Rolls-Royce starts by talking about its history. From the moment Sir Henry Royce introduced the Rolls-Royce Phantom in 1925, it was judged ‘The Best Car in the World’ by the cognoscenti. Every new Phantom that has subsequently appeared has successfully retained the title of ‘Best Car in the World’ as a result of tireless pursuit of perfection, visionary engineering, aesthetic acuity and deep understanding of what the world’s leading luxury item should be.
As for the new 2018 Phantom VIII, it may be too early for the cognoscenti to decide, but Rolls-Royce says that it is ‘the most silent motor car in the world’. The new Phantom has got 6 mm two-layer glazing all around the car, more than 130 kg (287 lbs) of sound insulation, the largest ever cast aluminium joints in a body-in-white for better sound insulation, and the use of high absorption materials. Rolls-Royce also worked closely with its tyre supplier to invent ‘Silent-Seal’ tires, which feature a specific foam layer placed inside the tyre to wipe out tyre cavity noise and reduce overall tyre noise by 9 dB. All in all, it is a perfect 360° cocooning effect in a motor car that is approximately 10% quieter than its predecessor at 100 km/h (62 mph).
The new Phantom gets an all-aluminium spaceframe architecture, making it 30% more rigid than the one on Phantom VII, promising a better ride comfort. There’s also the addition of four-wheel-steering. Self-levelling air suspension and state-of-the-art chassis control systems, a new double-wishbone front axle and a 5-link rear axle reassure the trademark Magic Carpet Ride. The stereo camera system integrated into the windscreen helps adjust the suspension.
Let’s talk about the interiors then. The analogue instrument cluster has been replaced with a 12.3-inch TFT colour display with LED backlighting. However, they get physical chrome surrounds, making it appear analogue. Apparently, this futuristic approach was something requested by Rolls-Royce customers around the world. Adding to the opulence is ‘The Gallery’, a single piece of glass that spans the full width of the dashboard.
Rolls-Royce says that the company has already worked with a number of artists, designers and design collectives to demonstrate what kind of creations are possible to put behind the glass of ‘The Gallery’. Works such as an oil painting inspired by the South Downs of England in Autumn by renowned Chinese artist Liang Yuanwei, a gold-plated 3D-printed map of an owner’s DNA created by the enfant terrible of German product design Thorsten Franck, a hand-made stem of the finest porcelain roses handmade by the renowned porcelain manufacturer Nymphenburg or an abstract design in silk by young British artist Helen Amy Murray are some of the creations inspired by this most unusual of Gallery spaces.
The analogue clock has been retained and it is “the loudest sound you can hear” in this Roller.
The 6.75-litre V12 powertrain now gets two turbochargers and has been reworked to be more silent. The engine makes 563 hp and 900 Nm (664 lb-ft) of torque at 1700 rpm. The 8-speed ZF Satellite Aided Transmission (SAT) has been retained.
Assistance systems on-board new Phantom include: Alertness Assistant, a 4-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, an industry-leading 7×3 high-resolution head-up display, and Wi-Fi hotspot.
The headlamp cluster gets fresh internals with an integrated ring of daytime running lights. The laser light system can lit up to 600 metres of the road.
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