.gif)
Rolls-Royce Phantom (BMW)
Encyclopedia
The Rolls-Royce Phantom is a saloon automobile
made in England by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
, a BMW
subsidiary. It was launched in 2003 and is the first model introduced during the BMW
era. The Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé
, and the Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupé
, are both based on the 2003 Phantom. It also won the Top Gear
Car of the Year Award for 2003.
The Phantom uses a unique chassis platform, body, interior, and retains traditional Rolls-Royce design cues. The body is mostly aluminium
.
Final assembly, including all body, paint, wood, and leather work, is completed to each customer's individual specification at the Rolls-Royce plant in Goodwood
, West Sussex
. The plant is close to the historic Goodwood Motor Racing Circuit
.
The plant contains the paint shop, body shop, leather shop, woodworking shop, assembly line, and executive offices under one roof. There are only two robots in the factory. The robots paint
the body; the paint is polished by hand after the robots spray each coat. The coachlines, which are exactly 3mm wide, are done, as well as all other work, by hand, in keeping with the Rolls-Royce tradition.
It has a 6.75 litre, 48-valve, V12 engine
that produces 453 bhp and 720 newton metre of torque
. The engine is derived from BMW's N73 V12 powerplant and is assembled by BMW. It uses direct fuel injection, and is a drive by wire
design, using valvetronic technology. The power output is regulated by infinitely varying valve lift
by moving the rockers and rocker fulcrums via electric servos, rather than using the throttle body. The throttle body is maintained for fail-safe operation.
The aluminium extrusions that are used to construct the aluminium spaceframe are produced in Norway
using hydroelectric power
, shaped and machined in Denmark and finally hand-welded in Germany.
It is 1.63 m (63 in) tall, 1.99 m (74.8 in) wide, 5.83 m (228 in) long, and weighs 2485 kg
(5478 lb
). The body of the car is built on an aluminium space frame
and the Phantom can accelerate to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 5.7 s and to 300 km/h in 60 s. It has a six-speed automatic transmission
and double wishbone suspension
. The transmission is sourced from ZF
of Germany
. The vehicle electronics are sourced from BMW.
BMW originally intended to use a 9.0L V16 engine in the Phantom as they wanted the ultimate engine for the ultimate luxury car of the 21st century. BMW designed and developed several examples of the V16 but at the last moment BMW decided use a more economical V12 engine. The engine can be seen in the concept Rolls-Royce 100EX
. A V16 model Phantom was used in the film Johnny English Reborn
at the specific request of Rowan Atkinson
.
An extended wheelbase Phantom was presented in March 2005 at the Geneva Motor Show
, which is 250 mm (9.8 in) longer than the standard Phantom. It is currently referred to as the Phantom Extended Wheelbase (or EWB).
entertainment system, 26-speaker premium sound system, 8-disc CD changer, 18-way power front seats, 16-way power rear seats, heated and cooled cup holders, rear-seat tables, outside-temperature indicator, universal garage door opener, power tilt/telescopic heated wood and leather-wrapped steering wheel with radio, climate, and navigation controls, power open/close trunk lid, power closing doors, wireless headphones, iPod adapter, refrigerator, and air conditioning with 5-zone climate controls. There are unlimited options available through the Rolls-Royce "Bespoke" programme through which the factory will create any reasonable option a customer asks for.
is the latest convertible made by Rolls-Royce which debuted at the 2007 North American International Auto Show
in Detroit, Michigan
on 7 January 2007. The platform is based on the Rolls-Royce Phantom and has styling heavily derived from the 100EX concept car unveiled to celebrate the company's centennial in 2005.
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
made in England by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is a British manufacturer of luxury automobiles based at the Goodwood plant in West Sussex, England. It is the current producer of Rolls-Royce branded automobiles, whose historical production dates back to 1904. The factory is located across from the historic Goodwood Circuit...
, a BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
subsidiary. It was launched in 2003 and is the first model introduced during the BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
era. The Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé
Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé
The Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé is a British handmade convertible manufactured by Rolls-Royce that debuted at the 2007 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan, on 7 January 2007. The platform is based on the 2003 Rolls-Royce Phantom and has styling heavily derived from...
