Final drive: Rolls-Royce Phantom (in pictures)
Test driving a car that’s soon to go out of production. What’s the point of that?
The point, sir, is that this is not just a car. This is a Rolls-Royce Phantom. So it’s going out of production in the same way that Peploe, Capability Brown and Sir Christopher Wren went out of production.
There will be a new Phantom, two years hence. But the original endures; its magnificence grows with age. This will forever be Rolls-Royce’s renaissance work, the car with which the best returned to its best.
A dozen and more years on, driving a Phantom is like returning to that Capability Brown masterpiece you recall with fondness. You may have visited hundreds of modern gardens in between, but the elegance of a classic original is unmistakable…
The Phantom’s gently masterful ride has never been matched. Still. Its seating position is imperious, achieved without any of the vulgar bluffness of an SUV. Comfort is without end, as are the nods to Rolls’ heritage. History is not bunk.
The Coupe we’re driving here has ample power, though others have been moving on since its 6.75-litre V12 was created.
Now, we’re almost at the point of having to talk about ‘only’ 453bhp. Given the weight of this immense vehicle, it’s not about searing pace, yet all that weight is controlled with the confidence of an experienced butler pouring the drink you wanted most without needing to ask.
Body roll exists, yes. Just a little, though. Handling is not eager like a puppy but gracefully obedient like a pedigree gun dog who knows exactly what master requires.
The Phantom is a car that inspires metaphors. A normal test drive report would seem irrelevant, because this has never been a normal car.
We have no doubt whatsoever that the next Phantom will be every bit as special. It will need to be more powerful, but also to rise above the pace race in its own unhurried way. And, we’re sure, it will do just that.
As we bid this mighty car a fond farewell, we can reflect on its relaxed magnificence. No-one has ever felt hurried in a Phantom. There is no rush to get there. Because when you climb aboard this car, you’ve already arrived.
Final drive: Rolls-Royce Phantom (in pictures)
Final drive: Rolls-Royce Phantom (in pictures)
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"No-one has ever felt hurried in a Phantom. There is no rush to get there. Because when you climb aboard this car, you’ve already arrived."
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The 6.75 litre V12 engine connects to an 8-speed automatic gearbox.
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The V12 delivers 453bhp.
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"The Phantom is a car that inspires metaphors. A normal test drive report would seem irrelevant, because this has never been a normal car."
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BMW's iDrive system makes use of front, rear and side cameras.
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The 2.5 tonne car is made slightly later through an aluminium spaceframe.
As Rolls prepares to draw down the curtain, we reflect on the era of a luxury masterpiece.