2018 Rolls-Royce Phantom (Generation VIII)

[FiestaST]

The long-awaited Roller will be announced tonight

2018 Rolls-Royce Phantom to be revealed tonight

Eighth-generation model will be shown for first time at 9pm BST; early prototypes of future Phantom have already been seen testing

The next-generation Rolls-Royce Phantom will be revealed tonight at 9pm BST at an even in London - and Autocar will be providing full coverage.

Rolls-Royce has already previewed its eighth-generation model, shown above, and it's been seen for several months testing in various global locations.

The future model gets all-new aluminium architecture and a refreshed exterior design, including headlights that look similar to those of the Rolls-Royce Ghost, with a step in the lower edge of the light making way for the indicator strip.

Development cars showed the car's new front bumper design featuring wider air vents, which extend further out towards the car’s sides, and a new full-width grille.

The Phantom has previously been spotted testing in Los Angeles by eagle-eyed Autocar reader Nico Pellerito.

At the rear, the bumper appears to protrude less than that of the current Phantom, with a more flush design from the boot lid to the rear bumper. There are also more rounded tail-lights, but these are temporary units rather than final production parts.

Overall, the car's design is an evolution of the current flagship model, making it instantly recognisable as a Phantom.

Rolls-Royce released a picture of the 2018 car's structure in the latter months of 2016 (see gallery). Earlier images shown in our gallery are of development mules being subjected to cold-weather testing.

Insiders expect the new car to feature one of two possible engines: a more powerful version of the current Phantom’s 6.75-litre V12 unit, or a boosted version of the 6.6-litre V12 unit featured in the new Dawn.

Production for the previous Phantom only just finished at the start of this year. The last car was a one-off special produced with a nautical theme for a ‘connoisseur collector’.

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/2018-rolls-royce-phantom-be-revealed-tonight

 

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Rolls-Royce Phantom

From the moment Sir Henry Royce introduced the Rolls-Royce Phantom in 1925 it was judged 'The Best Car in the World' by the cognoscenti. As a result it has conveyed some of the world's most influential and powerful men and women to the most defining historical moments over the last 92 years.

Every new Phantom that has subsequently appeared has successfully retained the title of 'Best Car in the World' as a result of Rolls-Royce's tireless pursuit of perfection, visionary engineering, aesthetic acuity and deep understanding of what the world's leading luxury item should be. Quite simply, Rolls-Royce has innovated for almost a century to set the benchmark and satisfy the most discerning luxury patrons.

A new benchmark will be set today as the New Phantom - the eighth generation of this great nameplate - arrives. Not satisfied with simply launching a motor car that is a wholly contemporary design interpretation of Phantom DNA and a technological tour de force, Rolls-Royce has revolutionised the luxury car industry itself by shifting away from the status quo of shared platforms to an entirely new luxury business model.

As the next chapter in the Rolls-Royce story opens, the New Rolls-Royce Phantom points the way forward for the global luxury industry.

Peter Schwarzenbauer, Chairman of Rolls-Royce and Member of the Board of the BMW Group said, "The global introduction of a new Rolls-Royce is always a very special moment within the BMW Group. This particular occasion is all the more special because we are introducing an all-new Phantom, the flagship of the Rolls-Royce brand and the world's foremost luxury product. New Phantom is a powerful statement of design, engineering and Bespoke expertise and I am delighted with the response we have received from our many highly discerning customers worldwide. The BMW Group remains fully committed to the future of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and is proud of the many achievements made by the brand since its acquisition."

https://www.netcarshow.com/rolls-royce/2018-phantom/

 

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Rolls-Royce Phantom revealed as eighth-generation luxury flagship

New Phantom is the 'pinnacle' of Rolls-Royce, and goes on sale next year with an expected price of £400,000

The all-new Rolls-Royce Phantom arrives next year promising ride comfort and interior luxury of an unprecedented quality, as well as a greatly improved driving experience.

Unveiled in London, the eighth-generation Phantom is the second to be built under BMW ownership and has been completely redesigned and reengineered from the ground up. It has been in development for six years and is the first in a series of all-new Rolls-Royces built on a bespoke aluminium spaceframe architecture.

