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IF YOU WERE A CAPTAIN OF INDUSTRY IN THE '80S, YOU'D BE DRIVEN IN A ROLLS-ROYCE PHANTOM VI

Published: 2025-02-18 15:28:26 Last Updated: 2025-02-18 15:45:50

By the time the Phantom VI rolled onto the scene in 1968, Rolls-Royce had already cemented its status as the pinnacle of luxury motoring. But this car was something special - it wasn’t just another Rolls-Royce, it was the last of an era. The final model to be offered as a rolling chassis, the Phantom VI marked the end of a lineage stretching back to 1904, when Rolls-Royce first allowed customers to commission bespoke coachwork for their cars. And what a swansong it was. Only 374 Phantom VIs were ever built over a 23-year production run, with its true golden age arriving in the 1980s. After 1990, just six were completed, making it one of the rarest Phantoms in history. Built by H.J. Mulliner Park Ward - by then Rolls-Royce’s in-house coachbuilder - the Phantom VI became the go-to choice for the world’s elite, from royalty to heads of state. Some of the most famous examples still serve in the British Royal fleet today. After the Phantom VI, Rolls-Royce took a long break from traditional coachbuilding. It wasn’t until 2017, with the introduction of the one-off Sweptail, that the marque revived the art of fully bespoke automobiles. This led to the creation of a dedicated Coachbuild department, responsible for modern masterpieces like Boat Tail (2021) and Droptail (2023).
By the 1960s, Rolls-Royce had transitioned to building monocoque-bodied cars, but it still reserved the Phantom series for those who wanted something truly bespoke. The Phantom VI evolved from its predecessor, the Phantom V, which had been available with coachwork from legendary names like H.J. Mulliner, Park Ward, Hooper, and James Young. By 1961, only Mulliner and Park Ward remained, and Rolls-Royce merged them into a single operation—H.J. Mulliner Park Ward—which would go on to craft nearly every Phantom VI body.

Under the hood, the Phantom VI saw incremental improvements over its lifetime. It inherited its predecessor’s 6.23-litre V8 but later received an upgraded 6.75-litre version, paired with a more modern 3-speed automatic gearbox replacing the outdated 4-speed unit from the Silver Cloud era. Safety regulations also caught up with the Phantom VI, forcing Rolls-Royce to crash-test a prototype—famously driving PRH1500 into a 100-ton concrete block at 48 km/h. The test was so successful that the car was rebuilt and still serves as a courtesy vehicle at a Swiss hotel today. Phantom VI was available in both Sedanca de Ville and Landaulette configurations, making it the ultimate chauffeur-driven machine. The latter was particularly favoured by HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, with its retractable rear section allowing for grand public appearances. HM Queen Elizabeth II owned two Phantom VIs—one of which, codenamed Oil Barrel, featured a raised roof by 13 cm and a unique Perspex rear cupola that could be covered for privacy. The second, Lady Norfolk joined the Royal Fleet in 1987 and remains in service today. As production neared its end, sourcing parts - some dating back to the Silver Cloud era - became increasingly difficult. The final customer-commissioned Phantom VI, delivered in May 1991, featured an astonishing 117 bespoke details, including a solid silver fruit bowl held in place by concealed magnets. Rolls-Royce originally planned to retain the very last Phantom VI, a striking black-over-red Landaulette with red leather front seats and a red velvet rear compartment. However, financial pressures eventually led to its sale in 1993. The Phantom VI was a rolling statement of luxury, tradition, and craftsmanship. Its departure marked the end of the classic coachbuilt Rolls-Royce era, but its legacy lives on. Today, the Phantom VI stands as a symbol of the brand’s ability to balance heritage with evolution, a philosophy that continues with Rolls-Royce’s modern Coachbuild division.

Take a look at the YouTube video that shows off a slightly earlier '70s Rolls-Royce Phantom. You can see it's the kind of coachbuilt car destined to ferry kings and queens around to places that kings and queens need to go: 1972 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI Mulliner Park Ward Limousine. PRH4661 | The Real Car Co

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Article Tags: News Royalty SXdrv OG Coachbuilt Phantom VI Phantom Rolls-Royce