The Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II’s updates include subtle exterior changes, above, to its radiator grille, bonnet and Spirit of Ecstasy mascot, while its interior, below, has been improved with new technology. Photos courtesy Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
The Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II’s updates include subtle exterior changes, above, to its radiator grille, bonnet and Spirit of Ecstasy mascot, while its interior, below, has been improved with new tecShow more

Test driving the new Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II



I should begin by apologising to you, the reader, first and foremost. Then I should offer a heartfelt sorry to my long-suffering editor. I have let myself down.

Yes, this is an earnest and soul-searching way to open a car review, but you’ll understand my pain when, embarrassed, I inform you that I can tell you very little about the performance and ability of a car I was sent a long way away to drive: the brand-new Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II.

And by the term “very little”, I’m being liberal: I hardly noticed any updated touches, nor did I clock most other elements of the car as I travelled about 300 kilometres through the beautiful Kent countryside in south-east England.

The experience passed quickly and I have absolutely nothing to report further than that the Ghost wafts like it’s flying along in a jet stream, as you would hope for from a ­Roller. Moreover, it has more presence than Tom Jones, in a stadium, singing at full voice through a 200-decibel sound system.

Its luxury is equal to the second, third and fourth floors of Harrods with Fortnum & Mason on the side. But you expect this of a Rolls-Royce; indeed, you would only notice what it’s missing.

Other than that, there’s very little to report on, apart from the information I’ve been provided with by the Rolls-Royce press department, which will no doubt be incandescent when they read this. To them, I also apologise unreservedly. Sorry.

To rattle off the list of changes for the update, which has come five years after Rolls-Royce announced it would launch an “entry-level” alternative to the sublime and imposing Phantom – at “entry level”, an owner will get little change from £250,000 (Dh1.5 million); it’s just smaller and better to drive yourself than the designed-for-a-chauffeur Phantom.

The radiator grille sits 13 millimetres higher than it did before; the beautifully named “waft line”, which is the crease that runs across the car’s side towards the front wing, has been brought farther forward; the bonnet is bisected by a “wake channel”, apparently to emanate from the Spirit of Ecstasy mascot – who herself has been angled forwards by seven degrees to give passengers a better view of her from behind – to “evoke the sight of a jet’s vapour trail” by all accounts; and the fascia has been modified, panel by panel, to bring changed headlights and brighter LED units with unbroken daytime running lights around the frame.

Inside, the plump front seats are even more comfortable than they used to be, which is saying something, and the rear seats have been angled slightly towards each other to “augment effortless communication with fellow passengers”, to borrow Rolls-Royce’s description. It’s strange that Rolls-Royce doesn’t provide antimacassars for pomade protection, but maybe that will come sometime soon.

I’m told on good authority that the instrument dials now feature individually applied polished metal chaplets to “evoke the precision design of handmade luxury wrist watches, whilst the matte chrome centres ‘float’ in the middle of each instrument”. I must confess I had to look up chaplets, to find they are “metal supports for the core of a hollow casting mould”. That’s good to know.

There are more changes, and I will go into these shortly, but from this you can tell that the Series II Ghost could hardly be described as either groundbreaking or built from the ground up, as so many second-generation car models will claim. What’s different is more about refinement than any great innovation.

I wouldn’t suggest for a minute that I was hoping for more. The original Ghost had its flaws, but these were more issues for the #OnePercent than any real #FirstWorldProblems.

Things like the sheer weight of a 2,470-kilogram car on run-flat tyres, which in fairness are a lot better than they used to be; issues like optional 21-inch wheels, which look quite fantastic but make a din when they hit a deep pothole – like that really matters anyway; and other matters like the cost, which compares unfavourably to the S-Class, which is infinitely more reasonably priced and easier to drive, though its silver arrow cannot hold a candle to the double Rs of the Ghost.

You’ll buy a Rolls-Royce because you have a thing for the Flying Lady, for inch-thick lamb’s wool rugs and for mirrors at your temples in the rear, just behind the suicide doors; because you love the naked aluminium on the bonnet to contrast with whatever colour shade of bodywork you could conceive without limit; or because only Rolls-Royce would ever consider offering you every interior material from ostrich hide to rabbit pelt or crocodile skin. You’re a Taurus? You can even have your star sign’s astrology constellation marked out, like the night-time sky, in the roof lining courtesy of hundreds of LEDs and a spot of ­stitching.

You just aren’t bothered with rev counters, though you’re transfixed by the power-reserve gauge; you’re perfectly capable of closing the doors by yourself, but the lure of the power door button is too much. The pull of the RR motif is too much as well. You want nothing but the best and can afford it.

And this is what I was getting at with all my earlier apologies: the Ghost Series II drives, looks and behaves exactly as you would expect it to, with the utmost dignity, decorum and debonair distinction. You want to hoon it? In a split second and through a thorough kick on the gas, the Spirit of Ecstasy raises her wings to the sky and you shoot forward as if you were giving her chase.

