Rolls-Royce Wraith

There's really nothing on sale today that's quite like the Rolls-Royce Wraith. There are cars that are as expensive as the Wraith, and those that offer a similarly deep level of customization, but just about all the competition aims at being both sporty and luxurious. Rolls-Royce eschews a pretense of athleticism. With the Wraith, it focused on making one of the most comfortable, well-appointed and exclusive coupes on sale today.

This isn't a coupe meant for tackling winding back roads. That's not to say the Wraith isn't nice to drive, but this coupe was made for city streets and highway cruises. For those who do want a little more performance, the Wraith Black Badge offers more torque from the V12 engine.

The Wraith is Rolls-Royce's only coupe (the Rolls-Royce Dawn is essentially a convertible Wraith) and comes with a suitably regal interior. And that's before diving into the extensive options for personalization. Everything from the paint to the color and texture of the leather can be changed to your heart's content. Do you want a Wraith with a gold-plated Spirit of Ecstasy on the hood, a three-tone leather interior with bright red sheep's wool floor mats, and a contrasting steering wheel? Rolls-Royce will do it.

Competition is few in this league. The Bentley Continental GT, Aston Martin DBS Superleggera, McLaren GT and Ferrari 812 Superfast are all big, expensive coupes with long options lists and — with the exception of the V8-powered McLaren — and powerful V12 engines. While those may be faster and sharper to drive than the Wraith, none have quite the presence or lavish level of comfort as the Rolls.

Which Wraith does MatoCar recommend?

The Rolls-Royce Wraith comes in a single well-equipped trim level that allows for extensive customization. All Wraiths are powered by a 6.6-liter twin-turbocharged V12. It makes 624 horsepower and 605 lb-ft of torque in standard guise, but opting for the Black Badge package ups torque significantly to 642 lb-ft. Power is sent to the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Wraith Standard features on the Wraith include:

• LED headlights
• Keyless entry and ignition
• Power-adjustable front seats
• Power-adjustable steering wheel
• Heated front and rear seats
• Four-zone automatic climate control
• 18-speaker audio system
• Wi-Fi hotspot
• Lane departure warning (alerts you if the vehicle begins to drift out of its lane)
• Front and rear parking sensors

Notable options

• Adaptive cruise control (adjusts speed to maintain a constant distance between the vehicle and the car in front)
• Ventilated seats
• Massaging seats
• Glass roof panel
• Starlight LED headliner
• Television tuner (can pick up over-the-air TV signals)
• Tinted rear privacy glass
• Door-mounted umbrella

Personalization Most of the Wraith's features and options aren't particularly special. What really sets Rolls-Royce vehicles apart is the level of customization. Some of the available touches include:

• Exterior paint colors
• Wheel colors (including contrasting center caps)
• Leather upholstery color (multi-color interiors are available)
• Personalized doorplates
• Embroidered headrests
• Door and dash trim
• Seat stitching and piping color
• Custom LED headliner design

Wraith Eagle VIII A special-edition model limited to just 50 units that's an homage to a nonstop trans-Atlantic Rolls-Royce-powered flight in 1919. Features include:

• Dark-themed two-tone paint scheme with brass accents
• Gray and black leather interior with brass accents
• Brass trim on the door panels, speaker covers and headrests
• Custom LED headliner that's patterned after the night sky in 1919