The Rolls-Royce Ghost, Phantom, and new 2014 Wraith coupe might not seem outwardly retro, but each one is steeped in automotive lore, the time-honored tradition of handcraftsmanship, and old-money presence. Never mind that parent company BMW has imbued the latest Rolls-Royces with modern engines, German-derived chassis, and scads of up-to-date technology, Rollers have always been and always will be about the romantic notion of genteel motoring—the British automaker often discusses wafting in its cars. To wit, the Wraith resurrects a nameplate first used in 1938, hardening this sense of history and crafting a direct link to the speed-record-setting Rolls-Royces on which the company built its reputation at the dawn of the 20th century.

When It Does Not Exist, Design It

Rolls-Royce co-founder Sir Henry Royce once said “Take the best that exists and make it better; when it does not exist, design it.” The company took the final portion of that quote as inspiration for the Wraith, noting that nothing like it exists in its lineup. To be sure, a lot of things don’t exist in the Rolls-Royce lineup, and the Phantom coupe already holds the fixed-roof, two-door position. Rolls is instead referring to the Ghost-based Wraith’s fastback styling and its placement as the brand’s sportiest offering.

Chiseled lines flow back from the grille to the A-pillars and up and over the fast greenhouse, setting up the same two-tone body paint split as can be found on the Ghost. The Wraith, however, gets an aggressively raked backlight, the result of two of the longest C-pillars fitted to a road car since perhaps the 1966 Dodge Charger. The rest of the body is Ghost-like, with stately, slabby flanks and plenty of brushed aluminum and stainless-steel trim.

View Photos MARC URBANO, THE MANUFACTURER

Relative to the Ghost, the Wraith spans five fewer inches nose to tail, sits two inches lower, and its wheelbase is seven inches shorter; the muscular fender bulges generate an increase in width of three-tenths of an inch. There are a multitude of delectable aesthetic details that further set it apart from its Ghost sibling. The signature pantheon grille is set back 1.8 inches from the face of the fascia, which itself features black mesh inserts and chrome accents in the lower intakes. The LED strips underneath each headlight lend a more sinister look thanks to downturns at their outer edges, and the iconic Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament is even tilted forward by five degrees.

Look Up at the Heavens and Count the Stars, So Shall Your Bank Account Read

Rear-hinged, frameless coach doors—sans B-pillars—are a sultry detail. Buttons at the base of each A-pillar effortlessly motor the apertures shut to avoid troubling occupants with reaching for the long doors once ensconced within. Inside is an appropriately glorious, handcrafted cabin brimming with leather, wood, and chrome. There are gargantuan wood veneer panels fitted to the lower two-thirds of each door panel—the graining of which is tilted rearward at precisely 55 degrees—and the wood on the center console is book-matched so that the grains of each side meet in a perfect chevron pattern.

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