The Rolls-Royce Ghost was too spookily silent for the road

The new Rolls-Royce Ghost was so incredibly quiet that it caused occupants to feel sick and engineers were forced to add noise.

Lead engineer Jon Simms told Bloomberg that the serene machine caused drivers and passengers to feel disorientated “bordering on nausea.” So, in an unheard-of move, Simms and his team actually had to make the car louder.

They tweaked the sound of the 563-hp engine, reduced the insulation in the doors and headliner, and redesigned the rear seat frames. Key components in the rear of the car were designed to vibrate a specific low frequency and create a “whisper” of sound.

The Ghost is still an incredibly quiet car, as you can read in our review, thanks to its double-glazed glass and foam-filled tires, among other innovations. In all, it’s one decibel easier on the ears than its predecessor—although clearly it could have been quieter still, if passengers weren’t so spooked.