Simply Abu Dhabi Magazine XVIII

2 8 7 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I T here are luxury cars, and then there is Rolls-Royce. It’s said so often it is almost beyond cliché, but the brand that invented the entire idea of elite motoring still stands above and beyond any of the competition. So, while the Rolls-Royce Ghost II may have a lot to live up to, it also has a big head start towards being not just the ultimate luxury car but also the ultimate status symbol. Refreshed for 2015 – Rolls-Royce is above mere facelifts – the Ghost Series II succeeds in offering the complete Rolls-Royce experience to those who choose not to invest in the massive – and massively expensive – Phantom. Bespoke in more ways than one The Ghost II may technically be the entry-level Roller, but that’s a bit like saying Prince Harry is an entry-level royal. The Ghost, too, is far from common – even among the most affluent crowds, it’s a rarity. Drive a Rolls-Royce down nearly any street in the world and people will notice. In part, that is because each Rolls-Royce has details that put other automakers to shame. For example, the leather in the Ghost II comes from nine very special bulls; Rolls-Royce never uses leather from cows because of stretch marks. The leather is harvested from two-year-old bulls raised on ranches that reside above 2,000 feet of elevation – to avoid mosquitos – and that do not use barbed wire as to avoid accidental scarring. The result is that the interior of a Ghost II is a sea of buttery smooth and completely and utterly flawless leather. And that is just the beginning.