THE NEW ROLLS-ROYCE PHANTOM ' WITH ITS OWN ART GALLERY!
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars are ramping up the personalization options with the creative redesigned and re-engineered Phantom flagship limousine by allowing owners to embed artwork behind glass in the dashboard!
Unveiled on Thursday, the newest Phantom is the first Rolls-Royce to be built on the UK automaker's in-house aluminium platform. Previously, Rolls-Royce designed and engineered cars on owner BMW platforms.
This outgoing and creative Phantom was the first to be launched under BMW's ownership and the success convinced sceptics that the German company understands the British luxury brand. The car went out of production this year after a 14-year run!
Deliveries of the Phantom will begin early next year, available in standard or extended wheelbase versions and will be priced from around $520,000 or 400,000 pounds.
"The new Phantom is a powerful statement of design, engineering and bespoke expertise," said Peter Schwarzenbauer, the BMW Group board member who oversees Rolls-Royce.
Perhaps the most incredible and striking element is the gallery feature within the dashboard. Rolls-Royce desired to increase personalization within its vehicles and distance it from "mass luxury" brands – and it has certainly succeeded.
"Rolls-Royce as a brand would not exist if we would not be able to offer bespoke because customers wouldn't buy the cars," CEO Torsten Mueller-Oetvoes said before the launch. "Bespoke plays a fundamental role in our luxury business".
As promised, every Phantom comes with a glassed-off gallery and customers can commission work from their favourite artist who then liaises with Rolls-Royce to incorporate the work. "If you have a preference for Jeff Koons, we will work with Jeff Koons," bespoke designer Alex Innes said. Several examples have been displayed, including a landscape oil painting by Lian Yangwe, a Chinese artist.
The head of design for Rolls-Royce, Giles Taylor, said a key goal was to "reinterpret the motor cars' dashboard from being a dead expense into a riveting focal point." Customers also have the option of choosing Rolls-Royce own treatments in wood, silk, leather or metal for the space.
The Phantom's new aluminium spaceframe architecture was designed "to deliver a Rolls-Royce experience in terms of ride comfort, acoustic comfort, seat comfort, exterior presence and interior space," said the company.
The car has 287 pounds of sound insulation and 6mm of double layer glazing – resulting in 10% noise decrease inside the car at 60mph, the company claims.
In the rear, customers can choose individual seats with armrests, individual seats with a centre console, a "lounge" seat or the new "sleeping" seat. Included in the console is a drinks cabinet with whiskey glasses and decanter, champagne flutes and a cooling box.
The front console includes an iDrive-style wheel to control functions on the dash screen, which rises from within the glassed-off gallery area when the car is started. No touch function is available. A 12.3-inch screen in front of the driver replaces the traditional dials and delivers information such as navigation instructions.
According to Mueller-Oetvoes, the car is "the most up-to-date technology-driven Rolls-Royce ever" as a result of modern functions like a Wi-Fi hot spot (unavailable on the previous Phantom).
Also in the Phantom is a four-wheel steering for better low-speed manoeuvring and high-speed stability. A Flagbearer system adds a stereo camera that can read the road ahead to adjust the air suspension to better cope with road bumps.
The Phantom's upright stainless steel grille sits higher than on the previous car, but it is blended with the bodywork around it. This change gives the car a more modern look, according to Innes. The headlights combine laser and LED tech to create a new signature look that surrounds the unit with daytime running lights.
This has got to be the most gorgeous and creative models to look forward to!