2018 Rolls-Royce Phantom VIII: This is It
Measuring and costing more than the average American apartment, the newest Phantom is exactly what you’d expect from a Rolls-Royce.
The Brits are partying it up today. The makers of the Queen’s estate car of choice have launched their newest flagship vehicle, and it’s a darn big deal considering today’s fierce competition. Behold, the 2018 Rolls-Royce Phantom VIII.
Yes, VIII. They went all Roman numerals on us. In case you’re in second grade, or you simply forgot what the numerals stand for—that means eight. The eighth-generation Phantom brings the iconic manufacturer to modern times without losing their quintessential charm.
Rolls-Royce claims this is the quietest car in the entire world. A claim previously made by Maybach. Because the British automaker knows their audience extremely well, they’ve shared hundreds of photographs of the brand’s master artisans, who spend months hand-building interior veneer panels. Sometimes these might include mother of pearl inserts, or baccarat rose petals, or even gold. Buying a Rolls isn’t buying a car, it’s buying an experience.
“No prospective buyer is interested in seeing one of these landyachts do triple-digit speeds, they want to see how their armrest is so much better than everyone else’s”
Under the hood lays a 6.75-liter twin-turbo V12 similar to that in the Ghost and Dawn. It produces 563 horsepower, but you won’t hear any of them thanks to its 300 pounds of sound insulation material. Furthermore, the transmission is paired to the vehicle’s GPS system, delivering real-time shifts according to the nature of the road it’s traveling on. Because who wants to go into a long sweeping turn in third gear instead of fifth? Not me.
Again, engine specs are for the commoners, this behemoth is about what others don’t have.
“Key to Rolls-Royce realising its vision of being the world’s leading luxury brand, today and in the future, is an architecture that spans the entire Rolls-Royce family,” comments Philip Koehn, Director of Engineering.
The redesigned headlights are perhaps the biggest takeaway at first glance. Besides the xenon driving lamps, the housing showcases night vision cameras and long-distance sensors. Gorgeous 22-inch wheels adorn the queenly sedan, which can also be had in long-wheelbase. You know, so there’s extra room for activities.
“Art is at the heart of the conception of the New Phantom’s interior. As an interest, we know that a huge number of our clients are patrons of Art and indeed have their own private collections. Art is a binding factor for many of them.” – Giles Taylor, Director of Design
In the backseat, something called “Embrace” re-defines Rolls-Royce comfort and refinement – already the benchmark for any carmaker. According to them, it creates a detoxifying environment while cocooning the occupant in the finest of materials. More importantly, and something I previously complained about during my time with the Dawn (yeah, I went there), is that fact that the rear and now front doors can also be effortlessly closed from the inside.
Enjoy the beautiful photography, and how about that purple?
