09 Nov 09 11:49
Rolls-Royce is reportedly working on a hybrid version of its Ghost luxury saloon, sharing the BMW 7-Series' ActiveHybrid system.
The current 7-Series and the Ghost share the same standard rear-wheel drive platform so Rolls-Royce will not need to massively re-engineer the car's layout to accommodate the green technology.
The Ghost's 6.2-litre V12 563bhp, 575lb-ft petrol engine will be assisted by an 20kw/155lb-ft electric motor but with no electric-only propulsion. The 'green' Ghost should feature start-stop and all the energy generated during overrun and braking will be stored in a lithium-ion battery located in the boot to boost power.
It is estimated that fuel consumption in the hybrid model will be reduced by about 15% over the standard model but performance will be slightly improved.
