Rolls-Royce Ghost vs Rolls-Royce Ghost Extended

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 in South Africa

Rolls-Royce Ghost

Ghost Series II Petrol 8-Speed Automatic Current
Price on request
⚡ 420 kW 🔧 850 Nm ⛽ 6.37 km/l
VS
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
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

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

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Ghost Ghost Extended
Maximum Power 420 kW @ 5000 rpm 420 kW @ 5000 rpm
Maximum Torque 850 Nm @ 1600 rpm 850 Nm @ 1600 rpm
Engine Size 6749 cc 6749 cc
Claimed Mileage 6.37 km/l 6.33 km/l
Ground Clearance 118 mm 118 mm
Boot / Load Bay 500 l 500 l
Airbags 8 8
Kerb Weight 2490 kg 2545 kg
Seating Capacity - -
Warranty 4 years; regional conditions apply 4 years; regional conditions apply

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

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

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Equal
Efficiency Ghost +1 pts
Safety Equal
Practicality Ghost +1 pts
Ownership Equal

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

Ghost

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Fuel Efficiency Family Usage

Ghost Extended

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: General Use

Which One's Right for You?

Ghost

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Ghost Extended

  • Buyers looking for a balanced all-round vehicle

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Ghost Ghost Extended
Model Introduced Year 2020 -
Generation Second-generation Ghost in standard-wheelbase Series II form Second-generation Ghost Extended in long-wheelbase Series II form
Facelift History The second-generation Ghost was introduced in South Africa in 2020 and evolved into Ghost Series II in October 2024 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
Facelift Launched Since 2024 2024
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style Four-door luxury saloon Extended-wheelbase four-door luxury saloon
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status active active
Segment Full-size super-luxury saloon Extended-wheelbase full-size super-luxury saloon
Vehicle Type Internal-combustion passenger car Internal-combustion passenger car
Spec Ghost Ghost Extended
Drivetrain Layout All-wheel drive with all-wheel steering All-wheel drive with all-wheel steering
Transfer Case ATC 13 transfer case ATC 13 transfer case
Differential Lock No lockable differential No lockable differential
Paddle Shifters No No
Gearbox 8-speed automatic 8-speed automatic
Final Drive Ratio 2.81:1 2.81:1
Number of Gears 8 8
Transmission Type 8-speed automatic 8-speed automatic
Clutch Type Torque converter Torque converter
Drivetrain All-wheel drive All-wheel drive
4WD Engagement Rolls-Royce all-wheel drive Rolls-Royce all-wheel drive
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 No lockable differential
Gearbox Type 8-speed automatic 8-speed 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 All-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 leads by 1 points

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

Winner 72 /100
Lead 1 points
Data 91% confidence
72
#1 Winner

Ghost

91% data confidence 2 strong categories
Best at Performance 100 Check Efficiency 30
Performance 100
Efficiency 30
Safety 99
Practicality 64
Ownership 44
Leads by 1 points
71
#2

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
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Level Efficiency Ghost +1 Safety Level Practicality Ghost +1 Ownership Level

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Ghost

Performance 100/100
Efficiency 30/100
Safety 99/100
Practicality 64/100
Ownership 44/100

Ghost Extended

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

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Rolls-Royce Ghost wins with 72 pts vs 71 pts for Ghost Extended

In structured scoring, Ghost emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Ghost Extended 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 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 30 vs Ghost Extended 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 99, Ghost Extended 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 44, Ghost Extended 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 64, Ghost Extended 63. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Ghost 100, Ghost Extended 100. 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 edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

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

Performance: Ghost scores 100 vs 100.

Efficiency: Ghost scores 30 vs 29.

Safety: Ghost scores 99 vs 99.

Practicality: Ghost scores 64 vs 63.

Ownership: Ghost scores 44 vs 44.

Final structured scoring gives Ghost the advantage in this comparison.