Some novelties simply cast a slightly larger shadow: the 2018 Rolls-Royce Phantom also presents itself as a test mule in a state-of-the-art style, leaving behind first visual impressions despite the heavy camouflage.
Bimmertoday’s reader Steffen has caught a Phantom prototype on the road and took some photos for us that show us the luxury limousine in its natural environment. Many customers use the limousine for extremely comfortable long drives or send their chauffeur a few hours earlier on the motorway, so that they can be picked up by the airport at their destination.
From the BMW Group’s point of view, the Rolls-Royce Phantom 2018 is also an outstanding new addition, as the second Phantom generation under the leadership of BMW is, in many respects, the coronation of the model range of the world’s most successful supplier of premium cars. It’s therefore also a proof of the skills of the engineers and developers who, in the case of the extremely luxurious British, have to look a little less at the expense sheet and implement ideas that have no chance of a serial application for most automobiles.
But even if most of the fine details of the 2018 Rolls-Royce Phantom still remain secret and will only be revealed later in the year, other details about the technology of the new luxury limousines are already known. The basis is a new aluminum spaceframe architecture, which Rolls-Royce will later also use for the Cullinan SUV. Despite its unveil this year, the Phantom is introduced internationally as a 2018 model.
In addition to the “entry-level version”, which is around 5.85 meters long, there will also be a 6-meter-long Rolls-Royce Phantom EWB with extended wheelbase. The long version offers still lavish space conditions in the rear and is thus even better for customers being driven around.
The new generation of the Rolls-Royce Phantom is powered by a specially tuned V12 twin turbocharger with a displacement of 6.6 liters, which means that the times of the previous generation’s engine are over. The supercharged twelve-cylinder engine promises even more power at low engine speeds, but also offers a significantly higher peak output of more than 600 hp which translates the superiority of the phantom into a consistent driving performance.