In 2019 the Phantom will be followed by the luxury car maker’s first SUV, codenamed Project Cullinan, while replacements for the rest of the range will be built on the same underpinnings as part of the ever greater autonomy Rolls is receiving from BMW.

It is the Phantom that comes first for the new era of Rolls, with company boss Torsten Müller-Ötvös calling the fourdoor saloon “the pinnacle” of Rolls-Royce, the ultimate expression of the Rolls-Royce brand and the very top of the range, despite the growing popularity of SUVs.

“We start from the pinnacle, that is never different,” he said. “The first task is to get this car perfect, then Cullinan, then future models as well.”

Rolls engineering chief Philip Koehn said the new architecture, called Architecture of Luxury, and the technology within it helps to create an “unprecedented blend” of ride comfort and stability. Power comes from a twin-turbocharged 6.75-litre V12 engine, while the car’s design is one of “effortless elegance”, according to styling boss Giles Taylor.

The all-new aluminium spaceframe used by the new Phantom results in a significant 30% increase in rigidity over that of the previous car. Rolls-Royce says the body is the stiffest in production, and it has required a huge investment in new technology for riveting and spot welding in order for it to build it. The architecture is one that is bespoke to Rolls and has no BMW content.

The architecture is also much lighter than the outgoing car's, although the Phantom’s kerb weight increases from 2550kg to 2625kg due to the vast amount of new technology added to the four-door.

There are new front and rear axle designs and air suspension with greatly improved travel at each corner. Double wishbones are used up front, with a multilink axle at the rear. Koehn said the ‘magic carpet’ ride “has been taken to the next level” thanks to these new designs and the stiffer body-in-white.

However, Koehn promised that the enhanced ride quality has not been achieved to the detriment of handling, which is a key area Rolls wanted to improve on the new Phantom. To that end, a new 48V electrical architecture has been fitted, alongside chassis technology including active stabiliser bars to stop roll and four-wheel steering both to improve stability and agility and reduce the turning circle.

“This technology adds both stability and ride comfort for an unprecedented blend,” Koehn said, adding that the Phantom was now “rewarding behind the wheel as well as in the rear”. A new softer tyre compound from Continental, complete with its own sound deadening, has been made for the Phantom’s 21in front and 22in rear wheels to complete its dynamic armoury.

Under the bonnet is a new version of Rolls-Royces’ 6.75-litre V12, which has the addition of twin turbochargers for the new car. The pistons, cooling system, crankshaft and engine management software are also new in an engine that Koehn describes as producing “pure thrust”.

The V12 produces 563bhp at 5000rpm but its torque figure of 664lb ft is more significant, with full torque available from just 1800rpm. Koehn said pushing low-end torque “to the max” was a key part of the brief for the new engine. The engine could produce yet more torque, but Koehn said this “wouldn’t be appropriate”.

The engine drives the Phantom’s rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic gearbox. Müller-Ötvös said a V12 was a key part of the Phantom’s appeal and that it “could not be a V8”.

The Phantom can reach 62mph from rest in 5.3sec and hit a top speed limited to 155mph. It could go faster, said Koehn, but again this “wouldn’t be appropriate”. Stability is much improved above 100mph in the new Phantom compared to the old car, added Koehn.

The Phantom is 8mm higher than before, at 1646mm, 29mm wider, at 2018mm, and 77mm shorter, at 5762mm in length, with a wheelbase that is 19mm shorter than before, at 3552mm, although a version with a 200mm-longer wheelbase will also be offered. Interior space has remained on a par with that of the current car, save for headroom, which has been increased.

Taylor’s design team started work on the project six years ago, decamping six of his design team from Rolls-Royce’s Goodwood headquarters to London. “I gave them creative solitude for three months, locked the doors and told them to be inspired by London,” said Taylor.

Taylor described the Phantom as a car, and Rolls as a brand, that is “about style rather than design”. His styling changes include a grille that now sits in the bodywork and leans back, rather than being a separate piece, mounted between laser headlights with 600 metres of vision.

Taylor has strived for a “yacht-like profile” for the new Phantom, which leans back towards the rear and has lines that run from the bonnet rearwards to give a “more distinctive impression and more majesty”. The tapered, lowered rear of car, which has LED lights, is described as having a “gentlemanly” look.

