Rolls-Royce Phantom (2018)

The Rolls-Royce Phantom VIII is a British handmade large luxury car manufactured by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. It is the eighth and current generation of Rolls-Royce Phantom and the second Phantom of the BMW-era. It was launched in July 2017.

Launch

The Phantom was unveiled by live-stream on July 27, 2017.^[4]

It made its public debut at a special exhibition Rolls-Royce held in London two days later on July 29. The event, dubbed ‘The Great Eight Phantoms’, took place at Bonhams in Mayfair. The exhibition gathered a famous Phantom from each generation, from the ‘Fred Astaire Phantom I’ to subsequent models driven by royalty, or made famous by celebrities including John Lennon’s psychedelic-painted Phantom V.^[4][5]

Design

The design of the Phantom VIII is substantially similar to the predecessor model. Like the R01, the VIII features a version of Rolls-Royce's 'pantheon' grille, a long bonnet and rear suicide doors, which Rolls-Royce label 'coach' doors.

Specifications

The Phantom uses an aluminium spaceframe chassis which Rolls-Royce dubs "The Architecture of Luxury". The Phantom is the first Rolls-Royce to use this new architecture which will later be used in the Cullinan SUV and other future Rolls-Royce models.^[6]

The Phantom is fitted with self-levelling air springs and electronic dampers front and rear. It is fitted with a double wishbone front axle and a 5-link rear axle.^[6][5]

The Phantom VIII is the first Rolls-Royce to be fitted with four-wheel steering. The system turns the rear wheels in the opposite direction to the front wheels at speeds lower than 60 km/h (37 mph) to improve maneuverability. At speeds above this threshold the rear wheels turn in the same direction as the front wheels to increase high-speed stability.^[6]

The Phantom is exclusively available with a twin-turbocharged 6.75-litre V12 engine.^[6]

ZF's 8HP 8-speed automatic transmission is the sole gearbox option. This is linked to a GPS receiver which analyses the car's location and speed to optimise shift timing.^[3][6]

Equipment

The technology of the VIII Phantom represents a significant step forward over that of the VII and brings it in line with other contemporary luxury cars.

It is fitted with the following;

• Night vision^[6]
• Active cruise control^[6]
• Head-up display^[6]
• WiFi hotspot for up to ten devices^[6]
• Wireless Apple CarPlay integration
• Laser headlights with high-beam range of more than 600 metres^[6]

The Phantom is also fitted with a stereo camera integrated into the front windscreen that scans the road ahead and adjusts the suspension proactively. This operates at speeds of up to 100 km/h (62 mph).^[6][8]

Production

The Phantom will be produced at Rolls-Royce’s plant in Goodwood, West Sussex.

Production is expected to commence in early 2018.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rolls-Royce Phantom Series.

• Official website