Everyone’s currently talking about the newly released Rolls-Royce Phantom but the eight generation that is going on sale this year is building on the epic success the name has been recording over the brand’s vast history. The seventh model was the first one launched after BMW took over and it used a platform which was shared with the BMW 7 Series back in the day. It was and still is, however, one of the best riding cars in the world, only the Phantom VIII possibly being better at lofting over potholes.
And as the world is focusing on the new epitome of luxury, some are still going about their business using the old one and today we’re taking a look at what Matt Farrah has to say about the Phantom VII. His latest guest on his One Take series is an owner of a really well maintained 2004 model who, in good fashion, decided to keep the car stock. That’s in drastic contrast to some of the abominations we see on the internet these days.
What I love about Matt’s way of shooting is that it captures reactions and interesting tidbits about one’s car without staging everything. The whole video is authentic therefore and noticing interesting quirks about a car, for example, makes it all look all the more interesting. Take the thumb grips on the car’s steering wheel, for example. While normal cars have them at 10 and 2, in the Phantom they’re located at 4 and 8, for the chauffeurs, that is.
Other interesting tidbits include a launch mode that drops the car into the first gear when setting off. It may seem peculiar but the thing is, normally, the Phantom sets off in second gear to make sure things are as smooth as possible and first gear is rarely used. What people might not be aware of though is that depreciation makes the seventh gen Phantom quite affordable today, compared to what a new one would cost you. That’s if you can afford the maintenance which, surprisingly, doesn’t necessarily have to run you into the ground, as Matt’s guest points out.
