Shanghai 2009: RR4 Gets Official Name

Baby Roller, RR4, 200EX; the upcoming smaller Rolls-Royce has been called by many different names in it's short lifetime. Rolls-Royce has put naming speculation to rest though at the Shanghai Auto Show by announcing the official name.

Rolls-Royce Ghost. Well, there you have it, that's the name. Not Silver Ghost, just Ghost. Kind of a break from tradition from a company that usually refers to it's cars with longer, more illustrious names.

Silver Ghost has a lot of history behind it and that probably played a big part in the name choice. Ghost sounds more modern then Silver Ghost though, and I think it fits in with what R0lls-Royce is trying to do with the new model.

The announcement was made by Rolls-Royce CEO Tom Purves at the company press conference at the Shanghai Auto Show. Like all other information around the car, Rolls-Royce has been content to let the information slowly dribble out bit by bit. Agonizing I know, but at least we now know how the car will look like based on the 200EX Concept. I can actually refer to it by an official name too! Finally.

The press release also confirms a production date commencing later this year at Goodwood. The Ghost will be built on it's own production line, but will share paint, wood and leather workshops with it's bigger, more expensive brother the Phantom.

According to the release, Rolls-Royce has been expanding it's manufacturing facility in every area over the past 18 months to get ready for the car's production.

It remains to be seen just how much farther downmarket Rolls-Royce will position the Ghost. I'd expect a pricetag somewhere around $250,000. We'll see thoughn. Far as I know, the production debut is still on track for September at the Frankfurt International Auto Show.