Rolls-Royce Phantom Review: Where Luxury Meets Elegance

Anything but a car, it's an experience to unrivaled opulence, craftsmanship, and prestige. First born in 1925, the Phantom has been Rolls-Royce's pinnacle of offering to this day, the ultimate in luxury for those who will not settle for second best in their automotive travel. The current generation began in 2017 by mixing traditional craftsmanship with the latest technology.

 Exterior Design

The Rolls-Royce Phantom is the creation of an exclusive few who can exude marvelous grace and presence from inside and out. All one needed was a look at this, and anyone would know this was not like any other car in view. Long nose, imposing front grille, and stately proportions all combine to make this Phantom moveable beauty; screaming essence from the grandest automobiles.

The Iconic Grille and the Spirit of Ecstasy

Gleaming iconic Pantheon grilles of shining polished stainless steel gracing the front of Phantom seem to shimmer in light and catch the onlooker's eye. Above it proudly sits the "Spirit of Ecstasy," the famous Rolls-Royce mascot, majestically rising from the hood. The vertically slatted grille denotes to Rolls-Royce's rich history, but it has been modernized with a slightly more angular design to give it a touch of modernity. An electrically retractable version adds theft and vandal protection. It, too, is available in solid silver, gold-plated or illuminated finishes.

 Proportions and Presence

At almost six meters in length-or almost 19 feet-with a wheelbase of more than 3.5 meters or 11.5 feet, it would always cut a swath whatever its direction may be. Other than the huge dimensions, the design of the Phantom is sleek and timeless in profile, with smooth, flowing lines giving it an air of elegance rather than bulk.

Acres of glass and metal have been exquisitely proportioned on the car from the side: the roofline tapers to a point over a long rear overhang; huge wheels-up to 22 inches in diameter-means the Phantom has an air of stateliness, as if it floats across the ground rather than making contact with it. Every curve, surface, and detail is honed for the suggestion of movement even when the car is stationary.

LED Lighting and Bespoke Touches

One of the standouts for this car is most definitely its lighting system. The headlight LEDs are twin rectangles with laser tech fitted inside to give fantastic visibility without dazzling any oncoming drivers. Actually, these LED daytime running lights are rather understated-framing a cuticle of a grille that gives the car an instantly recognisable light signature, even from some distance. The back is only slightly less impressive: exquisite rectangle taillights boast complex LED detail, repeating the light units of the front. A couple of chromed-plated exhaust tips add some sport to otherwise dignified rear ends.

But what really sets the Phantom apart is that just about everything on the outside can be specified to a customer's taste. Rolls-Royce boasts it has upwards of 44,000 hues of paint available for near-limitless combination possibilities to tailor each Phantom to the owner's fancy. If that still isn't bespoke enough, the marque's bespoke division will concoct custom finishes, including two-tone treatments or even paint infused with diamond dust.

Inside: Your Last Resort

If the Rolls-Royce Phantom's outside is a knockout, then its inside is really divine. Getting into the Phantom is to enter one's own private sanctum, wherein every material, each stitch, every feature has been wrought to a level previously unimaginable.

 Unmatched Craftsmanship

Indeed, every Phantom interior deserves to be called a work of art, taking hundreds of hours in creation. Skilled craftsmen at Rolls-Royce have hand-assembled this interior from scratch, using only the finest materials: softly upholstered leather and wood veneers aptly selected-things that say much about the great attention this brand has for quality.

The full-grain leather is cut from single pieces of finest hides, then hand-stitched by a master craftsperson. Rolls-Royce ensures that even slight blemishes will not appear-even on minor items such as stitching patterns, which can be ordered to the owner's preference. Usually, wood veneers are made from the finest and most exotic rare woods, then hand-polished to a perfect mirror finish.

It's the little things, too: the carpet is of the lambswool variety and provides an indulgently soft surface area underfoot; the headliner is available with starlight option that involves hundreds of tiny fibre optic lights mimicking the night sky, bathing in serene atmosphere-perfect for those long journeys.

