since 1976
since 1976
Rolls-Royce motor cars enjoy an expansive lifetime, ultimately becoming timeless expressions of good taste, beauty and luxurious perfection. Phantom occupies a unique, pinnacle position in this regard, being revered for its timeless elegance. From the moment Sir Henry Royce introduced the Rolls-Royce Phantom in 1925 it was judged ‘The Best Car in the World’ by the cognoscenti. As a result,it has conveyed some of the world’s most influential and powerful men and women to the most defining historical moments over the last century.
The eighth-generation of Phantom was presented in 2017.It was the first model that acquired the new ‘Architecture of Luxury’ -all-aluminium space frame architecture designed by Rolls-Royce engineers that has gone on to underpin every new Rolls-Royce.
The realisation of Bespoke individualization was a moment of clarity about the destiny of Rolls-Royce. Rolls-Royce clients–each a connoisseur of luxury in the extreme –were asking for something more individual to them, not less.
Fast forward to the current day: in creating the new expression,Rolls-Royce designers and engineers have been guided by the requests of clients, who have implored Rolls-Royce not to make any major changes to an already iconic motor car. In answer to these client demands, only the lightest of design touches, embellishments,and adaptations have been incorporated. Indeed, it is not about what should be changed, but in fact, what should be preserved and protected.
A NEW EXPRESSION
The most obvious and important feature to be retained is Phantom’s commanding presence. This has been further enhanced by a new polished horizontal line between the daytime running lights above the Pantheon Grille. This gives Phantom a new and assertive modernity, reflecting its driver-focused character.
A subtle geometric change to the Pantheon Grille makes the ‘RR’ Badge of Honour and Spirit of Ecstasy mascot more prominent when viewed from the front. The headlights are graced with intricate laser-cut bezel star lights, creating a visual connection with the Starlight Headliner inside, and adding further surprise and delight to Phantom's night-time presence.
Phantom’s side profile retains Rolls-Royce’s signature short front and long rear overhang, long wheelbase and broad c-pillar, the latter giving greater privacy for occupants. The silhouette preserves the elegant key lines running from the Spirit of Ecstasy to the tapering rear tail. The ‘split-belt’ line begins at the front fender and curves gently towards the rear door, emphasising the car's long dash-to-axle proportions, before falling gently towards the lantern-like rear lamps. The heavily undercut 'waft line' creates a strong shadow, visually signaling the marque's unequalled ‘Magic Carpet Ride’.
The side profile is further enhanced with a suite of new wheels. A3D,milled, stainless steel wheel with triangular facets is available to commission in a fully or part-polished finish. Alternatively, Phantom may be graced with a truly elegant disc wheel, recalling the romance of 1920’s Rolls-Royce motor cars.This disc wheel is produced in both polished stainless steel and black lacquer, perfectly encapsulating the sense of flight on land.
Responding to Phantom clients who have previously requested a darkened chrome grille surround, black bonnet reins, windscreen surround and side frame finishers, these may now be commissioned. This aesthetic now enables Rolls-Royce to transform Phantom into the lightest of light or the darkest of dark appearances.
Phantom’s sumptuous interior remains almost unaltered: the steering wheel has been made slightly thicker, providing a more connected and immediate point of contact for the owner-driver.
Phantom and Phantom Extended have distinct characters of their own, representing two different seats of power.Phantom is now predominantly favoured by the ever-increasing number of clients wishing to be in the driving seat themselves. For those preferring to command the road from the rear seat, Phantom Extended offers the definitive chauffeur-driven experience.
ROLLS-ROYCE CONNECTED
Now,Phantom includes the debut of ‘Rolls-Royce Connected’. This enables the owner to send an address directly to the motor car from Whispers, the Rolls-Royce private-members’ Application, providing seamless navigation to an event, restaurant, dealership or even the Home of Rolls-Royce itself.
‘Rolls-Royce Connected’ also displays the motor car’s location, security status and current 'health' condition on Whispers; at the touch of a button, the owner can contact a preferred dealership for any servicing requirements or information about the car.
THE ‘POLES OF LUXURY’
As the marque's pinnacle product, Phantom attracts an elite stratum of Rolls-Royce clients. Established and successful, at the top of their field and often in the public eye, these are determined and demanding people. It is no coincidence that Phantom attracts the most ambitious and challenging Bespoke commissions ever undertaken by Rolls-Royce.
The resulting creations -each an artistic masterpiece in its own right -illustrate a broader truth: since its inception, Phantom has always been whatever the client wants it to be; not only the ‘best car in the world’, but the best car for them and their world.
Self-evidently, there is no such thing as a ‘typical’ Phantom client. Spanning the ‘poles of luxury’, they may be ever-younger or older, modern or traditional, self-made or from long-established wealth. Their commissions reflect a full spectrum of interests and influences. At one extreme, Phantom takes on a subversive, almost rebellious character –youthful, dynamic and daring. At the other, Phantom transforms into an ode to luxury grandeur and timelessness.
The challenge of the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective is to accommodate this vast expanse of client characteristics and desires in one pinnacle product. The eighth-generation Phantom has thus been deliberately designed to offer a ‘blank canvas’ for Bespoke personalisation, capable of becoming whatever the client wishes it to be, and a true reflection of their individual style and character.
Phantom's great strength and appeal is that it allows clients to position themselves anywhere between these 'poles of luxury', defining luxury on their own terms. And wherever that point happens to lie, they have the assurance that Phantom itself is -technically, materially, aesthetically and dynamically -still the 'best car in the world'.
The subtle changes we have made for the new Phantom Series II have all been minutely considered and meticulously executed. As Sir Henry Royce himself said: ‘Small things make perfection, but perfection is no small thing’.”
Phantom Series II starts at *MYR 2,500,000, while Phantom Series II Extended at *MYR 2,900,000, both prices are exclusive of tax.
*All Rolls-Royce cars are hand-made and bespoke, pricing is highly dependent on customer-specifications
DID YOU KNOW? FIVEFACTS ABOUT PHANTOM
>Phantom is the most established nameplate in automotive history, introduced in 1925. It represents Rolls-Royce's tireless pursuit of perfection
>At its prototype stage, the 6.75-litre Rolls-Royce V12 engine in Phantom had to faultlessly revolve 750 million times before being approved for production.
>The 1300 Watt, 18 Channel, 18 speaker Bespoke Audio system in a Rolls-Royce is so exhaustively tuned, interior designers must seek the permission of the audio engineer who created it before making any design changes.
>The 48 painstakingly crafted wood parts that comprise a Phantom interior take a month to produce. A sense of seamless flow of grain is ensured by only using wood from one tree for each motor car.
>Mark Court is the only man in the able to hand-apply a perfectly straight Phantom coach line. In total it takes 3 hours per side. He uses special brushes made from ox and squirrel hair to ensure the line is precisely level and a uniform 3mm in width. He honed his steady-hand painting pub-signs.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Phantom Series II: NEDC combined: CO2emissions: 345 g/km; Fuel consumption: 18.7 mpg / 15.1 l/100km. WLTP combined:CO2emissions: 351-362 g/km; Fuel consumption: 17.7-18.2 mpg / 15.5-16.0 l/100km.
