2018 Rolls-Royce Phantom – eighth-gen model debuts

When it comes to luxury cars, the Rolls-Royce Phantom always appears to operate on a different plane from the rest of pack. The seventh-generation model, which has been around since 2003, is certainly one of the most recognisable cars in the world, and the first thing to come to mind when you think of the word ‘opulence’.

Now, the craftsmen from Goodwood have revealed the latest Phantom, the eighth entry in a lineage that spans almost 100 years. A mix of modern technology and familiar design, Rolls-Royce’s latest flagship is said to retain the title of ‘Best Car in the World’, which is certainly a bold claim but is there enough substance to back it up?

Let’s get the technical details out of the way first, starting with the Phantom’s skeleton that RR calls the ‘Architecture of Luxury’. The all-aluminium spaceframe helps improve rigidity by 30% when compared to its predecessor, and features a new double-wishbone front axle and five-link rear axle suspension setup.

Paired to it is RR’s Magic Carpet Ride self-levelling air suspension, which continuously varies the electronically controlled shock absorber adjustment system based on millions of calculations every second. The whole system works with a stereo camera that adjusts the suspension proactively (up to speeds of 100 km/h) based on what it sees ahead. There’s also four-wheel steering present to help improve agility, and an extended-wheelbase option if you need even more space inside.

Moving forward, the ‘Architecture of Luxury’ will underpin future RR models, including the brand’s first SUV, Project Cullinan, and eventually the next Ghost, Wraith, Dawn as well as future coachbuild projects.

The Phantom has a power reserve of 563 hp, which is supplied by a new 6.75 litre twin-turbo V12 petrol engine. You’ll also have access to the engine’s 900 Nm of torque from just 1,700 rpm, along with the ZF eight-speed automatic gearbox attached to it. Said gearbox is “married” to the car’s Satellite Aided Transmission (SAT), which ensures the proper gear is selected to meet the topography of the road ahead.

The main appeal of the Phantom is its ability to pamper its passengers in the best sense of the word, something that the cabin of the new car is equipped to do. Entering the car via the coach doors (suicide doors for the rappers out there), occupants are enveloped in ‘The Embrace’ of the Phantom, where shortly after, “an assistant or valet steps forward and lightly touches the sensor on the door handle” to automatically close the doors.

RR has gone to great lengths to ensure the aural distractions of the outside world is separated from the cabin, installing more than 130 kg of sound insulation and fitting 6 mm double-layer glazing on the windows. Even the underlying architecture receives its fair share of sound insulation materials, while the ‘Silent-Seal’ tyres are specially made with a foam layer placed inside them to wipe out tyre cavity noise and reduce overall tyre noise by nine decibels.

The end result is a car that is approximately 10% quieter than its predecessor at 100 km/h, and conversations within the car is a completely effortless affair. RR claims that when its acoustic test engineer first reviewed results road and vibration tests, the sound levels were so low they had to check if their instruments were calibrated correctly.

Isolated from the outside world, you can better appreciate the craftsmanship of the Phantom’s cabin, beginning with what RR calls ‘The Gallery’. Known to the rest of us as the car’s dashboard and instrument panel area are set behind a single piece of glass, and accommodate the instrument digital dials and retractable 12.3-inch infotainment screen.

You’ll also notice within ‘The Gallery’ is an analogue clock, likely “the loudest sound you can hear in a Rolls-Royce,” and can be finished to match whatever materials you desire for ‘The Gallery’. That’s right, you are only limited by your imagination when it comes to what is placed behind that glass. From wood veneers to silk, to an oil painting and even a gold-plated 3D-printed map, the possibilities are endless.

There’s no shortage of premium materials to see and touch, with customers being able to specify their cars however they see fit. This includes the newly-sculpted rear seats that can be swapped out for individual seats with fixed centre console and the newly introduced sleeping seat.

The centre console also sees an improvement by incorporating a drinks cabinet with whisky glasses and decanter, champagne flutes and cooler box. Regardless of the seat configuration you pick, RR says occupants will not strain their necks when talking to each other, thanks to very careful angling of the rear seats.

On the exterior, the Phantom’s revised styling is more contemporary in nature, with a Phanteon grille that better integrates into the surrounding bodywork. The cleaner design also includes new graphics for the headlights (also with laserlight technology) and the familiar ‘V’ shape emanating from the grille.

At the rear, the glass and its stainless steel frame is more raked than before, whilst a subtle scallop on the rear roof line assures rear occupants of their preserved head room. Large 22-inch wheels complete the look, but as is the case with RR, you can customise every little bit of the exterior accordingly.

Your driver will also be thankful for the new technological features introduced to the Phantom, including Alertness Assistant, a four-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 and high-resolution head-up display.

So, is this the best car in the world?

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