You want to leave some rubber behind? The Ghost can be quite entertaining – not least with its five-second acceleration from rest to 100kph, provided by 780Nm of torque at a lowly 1,500rpm and 570hp from the BMW 7 Series-related, 6.6L, twin-turbo V12 unit that drives an eight-speed ZF gearbox under what looks like a half-mile of bonnet (though please don’t mention BMW whatever you do; this is Rolls-Royce, the guys in Bavaria will chide).

The Ghost II upgrade has brought with it the well-received Satellite Aided Transmission (SAT) that made its debut last year on the Wraith. The beauty of this technology is that when it works well, you just won’t know about it – something that is typically Rolls-Royce.

What it does is use GPS data – with a Ghost, you get four years of Sim card data pre-installed by the manufacturer to drive your maps and local Wi-Fi – to allow the car to “see” what’s happening next. For example, if the satnav guides you into a couple of left-right turns, the SAT will hold the gear without changing down, based on location and your driving style. It might be imperceptible, but that’s the whole point of it.

High speeds and dramatic music always work well together, even if you’re more into Julio Iglesias than Judas Priest, and one thing I noticed with every cell in my being was the tremendous new sound system that started was nothing short of terrifying but, as it melted the wax out of my ears, came a close second to a stage performance in the midst of a seriously rocking band.

Eighteen – that’s one-eight – speakers are assembled everywhere from the dash to the boot, to create a wall of sound worthy of Phil Spector’s work, more than the currently incarcerated producer possibly could have done back in his 1960s heyday.

Also inside is a much-updated 10.25-inch, high-definition infotainment screen that spreads the width of the centre console, which is essentially a Rolls-Royce refit of BMW’s iDrive system. Much maligned over years, the software is now pretty much the industry standard. What’s more, the Flying Lady now appears in glass on top of a rotary controller that allows you to write what you want on its touchpad, to bring up names, addresses and phone numbers on the digital screen.

The more I think about it, the more Rolls-Royce has once again created something that Charles and Henry would have been rather pleased with – it’s no secret that what the pair prized more than anything was the creation of a vehicle that worked sublimely beyond anything else that was or even is ­available.

Again, the company has baked this so deeply into its product that you just don’t notice your surroundings the way you would in a Mondeo or a Pajero. You are wowed by the Roller’s imposing shell; you sense its larger-than-life frame; feel an interior that’s softer than chamois underpants; and suck in the luxury that is available to very few. That’s what you notice.

That’s what a Rolls-Royce is all about: not how it corners (very well, in spite of the weight), how it steers (it has a little more contact than before, especially if you opt for the new Dynamic Driving Package, with redesigned struts, new steering and adjusted dampers) or how it feels (once again, it wafts); but how it makes you feel as one of the very few people on Earth who have the means and the variable taste to opt for one of the world’s most expensive cars.

A Roller could never be value for money – on paper, it couldn’t even be justifiable – but there’s nothing else on Earth that makes you feel the way you do inside one.

I’m sorry I didn’t notice much about the car itself, but I couldn’t help but observe how it made me feel inside. You don’t need to know about its dynamics; just understand that this is a stunning car made even better.

The Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II is available to order now in the UAE, with prices still to be confirmed.

Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
 
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

Specs

Engine: 51.5kW electric motor

Range: 400km

Power: 134bhp

Torque: 175Nm

Price: From Dh98,800

Available: Now

TECH%20SPECS%3A%20APPLE%20IPHONE%2014%20PLUS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDisplay%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%206.1%22%20Super%20Retina%20XDR%20OLED%2C%202778%20x%201284%2C%20458ppi%2C%20HDR%2C%20True%20Tone%2C%20P3%2C%201200%20nits%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EProcessor%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20A15%20Bionic%2C%206-core%20CPU%2C%205-core%20GPU%2C%2016-core%20Neural%20Engine%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMemory%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%206GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECapacity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20128%2F256%2F512GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPlatform%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20iOS%2016%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMain%20camera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dual%2012MP%20main%20(f%2F1.5)%20%2B%2012MP%20ultra-wide%20(f%2F2.4)%3B%202x%20optical%2C%205x%20digital%3B%20Photonic%20Engine%2C%20Deep%20Fusion%2C%20Smart%20HDR%204%2C%20Portrait%20Lighting%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMain%20camera%20video%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204K%20%40%2024%2F25%2F3060fps%2C%20full-HD%20%40%2025%2F30%2F60fps%2C%20HD%20%40%2030fps%3B%20HD%20slo-mo%20%40%20120%2F240fps%3B%20night%2C%20time%20lapse%2C%20cinematic%2C%20action%20modes%3B%20Dolby%20Vision%2C%204K%20HDR%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFront%20camera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2012MP%20TrueDepth%20(f%2F1.9)%2C%20Photonic%20Engine%2C%20Deep%20Fusion%2C%20Smart%20HDR%204%3B%20Animoji%2C%20Memoji%3B%20Portrait%20Lighting%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFront%20camera%20video%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204K%20%40%2024%2F25%2F3060fps%2C%20full-HD%20%40%2025%2F30%2F60fps%2C%20HD%20slo-mo%20%40%20120fps%3B%20night%2C%20time%20lapse%2C%20cinematic%2C%20action%20modes%3B%20Dolby%20Vision%2C%204K%20HDR%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204323%20mAh%2C%20up%20to%2026h%20video%2C%2020h%20streaming%20video%2C%20100h%20audio%3B%20fast%20charge%20to%2050%25%20in%2030m%3B%20MagSafe%2C%20Qi%20wireless%20charging%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EConnectivity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Wi-Fi%2C%20Bluetooth%205.3%2C%20NFC%20(Apple%20Pay)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBiometrics%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Face%20ID%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EI%2FO%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Lightning%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECards%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dual%20eSIM%20%2F%20eSIM%20%2B%20SIM%20(US%20models%20use%20eSIMs%20only)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EColours%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Blue%2C%20midnight%2C%20purple%2C%20starlight%2C%20Product%20Red%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIn%20the%20box%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20iPhone%2014%2C%20USB-C-to-Lightning%20cable%2C%20one%20Apple%20sticker%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dh3%2C799%20%2F%20Dh4%2C199%20%2F%20Dh5%2C049%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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The biog

