Rolls-Royce Ghost Extended vs Rolls-Royce Phantom

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance, petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.

Rolls-Royce Ghost Extended in South Africa

Rolls-Royce Ghost Extended

Ghost Extended Series II Petrol 8-Speed Automatic Current
Price on request
⚡ 420 kW 🔧 850 Nm ⛽ 6.33 km/l
VS
Rolls-Royce Phantom in South Africa

Rolls-Royce Phantom

Phantom Series II Petrol 8-Speed Automatic Current
Price on request
⚡ 420 kW 🔧 900 Nm ⛽ 6.29 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Ghost Extended
Fuel Economy Tie
🛡 Safety Tie
📦 Practicality Phantom
🔑 Ownership Tie

Key Specs Side by Side

The specs that matter most — highlighted where one car leads.

Spec Ghost Extended Phantom
Maximum Power 420 kW @ 5000 rpm 420 kW @ 5000 rpm
Maximum Torque 850 Nm @ 1600 rpm 900 Nm @ 1700 rpm
Engine Size 6749 cc 6749 cc
Claimed Mileage 6.33 km/l 6.29 km/l
Ground Clearance 118 mm 136 mm
Boot / Load Bay 500 l 530 l
Airbags 8 8
Kerb Weight 2545 kg 2560 kg
Seating Capacity - -
Warranty 4 years; regional conditions apply 4 years; regional conditions apply

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Both Ghost Extended and Phantom are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Ghost Extended +4 pts
Efficiency Equal
Safety Equal
Practicality Phantom +4 pts
Ownership Equal

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

Ghost Extended

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
Weak Spots
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: Highway Driving

Phantom

Strengths
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
Best suited to: Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

Ghost Extended

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power

Phantom

  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Ghost Extended Phantom
Generation Second-generation Ghost Extended in long-wheelbase Series II form Eighth-generation Phantom in standard-wheelbase Series II form
Facelift History Ghost Extended joined the second-generation Ghost family globally in 2020 and evolved into Ghost Extended Series II in October 2024; its exact South African introduction year remains unverified The eighth-generation Phantom was presented globally in 2017, introduced in South Africa in 2018 and received its light-touch Series II evolution in 2022
Facelift Launched Since 2024 2022
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style Extended-wheelbase four-door luxury saloon Four-door luxury saloon
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status active active
Segment Extended-wheelbase full-size super-luxury saloon Full-size super-luxury saloon
Vehicle Type Internal-combustion passenger car Internal-combustion passenger car
Model Introduced Year - 2018
Spec Ghost Extended Phantom
Drivetrain Layout All-wheel drive with all-wheel steering Front-engine, rear-wheel drive with all-wheel steering
Transfer Case ATC 13 transfer case Not Applicable
Differential Lock No lockable differential No lockable differential
Paddle Shifters No No
Gearbox 8-speed automatic 8-speed ZF automatic
Final Drive Ratio 2.81:1 2.81:1
Number of Gears 8 8
Transmission Type 8-speed automatic 8-speed ZF automatic
Clutch Type Torque converter Torque converter
Drivetrain All-wheel drive Rear-wheel drive
4WD Engagement Rolls-Royce all-wheel drive Not Applicable
4WD Hi Range Not Applicable Not Applicable
4WD Lo Range Not Applicable Not Applicable
4WD Selector Not Applicable Not Applicable
Automatic Shift Paddles No No
Front Differential Lock No lockable differential Not Applicable
Gearbox Type 8-speed automatic 8-speed ZF automatic
Low Range Ratio Not Applicable Not Applicable
Low Range Not Applicable Not Applicable
Axle Layout All-wheel-drive power delivery with active rear-axle steering Rear-wheel-drive power delivery with active rear-axle steering
Rear Differential Lock No lockable differential No lockable differential
Transmission Speeds 8 8
Gear Shift Type Satellite Aided automatic gear selection Satellite Aided automatic gear selection

Overall Verdict Score

Decision-grade view of the winner, score gap and category strengths.

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Ghost Extended leads by 0 points

Both Ghost Extended and Phantom are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Winner 71 /100
Lead 0 points
Data 91% confidence
71
#1 Winner

Ghost Extended

91% data confidence 2 strong categories
Best at Performance 100 Check Efficiency 29
Performance 100
Efficiency 29
Safety 99
Practicality 63
Ownership 44
Leads by 0 points
71
#2

Phantom

91% data confidence 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 99 Check Efficiency 29
Performance 96
Efficiency 29
Safety 99
Practicality 67
Ownership 44
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Ghost Extended +4 Efficiency Level Safety Level Practicality Phantom +4 Ownership Level

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Ghost Extended

Performance 100/100
Efficiency 29/100
Safety 99/100
Practicality 63/100
Ownership 44/100

Phantom

Performance 96/100
Efficiency 29/100
Safety 99/100
Practicality 67/100
Ownership 44/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Rolls-Royce Ghost Extended wins with 71 pts vs 71 pts for Phantom

In structured scoring, Ghost Extended emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Phantom may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Buyers Also Looked At These

Other comparisons that people in the same boat tend to check out.

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

On our scoring the Ghost Extended edges ahead overall. That said, the right choice depends on what you actually use the car for — the breakdown above shows exactly where each one wins and loses.

Efficiency scores: Ghost Extended 29 vs Phantom 29. In the real world, diesel variants of either car will beat the claimed figure on long highways and fall short in Joburg traffic.

Safety scores: Ghost Extended 99, Phantom 99. Check each model page for NCAP ratings and which trim levels include AEB and blind-spot monitoring — those features aren't always standard.

Long-term ownership scores: Ghost Extended 44, Phantom 44. Service intervals, parts availability in SA, and whether a service plan is bundled all factor in — check the individual variant specs for that detail.

Practicality scores: Ghost Extended 63, Phantom 67. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Ghost Extended 100, Phantom 96. This looks at real-world pace — 0–100 kph, highway flexibility, and how either car feels when you actually need to overtake on an N-road.

Resale varies with colour, spec, and market timing, but Japanese brands — and Toyota specifically — have a strong track record in SA. Check current used prices for both on AutoTrader to see the real gap right now.

Ground clearance and 4WD availability are what matter most here. Scroll to the spec table above to compare both side by side — if either model offers a 4WD variant, that's the version worth comparing.

Fuel, insurance, and service costs are the big three. Diesel variants of both models typically save R800–R1,500/month in fuel at current SA pump prices. The Ghost Extended edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Ghost Extended scores better overall, but neither car is a bad buy here. It comes down to what features matter to you — check the full spec table above to see exactly what you gain and lose at each price point.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

The comparison between Ghost Extended and Phantom in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Ghost Extended scores 100 vs 96.

Efficiency: Ghost Extended scores 29 vs 29.

Safety: Ghost Extended scores 99 vs 99.

Practicality: Ghost Extended scores 63 vs 67.

Ownership: Ghost Extended scores 44 vs 44.

Final structured scoring gives Ghost Extended the advantage in this comparison.