The stainless steel brightwork is all hand-polished, with the longest piece on the car being some three metres in length. There is also no shutline between the roof and pillars; instead, the area has been hand-welded and then handpolished and sanded by six people for a seamless join.

The opulent interior offers “a sense of calm and isolation”, according to Taylor. Rolls-Royce has increased the amount of technology offered in the car but has ensured it can all be hidden. “Our customers like technology but they also love analogue,” said Taylor. “The screens can all disappear.” Rolls has fitted a head-up display as standard in order to reduce the amount of information needed to be displayed on the instrument binnacle and present a cleaner and less cluttered look.

Of most intrigue inside is a new glass fascia for the dashboard, marking the first time glass has been used for this part of a car. In time, Rolls is to allow customers to display specially commissioned pieces of artwork behind the glass on the passenger side of the car.

“We can place unique works of art behind the glass,” said Taylor. “It’s a gallery. It shows how customers can engage with Phantom.”

The rear-hinged rear-doors remain and are powered, as are the front doors. There is also a big increase in sound-deadening material used for the cabin (130kg in total) to isolate it from the outside world, with the double glazing of all windows on the car being 6mm thick. Rolls says the Phantom is 60dB quieter than the previous car at 62mph.

The eighth-generation Phantom will be offered as a saloon only and is expected to far exceed the price of the current Phantom, at a mooted £400,000. With no coupé or convertible models planned, those roles will be taken by the Wraith and Dawn.

Peter Schwarzenbauer, Rolls-Royce chairman and BMW board member added "We're [BMW] quite happy to have this wonderful brand and develop it in future. This is not just launching a car, but setting a new standard for luxury overall".

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-rolls-royce-phantom-8

 

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[video=youtube_share;lBQ2WWw2ii4]https://youtu.be/lBQ2WWw2ii4[/video]

 

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SAY HELLO TO THE ALL-NEW ROLLS-ROYCE PHANTOM

The all-new, eighth-generation Rolls-Royce Phantom has officially been unveiled, some 13 years after the outgoing model debuted.

Bespoke new aluminium “spaceframe” underpinnings have seen the new Phantom lose a heap of weight and gain plenty of stiffness, with Rolls-Royce promising that the luxury car industry will be “revolutionised” as a result.

Interestingly, this new platform is scalable and will also be used for Project Cullinan, as well as the next Ghost, Wraith, Dawn and future coachbuilt projects.

The next-generation Phantom features new double-wishbone front suspension and a five-link rear setup that Rolls-Royce says will “deliver astounding levels of control over lateral roll and shear forces” as well as “incredible agility and stability”. Four-wheel steering has also been included.

The BMW-backed automaker sought to make the new Phantom “the most silent motor car in the world”, using 6 mm two-layer glazing all around the car and more than 130kg of sound insulation. Rolls-Royce also says it worked closely with its tyre supplier to create “Silent-Seal” tyres, which feature a foam layer placed inside the tyre to reduce tyre cavity noise.

Under the bonnet, you’ll find a “completely new” 6,75-litre V12 engine that now employs two turbochargers that contribute to a low-end torque output of 900 N.m at just 1 700 r/min. Peak power, meanwhile, comes in at 420 kW, while the company has gone for a ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic transmission. The 0-100 km/h sprint should take about 5,3 seconds.

Billed as the “most technologically advanced Rolls-Royce ever”, the new Phantom features all manner of interesting on-board systems, including a four-camera system, night vision, active cruise control, pedestrian warning, a high-resolution head-up display and a WiFi hotspot.

http://www.carmag.co.za/news_post/say-hello-to-the-all-new-rolls-royce-phantom/

 

[Gtx Gaming]

I am sure Lord Sugar will get upgrade to this model

 

[Batista]

So unnecessary, but if you build it , they will come.

That leg room in the back!

 

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New Phantom reinvents luxury at a whole new level

The eighth-generation Rolls-Royce Phantom, revealed last night at an invitation-only black tie event in the heart of London’s West End, introduces not only a new way of building luxury cars but also a new way of thinking about building luxury cars.

Up to now, car companies, including Rolls-Royce, have been using platforms shared with, and drivetrains borrowed from, lesser models in order to achieve some viability of scale. But, as Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös explained: “Every one of our customers was asking for something more individual to them, not less.”

