What better venue to host the North American debut of the Rolls-Royce Ghost than the LA Auto Show?

Detroit? Hardly!

The Ghost is the first entirely new model from Rolls-Royce since 2003, when the flagship Phantom debuted. Slightly smaller than that uber-luxury land-yacht the Ghost is still massive and excessively luxurious. It’s real claim to fame, however, might be its more performance-oriented engine, a 6.6-liter V12 that makes 563hp and 575 ft-lbs of torque at just 1500 rpm. Using a new eight-speed automatic transmission the Ghost will be able to hit 62 mph in just 4.8 seconds.

The Ghost will be available with a very long list of standard an optional equipment, including rear-seat LCD screens with fold out tables and, of course, umbrellas in the doors.

Rolls-Royce is expected to follow the same product development strategy with the Ghost as with the Phantom, so expect to hear rumors of both a coupe and a convertible starting soon.

We’ll be sure to bring you coverage of this car and all the rest with live coverage of the LA Auto Show starting December 2nd.

See AutoGuide’s Live 2009 LA Auto Show Coverage Here Starting December 2nd

GALLERY: Rolls-Royce Ghost Debut in Frankfurt

It isn’t every day that Rolls-Royce rolls out a new model, let alone the start of a new lineup of cars. In fact, the most luxurious luxury brand on the planet hasn’t had an entirely new model (based on a new platform), since 2003. Sure, there have been the Coupé and Drophead Coupé, but both of those models are based on the Phantom’s underpinnings.

The company’s latest model, the Ghost, has just been officially unveiled at the Frankfurt Auto Show. With definite Phantom design cues, the Ghost is a slightly smaller vehicle, but that’s not saying much.

It is, by all accounts, incredibly large and has an engine to match. Powered by a 6.6-liter V12, the Ghost makes 563hp and 575 ft-lbs of torque at just 1500 rpm. Using a new eight-speed automatic transmission the Ghost will be able to hit 62 mph in just 4.8 seconds.

The Ghost will be available with a very long list of standard an optional equipment, including rear-seat LCD screens with fold out tables and, of course, umbrellas in the doors.

Rolls-Royce is expected to follow the same product development strategy with the Ghost as with the Phantom, so expect to hear rumors of both a coupe and a convertible starting soon.

GALLERY: 2010 Rolls-Royce Ghost

Official release after the jump:

It’s official, the name for the RR4 will be the Rolls-Royce Ghost. Company CEO Tom Purves made the announcement during the Rolls-Royce press conference at the Shanghai Auto Show.

“We are delighted to formally announce the Rolls-Royce Ghost,” said Purves. It is one of the most revered names in the automotive industry, evoking images of adventure and technical innovation. The name reflects this new model’s breadth of abilities. The first cars to bear the Ghost name were known not only for impressive dependability and refinement but also great flair and style. This car will be the first in a new generation of models to carry this evocative name and will give us two pinnacle product lines – Phantom and Ghost.

Rolls-Royce displayed the Ghost in Shanghai, although, technically speaking, the model is still the concept car (or “Design Study”), which first debuted at the Geneva Auto Show in March.

Technical details on the car are still scarce but we do know it will be powered by an all-new 6.0-liter turbocharged V12 engine with more than 500hp. A new 8-speed ZF transmission will also be used. The Ghost measures 212.6-inches long, 76.7-inches wide and 61-inches high. The wheelbase is listed as 129.7-inches. The platform for the car is the same used by the new BMW 7 Series. The wheels are 20-inch units with 255/45/20 tires up front an 285/40/20 tires in the rear.

The Rolls-Royce Ghost will go into production in late 2009 as a 2010 model.

GALLERY: Rolls-Royce Ghost

Official release after the jump: