Rolls-Royce Motor Cars today announced the eight generation of its Phanton model at a gala reception in London. Flanked by seven Phantoms representing the previous seven iterations, Phantom VIII is the 21st century incarnation of the world’s longest running automotive nameplate and features a 6.75 liter twin-turbo V12 engine.
“From its debut in 1925, a Rolls-Royce Phantom has been the choice of the world’s most influential and powerful men and women, and as a result, a constant presence at history’s most defining moments,” says Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO of Rolls-Royce.
The crux of the Phantom’s modern design is a reinterpretation of a motor car’s dashboard, The Gallery, behind a single pane of glass. The Gallery houses an analogue clock, which Rolls-Royce designers say “should be the loudest noise you hear” when driving the vehicle.
The Rolls-Royce Phantom’s contemporary design also features an aluminum “Architecture of Luxury,” which underpins the vehicle and ensures the architectural and proportional lineage of Rolls-Royce while delivering a lighter, stiffer, and quieter performance.
The Phantom also boasts a central nervous system that connects and controls all the advanced intelligence systems of the vehicle. As the driver enters the car, an assistant or valet steps forward and lightly touches the sensor on the door handle so it closes on its own.
“Phantom is the epitome of effortless style, a historical nameplate that occupies a rarefied space in the luxury constellation and conjures a rare magic all of its own,” says Giles Taylor, director of design for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. “The New Phantom raises a glass to an illustrious design legacy whilst forging a modern and revitalized presence for the next era of Royce-Royce design.”