, and the Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupé
Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupé
The Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupé is a British handmade luxury coupe manufactured by Rolls-Royce that debuted at the 2008 Geneva International Auto Show in Geneva, Switzerland, on 6 March 2008...
, are both based on the 2003 Phantom. It also won the Top Gear
Top Gear (magazine)
Top Gear is an automobile magazine published by BBC Worldwide, and named after the BBC's Top Gear television show. It was first published in October 1993 and is published monthly at a price of £3.95. The major presenters of the television series—Richard Hammond, James May and Jeremy Clarkson—are...
Car of the Year Award for 2003.
Construction
Aluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
.
Final assembly, including all body, paint, wood, and leather work, is completed to each customer's individual specification at the Rolls-Royce plant in Goodwood
Goodwood Plant
The Goodwood plant serves as the headquarters, design, manufacturing and assembly centre for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.Officially opened for business on 1 January 2003, the plant has been expanded twice since, and now covers . It presently employs 800 workers, half of whom are employed in the wood and...
, West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
. The plant is close to the historic Goodwood Motor Racing Circuit
Goodwood Circuit
Goodwood Circuit is an historic venue for both two- and four-wheeled motorsport in the United Kingdom. The 2.4 mile circuit is situated near Chichester, West Sussex, close to the south coast of England, on the estate of Goodwood House, and completely encircles Chichester/Goodwood Airport...
.
The plant contains the paint shop, body shop, leather shop, woodworking shop, assembly line, and executive offices under one roof. There are only two robots in the factory. The robots paint
Paint robot
Industrial paint robots have been used for decades in automotive paint applications from the first hydraulic versions - which are still in use today but are of inferior quality and safety - to the latest electronic offerings...
the body; the paint is polished by hand after the robots spray each coat. The coachlines, which are exactly 3mm wide, are done, as well as all other work, by hand, in keeping with the Rolls-Royce tradition.
It has a 6.75 litre, 48-valve, V12 engine
V12 engine
A V12 engine is a V engine with 12 cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of six cylinders, usually but not always at a 60° angle to each other, with all 12 pistons driving a common crankshaft....
that produces 453 bhp and 720 newton metre of torque
Torque
Torque, moment or moment of force , is the tendency of a force to rotate an object about an axis, fulcrum, or pivot. Just as a force is a push or a pull, a torque can be thought of as a twist....
. The engine is derived from BMW's N73 V12 powerplant and is assembled by BMW. It uses direct fuel injection, and is a drive by wire
Drive by wire
Drive-by-wire, DbW, by-wire, or x-by-wire technology in the automotive industry replaces the traditional mechanical control systems with electronic control systems using electromechanical actuators and human-machine interfaces such as pedal and steering feel emulators...
design, using valvetronic technology. The power output is regulated by infinitely varying valve lift
Variable valve timing
In internal combustion engines, variable valve timing , also known as Variable valve actuation , is a generalized term used to describe any mechanism or method that can alter the shape or timing of a valve lift event within an internal combustion engine...
by moving the rockers and rocker fulcrums via electric servos, rather than using the throttle body. The throttle body is maintained for fail-safe operation.
The aluminium extrusions that are used to construct the aluminium spaceframe are produced in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
using hydroelectric power
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
, shaped and machined in Denmark and finally hand-welded in Germany.
It is 1.63 m (63 in) tall, 1.99 m (74.8 in) wide, 5.83 m (228 in) long, and weighs 2485 kg
Kilogram
The kilogram or kilogramme , also known as the kilo, is the base unit of mass in the International System of Units and is defined as being equal to the mass of the International Prototype Kilogram , which is almost exactly equal to the mass of one liter of water...
(5478 lb
Pound (mass)
The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
). The body of the car is built on an aluminium space frame
Space frame
A space frame or space structure is a truss-like, lightweight rigid structure constructed from interlocking struts in a geometric pattern. Space frames can be used to span large areas with few interior supports...
and the Phantom can accelerate to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 5.7 s and to 300 km/h in 60 s. It has a six-speed automatic transmission
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
and double wishbone suspension
Double wishbone suspension
In automobiles, a double wishbone suspension is an independent suspension design using two wishbone-shaped arms to locate the wheel. Each wishbone or arm has two mounting points to the chassis and one joint at the knuckle. The shock absorber and coil spring mount to the wishbones to control...