If you’re going to make thousands of identical cars, monocoque is the way to go - you can punch them out like cookies and all the components will be interchangeable. But that is not what the top one-hundredth of one percent of car buyers (Roll-Royce’s target market) are looking for.

So, director of design Giles Taylor has created what he calls ‘the architecture of luxury’ - an aluminium spaceframe that's not only lighter and stiffer than the monocoque bodyshell it replaces but is also scaleable in every dimension, not just from model to model but, if necessary, from car to car, with different drivetrains and control systems.

“This frame will carry every future Rolls-Royce," he said. “Not just the new Phantom, but also Project Cullinan and eventually the next Ghost, Wraith, Dawn will also ride on this architecture, as well as future coachbuilding projects, such as the recent Sweptail."

Embraced by luxury

As you settle into the new Phantom, an assistant or valet touches the sensor in the door handle and the door whispers closed of its own accord - or you can make it happen yourself at the press of a button inside the car.

Under the biggest starlight headliner yet seen in a Rolls-Royce, you’re surrounded by high gloss wood veneer on the door panels, centre consoles, dashboard and picnic tables.

The sweep of wood panelling across the back of the front seats was inspired by the Eames Lounge Chair of 1956, a design so perfect it’s part of the New York Museum of Modern Art’s permanent display. Deployed from behind it, at the touch of a button, are the rear picnic tables and theatre monitors.

Phantom customers can chose from different rear seating layouts, ranging from an intimate lounge seat for two, to individual seats with a folding centre armrest, individual seats with a fixed centre console and all-new sleeping seats - but in every case the rear seats are carefully angled towards each other so that their occupants can chat without straining their necks.

Seat heating is standard, of course, but when you switch it on you’ll find that the heated areas also include the front door armrests, front centre console lid, lower C pillar, rear side armrests with all individual seats, and rear centre armrest.

If you choose the fixed rear centre console, inside it you’ll find a drinks cabinet with whisky glasses and decanter, champagne flutes and coolbox.

There is no plastic inside the new Phantom; every switch and control is made of metal, glass or wrapped in leather.

Carved from solid

Thanks to superforming and a new precision body joining process, there are few, if any visible weld lines between the panels; the new Phantom looks as if its whole body was carved out of a block of aluminium.

For the first time, the pantheon grille (about 12mm taller than that of the Phantom VII) is part of the body rather than a separate design element, and made of hand-polished stainless steel rather than nickel silver. It curves into the bonnet line and becomes a polished stainless-steel trim strip along the bonnet line, the A pillar and around the windscreen.

The four rectangular headlights frame the daylight running lights and laser projectors, capable of illuminating objects 600 metres ahead. At the C pillar, the biggest piece of hand-polished stainless steel on any car finishes off the side frame on each side, while the door handles, usually cast in aluminium and satin-finished on premium cars, are instead carved from solid stainless steel and hand-polished to a warm, tactile glow.

And finally, the Phantom rides on the biggest wheels yet specified by Rolls-Royce, 22 inch alloy rims with self-righting centre logos.

Silent ride

Along with the lighter, stiffer chassis comes four-wheel steering and self-leveling air suspension using classic double wishbones in front and a five-link axle at the rear. The suspension makes millions of calculations every second, reacting to body and wheel acceleration, steering movements and the input of a forward stereo camera that reads the road ahead and adjusts the suspension for every bump before the car even gets there.

And to make the side even smoother and more silent, there’s 6mm two-layer glass all round, more than 130kg of sound insulation, double aluminium skinning (filled with dense foam and felt layers) on the floor and bulkheads, and the largest cast-aluminium brackets ever used on a car body.

Even the special 22 inch tyres have a sound-deadening foam layer under the tread, like the inner sole on your expensive sneakers.

Power house

The naturally-aspirated 6.75-litre V12 that powers every Rolls-Royce has been re-engineered for the Phantom with two turbochargers, specifically tuned for unhurried, silent and effortlessly muscular power delivery with 900Nm on tap from just 1700rpm and more-than-adequate peak power of 420kW.

It drives the rear wheels through new eight-speed automatic ZF satellite-aided transmission that uses GPS location to ensure that it is always in the right gear for what’s coming up around the bend, depending on how hard you’ve been leaning on the accelerator today.

