The eighth generation Rolls-Royce Phantom is the epitome of automotive luxury. Despite looking similar to its predecessor, which was launched in 2003, the new car comes with updated technology and an interior filled with spectacular opulence.
If you would like to know about the new Phantom, CLICK HERE. The car has been recognized by several well-known automotive publications as well as the world’s most prestigious and discerning critics.
Several of them lavished praise on the Phantom by saying: “Is the pinnacle, the epitome, of motoring luxury” (Autocar), “Is an all-new version of the finest car in the world” (The Independent), “Utterly defines luxury” (PistonHeads) and “Has changed what a car can be” (GQ).
BBC Top Gear Magazine has awarded the car the coveted ‘Luxury Car of the Year’ award just weeks after its global media launch on the banks of Lake Lucerne in Vitznau, Switzerland. The Phantom nameplate, is the oldest in automotive history and is said to portray Rolls-Royce’s tireless pursuit of perfection.
Speaking of the latest accolade, Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, commented, “Phantom points the way forward for the global luxury industry. It is a creation of great beauty and power, a dominant symbol of wealth and human achievement.”
He added, “That this is recognized by Top Gear Magazine and the rest of the world’s media is deeply gratifying and a reflection of the skill and passion of everyone who created this truly unique example of pinnacle luxury.”
The car is built on an all-new and proprietary aluminium spaceframe, 6mm two-layer glazing. It has more than 130kg of soundproofing, that combined with the whisper quiet V12 engine and seamless shifting gearbox, make the Phantom the most silent motor car in the world.
vehicles are more than just a mode of transportation, to many, its an extension of thier personalities, allowing them a place to feel comfortable and secure, a social tool that can be enjoyed with friends and family as well as an office on wheels.
As such, sometimes many value their vehicles far more than they would like to believe. And should one be unfortunate enough to have his/hers stolen, at that moment, it may seem like the end of the world.
That is exactly what it seemed like for a businessman in the UK who had his Rolls-Royce Phantom stolen while he was in the garden. The thieves managed to break into his home, steal his car keys, and make a getaway undetected.
Fortunately for the owner, his £110,000 (RM611,281) car was fitted with the TRACKER system. It is an award-winning stolen vehicle recovery (SVR) technology that enables law enforcement and security personal to track down stolen vehicles.
Working together with law enforcement, the system was able to locate the Rolls-Royce in question, and in less than two hours, which is a feat in itself. Unlike a number of other such systems systems, this SVR one can locate stolen vehicles anywhere, even when they are hidden in a garage or a shipping container.
“I thought my car was gone for good. I can’t believe the thieves were bold enough to break in, in broad daylight. Thankfully, it was discovered at a supermarket car park in Leicester in less than two hours, which is a great result and demonstrates the importance of TRACKER’s unique relationship with police forces across the UK,” said the unnamed owner.
According to statistics released by the company, in 2016, the most expensive car that it recovered in the UK was a Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG worth £120,000 (RM666,851). But the reality is, luxury/expensive cars account for less than 1% of stolen vehicles that it had recovered.
In fact, the majority of the vehicles reported stolen by the company, are regular run-of-the-mill hatchbacks, sedans and MPVs. This means that car thieves are not brand biased or look to hijack extremely valuable sports cars, rather they prefer to target the ones that are most convenient for them.
As such, it is important that we exercise caution when choosing where we park our vehicles and how we secure them. Regardless of how sophisticated your car alarm is, it won’t be able to do you any favours if a thief is able to exploit its vulnerabilities, disarm it and driveway with your prized possession.
Rolls-Royce has released the new Phantom, which is said to be the best one ever made thanks to a new modular construction method, better sound insulation and a slew of tech. The overall look isn’t dissimilar from the car it replaces, there’s still the signature front fascia and elegantly sculpted silhouette that seems like it stretches for miles.
That said, the devil is in the detail, because vast yet subtle improvements have been made to make the car a marked improvement over its predecessor. The Pantheon grille sits flush with the rest of the bodywork, a first for any Rolls-Royce vehicle. This has been done to give the front fascia a more elegant and uncluttered look.
Then, there’s also the incredibly shortened overhangs at the front and rear which give the car a more compact look. The side profile has been toned down slightly for a more subtle finish and the rear features a familiar yet modernized design that that is distinct to the nameplate.
The body is based on a modular all-aluminum space frame that will underpin all future Rolls-Royce vehicles. It can be used and altered to suit a whole slew of models regardless of powertrain differences. This move, according to the manufacturer, will allow it better flexibility in planning and building cars that best exemplify the brand.
As such, the new Phantom is 30 per cent more rigid than its predecessor and will be more agile, offer better stability as well as improved comfort to all occupants. It improves over what was previously offered thanks to this new construction method.
Special deadening material such as foam has been used to line the car to reduce ambient noise to almost a negligible level. There’s also a double layer skin to the bodywork that helps isolate the cabin from ambient noises outside.
The tyres too have not been spared, as they are called ‘Silent Seal’ tyres and feature a special foam layer placed inside to wipe out tyre cavity noise and reduce overall tyre noise by 9db.
Inside, the cabin is crafted with some of the most luxurious materials fitted to any car. The instrument cluster is now fully digital and the rest of the switch gear has been tastefully arranged in an uncultured manner. What may seem as an afterthought though, is the positioning of the car’s analogue clock which is placed in a metal plaque and placed towards the front passenger.
The car still has the same door configuration as before and by pressing the individual buttons, all four doors can be opened and closed at the occupants’ convenience. Though not revolutionary, its a desired feature for Rolls-Royce owners because resorting to manual labour is very much beneath them.
“Key to Rolls-Royce realizing 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 Architecture of Luxury will carry every future Rolls-Royce, not just the New Phantom. Project Cullinan and eventually the next Ghost, Wraith, Dawn will ride on this architecture, as well as future coach build projects.”
Under the enormous hood, is a new 6.75-litre V12 engine that is equipped with two turbochargers. Total output is rated at 563bhp and an impressive 900Nm of torque from as low as 1,700rpm. It’s mated to a ZF 8-speed gearbox that pulls data from the Satellite Aided Transmission (SAT), which prepares the powertrain to cope with the roads directly ahead of it.
The car has a new double-wishbone front axle and 5-link rear axle that are part of its supposed best-in-class air suspension. This self-leveling setup executes millions of calculations a second to maintain the plaint ride quality regardless of the road surfaces. It monitors steering input, body roll, acceleration as well as other factors to maintain a composed ride quality.
This self-leveling air suspension also makes use of stereo cameras to inspect the road ahead and continuously adjust itself at speeds of up to 100km/h. This results in a very smooth ride quality, which should live up to the Rolls-Royce image.
As expected, the Phantom comes equipped with a slew of safety tech that include Alertness Assistant, a 4-camera system with Panoramic View, all-round visibility including helicopter view, Night Vision and Vision Assist, Active Cruise Control, collision warning, pedestrian warning, cross-traffic warning, lane departure and lane change warning, 7×3 high-resolution head-up display, WiFi hotspot as well as the latest navigation and entertainment systems.
Though the new Phantom doesn’t feature revolutionary changes in terms of design elements, there isn’t much you can fault the car with. There was nothing really wrong with the old car which debuted in 2003, and the new improvements, keep the car up to date with the latest machinery we have today.