The Gallery: Art in Motion

Among the plenty of features and options in Phantom, there is "The Gallery, " a full-width modern glass-wrapped space on the dashboard. To such an extent that one can commission a unique work of art with 'it' inside of one's car, therefore furthering the capability of showing part of one's taste inside of one's car. Hand-painted design, 3D-printed sculpture, or even commission from well-renowned artists-The Gallery innovates ways to personalize the interior of Phantom. Attention to detail in The Gallery is impressive: glass is cut and polished with extreme care to eliminate distortion, fitted into the dashboard so that the clean minimalist lines of the Phantom are preserved.

 Space and Comfort

True to its size, the Rolls-Royce Phantom really does offer ample space for front and rear passengers: large, plump infinitely adjustable seats for comfort probably unmatched by anyone this side of a cloud, swathed in the finest leather - with heating, ventilation, and even massage functions available.

Which is where things get really special with the Phantom: the back seats-better described as "lounge seats." The extended-wheelbase model opens up limousine-like space to lay back and relax in utter comfort, the back seats facing slightly toward one another for easier, more intimate conversation.

Attention to comfort extends to the air suspension system-the so-called "Magic Carpet Ride" from Rolls-Royce. Cameras automatically scan the road ahead and make instantaneous adjustments in suspension to keep the ride silky smooth whatever the condition of the road. Few cars can match such serenity.

Technology and Infotainment

Yet steeped in so much tradition, the Rolls-Royce Phantom is all modern. The infotainment system resides in a retractable 12.3-inch screen that disappears from view behind a veneered panel to keep the lines clean on the dashboard.

It's operated via a rotary dial on the centre console-similar to BMW's iDrive-but here it feels far more luxurious. The system is intuitive to use, graphics are sharp and responses rapid. There's easy access to navigation, media controls and climate settings.

The rear-seat passengers also get an entertaining system of their own: a pair of 12-inch screens on the back of the front seats that can play movies, access the internet, or run an entire host of vehicle functions. And the sound quality's just as indulgent as the rest of the vehicle through premium 18-speaker audio from Bespoke Audio.

Performance and Drive

While the Rolls-Royce Phantom is all about luxury, it also has some brutal power hidden under its hood. A big 6.75-liter V12 has made its home here, putting out 563 horsepower and a whopping 664 lb-ft of torque. With this V12 sitting in the bay despite the Phantom having immense weight, the car manages to nail the 0-60 mph in just 5.1 seconds surely a feat for such a big vehicle.

 Effortless Power Delivery

But if there's anything that really places the Phantom in a class of its own, among those other ultra luxury cars, it's the fashion in which it serves up that power. The V12 goes about its business with a sense of calm and refinement, doling out the power in a silky, linear powerband. There's no real surge of acceleration, no herky-jerky movements-just effortless, seamless power.

Equally silky is the eight-speed automatic; its gear changes are barely discernable. The Phantom is a car that's at its best when driven in relaxed leisurely fashion, but when you do need to accelerate, the car responds with authority, making plenty of power available for highway overtaking or spirited driving.

 Handling and Ride Quality

Although indisputably a big, heavy car, the Phantom nonetheless can handle with remarkable agility. Used in concert, the air suspension and rear-wheel steering on this car do not feel anywhere near this big as outside dimensions would suggest. It handles tight corners and narrow city streets with aplomb, while rack-and-pinion steering is nice and evenly weighted.

It's here, though, in ride quality that the Phantom truly shines, wafting over bumps and imperfections thanks to the "Magic Carpet Ride" suspension system. It's little short of being so serene that you feel as if you're floating over the road rather than actually driving on it. The cabin stays whisper quiet, too, courtesy of some serious soundproofing and acoustic glass, furthering the sense of isolation and serenity.

Safety Features

On and on it goes, from adaptive cruise control right through to lane departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, and even night vision for surround-view camera systems that keep all occupants in the car safe at all times. Indeed, Rolls-Royce fitted a full suite of semi-autonomous driving into this grand brand, including automatic emergency braking in recognition of road signs. More simply said, the Phantom is no single bit less safe than it is sumptuous.

Conclusion 

It's the marriage of opulence to advanced technology, all seamlessly done; stitching inside is hand-done, the cabin whisper quiet on the road while driving with incredible ease in a car as serene as it is powerful. The price sticker puts it into a class of one, and for those looking for unmatched prestige, comfort, and craftsmanship, Phantom still sets the benchmark among luxury automobiles.