All of which is backed up by the most complex electronic network ever built by BMW, including an alertness assistant, a four-camera system for 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, and an 18 x 7cm high-resolution head-up display.

It costs what it costs

The most immediate consequence of all this bespoke luxury is that it is no longer possible to quote a price for a Rolls-Royce until you have finished specifying your unique car - but in any case, if you need to ask the price, you can’t afford it.

http://www.iol.co.za/motoring/lates...einvents-luxury-at-a-whole-new-level-10519985

 

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Next-gen ultra luxury flagship: New Rolls-Royce Phantom unveiled

The new Phantom "is the most technologically advanced Rolls-Royce" yet says the luxury automaker after unveiling its next-generation ultra luxury sedan.

There's a new V12 engine which now employs two turbochargers and four-wheel steering to make maneuverability better.

The new model is set to be the "quietest car in the world" thanks to six millimeters of double-glazed layering throughout.

Four-wheel steering

The new model uses an all-aluminium spaceframe architecture designed by Rolls-Royce engineers that will underpin every future Rolls-Royce beginning with the New Phantom. The automaker says no future Rolls-Royce will be of monocoque construction as used by mass-manufacturers and some luxury brands.

The new car is about 30% more rigid than the spaceframe architecture on which sat Phantom VII.

Accompanying the increased stiffness of the spaceframe is a claimed best-in-class high comfort chassis with air suspension.

There are few new additions under the skin including a new double-wishbone front axle and 5-link rear axle and four-wheel steering.

Rolls-Royce claims the new Phantom is 'the most silent motor car in the world’ due to a 6mm two-layer glazing all around the car, more than 130kg of sound insulation and the largest ever cast aluminium joints in a body-in-white for better sound insulation.

Engine

An all new 6.75-litre twin-turbo V12 engine replaces the previous naturally aspirated enginev is the heart of the new Phantom

The new V12 Phantom engine is a twin-turbo 420kW and 900Nm available from just 1700rpm. Another standard feature is satellite aided transmission (SAT) which is part of the ZF 8-Speed gearbox.

Inside

To make its occupants feel very special, there are three concepts the automaker has given to the new car. These include:

‘The Embrace’ enhances the sense of occasion and effortlessness of entry into New Phantom. As the patron settles in to the car, an assistant or valet steps forward and lightly touches the sensor on the door handle so it whispers closed of its own accord, enveloping the occupant in ‘The Embrace’.

‘The Suite’ re-defines Rolls-Royce comfort and refinement inside – already the benchmark for any mode of conveyance.

‘The Gallery’ is an unprecedented new concept in luxury. Reinterpreting the motor car’s dashboard for the first time in 100 years, patrons will be able to commission a truly individual work of art that spans the width of The Gallery in their New Phantom.

http://www.wheels24.co.za/NewModels...hip-new-rolls-royce-phantom-unveiled-20170728

 

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https://youtu.be/UyoF4sv2_tE

 

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Insight: behind the scenes of the 2018 Rolls-Royce Phantom

The eighth-generation Phantom is arguably the most significant yet, because its clever structure will underpin all future Rolls-Royces

The Rolls-Royce Phantom carries the car world’s oldest nameplate and has been a constant presence since 1925, yet even in this a 90-year parade of Best Cars In The World the latest Phantom, the eighth, looks the most significant of the lot.

Why? Because it introduces an new method of construction that will change the way every future Rolls-Royce is built, not just for the next generation, but for generations beyond. In a nutshell, the Phantom Mk8 introduces an all-aluminium ‘family’ spaceframe that is flexible enough to be used for every size of future Rolls-Royce. It also employs so many common unseen components that the 4000-carsper-year Goodwood company can forward-order its stocks of parts in batches up to 60,000 units, for use as long as 15 years hence.

Rolls-Royce Phantom revealed as eighth-generation luxury flagship

The system, likely to encourage other high-value, low-volume car operations to reconsider their own procedures, has been led by Rolls chief engineer Philip Koehn, who spent much of his early career as a dynamics specialist for comparatively high volume BMW, Rolls-Royce’s parent, before moving to work on BMW’s complex, highly integrated (and invariably, steel-based) platform strategy.

