ROLLS ROYCE PHANTOM

Description

Designed to cover great distances with the minimum of fuss, the Rolls-Royce Phantom is a sublime choice for a transcontinental trip, its effortless power provided by the Phantom’s 6.75-litre V12, producing a phenomenal 453 bhp and 720 Nm of torque. Agile, fast, long-legged and virtually silent, the Rolls-Royce Phantom allows both driver and passengers to emerge unruffled, even after an all-day run.

The sleek lines of the Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe suggest tremendous, effortless power. Designed to look like a moving form even at a standstill, the Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe has the demeanour of a muscular animal, ready to be unleashed.

The front end, with its slim LED sidelights and larger, round driving lamps, has a gently raked, softer-edged appearance, sweeping back over the long bonnet to the strong line of the triangular A-frame. The front coach-doors are rear-hinged and were newly homologated for use on the Drophead Coupé. Enabling all passengers to enter and exit more gracefully, these doors also offer safety benefits: the rear hinging allows an uninterrupted A-pillar, which adds significantly to the car’s overall torsional rigidity. For ease of operation, the doors may be closed at the simple touch of a button, housed discreetly inside the front quarterlight.

In classic Rolls-Royce style, the Phantom has a dynamic, rising profile, its high waistline tapering back to a contemporary take on a boat-tail. Sleek body panels create an uninterrupted visual flow, complemented by accents of stainless steel and aluminium.

The picnic boot, as seen on the Drophead , is a wonderfully sociable feature. When lowered, it provides a seating platform for two, with hinges substantial enough to hold a weight of 150 kg / 330 lb. At the same time, it also offers easy access to the luggage compartment, which has a volume of 395 litres / 13.9 cu ft – enough for four sets of golf clubs.

The mirror-like finish of the paintwork perfectly sets off the stunning lines of the Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe. Each body receives five individual coats of paint and lacquer, with hand-finishing between each layer. It is then polished for five hours to create a lustre that is unsurpassed in the automotive world. A new palette of nine standard paint colours has been selected for the Rolls-Royce Phantom , including Darkest Tungsten, Anthracite and New Sable. However, through the Bespoke programme, customers can choose from more than 44,000 different hues. Like the Drophead , the new model is available with a brushed steel bonnet and A-pillar surround. These parts are machine-brushed to create a uniform grain and then hand-polished to a unique and flawless finish.

Extraordinary attention to detail is the hallmark of a true Rolls-Royce and this is exemplified in the finer details of the Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupé. Visible tailpipes hint at its role as a driver’s car, as do the 21-inch wheels, which are available in three styles, including two forged alloy options. Indispensable to those who spend a lot of time in town is an optional camera, nestled below the front numberplate. When pulling out of a side road or parking, it transmits a split-screen view of the road ahead. At the rear, another camera is fitted beneath the chrome boot-lid handle, to aid reversing manoeuvres.

An exquisite interior, hand-built using the finest materials, supremely comfortable and equipped with a studio-quality sound system, makes the Rolls-Royce Phantom the perfect car for all-day driving. Clean and contemporary, the cabin uses traditional materials in a modern way to create a tactile and visual feast: driver and passengers touch only leather, wood or chrome.

All the controls are intuitively and conveniently positioned, the simplicity of the facia belying the technology beneath. An analogue clock set in a bookmatched veneered panel hides the media screen, only to be revealed when called upon. The multi-zone climate control has chromed eyeball vents and traditional ‘organ stop’ controls, while additional features are accessed using beautifully crafted ‘violin keys’ – contemporary uses of long-established, and well loved, Rolls-Royce design features.

At the heart of the Rolls-Royce Phantom is the same 6.75-litre V12 engine as used by the Phantom. Featuring advanced direct fuel injection with variable valve lift and timing, it offers the perfect combination of power and outstanding combustion efficiency. Designed to develop massive low-down torque, it delivers 75 per cent of its maximum power at just 1000 rpm, giving the smooth, unstressed performance associated with Rolls-Royce cars. The powertrain develops 453 bhp / 338 kW of power at 5350 rpm and 720 Nm / 531 lb ft of torque at 3500 rpm – ample for even the most enthusiastic of drivers. At 100 mph (where permissible), the Rolls-Royce Phantom power reserve dial shows that 90 per cent of the engine’s power remains untapped.