Rolls-Royce Phantoms Throughout History
Rolls-Royce Phantom stands as the ultimate symbol of automotive luxury and prestige. Since 1925, this legendary nameplate has represented the pinnacle of craftsmanship, engineering excellence, and status.
From royalty to rock stars, the Phantom has been the chariot of choice for those who demand nothing but the absolute best that money can buy.
1. Phantom II: The Continental Cruiser
Debuting in 1929, this automotive masterpiece arrived just as the world plunged into the Great Depression. Despite economic turmoil, Rolls-Royce doubled down on luxury, equipping the Phantom II with a refined engine and improved synchromesh gearbox.
Famous Continental models, designed for high-speed European touring, featured a shortened wheelbase and sportier handling. Even today, its elegant proportions make it one of the most beautiful pre-war automobiles ever created.
2. The Original 1925 Phantom I
Roaring onto the scene during the Jazz Age, the very first Phantom replaced the aging Silver Ghost with revolutionary flair. Beneath its majestic hood lurked a massive 7.7-liter straight-six engine.
Hand-built craftsmanship defined every inch, from its gleaming radiator grille to its bespoke interior. Owners included maharajas, Hollywood stars, and industrial tycoons who demanded nothing but automotive perfection.
3. Phantom III: The V12 Revolution
Mechanical symphony in twelve parts! The 1936 Phantom III shocked the automotive world as Rolls-Royce’s first-ever V12 engine. This engineering marvel produced silky-smooth power that seemed to defy physics.
Only 727 examples were built before World War II halted production. Hollywood immortalized this model when it starred as villain Auric Goldfinger’s sinister ride in the James Bond film. Talk about a car with star power!
4. Phantom IV: The Royal Exclusive
Exclusivity redefined! Only 18 Phantom IVs were ever crafted, reserved exclusively for royalty and heads of state. Queen Elizabeth II received the first one as a princess in 1950, and still maintains it in the royal collection.
Powered by a straight-eight engine, these stately carriages were designed for ceremonial processions and state functions. Imagine owning a car so exclusive that money alone couldn’t buy it—you needed a crown or presidential palace!
5. Phantom V: The Swinging Sixties Icon
Lennon’s psychedelic palace on wheels! When John Lennon commissioned his Phantom V to be painted in vibrant Romany-inspired swirls and flowers, it perfectly captured the spirit of the 1960s counterculture.
Beyond celebrity ownership, these magnificent limousines served as official state cars worldwide. Each took approximately 600 hours to paint and featured interiors that rivaled luxury apartments, with cocktail cabinets, television sets, and refrigerators for champagne.
6. Phantom VI: The Handcrafted Holdout
Defying the modern age! While other manufacturers embraced automation, the Phantom VI stubbornly clung to old-world craftsmanship from 1968 until 1990. Each required thousands of hours of handwork by master artisans.
The British Royal Family received a special Silver Jubilee edition in 1977, painted in royal claret and black. These magnificent machines represented the last of the truly coach-built Rolls-Royces before computerization and mass production techniques changed luxury carmaking forever.
7. Phantom Drophead Coupé: Nautical Luxury
Yacht on wheels! The Drophead Coupé borrowed design cues from luxury sailing vessels, featuring optional teak decking on its convertible tonneau cover. The staggering $533,000 starting price in 2008 made it one of the world’s most expensive convertibles.
Its massive suicide doors housed Teflon-coated umbrellas, while the optional steel hood remained hand-polished for hours to achieve its mirror finish. Celebrity owners included David Beckham and Simon Cowell, who appreciated its flamboyant yet elegant character.
8. Phantom Coupé: The Gentleman’s GT
Forget practical—this was pure automotive theater! The two-door hardtop Phantom Coupé featured a starlight headliner with hundreds of fiber-optic lights hand-placed to mimic the night sky. Each owner could customize their personal constellation.
Underneath its lengthy bonnet lurked a 6.75-liter V12 that propelled this 5,700-pound beast to 60 mph in just 5.6 seconds. The rear-hinged doors concealed custom-made umbrellas, while the picnic trunk provided the perfect perch for champagne at equestrian events.
9. Phantom Serenity: The Silk Showcase
Blossom-filled opulence! This one-off 2015 creation featured hand-painted and embroidered silk inspired by Japanese royal robes and gardens. The interior required 600 hours of work by a team of craftspeople specializing in silk application.
Mother of pearl inlays adorned the dashboard, while bespoke accessories included silk parasols stored in the doors. The exterior featured a three-stage pearl paint that was the most expensive ever developed by Rolls-Royce, requiring 12 hours of hand-polishing.
