When you think of a Rolls-Royce, you might imagine one rolling serenely down a country road, or perhaps stopped under a theater's marquee as its owners take in a performance. You probably didn't imagine one with a surfboard strapped on top.
Yet, Rolls-Royce just showed off a Ghost sedan with a surfboard on top, and I have to say, it looks good. Then again, it should. This specific surfboard is actually on loan from a Rolls-Royce customer. This creation from Woodpop is 9 feet, 2 inches long, and it's made of sustainably sourced wood. Its marquetry deck incorporates a wide variety of veneers, including American Walnut, Birch and Ripple Sycamore. There's 24-carat gold leaf in there, too. As one does.
It's mounted to a Ghost, and not the newer Phantom, because the surfboard's owner currently owns a Ghost. There's still a whole lot to like about the Ghost, though -- its serene ride comes by way of a 6.6-liter V12 putting out 563 horsepower and 575 pound-feet of torque. It might play second fiddle to the Phantom, but with a base price north of $300,000, it's still every bit as luxurious as you'd expect from a car with the Spirit of Ecstasy out front.
So what's the reason for the surfboard-toting Ghost? Why, to summer with, of course. Rolls-Royce is taking its entire lineup, including the forthcoming Cullinan SUV, to the Côte d'Azur (aka the French Riviera) to show off its stuff in a place where its buyers have likely congregated to enjoy the warm months. Included in this cadre of class is a highly customized Dawn, which will serve as a reminder that Rolls-Royce will gladly turn any of its cars into a truly bespoke creation -- so long as you can pony up the dough.
The Ghost and Phantom are both exceptional cars, but I imagine most eyes are currently glued to the Cullinan. In an attempt to rise to the top of the super-luxe SUV segment before it gets too busy, the Cullinan takes every inch of Rolls-Royce's sedan-based opulence and raises it up a few inches. There's even a set of folding leather seats in the cargo area that lets you tailgate like a king.
