Rolls-Royce: would you pay £230,000 for the greatest car in the world? See this video report

But Rolls-Royce with a heritage stretching back 117 years carries the title with gracious ease.

And after a week at the wheel of a Ghost I found most people I came across admired its elegance and style. They were no sneers or grumbles.

And every car driver treated me with grace, except for one female Land Rover Discovery driver who resolutely refused to let me switch lanes at a junction in Wakefield. Shame on her.

So, what makes a Roller? You might imagine striking shapes, lashings of leather, wood and chrome and arguably the best engines on the planet would be enough.

But not so: Rolls-Royce appreciates that not everyone who gets in its first class cabin is a petrolhead.

For those less impressed with the brand, Rolls-Royce has a trick or two up its Savile Row sleeve.

Not knocked out by the sumptuous seats, the menacingly smooth 6.75 litre engine or the elegant ride? Well, maybe one or two gimmicks will snap your attention.

The starlight ceiling for example. It has hundreds of hand-drilled LED lights to replicate the night sky, complete with shooting stars. Ask nicely and they will configure the constellation on the day you were born or married. OK, I wouldn’t but some would.

Seen the Spirit of Ecstasy? This famous mascot, modelled on an early customer’s lover (not wife), stands graciously on the grille.

But turn the engine off and the “angel” – as a friend called it – dips safely out of reach of villainous hands into a concealed area behind the radiator.

Or have you seen the televisions? Not one but three – two are for the rear-seat passengers and one for those in front (when safely stationary, of course).

Too posh to close your own doors? Worry not, a button on the console will shut them effortlessly for you.

Or the concealed umbrellas? They are tucked away inside the rear doors. Worry not that Skoda do a similar trick in some of their models – I’m sure Rolls-Royce brollies are better.

Convinced? Well, Rolls maintain with some conviction that its stable of three models are pre-eminent.

We have Cullinan, an SUV which I admire but don’t love. Then we have the vast Phantom saloon and the relatively smaller Ghost, tested here.

Phantom is a beast but frankly it’s too big. Winding roads in the Yorkshire Dales are enough to raise the blood pressure in this gargantuan machine.

Ghost, though, might fit the bill. It’s smaller by a foot or so yet it’s still enough to dwarf a Range Rover. Car parks are a challenge, but perhaps David Beckham, Simon Cowell and other prominent Ghost drivers don’t often visit Morrisons on a busy shopping day.

You might imagine parking would be a problem for the chauffeur rather than the owner but Rolls-Royce say most are owner-drivers these days. And while it’s fair to assume this is but one of a fleet of cars, many use it as their every-day drive.

Well, I did. We took Diane, a family friend to see her son in Queen Mother-style in Hebden Bridge; we took my sister on a spin around West Yorkshire for her birthday; I went to Tesco and parked safely a good distance away; and went to a football match in it, but again parked distantly from the crowds; and even visited a McDonald’s (I daren’t try the drive-through though).

What surprised me most about this vehicle is how quickly it became normal. It is such a stunningly intuitive car that you quickly forget its size and cost. It drives nimbly – very quick if pushed – but you feel no pressure to keep up with the boy-racers, knowing you could if you wish leave them well behind.

This is a car to savour rather than push hard.

Ghost is a game changer for Rolls. Together with Cullinan, it has lowered the age of the average customer. Some special edition versions such as Black Badge have helped too by appealing to affluent footballer types.

In fact the average age of a Rolls-Royce customer may surprise you – 43. That’s incredibly young, especially given that at one time Rolls-Royce attracted the more mature motorist and Bentley the younger, sportier driver.

Each Ghost is built to order. Dealers don’t carry stock as such. Rather, if you’re serious about buying one you will choose your model from the wheels upwards, specifying everything from the colour (Witterings Blue on the test model) through to leather, trim and the myriad of other features.

Ghost was launched in 2011 and is constantly evolving. This is simply the most technologically advanced Rolls-Royce yet.

Its design is said to reflect ‘Post Opulent’ design philosophy, rejecting superficial expressions of wealth. I think that means it has an under-stated look but believe me, it still turns heads.Would I want one? Yes. Will I ever buy one? If six numbers come up tonight, and I wanted a fleet of stunning cars, then this would be one. Without doubt.

At £230,000 it’s obviously a lot of money, but that’s just the starting price. And no-one buys a Ghost on a budget. On a whim I priced up some secondhand Ghosts. The costliest: £369,990. The cheapest: £66,995.

One word of advice though: the test version came with a bonnet painted in a different colour to the body. If you’re in a position to order one, don’t bother with that. It looks like you’ve replaced it with a bonnet from another car.

Rolls-Royce Ghost

Price: £230,000 plus

Engine: A 6.75 litre V12 engine. Technically it’s actually a W12

Power: 563bhp

Torque: 850Nm

Performance: Top speed 155mph and 0 to 60mph in 4.6 seconds

Costs: 18.8mpg combined

Emissions: 347g/km

Warranty: Four years, unlimited miles