Rolls-Royce->ke74 has an interesting relationship with the Goodwood Festival of Speed.->ke3879 Though the marque is no stranger to powerful cars, it tends not to build machines meant for such an outright orgy of flat-out speed. But on the other hand, Rolls-Royce is headquartered in Goodwood, and it would be downright strange to not participate in a car show that's already at your doorstep. So Rolls must walk a line with what it brings to the festival, putting an emphasis on the Ghost->ke3434 and Wraith,->ke1710 rather than the Phantom,->ke1283 which is typically driven by a chauffeur.

Rolls-Royce brought one of each of these models to the festival, built specifically for the event and even sporting custom kickplates inscribed to commemorate the occasion. The cars were driven by Rolls-Royce/BMW->ke178 test drivers for the famous hillclimb event, which must have been amazing to watch, given the sheer size of the vehicles. The short press release from Rolls even went so far as to call the Wraith “the ultimate gentleman's Gran Turismo”. It's a bold claim for a company not usually associated with GT cars, but there is certainly an argument for it. What do you think, too far?

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Why it matters

In much the same way that Rolls-Royce brings cars to all of these sorts of shows, these were meant to show off some of the customization options offered by the Bespoke program, although Rolls was surprisingly sparing in its direct mentioning of the program. But we do still get some details about what went into the cars. The black Ghost is actually the Course Car this year, which is why it has a light bar mounted on the roof. And although we can't see it, it apparently has a Hotspur Red interior.

The Wraith is more of a show car, as it hasn't been enlisted for Course Car duty. The paint is pretty eye-catching on its own, and it also has a Hotspur Red interior. The inside of the doors feature wooden paneling inspired by the sort typical of Canadel cove in southern France, an area favored by Henry Royce for his winters. It might be a stretch to call that a heritage touch, but it's a safe bet that it looks good either way.

2015 Rolls Royce Ghost

Read our full review here.

2015 Rolls Royce Wraith

Read our full review here.