Koehn transferred to Rolls-Royce in time to take command of the launch programme of the Dawn convertible, a car which, ironically, is based on the same BMW 7 Series underpinnings as the Ghost saloon and Wraith coupe. From that he learned much about the case for a separate, all-encompassing Rolls-Royce chassis architecture.

“I was taught that you need a strong relationship with a volume car company to build the best lowvolume cars, and that remains the case today,” he says. “BMW has some fabulous facilities, including its rigorous test procedures, but the advantages don’t occur in the ways we imagined. We learned that by using the 7 Series platform, we were asking components to deliver things they weren’t intended to do, which meant the promised economies of scale weren’t as viable as we first thought.”

Koehn says Rolls-Royce began looking at efficiency in a different way, planning so minutely for the future that it could visualise a structure adaptable enough to support the whole of Rolls-Royce’s five-model future range (including the planned Cullinan SUV), utilising key components and castings in every application that can thus be ordered in bulk.

The principle of an aluminium spaceframe – a structure of extruded aluminium beams, bulkheads and longitudinals, with lightweight castings for complex bits like suspension mounts and chassis corners – isn’t exactly new. Lotus, Aston Martin and sundry others (including Rolls itself for the Phantom Mk7) have used something like it with impunity. It’s the extreme configurability that’s new, along with the sophistication of the castings and the mostly aluminium outer panels that give the car its identity (or ‘top hat’ in industry parlance). Koehn recently invited us to the new Phantom’s body-in-white plant at Dingolfing, a ‘BMW town’ between Munich and Regensburg, where many Rolls-Royce primary parts are made, to see the new structure in its naked form.

The Rolls-Royce body plant isn’t impressive from the outside. It’s an ordinary-looking factory in the middle of a large industrial complex, prominently branded with the ‘double Rs’. Nothing happens within, we’re assured, that isn’t Rolls-Royce.

“When the first Phantom Mk7s were being made about 15 years ago, they came out of the nearby BMW Z8 sports car plant where all our aluminium know-how lived at the time,” Koehn explains, “but we soon moved to this dedicated Rolls-Royce place. There are still things we do away from here: the roof, which is 3.7m long, is made in a BMW plant during the night shift – and I have to pay for it – and the e-coating is done elsewhere, too. But most of the important stuff happens here.”

Koehn is clear that the company would have no problem building more of its cars in Goodwood – where final assembly takes place – though doing “real heavy engineering” was never in the remit of the deal signed between Rolls-Royce and its Sussex landlord, Lord Charles March. “We would have loved to move the body-in-white operation to Goodwood,” he says, “but we couldn’t find e-coating facilities to take such big bodies.” He also hints that, although the latest turbocharged Rolls V12 continues to be made in Germany, several UK firms are interested in the task. ‘Bent 12s’ are in decline in BMW’s cars, he explains, and Rolls has become the group’s centre of excellence for them.

A walk through the factory shows how logically the spaceframe is built up like a Meccano set, the lack of unnecessary curves belying the complexity of the design, which is intricately designed to crumple elegantly in a crash. Components are welded where big strength is needed and rivets and adhesive are used for lighter duty joints, especially where welding would distort the work.

At the end, a completed chassis has its various joining points carefully milled for an hour before it accurately joins the body. Panel gaps are measured and monitored as if they were components of a Swiss watch.

Then comes the body, a true work of art. Welding is kept to a minimum for distortion reasons, but there’s one unavoidable 30cm weld necessary on the C-pillar so vital that it is carried out by hand-picked technicians who are the stars of the show.

“There are places we really have to keep the craftsmanship,” says Koehn, “and these are the guys to do it.” It takes as much time and money, someone tells me, to fix a Phantom Mk8 roof in place as it does to make an entire Mini bodyshell.

“To make this entire system work,” says Koehn, “you start with the volume – let’s say around 4000 cars a year. And of those, about 500 to 600 are Phantoms. You soon find that there are surprisingly few components you can share with BMW but, of the parts we need, many will be in Rolls-Royce models for years to come. We can order, say, 70,000 dashboard eyeball vents, knowing we’ll use them for years to come.”

Koehn specialises in deals with smaller, highly skilled and often family run businesses, citing an Italian supplier called Marco, which he knows well. Marco’s castings business employs the same techniques for Ferrari and Lamborghini engine parts as for structural parts of a Phantom chassis.

