I’m a sucker for bargain luxury cars. It’s not about looking well-off - unless you’re into that sort of thing - it’s about owning a car that cost someone else a fortune upfront, thereby assuming the brunt of the depreciation. I know, I know: just because it’s ‘cheap’ to buy doesn’t mean it’ll be cheap to run, but I’m of the belief that eye-watering servicing costs and the odd surprise spanner in the works are a price (more often than not) worth paying for a car that makes you feel special the moment you step inside.
Not that you’ll find much to worry about with a Rolls-Royce Wraith. Okay, so a new-ish Roller doesn’t spring to mind when you think of V12 power on a budget, but given that this example would have set the original owner back £230,000 in 2014 - before you factor in the many expensive options that feature on this example - today’s asking price of just £99,990 essentially gets you into a modern Rolls-Royce for over half the price. Even when you take into account the very frequent fuel bills and the cost of replacing four black circles on a 2.4-tonne luxury coupe, a sub-£100k Wraith is still a mighty tempting proposition.
It’s not like it’s an egregious spec. Diamond black metallic over cream ‘Seashell’ leather is the perfect mix of understated on the outside, and pure opulence on the inside. Adding to the exquisite spec are wood inserts of the achingly cool suicide doors and the optional 21-inch wheels that are not only silver, but also appear to be devoid of kerb rash.
Speaking of options, this Wraith is absolutely loaded with them. Chief among them is the hugely desirable Starlight headliner, a near-£10,000 option when new, replicating the night’s sky of a particular day in a particular part of the world for your three occupants to glare at while you play chauffeur. Then there are the Rolls-Royce emblems embroidered into the headrests, the front massage seats and the extensive list of upgrade packages including the firm’s ‘bespoke’ hi-fi, various driver assistance tools and a host of cameras dotted around the car for reversing and parking. Probably why the wheels are in such good nick.
Let’s not forget there’s a lovely, wafty V12 upfront to shift this all along. It’s the 6.6-litre twin-turbo N72 engine that powers most of the Rolls-Royce range, as well as the old BMW M760Li xDrive. The good news is it’s a solid engine, one that likes a drink but shouldn’t throw up any nasty surprises. And while 632hp and 590lb ft of torque sounds pretty barmy, just remember those are Rolls-Royce-bred horses and torques. It’ll get you from resting to 62mph in 4.6 seconds, but it’ll do so with such effortlessness that you’ll barely realise you’re moving.
Above all, it looks as though it’s been well cared for. Over the last ten years and 49,000 miles, the car has either been serviced through a Rolls-Royce main dealer or a specialist, and has recently been put through an MOT so it’s ready to hit the road. Granted, it’s not a bargain barge in the truest sense of the word, but if there were ever an ‘affordable’ Rolls-Royce to jump on, surely this would be it.
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