January 2013 was indeed a special time for the luxury carmaker, Rolls Royce, as they were about to unveil one of their highest performing cars. The RR Wraith is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cars made in the Goodwood factory of Royce but it's also the most powerful.
Costing around $350,000, this car has everything under its hood that spells raw power and force. Its design and engine build are magnificent and complement each other perfectly to deliver speed and comfort in the same package. Moreover, the Wraith has an ingenious piece of tech that smartly maneuvers the car and offers the rider a more relaxed yet thrilling experience.
This 4-seater coupe perhaps packs everything and more that is expected of a high-end luxury vehicle. However, with an endless list of fancy specs, this British-bred automobile also oozes impeccable power, which cannot go unnoticed, and here's a look at what makes this car so powerful.
The Extremely Powerful Engine
The RR Wraith packs an awe-inspiring 6.6-liter V12 twin-turbo engine, which delivers a roaring output of 624 HP, which is almost 10% more than the RR Phantom and Cullinan. This propels the car to a top speed of 155 mph and provides acceleration from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.6 seconds for the standard model and 4.5 seconds for the Black Badge edition. This 4,800-pound machine generates a staggering 590 lb-ft of torque at an easy 1,500 rpm. Despite BMW being its parent company, the Rolls Royce Wraith is still more powerful than the top models of the BMW 7 Series cars.
The transmission on the Wraith is an 8-speed ZF automatic system, which is a relatively common sight in dedicated sports or performance machines. The gear lever has a button on it that, when engaged, tightens the gear shift and drives the car in sports mode. Irrespective of the mode or gear the vehicle is cruising on, the Wraith offers relatively smooth acceleration. Even though this 4-seater produces such an immense amount of power, the soundproof design allows no external or internal sounds to disturb the driver's zen.
These beefy features are complemented by the ingeniously smooth and gorgeous design that supports and enhances this energy in several ways.
The Charming, Robust Chassis
The chassis of the RR Wraith is highly inspired by its sibling, the Ghost, with the only significant changes being the exaggerated teardrop design, a lower ground clearance, and a wider rear track. These changes were specifically made to justify and conserve the power output by the engine and deliver optimum performance with minimum loss. The chassis of the Wraith is only 1550 mm high but is longer with a wheelbase of 3295 mm. This is further improved by the low ground clearance of just 150 mm and gives the car more grip on the road.
The 5-spoke carbon-fiber composite wheels are 533 mm in diameter and are equipped with fine Continental tires. The steering, while giving a soft feel, also provides precise handling to the driver. For optimal stability and balance, the Wraith has adjustable suspensions at the front and back, which hold the entire weight and work harmoniously with the computation inside to minimize and virtually eliminate the body roll.
The body, in general, is longer than the Chevy Tahoe and also shorter than the Chevy Suburban, which makes it more aerodynamic. This, in no way, implies any compromise in terms of space as the Wraith is really spacious on the inside and holds a host of useful features that make the drive more relaxed for the passengers.
A Reliable Arsenal Of Technology
The Wraith has some fantastic features which need to be addressed as they are integral for the car's performance. As the car has a long hood, it might hinder the driver's precision due to the lack of visibility of the close proximity in the front. This is solved by placing two front cameras, which gives the driver a panoramic view of the front, making it easy to maneuver around small objects such as rocks, bumps, or potholes.
The most exciting piece of tech on the Wraith is the Satellite Aided Transmission (SAT) which works with the transmission and suspension systems directly. It judges the car's location, maps the surroundings, and formulates a picture about the driving style at the moment. Using this data, SAT shifts the gears and controls other features like ABS and ABD.
Its superior build and its unmatched performance make Wraith the most powerful automobile in the family. It also justifies quite well why the company chose the tagline 'Velocity, Verve, Drama' for this beast of a car.