Rolls-Royce Celebrates 100 Years Of The Phantom

For over a century, the Phantom has been a symbol of luxury and prestige, owned by numerous celebrities and renowned 20th-century artists, with no worthy rival.

The first generation was launched in 1925 and replaced the old luxury model Silver Ghost, the brand’s first model, launched in 1906.

During 100 years of production, the Rolls-Royce Phantom has seen eight generations. The current one, the eighth, has been on the market since 2017 and is still the flagship model of the brand.

The Phantom was a favorite among world-renowned painters in the 20th century. Among the artists who owned this model are Salvador Dali, Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Christian “Bebe” Berard and Cecil Beaton.

In the winter of 1955, Salvador Dalí, invited to lecture at the Sorbonne in Paris, borrowed a black and yellow Phantom from a friend. He filled it with 500 kilograms of cauliflower and drove through the streets of the city. Upon arriving at the university, he opened the door and spilled the cauliflower onto the pavement, creating a surrealist masterpiece.

Andy Warhol, viewed as the heir to Salvador Dalí in fine arts, bought a 1937 Phantom in 1972 after spotting it in an antique shop in Zurich with his agent, Bruno Bischofberger. He later modified it into a shooting brake and sold it in 1978 to his manager, Fred Hughes.

This luxury model experienced periods without production. The fourth-generation Phantom was launched in 1950 after an 11-year break due to World War II. The sixth generation, produced from 1968 to 1990, was the longest-running, followed by a 13-year hiatus until the seventh generation debuted in 2003.

The current model of the eighth generation under the long hood carries a 6.75-litre V12 bi-turbo engine that develops 571 horsepower and 900 Nm of torque. It is available in two wheelbase lengths. The luxury model accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.3 seconds and reaches an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h.

Read More: Rolls-Royce Unveils One-Off Phantom Dentelle Commissioned By A Client As A Gift For Their Father

Source: AutoJosh | Read Full Story…