The All-New Rolls-Royce Phantom: A Luxury Vehicle Like No Other

As I stepped inside the all-new Rolls-Royce Phantom, I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and anticipation. This eighth generation of the iconic nameplate has been years in the making, with BMW's ownership bringing a new level of innovation and sophistication to the table. With a reputation that spans over a century, the Phantom is often regarded as the pinnacle of luxury and refinement, and it's easy to see why.

The Phantom's history dates back to the late 20s, when it was first introduced under BMW's ownership. However, it wasn't always referred to as the Phantom – the seventh generation, which was also designed by BMW, marked a significant departure from its predecessors. The eighth generation, which we're about to explore, has been completely reimagined from scratch, with an all-new aluminum spaceframe that boasts 30% increased stiffness compared to its predecessor.

This new platform is just one aspect of the Phantom's groundbreaking design. Beneath its sleek exterior lies a powerhouse of technology and engineering, including a 6.7-liter V12 engine with two turbochargers – the same block found in the Ghost, which has been tweaked to produce an astonishing 670 horsepower at 5,000 rpm. While peak power may not be reached until around 2,500 rpm, the Phantom's sheer grunt and torque make it a formidable force on the road.

One of the most striking features of the Phantom is its level of soundproofing. Rolls-Royce has implemented an impressive 130 kilograms of soundproofing, six-millimeter double-glazed glass, and even a layer of foam in each tire to dampen noise – creating an almost eerie silence within the cabin. It's a testament to the brand's commitment to providing a unique driving experience that is both refined and immersive.

The Phantom's interior is equally impressive, boasting a range of bespoke features and personalization options. The brand's famous "gallery" behind the front seats allows owners to design their own artwork and displays, while the vacuum-sealed compartments ensure that nothing gets in – including dust. It's all about creating a truly one-of-a-kind experience that exudes luxury and sophistication.

As I took the wheel of the Phantom, it became clear that this is not just a car – but an extension of its owner's personality. The Spirit of Ecstasy emblem reflected in the windscreen was a nod to the brand's heritage, while the flat surface area of the bonnet provided an unobstructed view ahead. The steering was precise and responsive, making it a joy to drive at slower speeds. However, I couldn't shake the feeling that this is not a car you'd want to drive quickly – its size and weight make it more suited to relaxed cruising.

Despite its bulk, the Phantom is surprisingly fun to place on the road. The active suspension helps keep the body level, and with a bit of finesse, you can coax the car into subtle movements that would be impossible in smaller vehicles. It's not all about high-speed thrills – sometimes, it's the art of gentle driving that makes for the most enjoyable experience.

As I reflected on my time behind the wheel of the Phantom, I couldn't help but ask myself: what does this car represent? Is it truly the Rolls-Royce of yachts or watches, as the brand likes to claim? The answer, in my opinion, is a resounding yes. This car embodies the very essence of luxury and refinement that has defined Rolls-Royce for generations.

