Smoking Ghosts prompt Rolls recall in the Middle East

Roll-Royce has started recalling 280 of its cars worldwide this week for a defect in one of its models.

Roll-Royce recalled 280 Ghost models worldwide this week after a defect was found in one of its models. Toby Melville / Reuters

Marketed as the ultimate luxury vehicle and built with high quality and care, Roll-Royce cars are the pinnacle of motoring excellence.

Or so the world thought until the brand recalled 280 of its cars worldwide this week for a defect in one of its models.

The recall includes more than 20 cars in the Middle East, which is the brand's fourth-largest market globally behind the United States, China and the United Kingdom.

"We have only 280 Ghost models that we are recalling globally," said Alaa Tarabay, the communications manager for Rolls-Royce in the Middle East and Africa.

"We have advised all our customers to come in to the workshop and do some remedial work, which will take one and a half hours."

The price of a Rolls-Royce Ghost starts at Dh1.1 million (US$299,470) and can go up to Dh1.3m, depending on the specifications.

The moulding around a water pump in Ghost models sold in April and May last year could begin smouldering in some customers' cars, Mr Tarabay said.

"We have not had any reports from customers on a fire issue," said Mr Tarabay.

"[The recall] is a precaution from us that you would expect from a responsible and respectable company like Rolls-Royce."

Sales of the luxury brand have been motoring upwards in the Middle East in the past few months, with the company achieving a record first quarter in the region.

Sales increased 30 per cent in the first three months of the year, compared with the same period last year.

The strong growth achieved so far this year has been attributed to the success of the Ghost and Ghost Extended Wheelbase models, the cars being recalled. "The Ghost continues to be our best seller," said Mr Tarabay. "It was launched in late 2009 and has been a successful model. It's a very informal Rolls-Royce and it attracts new customers to the brand."

Mr Tarabay said 80 per cent of Ghost buyers were first-time Rolls-Royce customers.

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