Reference Auto

Rolls-Royce is betting on the burgeoning super-rich car market in India, which grows at over 100 per cent every year despite sales volume being low and the car major has now brought in its most powerful car, the Wraith, with prices starting from Rs 4.5 crore (Delhi ex-showroom).

In this low volumes market, Rolls-Royce would do well if it sells 20 cars of the Wraith within a year.

The Wraith is one of the costliest cars in India now and is propelled by a 6.6-litre, twin-turbo V-12 engine capable of pumping 632.5 PS of power and an impressive 800 Nm of torque. It comes with an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission.

The luxury car company currently sells the Ghost (priced around Rs 3.6 crore) and the Phantom (carrying a price tag of Rs 6.1 crore) in India, and with the roll out of the Wraith, the British luxury car giant plans to ramp up dealership in all regions of the country.

It has dealers in Mumbai, Delhi and Hyderabad now.

“The Wraith, which is a luxury four-seater car, is the most powerful Rolls-Royce. It’s one of the pivotal products of our company,” Rolls-Royce general manager (emerging markets – Asia) Herfried Hasenoehrl said while unveiling the luxury liner, adding that the new car can zoom from 0 to 100 km an hour in just 4.6 seconds. Mind blowing!

The super luxury car maker sold 3,542 cars globally last year and is upbeat that India’s share in its global sales would be significant this time.

The Rolls-Royce’s Wraith comes with Satellite Aided Transmission (SAT) technology, which adopts GPS data to pre-select gears. Based on the location and driving style of a person, it can select the most appropriate gear for the road ahead.

According to the luxury car brand, this technology has been designed to give the driver a more accurate and effortless driving experience.

The Wraith is 130 mm smaller than the Ghost and the wheelbase has been shrunk by 180 mm. But it is 40 mm wider and 43 mm lower, paving the way for improved stability during a drive.

The looks of the Wraith have been influenced by the Ghost and the front designs of the two cars are almost similar. They have the same pristine aluminum finish bonnet but the metal is also there on the Wraith’s upper body.

The interior design has been adopted from the Phantom, especially the upholstery. The Rolls-Royce’s signature Starlight headliner, with 1,340 fibre-optic nodes, can resemble the night sky when lit.

To provide unmatched comfort, the suspension has been tuned to minimise body roll, while for driving dynamics, the steering has been made in a way so that it gets heavier at higher speeds and lighter at low velocity.

So, by tickling the taste buds of the super-rich, which is growing exponentially in India, Rolls-Royce has made a judicious decision by unveiling the Wraith for India.