2016 Rolls-Royce Ghost

This Ghost has covered just over 23,400 miles and is in excellent all-round condition.

It has had two owners from new. And started life in silver colour.

Since 2018 it has been the somewhat unlikely property of Glasgow City Council.

Why? Because it was gifted by an anonymous donor to The Rt Hon The Lord Provost, Lord Lieutenant Eva Bolander, the then head of the City Council.

The anonymous donation generated a good deal of controversy at the time and was covered extensively in both local and national press.

We’re not surprised that this extraordinarily generous gift raised a few eyebrows, given that the price of a Ghost today is in the region of £280,000.

The vendor is happy for us to report that all proceeds from this auction will be given to charity.

We have driven this magnificent vehicle and can report that it goes about its stately business with a degree of panache and comfort unmatched by very few other vehicles on the road.

But that’s not the remarkable thing about the Ghost.

No, the thing you’ll remember is its apparent ability to laugh in the face of the laws of physics.

This car weighs over 2.5 tonnes.

Despite that, when you put your foot down it summons up tidal waves of torque (in near silence) from somewhere under the bonnet and takes off like Saturn V towards the horizon.

It can get to 60mph in 4.7 seconds on its way to a limited top speed of 155mph.

All of which makes this car something of a Jekyll and Hyde experience.

You can be cossetted by acres of the finest hide and wafted along in hermetically sealed silence.

Or you can choose to embarrass all sorts of Italian and German sports car exotica when you floor it from the traffic lights.

You decide.

This car is almost entirely insulated from any sounds emanating from the outside world.

In fact, it’s so quiet that the barely perceptible murmur from the air-con will eventually start to assume the aural proportions of a Motörhead gig in your imagination.

As for the ride quality, well that’s equally other-worldly. This thing is the size of a narrowboat, but quieter and with a smoother ride.

It is supremely comfortable, powerful, capable and impressive.

We had to wrestle our driver to the floor in order to get the keys back off him.

The whole thing is drenched in black paint that looks about an inch thick and has a depth of shine and lustre to it that just reeks of expense and craftsmanship.

All shut lines, panel gaps and panels are untroubled by dinks, dents, creases, folds or ripples.

The suicide doors (Rolls-Royce calls them ‘coach doors’) open and close with the gravity and precision of a bank vault.

The wheels, chrome, badging, lights and trim are in excellent condition.

The tyres, which wouldn’t look undersized on a tractor, appear to have plenty of life left in them.

The petrol filler flap is just a tad short of sitting entirely flush with the rest of the bodywork.

Pretty much everything in the gentlemen’s club-like interior is in very good condition.

All of it has been designed to leave owners and passengers in no doubt that they are in something very special indeed.

The carpets are deep enough to keep your ankles warm.

The wood veneers on the dashboard, picnic tables and door cappings wouldn’t look out of place on a Sheraton side table.

Once up and running, the entire panel containing the analogue clock does a pirouette and turns into a display screen for the Hi-Fi, cameras, Sat Nav, etc.

There is a heads-up display projected onto the bottom of the windscreen. It works perfectly.

The acres of brick red leather are sumptuous, inviting, comfortable and cosseting.

The mats, door cards and headlining are all in fine fettle.

All the Rolls-Royce (and BMW) toggles, stops, levers, switches and buttons are as shiny and classy as the day the good folk at Goodwood screwed them down.

There’s nothing so vulgar as a rev counter. Instead, the Ghost has a ‘Power Reserve’ meter. It does the same thing, only differently.

As far as we can tell, everything does what it’s supposed to do. That said, you’d need to spend a week in here to have a go on all the electrical gadgets and gizmos on offer.

The only warning message that comes up on the dashboard is one alerting you (or your chauffeur or butler) to the fact that the battery in your key fob will need replacing at some point in the not-too-distant future.

You don’t get that in a Kia Picanto.

Everywhere you look there are cubby holes, hidden pockets, recessed spaces and secret doors. There’s more storage space here than in a three-bedroomed flat.

We’ve seen pub gardens with fewer ashtrays.

The sunroof is functional and untroubled by either use or time. The inside of the boot (which looks small compared to the rest of the car but is nonetheless massive) is good.

The undersides of the car don’t raise any eyebrows or prompt a tut. Not least because all you can see is mainly an expanse of protective trays and covers.

What’s visible looks solid, possessed of the right amount of structural integrity, and in keeping with a vehicle that’s built to outlive most of its owners.

Everything in the very full engine bay seems to be in its right and proper place.

The vendor tells us the car has a full Rolls-Royce service history. But we haven't seen it. Some documents have been received and they are displayed in the photo gallery.

Perhaps the anonymous donor had it anonymously serviced. We don’t know.

But it does have an MoT certificate and one that’s valid until 21.3.23.

We’re of the opinion that the car’s condition and driving experience are a good indication that it’s been well maintained and looked after throughout its life.

Certainly, we’re struggling to think of anything we’ve driven that conveys a greater sense of occasion or goes about its business with more class and grace.

And, should you want it to, it will indulge your wishes by taking off like a cheetah with anger management issues.

It really is quite a special car.

We’re confident to offer it for auction with an estimate of between £100,000 and £120,000.

Viewing is always encouraged. This particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays between 9am-5pm, to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.