. The transmission is sourced from ZF
ZF Friedrichshafen
ZF Friedrichshafen AG, also known as ZF Group, and commonly abbreviated to ZF, is a German public company headquartered in Friedrichshafen, in the south-west German region of Baden-Württemberg....
of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. The vehicle electronics are sourced from BMW.
BMW originally intended to use a 9.0L V16 engine in the Phantom as they wanted the ultimate engine for the ultimate luxury car of the 21st century. BMW designed and developed several examples of the V16 but at the last moment BMW decided use a more economical V12 engine. The engine can be seen in the concept Rolls-Royce 100EX
Rolls-Royce 100EX
The Rolls-Royce 100 EX has:*9.0 litre V16 engine*6 Speed automatic transmission*Dimensions: Height , Width and Length...
. A V16 model Phantom was used in the film Johnny English Reborn
Johnny English Reborn
Johnny English Reborn is a 2011 British spy comedy film parodying the James Bond secret agent genre and film franchise reboots. The film is the sequel to Johnny English , and stars Rowan Atkinson reprising his role as the title character and directed by Oliver Parker. The film has a slightly...
at the specific request of Rowan Atkinson
Rowan Atkinson
Rowan Sebastian Atkinson is a British actor, comedian, and screenwriter. He is most famous for his work on the satirical sketch comedy show Not The Nine O'Clock News, and the sitcoms Blackadder, Mr. Bean and The Thin Blue Line...
.
An extended wheelbase Phantom was presented in March 2005 at the Geneva Motor Show
Salon International de l'Auto
The International Geneva Motor Show is an annual auto show held in March in the Swiss city of Geneva. The show is hosted at the Geneva Palexpo, a convention centre located next to the Geneva Cointrin International Airport...
, which is 250 mm (9.8 in) longer than the standard Phantom. It is currently referred to as the Phantom Extended Wheelbase (or EWB).
Novel features
- Customers can choose from 44,000 paint colours, and specify any leather colour.
- Car has a power reserve dial indicating how much of the engine's power is left available to the driver. The instrument cluster is not shared with any other vehicle. Doors are remote operated.
- The rear doors are rear-hinged, a style commonly referred to as suicide doorSuicide doorA suicide door is a car door hinged on the trailing edge, the edge closer to the rear of the vehicle. Such doors are rarely used on vehicles in modern times because of their disadvantages....
s, but called 'coach doors' by Rolls-Royce. Because of the rear-seating position in relation to the rear inner-door handles, buttons are mounted on both C-pillars which operate hydraulic motors in order to close the rear doors. An electronic lock prevents the doors from being accidentally opened when moving. The car will automatically brake to a walking speed if a coach door remains open when driving off. The rear doors also house umbrellaUmbrellaAn umbrella or parasol is a canopy designed to protect against rain or sunlight. The term parasol usually refers to an item designed to protect from the sun; umbrella refers to a device more suited to protect from rain...
s that are stored within the doors, and can only be accessed when the front or rear doors are open. The fabric of the umbrella is coated with Teflon to assist in shedding water when the wet umbrella is stored within the door.
- The traditional Spirit of EcstasySpirit of EcstasyThe Spirit of Ecstasy is the name of the hood ornament on Rolls-Royce cars. It is in the form of a woman leaning forwards with her arms outstretched behind and above her...
ornament has an automatic electronic retraction mechanism to prevent theft and protect pedestrians in the event of an accident. It may also be retracted by the driver at the touch of a button, and retracted when the alarm is armed. The base contains a sensor which detects movement, and will retract if tampered with.
- The 'RR' logos on each of the wheel hubs are independent bezels in order to always remain upright while the wheel is rotating.
