Top 4 Rolls-Royce Wraith features that stand out from the competition
Rolls-Royce only manufactures one model with a coupé body style, but they’ve made it special enough to set itself apart from the rest of a very distinguished model range. Let’s investigate the Rolls-Royce Wraith, to highlight four features that stand out from the competition.
And by “competition”, we really mean the rest of the Rolls-Royce range – this manufacturer occupies a largely uncontested slot at the very top of the luxury car segment, so it doesn’t have any real competitors in the traditional sense. Yes, a Bentley Continental coupé or an Aston Martin DBS come close on exclusivity and snob value, but even those vaunted alternatives can’t quite offer what a Rolls-Royce Wraith brings to the (deeply-polished walnut) table.
Related: The Rolls-Royce Wraith has a sedan sibling – read more about the Ghost here.
1. Frameless door glass, no B-pillar, and unique doors
Rolls-Royce is currently the only manufacturer to use so-called “coach doors” (in Rolls-Royce-speak) – an arrangement whereby the passenger doors are hinged at the rear, and open from the front. This lends an unmistakable air of other-worldliness to today’s Rolls-Royces, and are a reminder of the spectacular coach-built cars of the first half of the 20th century.
So far so good, but the Wraith adds two extra dimensions to this unusual configuration, thanks to its “pillarless hardtop” construction and frameless side glass. This refers to the absence of a central roof pillar (B-pillar), and the complete lack of side window frames. When everything is closed up, it almost looks normal, but with the windows rolled down and the doors open, the Wraith looks suitably distinctive. Exactly what a buyer in this rarefied echelon desires, in other words.
Related: The top 3 things you need to know about the Rolls-Royce Wraith.
2. Starlight headliner
This option is a little chintzy, but it is nonetheless spectacular. The roof liner incorporates hundreds of hand-laid fibre-optic lights to create the impression of a starry sky above the Wraith’s occupants.
For added dazzle, owners can even specify some shooting stars in the control programming of this roof – although they most certainly wouldn’t need to wish upon one of them to make their dreams come true, because they’re in a Wraith already!
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3. Illuminated “Flying Lady”
Rolls-Royce’s iconic bonnet mascot, more accurately known as “The Spirit of Ecstasy”, has been a consistent feature of this brand’s offerings for more than a century, so it’s only logical that the current crop of Rolls-Royces would also show it off. In fact, the brand’s current owners (BMW) paid $40-million for the rights to use this image, back in 2002.
Most of us are familiar with the mascot’s ability to disappear in an instant, thanks to an intricate spring-loaded mechanism which retracts it into the bonnet – this is done both to prevent theft, and to aid pedestrian safety. But the Wraith adds another touch to the “Flying Lady”, thanks to it being illuminated from below, adding yet more to the sense of occasion when one of these beasts waft by.
Related: What does the Rolls-Royce Wraith warranty cover?
4. Very trick audio system, complete with noise cancellation technology
Unlike premium-brand manufacturers, who generally sub-contract their premium audio systems to one of the audiophile suppliers (B&O, B&W, Infiniti, Bose and so on), Rolls-Royce designed and programmed the Wraith’s audio system themselves. Yes, they use hardware from Lexicon (a high-end studio equipment manufacturer), but it’s all tuned by Rolls-Royce themselves.
Standard in the Wraith is an 18-speaker system, complete with a pair of subwoofers and a gigantic 18-channel amplifier for a system output said to be good for a thundering 1300 watts, configured by Rolls-Royce engineers to provide powerful sound and match the Wraith interior’s acoustics. As an added treat, the system also incorporates two microphones to monitor interior noise, which is then counteracted by the digital signal processors to cancel any untoward sounds.
With such attention to the smallest details, it’s no wonder that the Rolls-Royce Wraith carries a price tag of such magnitude that it can only be made known when placing an order. This kind of special treatment befits a car with such a bespoke nature, and explains why the Wraith is as expensive as it is...
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