Favourite film: The Notebook  

Favourite book: What I know for sure by Oprah Winfrey

Favourite quote: “Social equality is the only basis of human happiness” Nelson Madela.           Hometown: Emmen, The Netherlands

Favourite activities: Walking on the beach, eating at restaurants and spending time with friends

Job: Founder and Managing Director of Mawaheb from Beautiful Peopl

The specs

Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel

Power: 579hp

Torque: 859Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh825,900

On sale: Now

Squads

India: Kohli (c), Rahul, Shaw, Agarwal, Pujara, Rahane, Vihari, Pant (wk), Ashwin, Jadeja, Kuldeep, Shami, Umesh, Siraj, Thakur

West Indies: Holder (c), Ambris, Bishoo, Brathwaite, Chase, Dowrich (wk), Gabriel, Hamilton, Hetmyer, Hope, Lewis, Paul, Powell, Roach, Warrican, Joseph

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
ABU%20DHABI'S%20KEY%20TOURISM%20GOALS%3A%20BY%20THE%20NUMBERS
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BRAZIL%20SQUAD
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

Know your camel milk:
Flavour: Similar to goat’s milk, although less pungent. Vaguely sweet with a subtle, salty aftertaste.
Texture: Smooth and creamy, with a slightly thinner consistency than cow’s milk.
Use it: In your morning coffee, to add flavour to homemade ice cream and milk-heavy desserts, smoothies, spiced camel-milk hot chocolate.
Goes well with: chocolate and caramel, saffron, cardamom and cloves. Also works well with honey and dates.

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

How to avoid crypto fraud
  • Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
  • Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
  • Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
  • Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
  • Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
  • Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
  • Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Haltia.ai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202023%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECo-founders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Arto%20Bendiken%20and%20Talal%20Thabet%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20AI%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2041%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20About%20%241.7%20million%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Self%2C%20family%20and%20friends%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

THE SPECS

Engine: 1.6-litre turbo

Transmission: six-speed automatic

Power: 165hp

Torque: 240Nm

Price: From Dh89,000 (Enjoy), Dh99,900 (Innovation)

On sale: Now

Skewed figures

In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458. 

Various Artists 
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
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Company Fact Box

Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019

Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO

Based: Amman, Jordan

Sector: Education Technology

Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed

Stage: early-stage startup 

Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.

What is cyberbullying?

Cyberbullying or online bullying could take many forms such as sending unkind or rude messages to someone, socially isolating people from groups, sharing embarrassing pictures of them, or spreading rumors about them.

Cyberbullying can take place on various platforms such as messages, on social media, on group chats, or games.

Parents should watch out for behavioural changes in their children.

When children are being bullied they they may be feel embarrassed and isolated, so parents should watch out for signs of signs of depression and anxiety

The specs

AT4 Ultimate, as tested

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Power: 420hp

Torque: 623Nm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)

On sale: Now

Test

Director: S Sashikanth

Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan

Star rating: 2/5

The squad traveling to Brazil:

Faisal Al Ketbi, Ibrahim Al Hosani, Khalfan Humaid Balhol, Khalifa Saeed Al Suwaidi, Mubarak Basharhil, Obaid Salem Al Nuaimi, Saeed Juma Al Mazrouei, Saoud Abdulla Al Hammadi, Taleb Al Kirbi, Yahia Mansour Al Hammadi, Zayed Al Kaabi, Zayed Saif Al Mansoori, Saaid Haj Hamdou, Hamad Saeed Al Nuaimi. Coaches Roberto Lima and Alex Paz.

The National's picks

4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young

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Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home. 

Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi

Director: Kangana Ranaut, Krish Jagarlamudi

Producer: Zee Studios, Kamal Jain

Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Ankita Lokhande, Danny Denzongpa, Atul Kulkarni

Rating: 2.5/5