Top 5 Reasons the 2018 Rolls-Royce Phantom Is Like No Other Car on Earth [Video]

The current Rolls-Royce Phantom is only the eighth such model in the company’s 92-year history.

Welcome to a completely different automotive world. In 92 years, Rolls-Royce has taken a different approach to design and manufacturing, or should I say, craftsmanship. The Phantom has been around, albeit with a few gaps in its history, since 1925. Now, under BMW’s wing, it enters its eighth generation, swathed in all the luxury you’d expect from a car that starts at nearly half a million dollars. If you’re feeling flush, this one costs $643,000.

So what do you get for all that money? Of course, there’s immense luxury, as you’d well expect for what amounts to most as a sizable house. But there’s more to it than that. This is a car for people who consider the Mercedes-Benz S-Class a bit, well, plebeian.

It’s in the Details

Where the Rolls-Royce Phantom really sets itself apart is in the small details. For instance, we find five touches throughout the car that bespeak the Phantom’s reputation (and price tag) as a distinctive, luxurious proposition.

Rolls-Royce really designs its cars from the back first. After all, despite its aluminum space frame platform and 563 horsepower twin-turbo V12, most owners won’t actually drive their Phantoms. More than likely, they’ll experience all the car has to offer from the rear seat.

The floor rises to meet your feet

In the olden days, lambswool floor mats was enough to make your Roller feel more luxurious. But not anymore. The new Phantom has a feature that allows you to raise the rear floor. That way, you have a footrest to keep you comfortable on your journeys.

There are buttons for, well, everything

If you’re spending nearly $650,000 on a car, odds are you don’t want to be bothered with manual labor. The whole point is to enjoy the auspicious atmosphere of your Phantom, and how can you do that if you have to pull the tray table or the rear screen down yourself?

Rolls-Royce has thought of that, and there’s a button on the center console in the rear to call upon the tray and screen automatically. Not only that, there’s a button to close the rear-hinged doors automatically. You know, in the event your chauffeur isn’t around to close it for you. Not only that, but you can close the curtains electronically, so as to cocoon yourself from the ordinary classes in their normal cars.

Gaze upon the stars at your whim

One of the Phantom’s party pieces has been its starlight headliner. As a customer, you can specify which constellation you’d like to have illuminated through fiber optics in the roof. That way, you can always gaze at the stars, no matter the place or time of day.

Your options are boundless

Again, for $643,000, you aren’t limited to just picking a car off the lot or scrolling through an options list. Rather, you can tell the manufacturer what you want in your car – at least aesthetically. From the trim to the leather and the “gallery” glass, there are plenty of options to make your Phantom unlike any other Rolls-Royce. Or any other car, for that matter.

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SPECIFICATIONS: 2018 Rolls-Royce Phantom VIII

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