In conclusion, I must give the Phantom its due – it's a vehicle that occupies a unique position in the market, one that few others can match. With its unparalleled level of sophistication, innovative design, and bespoke features, this car is an extension of its owner's personality and a testament to the brand's commitment to excellence. If you're looking for more luxury than any other car can offer, look no further than the Rolls-Royce Phantom.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enyou join me inside the all-new rolls-royce phantom which is quite exciting because it's the all-new one it's the eighth generation roll says that this nameplate phantom has been going for longer than any other current production car because it's the late 20s but I don't think it's been a phantom all of that time and phantom 7 which was the first one introduced under BMWs ownership came out some 14 years ago that's a long time isn't it for a new card to live even a luxury car so they've chucked everything at this they've done it all again straight from scratch never created an all-new rolls-royce platform which will underpin all new Rolls Royces in future so no 7 Series platform adopted for the ghost and the Wraith and Dorne future anyway there won't be a coupe a or a convertible version of this it's gonna be saloon only then there's going to be the SUV then the coupe bank of Irbil will be the Wraith and the dorm they'll be on this platform then they'll be the ghost which will have less stuff in it I guess than this because this is the pinnacle phantom will always be the pinnacle of rolls-royce apparently which is why it's 400 grand which is why it is the first to get this all-new platform this new platform is quite clever actually it has an all new aluminium space train all new unique to rolls-royce aluminium space frame that is 30% stiffer all-round than the old aluminium space frame that sat and on the L phantom but in key places like round suspension on the gearbox mounts it's 100 percent stiffer than it was before it's also a bit lighter but they say well that was by accident really all we wanted was to have it more stiff but anyway we've made the car heavier because we've put more soundproofing and more tech kit and stuff like that in it this is a 2.6 ton car so 2.6 tons well once a little bit of shove doesn't it so it gets it it's got a 6 point 7 5 liter v12 as before this time it has two turbo charges it's actually the same block as you'll find in the ghost which is that BMW v12 here they stroked it out to six point seven five to get as much torque as they possibly can out of it and we connect as it got talk 670 of pounds foot of it from 1700 rpm peak power is 563 five thousand but you're never gonna get there it rest a six-and-a-half you're never gonna get there this car does its best work roll says anything up to two and a half thousand rpm beyond that kind of isn't in its remit really the idle speed is six hundred and forty-two revs it's just absurdly powerful and talky and grunty a very very low speed it's a low effort car why is it a low effort car well because it's supposed to be the epitome of luxury it is meant to be the one you buy if you want the ultimate in luxury and refinement so I'm going to talk quieter I'm gonna talk more quietly still but I suspect you can still hear me cuz even though I'm doing about 45 miles an hour the loudest thing in this car is my hand on the steering wheel it gets 130 kilograms of soundproofing six millimeter double-glazed glass hammock liars this is really inside each tire is about two kilograms of foam a map dulls the noise because it tire is basically an echo chamber especially you've got tires with big sidewalls this is on 22 inch wheels so rolls has put in this soundproofing I can barely hear a thing it is just utterly utterly remarkable as you would expect it runs on air Springs he's got an active anti-roll bars it's got adaptive dampers it's got electric power steering for the first time which is really nice actually really smooth it still retained the same kind of light feel easy self centering there's a last phantom and it's got four-wheel steering not necessarily to make it feel more agile but just just a decrease the turning circle what else is new well I mean when you're talking about 14 year old car previously although it had a controller much like this it controlled the old BMW idrive system with a kind of rolls-royce front on it this has got the latest tech it doesn't have the full suite of BMW stuff it doesn't have 70 autonomous driving and the reason for that is bowls are always phantom owners do two things one they sit in the back I've done that it's very nice there's quite a lot of legroom he's very comfortable you could sleep there for about a week or sometimes they say you know well I don't want to sit in the back I want to sit in the front I want to actually drive this car myself I want the pleasure of spearing along looking over that long bonnet doesn't have the the kind of angled bonnet thing anymore has got a large sort of flat surface area the boss toasted morover says I quite like that you see the Spirit of Ecstasy reflected in it it's like looking out over a lake okay okay I guess but it's quite a nice view you can see where it ends because the steering is precise because the ride is smooth and it's so smooth it's so smooth this right and because the car is so quiet I see there is a real pleasure to be had from just driving it along in relaxed fashion but it's not a car that you would drive quickly through choice I think it'll go quickly if you really want it to and the active suspension helps just keep things in check and keep the body level but actually the most fun to be having it is just enjoying placing it on the road because it's a big car it does take some placing and it's really actually surprisingly sort of good fun it not all of driving has to be totally sideways does it if you've got another car and rolls-royce phantom owners generally do they have 20 or 50 or perhaps even 100 so you don't really need this to do that sort of thing D anyway how do you though conclude a piece like this because for better or worse all right it's not a noble career but I'm a critic you've got to give a star rating to a car like this how do you give a verdict on a car that is gonna be at least 400 grand I should think people will pay a million pounds for it you can have your own artwork along the dash in this little galleries it's vacuum-packed little gallery behind there so that no dust gets in it's sealed and you can design your own bit and just go yeah on that and they'll do pretty much anything you want it is all about bespoke Ness and personalization and luxury and the boss says frequently look you're talking about these things like it's the car business we're not in the car business we are just in the luxury business and there is a very good reason that people say oh yeah this this yacht is the rolls-royce of yacht seats this watch is the rolls-royce of watches this brand stands for luxury like no other so that's kind of the only way you can review it isn't it really that's the kind of the only verdict you can give is it more luxurious than any other car you can buy does it occupy a unique position in the market and I have to say yes if you want more luxury than any other car will give you but you still want to fund\n"