Rolls-Royce Phantom VIII | |
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Overview | |
Manufacturer | Rolls-Royce Motor Cars (BMW) |
Production | 2017 – |
Model years | 2018 – |
Assembly | Goodwood plant, West Sussex, England |
Designer | Giles TaylorAlex Innes |
Body and chassis | |
Class | Full-size luxury car (F) |
Body style | 4-door saloon |
Layout | Longitudinal front-engine, rear-wheel-drive |
Powertrain | |
Engine | 6.75 L N74B68 twin-turbocharged V12 (petrol) |
Transmission | 8-speed 8HP automatic |
Dimensions | |
Wheelbase |
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Length |
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Width |
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Height |
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Curb weight |
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Chronology | |
Predecessor | Rolls-Royce Phantom VII |
The Rolls-Royce Phantom VIII is a luxury saloon car manufactured by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. It is the eighth and current generation of Rolls-Royce Phantom, and the second launched by Rolls-Royce under BMW ownership. It debuted in July 2017.
The Phantom was unveiled by live-stream on July 27, 2017.
It made its public debut at a special exhibition Rolls-Royce held in London two days later on July 29. The event, dubbed "The Great Eight Phantoms", took place at Bonhams auction house in Mayfair. The exhibition gathered a noteworthy Phantom from each generation, from Fred Astaire's Phantom I to subsequent models driven by royalty, or made famous by celebrities, including John Lennon's psychedelic-painted Phantom V.
The Phantom VIII's styling has been described as an evolution of the Phantom VII's.
Like its predecessor, the Phantom VIII has a short front overhang and upright front end, a long bonnet and set-back passenger compartment as well as a long wheelbase and a flowing rear end. It also uses rear suicide doors, which Rolls-Royce label "coach doors". For the first time on a Phantom, Rolls-Royce's trademark "Parthenon" radiator grille is integrated into the surrounding bodywork.
The Phantom is available in two wheelbase lengths. The Extended Wheelbase Phantom is 220 millimetres (8.7 in) longer than the standard model.
The Phantom uses an aluminium spaceframe chassis which Rolls-Royce dubs "The Architecture of Luxury". The Phantom is the first Rolls-Royce to use this new architecture which will later be used by the Cullinan SUV and other future Rolls-Royce models.
The Phantom is fitted with self-levelling air springs and electronically-controlled dampers front and rear. It uses a double wishbone front axle and a 5-link rear axle. It is also equipped with active anti-roll bars.
The Phantom VIII is the first Rolls-Royce to be fitted with four-wheel steering. The system turns the rear wheels counter to the front wheels through a maximum of 3° at speeds lower than 60 km/h (37 mph) to improve manoeuvrability. Between 60 and 80 km/h (37 and 50 mph) the rear wheels do not steer at all. At speeds above 80 km/h the rear wheels turn in the same direction as the front wheels through a maximum of 1° to increase high-speed stability.