Rolls-Royce delivers unparalleled luxury with new-generation Phantom
The epitome of automotive opulence has always arguably been a Rolls-Royce. The iconic Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament that retracts if someone tries to steal it, the self-levelling centre caps in the wheels which always position the ‘RR’ symbol the right way and hand-made interiors all combine to set a Rolls-Royce apart from its competitors.
Tracing its roots back to 1904, the British ultra-lux car-maker produced its first car – the Rolls-Royce 10 hp – for the price of £395 or about $A45,000 adjusted for inflation.
However, while Rolls-Royce’s latest model – the eight-generation Phantom ultra-lux limo – costs a fair bit more at over $1 million, the brand has certainly upped the lavish factor to match.
Although exact pricing is yet to be confirmed, Aussie buyers will be expected to pay at least seven figures for the new-generation model, but one suspects the pricetag will fall into the ‘if you have to ask, you can’t afford it’ category of shopping.
This places the new Phantom way upstream of many other ultra-luxurious models, including the Mercedes-Maybach S600 at $448,038 before on-road costs and even outpaces the model it replaces, which was $855,500 and $990,000 for short- and extended-wheelbase versions respectively.
However, buyers will be treated to a vehicle built on an all-new platform, dubbed Architecture of Luxury, which – as you can probably already guess – is designed around a supple, comfortable ride for all occupants.
Its new all-aluminium spaceframe underpinnings mean the Phantom VIII is lighter than ever and quicker to produce, while also being 30 per cent stiffer than the outgoing model, which allows for a whopping 130kg of sound insulation throughout.
The glasshouse is reinforced by 6mm-thick double-layer glazing all around, the floor and bulkhead have been beefed up, sound-absorbing materials are used throughout the headliner, doors and boot, and the tyres are even specially designed to further reduce noise.
The result is a car which Rolls-Royce touts as the most silent car in the world with passengers ensconced in quietness thanks to the extensive sound deadening utilised – and with all that effort put in, we’d be inclined to agree.
However, cutting out road, tyre, and wind noise is only one part of the luxury car equation, the other being a soft and supple ride that allows occupants to float from one destination to the other.
To aid with that, the British car-maker has fitted a special chassis control system called Magic Carpet Ride to control the double wishbone front and five-link rear suspension set-up underpinned by airbags at all four corners.
The system can make millions of calculations per second based on steering inputs, acceleration, imaging from the forward-facing stereo camera system, and body and wheel positioning to pre-empt the suspension for upcoming road imperfections.
As expected, the interior is also nothing short of extravagant with high-gloss surfaces and soft-touch materials throughout characterised by a large 12.3-inch instrumentation read-out, retractable infotainment screen and huge 7x3-inch head-up display.
While most high-end cars offer heated seats, Rolls takes it an extra step by not only warming the front pews, but also the two rear seats, centre console front and rear, all four door armrests, and interior of the C-pillars.
Rear passengers can also take advantage of being chauffeur driven with drinks cooler, champagne flutes, whisky glasses and a decanter all hidden away in the tricked out centre console.
Motivation comes from a new twin-turbo 6.75-litre V12 petrol engine, which produces 420kW of power and 900Nm of torque, and is fed through a smooth-shifting eight-speed ZF automatic transmission.
Although performance is nothing to boast about with a zero to 100km/h time of 5.4 seconds, maximum torque is on tap from as low as 1700rpm to ensure a smooth ride throughout the rev range.
The first version of the Phantom came equipped with a straight six pushrod engine with a production run of about 3500 units worldwide.
The Phantom II came along in 1929 with updated styling and more performance, as well as being featured in the 1989 feature film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
The Phantom III came along in 1936 and was the first to utilise a V12 engine before only 18 examples of the Phantom IV were produced between 1950 and 1956.
1959 saw the introduction of the Phantom V, which both Queen Elizabeth and Queen Elizabeth II both owned, with the Phantom VI coming along in 1968 and managed to stay in production until 1990.
Finally, the seventh-generation Phantom was produced in 2003 – the first model released from the brand under BMW’s control – which saw spin-off body styles including the Drophead Coupe and Phantom Coupe.
The eighth iteration of the Phantom then, is the culmination of over 100 years of automotive manufacturing to deliver the pinnacle of comfort and refinement.
Unparalleled in comfort, technology and pricetag, the Rolls-Royce Phantom VIII is undoubtedly one of the most magnificent vehicles available on the market.
Protect your Rolls-Royce. Call Shannons Insurance on 13 46 46 to get a quote today
