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» ROLLS-ROYCE GHOST Despite sharing lots of technology, the Ghost is not merely a blinged-up BMW 7-Series. It’s pitched as the truly accessible Rolls-Royce, though that’s not to say it’s going to be cheap – expect to pay a figure somewhere above $300,000 if you want to get your hands on one. However, if you’ve not already put your name down, expect to be waiting a while. Rolls-Royce has already received orders for over 1500 Ghosts and it takes around 20 working days to build each one – to each customer’s exacting specification, naturally. With a new 563bhp V12 and an eightspeed automatic gearbox, the Ghost is looking like a very impressive machine indeed. It shares many of the styling cues with its Phantom bigger brother including the trademark suicide rear doors. However, this Rolls-Royce has been designed for the person behind the wheel, not the one reclining in the back.
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» FERRARI 458 ITALIA With Enzo-like styling, a howling V8 engine and three – yes three – exhausts, the 458 Italia is a true thoroughbred Ferrari supercar. It follows in the wake of the brilliant F430 Scuderia, yet is more powerful and quicker than the stripped-out special. Like the California, the 458 Italia has been designed without a manual ‘box in mind. But fear not, the seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox has been designed with spirited driving on the agenda and works with a clever electronic diff to provide epic performance on road or track. Any supercar fan worth his salt should keep an eye out for one of these.
106 ] THE CAR 100