BREAKING: The all-new eighth-generation Rolls-Royce Phantom raises the bar for pure automotive opulence

One of the world’s leading icons in automotive opulence transitions into its next-generation. Where’s the Grey Poupon?

What’s going on?

The Rolls-Royce Phantom VII has been with us since 2003, bearing a backbone based on the BMW 7-Series and enough sheetmetal to build a new city. That means today, in 2017, it’s sustained its current guise for 14 years, a very long time for any automotive life cycle.

But no need to despair! Rolls-Royce just introduced an all new, next-generation Phantom VII.

Built to fulfill Sir Henry Royce’s original quest to build “The Best Car in the World,” with the Rolls-Royce Phantom in 1925, this latest version fully embodies this philosophy. It once again raises its own bar of setting the benchmark for pure, unadulterated, automotive luxury.

Fancy. What’s cool about it?

Given Rolls-Royce Motor Cars’ corporate pairing with BMW AG, this latest Phantom starts life as a BMW 7-Series platform, like the outgoing one. However, engineers designed the chassis to a new philosophy, the “Architecture of Luxury.” This basically translates into the Phantom’s use of a revised all-aluminum space frame body. This means it ditches the classic “monocoque” design. It’s lighter, but also 30 percent stiffer.

Combined with Rolls-Royce’s new “Magic Carpet Ride” adaptive air suspension, the new Phantom sounds it’s set to become the world’s most comfortable car as well.

What powers it?

In keeping with tradition, the Phantom gets a six-and-three-quarter (6.75L) engine. But that’s all that’s traditional as it’s BMW-based 6.75L V12 with two turbochargers to produce 563 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque as early as 1,700 rpm. Channeling that power to the wheels is a new ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic.

As with luxury these days, technology complements

As with any other car expected to cost as much as a really nice house, there’s plenty of tech to accompany. Using BMW’s parts bins, the Phantom comes with many passive and active safety systems such as Night Vision, radar-guided cruise control, pedestrian detection, lane departure assist and warning, and more. That’s on top of being the world’s most expensive moving WiFi hotspot and home theater.

How much will it cost?

Do we really have to answer this question for you? The official starting price wasn’t announced. But c’mon, it’s a Rolls. It’ll certainly cost more than a ham sandwich. Way more.

– By: Chris Chin


The all-new Rolls-Royce Phantom Photo Gallery

Chris Chin

Chris Chin is the Editor-In-Chief of egmCarTech and is a regular contributor to Automobile Magazine.

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