Australasian exclusive: Automuse first to review 2020 Rolls-Royce Phantom
This hand-built british limousine is simply the best motoring that you can buy.
‘Rolls-Royce’ and ‘bespoke’ are synonymous, but with the new-look 2020 Phantom you can also add ‘tech savvy’ to the description of the ultimate limousine.
The Phantom arrived in New Zealand from Goodwood just before lockdown, and although we’re going through unique times, it’s delightful to celebrate the beauty of this hand-built automobile. Yes, automobile, because it would be rude just to refer to the Phantom as a ‘car’.
This isn’t a vehicle that you buy new from a car dealership. Instead you work closely with the Goodwood team to design a one-off vehicle that is to suit your every need.
The Spirit of Ecstasy bonnet ornament sculpture can be retracted. Photo: Liz Dobson
The Goodwood commission team in the UK worked with Rolls-Royce Asia Pacific to create this Phantom for New Zealand. They knew that Kiwis liked colour, hence the exterior of metallic Sapphire Black and the coachline (the line of paint across the vehicle) is in Mandarin.
(As for the coachline, that is hand painted by an expert at Goodwood. As someone who can’t even draw a stick figure, I was in awe of the skill.)
“Yes, it is cliché when it comes to describing driving a Rolls-Royce Phantom, but it’s like floating on a cloud.”
To set off the exterior colour, the bonnet was painted Silver Satin and our Phantom had 22in fully polished alloys.
Under that bonnet remains the Phantom’s 6 ¾ V12 petrol engine that produces 420kW of power and 900Nm of torque and goes from 0-100km/h in 5.9 seconds.
Sure, your chauffeur won’t win any first out the gate awards, but that’s because this is a big vehicle at 5.75m long, and just over 2metres wide.
What makes the 2020 Phantom stand out is that it has had such upgrades as keyless entry, new safety features such as lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring, parking assistance and more importantly, parking sensors.
The Phantom is nearly 6m long, and 2m wide.
Is the Rolls-Royce Phantom Fun to drive?
I loved the way it drives. Yes, it is cliché when it comes to describing driving a Rolls-Royce Phantom, but it’s like floating on a cloud. There came the utter joy of going on the north-western motorway heading to Parihoa and feel the effortless comfort - and the power that comes from under that huge bonnet when you need to overtake.
It utilises a modern aluminium structure that rides atop an air suspension for ecstatic comfort. It also has adaptive cruise control where you set the speed and the distance between you and the car ahead, and it controls everything for you.
Even on the gravel road to Parihoa, the Phantom smoothly navigated the ruts thanks to a pothole-spotting camera that helps the suspension adapt to road imperfections in real time.
Automuse editor Matt Chapman also enjoyed getting behind the wheel of the Phantom.
The 2020 Phantom has technology and safety feature upgrades. Photo: Liz Dobson
But what is so special about the design of the Rolls Royce Phantom? Well, I was blown away by the new-look gallery where a full sheet of glass runs the width of the dash and you can add any design feature you like. We got the Commissioned Collection Metropolitan Skyline.
And talking of skyline, the 2020 Phantom gets a new look roof design with the stars now extending to the front of the vehicle.
The stars now extend the full length of the roof. Photo: Liz Dobson
What about the Rolls-Royce Phantom Interior detail?
While everything is taken care of for the chauffeur, what is it like in the back?
Our Phantom had the option of immersive seating in the rear. That means as standard you have two rear theatre seats that recline are heated and have a great massaging programme. I’ve been critical of parent brand BMW Group’s massaging seats but Rolls-Royce gets the Rolls-Royce of massaging seats. But if needed, there was a third middle seat, but for the most part, the arm was pulled down. Our Phantom also had picnic tables with screens and a rear compartment coolbox with two Champagne flutes. Champagne is extra.
It also had tinted rear privacy glass so other drivers were left guessing who was sitting in the rear. Here’s a clue: AutoMuse’s Matt Chapman or my son Henry.
Our Phantom came with a coolbox and two flutes, Champagne not included. Photo: Liz Dobson
How much is a Rolls-Royce Phantom NZ?
You know the saying, “if you have to ask, you can’t afford it”. Okay, our Phantom was priced from $962,000 driveaway and came with 4 years, unlimited mileage, Rolls-Royce warranty & service plan. And I’m sure if you asked nicely, they may pop a bottle of bubbly in your coolbox. For a custom Rolls-Royce Phantom, you could expect to pay upwards of $1m depending on your specifications.
