For more than a century, Rolls-Royce has stood at the pinnacle of automotive luxury, and the newly-revealed eighth generation Phantom certainly continues this reputation.
There’s the usual combination of exceptional hand-built machinery and British eccentricity, but here are six features on the Rolls-Royce Phantom VIII that really caught our attention.
1. The engine
Rolls-Royce has always been known for creating phenomenal engines, including the Merlin unit that was fitted to the greatest aeroplane of all time – the Supermarine Spitfire.
The Phantom follows this long-held tradition of exquisite powertrains – now using a brand new 6.75-litre twin-turbo V12. This extraordinary engine has a power output of 563bhp, and can even produce as much as 900Nm of torque at a mere 1,700rpm. This means that the car can achieve 0-60mph in a brisk 5.3 seconds.
2. The gearbox
Continuing on the theme of driving mechanics, the new Phantom has some more technological wizardry at its disposal.
The ZF eight-speed gearbox benefits from satellite-aided transmission, which makes its gear selection based on geographic location and the owner’s driving style.
3. The architecture
The Phantom VIII’s rather boxy body hides a very advanced aluminium spaceframe structure, making the car 30 per cent more rigid than its predecessor.
Rolls-Royce describes the result of the added lightness and stiffness as a “magic carpet ride”, saying that it brings a “whole new level” of comfort.
4. The dashboard
Rolls-Royce has named the new Phantom’s dashboard “The Gallery”. The reason? Customers can commission a personalised piece of artwork to be placed behind a large glass pane just above the glove box, on display for the driver and passengers to see.
The idea came from Giles Taylor, Rolls-Royce’s director of design. He explained that the Gallery turns something purely functional into a piece of art. Perhaps the most insane option on offer here is a gold-plated rendering of your DNA.
5. The headlights
If you’re sick of excessively bright lights blinding you on night-time journeys, we’ve got some bad news, because Rolls-Royce is most definitely taking part in the ongoing headlight arms race between premium manufacturers.
As if night vision technology wasn’t enough, the Phantom VIII has a new laserlight system that allows the driver to see a staggering 600 metres down the road in front of them.
6. The cameras
Although reversing cameras and dashcams are often found built in to basic hatchbacks nowadays, the new Phantom changes up a few gears (quite literally in fact).
A stereo camera system has been built into the windscreen. This monitors the road ahead and adjusts the suspension accordingly at speeds of up to 62mph. An additional four-camera setup gives a panoramic view and helicopter view of the car.