Luxury amenities
Features (as of 2009) include a navigation system with voice recognition, power sunroof, upgraded leather upholstery, rear-view camera, rear-seat DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
entertainment system, 26-speaker premium sound system, 8-disc CD changer, 18-way power front seats, 16-way power rear seats, heated and cooled cup holders, rear-seat tables, outside-temperature indicator, universal garage door opener, power tilt/telescopic heated wood and leather-wrapped steering wheel with radio, climate, and navigation controls, power open/close trunk lid, power closing doors, wireless headphones, iPod adapter, refrigerator, and air conditioning with 5-zone climate controls. There are unlimited options available through the Rolls-Royce "Bespoke" programme through which the factory will create any reasonable option a customer asks for.
Safety recall
In October 2010, the Phantom is included in a product recall campaign involving cars with a V8 or V12 engine from BMW for the potential to develop a leak in the power braking system.Drophead Coupé and Coupé
Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead CoupéRolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé
The Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé is a British handmade convertible manufactured by Rolls-Royce that debuted at the 2007 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan, on 7 January 2007. The platform is based on the 2003 Rolls-Royce Phantom and has styling heavily derived from...
is the latest convertible made by Rolls-Royce which debuted at the 2007 North American International Auto Show
North American International Auto Show
The North American International Auto Show is an annual auto show held in Detroit, Michigan at Cobo Center, usually in January. It is among the largest auto shows in North America.-History:...
in Detroit, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
on 7 January 2007. The platform is based on the Rolls-Royce Phantom and has styling heavily derived from the 100EX concept car unveiled to celebrate the company's centennial in 2005.
Sales
| Year | Sales |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 300 |
| 2004 | 792 |
| 2005 | 796 |
| 2006 | 805 |
| 2007 | 1,010 |
| 2008 | 1,212 |
| Total | 4,915 |
- The introductory base price was £250,000 in the United Kingdom and $300,000 in the United States.
- After selling 805 units in 2006, Rolls-Royce first met its annual sales target of 1,000 vehicles in 2007 (1,010 Phantoms sold, Drophead Coupé sales included).
- In 2004, Rolls-Royce was selling twice as many cars as its closest rival MaybachMaybachMaybach-Motorenbau GmbH is a German luxury car manufacturer. It was founded in 1909 by Wilhelm Maybach and his son. The company was originally a subsidiary of Luftschiffbau Zeppelin GmbH and was itself known as Luftfahrzeug-Motorenbau GmbH until 1912.Today, the ultra-luxury car brand is owned by...
. - The 2,000th car rolled out of the Goodwood factory in December 2005.
- In July 2006, Rolls Royce produced a limited edition run of 25 cars called the "Phantom Black"
- The 3,000th car rolled out of the Goodwood factory in March 2007.
- Rolls-Royce produced a limited edition run of 25 cars to commemorate the centenary of the Silver Ghost.
- The Peninsula HotelThe Peninsula Hong KongThe Peninsula Hong Kong is one of the most internationally recognizable hotels in Hong Kong. Opened in 1928, it is Hong Kong's most historical hotel. It is located at the junction of Nathan Road and Salisbury Road in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong...
in Hong Kong has purchased a fleet of 14 extended wheelbase Phantoms to replace the Silver SpursRolls-Royce Silver SpiritFor the cruise ship see MS Silver SpiritThe Silver Spirit is a British saloon automobile made by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, in England. It was launched in 1980.The Silver Spur was a long-wheelbase version of the Silver Spirit, produced at the same time....
in the fleet, all painted in a special "Peninsula Green" and delivered in December 2006, making history for being the largest single order for the Phantom. - Luxury Vodka maker Grey Goose and Rolls-Royce teamed up to create two customized limited-edition Rolls-Royce extended wheelbase Phantoms to help promote social responsibility while drinking.
- Rolls Royce released a special Tungsten edition Phantom which incorporated innovations featured in the EX101 Experimental Car.
- O'Gara Coach Company of Beverly Hills, CaliforniaBeverly Hills, CaliforniaBeverly Hills is an affluent city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. With a population of 34,109 at the 2010 census, up from 33,784 as of the 2000 census, it is home to numerous Hollywood celebrities. Beverly Hills and the neighboring city of West Hollywood are together...
; the leading Rolls-Royce dealership in the world, sold 58 Phantoms and Drophead Coupes in 2007 (accounting for 15% of Rolls-Royce sales in the USA and 6% worldwide).