The Rolls-Royce Wraith is a ghost story with a V12
Bored and scrolling on the toilet? Good, this one's a ghost story. "Wraith" is an old Scottish word for a ghost, and Rolls-Royce used it for the fastest, most powerful car it had ever built at the time. When it was shown at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2013, Rolls called the Wraith "the most powerful and dynamic Rolls-Royce in history."
A name from 1938
The first Rolls-Royce Wraith was built in 1938 in Derby, England, with a six-cylinder engine and a top speed of about 85 mph. By 1939, 429 chassis had been made. After the war came the Silver Wraith (1946–59), the first post-war Rolls-Royce built at Crewe. The 2013 car brought the name back as a two-door fastback coupe with four seats.
Power, quietly
The Wraith uses a 6.6-liter twin-turbo V12 with 624 bhp and 590 lb-ft from just 1,500 rpm. Rolls quoted 0–60 mph in 4.4 seconds, quicker than the Ghost's 4.7. The 8-speed ZF automatic uses what Rolls calls a Satellite Aided Transmission: it reads GPS data to pick the right gear for the road ahead, before the bend arrives. It's a car that knows where you're going, which is more than most of us can say on a Monday.
Coach doors and a ceiling full of stars
- The doors are rear-hinged coach doors.
- The Starlight Headliner has 1,340 fiber optic lights hand-woven into the roof lining.
- The wood option is called Canadel Panelling, named after the cove in the South of France where Sir Henry Royce and his engineers spent their winters. Even Rolls-Royce's founder had a plan for winter.
- Rolls-Royce's CEO at the launch, Torsten Müller-Ötvös, called it "the ultimate gentlemen's gran turismo."
The Rolls-Royce Wraith by the numbers
- Engine: 6.6-liter twin-turbo V12, 624 bhp and 590 lb-ft
- 0–60 mph: 4.4 seconds
- Top speed: 155 mph, governed
- Transmission: 8-speed automatic with satellite-aided shifting
- Curb weight: 5,380 lb; length 207.9 in
- US starting price at launch: $284,900, in dealers in late 2013
Why the Wraith turns heads
Darin's photo above is a white Wraith parked right in front of the Lamborghini Miami showroom, on one of his trips there. The fastback roof sweeps all the way down to the tail, and the grille sits deep in the nose under the Spirit of Ecstasy. Look at the door handle: it's at the front edge of the door, because the door opens backward. That's how you tell a Wraith from across a parking lot.
Day dreaming in winter
No "Winter-ready" tag on this card. We only add it when the maker confirms all-wheel drive, and Rolls-Royce doesn't list that for the Wraith. Sir Henry spent his winters in the South of France. You don't have to go that far: our fleet is still out driving, and you can pick your dates.
Where to see a Rolls-Royce Wraith
Monaco Motor Group in New Port Richey, Florida lists a white 2014 Rolls-Royce Wraith with a black top and 23,524 miles at $118,999 (their listed price, checked Oct 25, 2026). Tap the photo or the button to see it. Darin's photo is a different Wraith. For scale: that's well under half of the 2014 sticker. It's still a lot, but it's the best deal on a ghost you'll find this side of Halloween.
The honest part
Service, insurance and tire costs are pending until we find numbers from a source we trust. Our own difficulty rating is pending too. We'd rather leave a bar empty than guess.
Seller pick: Monaco Motor Group
2014 Rolls-Royce Wraith in white with a black top, 23,524 miles at Monaco Motor Group, New Port Richey, FL. Listed price: $118,999 (checked Oct 25, 2026). Sold by the dealer, not by us.
Sources: press.rolls-roycemotorcars.com · auto-brochures.com · robbreport.com · autoweek.com · mmgcars.com