Super luxury car company Rolls-Royce celebrates 100 years of Phantom
2025 marks an important milestone for the Rolls-Royce Phantom luxury car brand, as the model celebrates its 100th anniversary.
Báo Khoa học và Đời sống•03/06/2025
British luxury carmaker Rolls-Royce is planning a series of special events to celebrate the past, present and future of the Phantom. All Phantoms produced this year will be fitted with a special commemorative badge. Throughout its 100-year history, the Phantom has been associated with famous owners and has become a symbol of the Rolls-Royce brand identity. The name "Phantom" was first used by Rolls-Royce in 1925 to replace the Silver Ghost. To maintain the association with the Silver Ghost, the model was named the "New Phantom", later simply known as Phantom or Phantom I.
Rolls-Royce named its models with the word “ghost” in mind, referring to the quietness and road-going characteristics of Rolls-Royce models, which were quieter than other cars of the time. The Phantom I was equipped with a 7.7L inline-six engine with overhead valves, a significant improvement over the Silver Ghost’s side-valves, producing around 100 horsepower. This engine is mated to two types of gearboxes depending on where it is made. The UK version uses a 4-speed manual, while the US version (made in Massachusetts) uses a 3-speed manual. The Rolls-Royce Phantom I was produced until 1931, but in 1929 its replacement, the Phantom II, was introduced with an improved engine, increasing power to 120 horsepower. Unlike the first generation, the Phantom II only used a 4-speed manual transmission, because the Massachusetts factory closed when the Phantom I ceased production in 1931 and the Phantom II was produced entirely in England. As was Rolls-Royce practice at the time, the Phantom I and II were coachbuilt; Rolls-Royce produced the chassis and mechanical components, while the customer selected a coachbuilder of his choice. The last Rolls-Royce before World War II and the third generation of Phantom - Phantom III was launched in 1936. Phantom III used a 7.3L V12 engine, the only Rolls-Royce model to use a V12 for decades until the Silver Seraph was launched in 1998. The V12 engine was mated to a four-speed manual transmission, and featured unique mechanical features such as a dual-spark ignition system (commonly found on aircraft). The Phantom III is significant because it was also the last car that Henry Royce, one of the company's founders, was directly involved in developing. In 1933, Henry Royce died at the age of 70, a year after the project began. Decades later, the Phantom III appeared on the silver screen in the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger, with the black and gold car serving as the vehicle of the villain Auric Goldfinger.
The Phantom III was replaced by the Phantom IV in 1950. Rolls-Royce had decided to stop producing large luxury cars after World War II, but then changed course and continued with the Phantom IV. Only 18 Phantom IVs were produced and sold exclusively to the British royal family or heads of state. The Phantom IV continued the pre-war tradition of large luxury cars, while other Rolls-Royce models moved to smaller chassis and shorter wheelbases, such as the Silver Wraith. The Phantom IV used a 5.7-liter inline-eight engine, but three were equipped with a 6.5-liter version. A four-speed manual transmission was the standard option, but some cars (built after 1954) had automatics, and others were converted to automatics. Production of the Phantom IV ended in 1956; the Phantom V was introduced three years later. The fifth generation Phantom was introduced in 1959, based on the Silver Cloud of the same era. Both models shared a 6.2L V8 engine and a 4-speed Hydramatic automatic transmission, produced under license from General Motors. Unlike the rare Phantom IV, the Phantom V was produced in a limited run of 518 units and was not limited to heads of state. All Phantom V bodies were custom-built by companies such as James Young, HJ Mulliner & Co, and Park Ward (owned by Rolls-Royce). In 1961, HJ Mulliner & Co and Park Ward merged to form Mulliner Park Ward after Rolls-Royce acquired HJ Mulliner & Co. The Phantom V has been associated with famous owners such as John Lennon, Elton John, and Elvis Presley. However, the royal connection remains: Queen Elizabeth II added two Phantom Vs to the royal fleet, alongside the Phantom IV. In 1968, the new generation Phantom VI was launched, with 374 units produced. Initially, the car used a 6.2L V8 engine, but by 1979, the capacity was increased to 6.75L. The original 4-speed gearbox was replaced by a 3-speed gearbox with a torque converter.
Most Phantom VI bodies were built by Mulliner Park Ward, primarily limousines, although a few were landaulet (rear passengers sit under a folding roof). The Phantom VI was also the last of the series to have its own chassis, ending the tradition of bespoke coachwork. Production ended in early 2017, a few months after the Phantom VII was launched. The Phantom VII was produced from 2003-2016. It was the first Rolls-Royce Phantom developed after BMW took over the company. The Phantom VII marked the return of the V12 engine to the Phantom line, with a 6.75 L engine mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission. Originally, the plan was to use a 9.0L V16 engine, but BMW chose the V12 for financial reasons. The V16 engine appeared in a number of one-off Rolls-Royce cars, such as the Rolls-Royce 100EX concept and the Phantom Coupe in the film Johnny English Reborn (2011). In 2012, the Phantom VII Series II was introduced for 2013, with design updates such as new wheels, a new grille, improved lighting, an eight-speed transmission, and an upgraded interior. Several special editions were also produced to meet individual requirements or celebrate milestones, such as the Phantom Silver Edition celebrating 100 years of the Silver Ghost. The Phantom VII was replaced by the Phantom VIII in 2017. The Phantom VIII also uses a 6.75 L V12 engine, a customized version of BMW's N74 engine (used in the Cullinan and Ghost, on the same platform as the Phantom VIII), combined with an 8-speed automatic transmission.
The car is equipped with many advanced technologies such as built-in Wi-Fi hotspot, laser headlights and night vision camera. There are two wheelbase options, with the Extended Wheelbase version being 8.7 inches longer than the standard version, making it the shortest Phantom since the late 1930s. The Phantom VIII Series II debuts in 2022 and goes on sale from 2023, with upgrades such as new headlights, new wheels and exterior detailing around the grille. Video : Super luxury car brand Rolls-Royce celebrates 100 years of Phantom.
Báo Khoa học và Đời sống•03/06/2025
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