We wander along in Koehn’s wake, every stop yielding a story, then fall to discussing which parts will be common in the Rolls-Royces of the future, and which will need to be flexible. The ‘fixed’ bits include the front and rear strut towers, the rear subframe, the crash-absorbing front and rear longitudinals, and the mountings for fuel tank and seats, among other things.

The variable elements of the puzzle include floorpan lengths (there are five options), A-pillars (two), bulkheads (three), rear ends (three) and seat subframes (three). The genius is that these pieces will still have major similarities to one another, which helps efficiency.

The whole structure can accept two and four-wheel-drive powertrains (the front diff is mounted beside the engine’s oil pan) and will eventually be used for an electric vehicle. Rolls-Royce has already revealed that the pure EV is its choice for a foray into alternatively fuelled vehicles in the next decade.

Koehn describes what he and his teams have done so far as “just proper engineering”, but leaves no doubt about his pride in the revolutionary underpinnings of his company’s new luxury flagship. “I’ve always wanted to be more a pioneering guy than an optimiser,” he says. “This has been the chance of a lifetime.”

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/insight-behind-scenes-2018-rolls-royce-phantom

 

[FiestaST]

[video=youtube_share;PpCEkeNt1qM]https://youtu.be/PpCEkeNt1qM[/video]

 

[FiestaST]

Rolls-Royce Phantom 2017 review

Should I buy one?

I suppose, if you were being picky – I mean seriously picky, like ‘there are only 149,999 bubbles in this bath and I specifically requested 150,000’ picky – there’s an occasional tiny stiction to the steering in medium-speed corners, presumably where the rear steer and electric power steering quite like the line you’ve scribed, without noting you’d like to come off it. And the shimmy - a slight reverberation - that usually comes with air springs is there if you really concentrate on it, laterally as much as anything, on brittle surfaces. And, dammit, I wanted my Champagne chilled to 8.430deg C, not 8.429deg C, you bloody dotards. Release the hounds.

But nothing is perfect, anyway. And let’s not forget, there are places in the world where they put errors in rugs because perfection is for God alone, so I suppose you could look at it that way if you were so inclined. Because in all other ways – in all significant and insignificant ways – the Phantom is the pinnacle, the epitome, of motoring luxury. A Phantom is a Phantom is a Phantom. That it is, Torsten, that it is.

Rolls-Royce Phantom

Where Switzerland; On sale Now; Price £360,000; Engine 6.75-litre, V12, twin-turbocharged, petrol; Power 563bhp at 5000rpm; Torque 664lb ft at 1700rpm; Gearbox 8-spd automatic; Kerbweight 2560kg; Top speed 155mph; 0-62mph 5.1sec; Fuel economy 20.3mpg; CO2 rating 318g/km; Rivals Bentley Mulsanne, Mercedes-Maybach S-Class

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-revie.../first-drives/rolls-royce-phantom-2017-review

 

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Autocar review

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Used car buying guide: Rolls-Royce Phantom

A car like the Rolls-Royce Phantom VII rarely feels second-hand and you don’t need the courage of a superhero to take the plunge. We tell you what to look for

The arrival, next year, of the Rolls-Royce Phantom VIII means that soon, the only Phantom VII you’ll be able to purchase will be a ‘pre-owned’ one. They could be a relative bargain, given the new VIII’s expected £400,000 price ticket.

Prices at all years vary hugely according to specification but, generally speaking, 2015/16-reg Phantom VII Series 2s hover around £220,000. Thereafter, prices decline to around £170,000 for the first S2 cars of 2012 with about 20,000 miles on the clock. Changes over the Series 1 include a restyled front end with active LED headlights, an eight-speed automatic gearbox and an improved infotainment system.

From the Phantom VII’s launch in 2003 until 2012, the Series 1 reigned supreme. Again, specification affects prices massively but they tend to range from a high of £170,000 for the best 2008 to 2012-reg cars (there was a facelift in 2009), passing through £120,000 for tidy 2006-2007 cars and £100,000 for 2004-2007 cars, to a low of around £75,000 for the first S1s or less-than-pristine examples.

