The Rolls Royce Phantom is Dead – Long live the new Phantom VIII

The new 2018 Rolls Royce Phantom VIII has been revealed in London as BMW bring the Phantom properly up to date for the first time in 14 years.

It’s been 14 years since the Rolls Royce Phantom arrived, proudly declaring itself to be still the best car in the world. And in many ways it was the King of cars. But now the King is dead, to be replace by this – the new 2018 Rolls Royce Phantom VIII.

The new Phantom has been launched at the ‘Great Eight Phantoms’ exhibition in Mayfair, and although its clearly all new, it is still very clearly a Rolls Royce Phantom.

Built on a new bespoke Rolls Royce Platform – to be used by future RR models, including the Cullinan SUV – it isn’t shared with BMW, is 30 per cent more rigid with new double wishbones at the front and a five-link back axle with air suspension. It also has rear-wheel steering to make it more agile and maneuverable.

That new suspension is also controlled by RR’s new suspension tech which scans the road ahead and adjust the set-up to suit the road conditions, delivering the best ride at all times.

There’s also plenty of work done to make the Phantom an even more cossetting experience than before, with over 130kg of extra sound insulation, a double skin floor and tyres with a foam layer to deaden sound.

Despite looking like a Phantom, the Phantom 8 gets a new look at the front, with a bigger trademark grille sitting higher and integrated in to the body for a cleaner look, new headlight graphics and laserlight technology which can project the beam up to 600 metres.

The lines are more flowing than before, the shut lines all but invisible, there’s still a short front and long rear overhang and it all looks cohesive, modern and very Rolls Royce. RR even say the side view of the Phantom VIII recalls the elegance of the Phantom V. 

Inside, the Phantom VIII is still on the subtle side of luxurious – and the better for it – with much of the technology hidden away, as well as the picnic tables and drinks cabinet.

The back seats still angle in a bit, even the armrests are heated, the dash gets a 12.3″ TFT instrument screen and there’s a big infotainment screen in the middle waiting to be revealed.

Under the bonnet is still the 6.75 litre V12, but it now has two turbos and 563bhp and a properly usable 664lb/ft of torque fully available from low down the rev range.

It drives the back wheels through a satellite informed eight-speed automatic gearbox, and there’s plenty of hidden tech like alert assist, cameras everywhere, active cruise, pedestrian warning and more.

The new Phantom looks a real Tour de Force, but it’ll come at a price when it goes on sale in 2018 – you’ll be lucky to see change from £400,000.