to pre-select the best gear for road corners. Rolls-Royce today revealed another Bespoke (uniquely customised) feature for the new Ghost: an illuminated nameplate and star cluster on the dashboard “developed over two years and more than 10,000 collective hours” by the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective of designers, engineers and craftspeople.

The “Illuminated Fascia” has been created uniquely for the new Ghost ahead of its global virtual launch on 1 September at 5.30 pm IST (13:00 British Summer Time) from rolls-roycemotorcars.com.

Rolls-Royce historically has a loyal customer following in India that is expected to grow.

The annual Wealth Report of 2020 from Knight Frank Research says India will have 73 per cent of the world’s UHNWI (ultra-high net worth individuals, with investable assets of minimum $30 million) in the next five years.

Mumbai already has about 6,000 UHNWIs.

“Rolls-Royce Motor Cars owes much to India,” the Rolls-Royce media team said.

“The sub-continent was the ultimate destination of many early iconic models, including the Silver Ghost and Phantom.”

The new Ghost that descends from the Silver Ghost will carry the “Illuminated Fascia” ~ an “ethereal glowing Ghost nameplate” that Rolls-Royce says is surrounded by more than 850 stars into the interior of the new Ghost.

Located on the passenger side of the dashboard, the constellation and wordmark are invisible when the car is not in operation.

The new Ghost is expected to cost more than its predecessor model. The earlier Ghost (with standard wheelbase) cost from Rs 6.21 crore and Rs 7 crore with extended wheelbase.

“All Rolls-Royce cars are bespoke ~ pricing will be heavily dependent on customer specification,” emailed Serudin. “Customers can order from 44,000 Bespoke colours, different wood veneers.”