The idea of a Phantom, complete with 6.75-litre V12 doling out a highly waftable 453bhp and 531lbft, for £100,000 is surely appealing. Granted, for the same money, you could have a far younger Bentley Mulsanne (typically a 2012-reg car) also with a 6.75 V12 or, if you don’t mind ‘slumming’ it, an even younger Mercedes-AMG S63 L or a BMW M760Li xDrive V12, both 2017-reg.

Ooh, that Mercedes... perhaps we had better move on.

The Phantom VII S1 has a six-speed automatic gearbox and air suspension. It has an aluminium body, too, but it still weighs 2500kg. Don’t look for a rev counter: it doesn’t have one. Instead, a dial shows the driver how much power is in reserve. Don’t try to open the back doors in the usual way, either: they’re hinged at the rear rather than the front. If you can’t see the Spirit of Ecstasy mascot, it’s because it automatically retracts into the grille to avoid it being stolen or causing injury in an accident.

Those who earn their living selling them say that buying, owning and running a Phantom isn’t as terrifying as it might seem. They would say that, but the fact is that most Phantoms have led spoilt and unstressed lives. If it has full Rolls-Royce service history, you can be sure it has wanted for nothing. Being largely based on the BMW 7 Series means Phantom reliability is virtually assured.

That said, take nothing for granted in your inspection. As you’ll read in ‘Buyer beware’ (right), some potential pitfalls could cost you dearly. Fortunately, there’s a solid network of independent specialists and quality aftermarket parts to help you pick up the pieces for a reasonable cost.

Find a nice S1 with a good provenance for under £100,000, and although it’ll continue to depreciate, it should one day find its level somewhere north of most ageing V12 limos, buoyed by rising values for old Rollers and the brand’s magic.

How to get one in your garage:

Duane Starman, Starman's Rolls-Royce and Bentley specialist - “I’ve worked on Rolls-Royce cars for over 30 years, ever since I was apprenticed to a Nottingham main dealer. They’re fantastic pieces of engineering and the Phantom VII is no exception. People think it’s expensive to run and, yes, one will cost more to maintain than a Vauxhall Corsa, but you can save money using specialists (like me) and shopping for quality aftermarket parts. The car shares lots of parts with the BMW 7 Series and any decent specialist will be able to marry up the Rolls part with the BMW and save you money.”

Buyer beware:

Engine - Check for radiator leaks on pre-2008 cars that have done around 50k miles.

Inspect the seals on the ends of the coolant pipe that lies in the ‘V’ of the cylinders and runs from the water pump to the block. Check for oil leaks from the rocker cover gaskets. Listen for poor running on early cars, which could be caused by failing injectors.

Batteries - It has two batteries. Regular short journeys (not uncommon) can exhaust them, so give them a health check.

Brakes and suspension - It’s a heavy car and ball joint bushes can wear prematurely. Air suspension bellows can develop leaks, which puts a strain on the pumps, causing them to fail in time. Check the ride height is correct. Fortunately, it’s possible to have them overhauled by a company such as Arnott Air Suspension Products. Brakes take a pounding so check pads and discs. A recall was launched in October 2010 for cars built between January 2003 and November 2009 about a possible reduction in brake servo assistance.

Body - Corrosion is unknown but some exterior alloy parts can go off-colour. There have been occasional issues with door locks trying and failing to lock. A warning should flash on the dashboard.

Interior - The plastic trims on the seat base can be dislodged and broken by rear passengers as they exit but replacements are available.

Also worth knowing:

If seals fail on the coolant pipe running from the water pump to the block, you can fix it the official way at a cost of up to £9000. However, flyingspares.com stocks a collapsible coolant pipe that can be fitted in a day. Parts and labour: around £2000.

How much to spend:

£75,000-£89,995

Launch to 2006-reg cars with over 75k-130k miles and partial RR history.

£90,000-£104,995

Proper 06 and 07-reg cars, including a 2006 one with 47k miles and full RR service history for £99,995.

£105,000-£114,995

More 2006-reg cars with full RR service history and low mileage, including a one-owner 06-reg with 12k miles for £107,995.

£115,000-£124,995

More 2008-reg cars, including a 70k-miler for £119,990 and a 44k-miler for £124,900.

£125,000-£149,995

Phantom coupés at 08 and 09-reg, plus low-mileage 07 and 08-reg saloons.

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/used-car-buying-guides/used-car-buying-guide-rolls-royce-phantom