Rolls-Royce aims to bring luxury to the next level with the brand new Phantom. The significant feature of the eighth generation of the flagship model is the aluminium spaceframe platform which the brand calls the “architecture of luxury.” It is the basis of not just the Phantom but also scalable to the size and weight requirements of all Rolls-Royce models going forward. The spaceframe is lighter than that of Phantom VII and 30% more rigid. Roll-Royce believes this is the only way of delivering luxury, by making the spaceframe flexible to customers’ requirements, instead of a unmodifiable monocoque.
At the front, the grille is taller and integrated into the bodywork, making the overall appearance cleaner and more modern. It also features an advanced laserlight headlight system which can cast light over 600 metres at night. The engine has been upgraded too with the new 6.75-litre twin-turbo V-12, outputting 563 hp and 900Nm of torque at 1,700 rpm, pairing with the ZF 8-Speed gearbox.
Stepping inside the Phantom VIII is like being separated from the outside world. Rolls-Royce is set on getting ‘the most silent motor car in the world’ title with 6 mm two-layer glazing all around the car, more than 130 kg of sound insulation, the largest ever cast aluminium joints on a car body, high absorption materials and double skin alloy on the floor and bulkheads. The all-around cocooning makes the new car around 10% quieter than its predecessor at 100 km/h.
“The Gallery” is introduced in the dashboard for another level for bespoke luxury. For the area next to the instrument panel and the clock, buyers can choose a favoured artist or designer to work with the automaker to create a piece of work specifically for it. The front seats are revisited and with wood panelling across the back as influenced by the 1956 Eames Lounge Chair. The wood panelling conceals the electrically controlled rear picnic tables and monitors for the entertainment system. The rear centre console now incorporates a drinks cabinet with whisky glasses and decanter, champagne flutes and coolbox for accompanying all the important conversations and scenarios inside the car.
