2010 Rolls-Royce Ghost

Rolls-Royce has positioned its "cheap" model, the Ghost sedan, brilliantly, in terms of both its price and its unapologetic pursuit of comfort in a class of wannabe sport sedans.

Side The Ghost is 17 inches shorter than the short-wheelbase Phantom, but it's still plenty long, roughly between the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban full-size SUVs.

In the past few years, ultraluxury brands have been adding models to their lineups that are priced lower than their typical ultrarich cars, but that are still more expensive than the most feature- and power-packed models from mass-market luxury brands like BMW and Mercedes-Benz. In 2004, Bentley introduced its sporty Continental GT coupe at the unprecedented low price of $149,990 and promptly quintupled its sales without damaging the brand, as some had predicted the car might. A four-door Continental Flying Spur followed, currently priced at $177,600, $202,500 for a more powerful Speed version.

At a base price of $245,000, the Ghost comes in above the Spur and the new Aston Martin Rapide ($200,000), and well above the priciest versions of Maserati's Quattroporte ($133,700) and Porsche's new Panamera ($132,600), all of which have four doors.

Yet the Ghost doesn't cost as much as Rolls-Royce's flagship sedan, the Phantom ($380,000), or the 57 ($366,000) from Maybach, a Daimler brand. Though its retired 2009 Arnage was in the same range as the Ghost, Bentley's all-new 2011 Mulsanne flagship starts at $285,000.

Both its character and its price put the Ghost in a position to satisfy buyers and succeed in what's becoming a crowded subset of the luxury market.