10. Phantom Limelight: Celebrity Treatment
Designed for the red carpet elite! This 2015 special edition featured rear door panniers specifically created to hold perfume bottles, watches, and makeup—perfect for A-listers heading to premieres.
The rear seats were angled precisely 27 degrees, which Rolls-Royce claimed was the ideal position for relaxation. Only 25 were built, with bespoke options including a fragrance holder milled from solid aluminum and a concealed jewelry safe.
11. Phantom Zenith: The Magnificent Farewell
Going out with a bang! As the seventh-generation Phantom prepared to bow out, Rolls-Royce created 50 spectacular Zenith Collection vehicles in 2016. Each came with a picnic hamper incorporating a glass shelf, champagne holder, and refrigerator.
The centerpiece was a piece of the production line from the Goodwood factory, engraved with the car’s coordinates. Talk about a conversation starter! Split-tailgate “picnic boots” encouraged owners to enjoy champagne while watching polo matches.
12. The 2018 Phantom VIII: Digital Aristocrat
Evolution, not revolution! The eighth-generation Phantom arrived in 2018 riding on the all-new “Architecture of Luxury” aluminum spaceframe. Its party piece? “The Gallery”—a glass-enclosed space across the dashboard where owners could commission bespoke artwork.
Road noise was banished with over 286 pounds of sound insulation and tires containing foam inserts. The result was reportedly so quiet that engineers had to recalibrate the HVAC system because they could suddenly hear the air moving!
13. Phantom Tranquillity: Celestial Inspiration
Reaching for the stars—literally! This 2019 special edition incorporated actual meteorite in its interior. Fragments from the Muonionalusta meteorite, which fell to earth in Sweden in 1906, were inlaid within the volume controller.
The headliner featured detailed embroidery depicting the original sound wave pattern from the 1969 Apollo 11 landing. Only 25 were produced, with speaker frets engraved with the planets’ coordinates and stainless steel detailing inspired by the structure of space gloves.
14. Phantom Tempus: Time Suspended
Einstein meets extravagance! The 2021 Tempus Collection drew inspiration from time, space, and astronomical phenomena—specifically a pulsar star 1,500 light years away. The starlight headliner depicted this pulsar’s exact pattern.
A bespoke “Frozen Flow of Time” gallery featured 100 individual columns of milled aluminum, representing the 100-million-year period of a rotational pulsar star. Notably absent? A clock—symbolizing the owner’s freedom from time constraints that govern ordinary mortals.
15. Phantom Platino: Textile Elegance
Fabric makes a comeback! While leather typically dominates luxury car interiors, the 2022 Phantom Platino introduced bamboo fiber textile upholstery in the rear seats. The material felt like silk but offered superior durability.
The dashboard featured 3D printed ceramic elements in a pattern inspired by early Rolls-Royce motor cars. Even the clock received special treatment with a frosted effect on its surround, creating an ethereal glow. The name “Platino” referenced its platinum-white exterior finish.
16. Phantom Orchid: Floral Masterpiece
Botanical brilliance! Created for a Singapore-based customer in 2022, this one-off featured an astonishing orchid design that took over 200 hours to complete. The Gallery showcased a hand-sculpted silk orchid created by renowned artist Helen Amy Murray.
The exterior received a unique blend of Arctic White with glass particles that produced a subtle shimmer. Interior orchid motifs continued throughout the cabin, including embroidered headrests and illuminated treadplates featuring orchid designs.
17. Phantom Syntopia: Haute Couture on Wheels
Fashion meets automotive art! This 2023 collaboration with Dutch fashion designer Iris van Herpen required four years of development. The headliner featured an astonishing “Weaving Water” theme with 162 glass organza petals and 995 sparkling fiber optic “stars.”
The dashboard Gallery contained a 3D sculpture made of liquid metal, glass, and fabric. Perhaps most remarkably, Rolls-Royce created a bespoke fragrance for the car’s interior that would slowly release from dedicated slots over time.
18. Phantom Privacy Suite: Mobile Fortress
Secrecy for the ultra-wealthy! This special option package transformed the Phantom into a rolling secure room with an electrochromic glass partition that turns opaque at the touch of a button. Frequency-specific materials prevented electronic eavesdropping.
A two-way intercom system allowed communication with the driver without opening the partition. For documents too sensitive to transmit electronically, a secure slot allowed papers to pass through while maintaining the sealed environment—perfect for paranoid billionaires and heads of state!
19. Phantom Iridescent Opulence: Feathered Fantasy
Bird watching for the one percent! This extraordinary creation featured 3,000 iridescent tail feathers from sustainably sourced birds, arranged by hand in the Gallery. Master feather artist Emilia Robustelli spent hundreds of hours selecting and positioning each feather.
The dashboard clock featured mother of pearl hour markers and surrounded by a copper cage. A special humidity control system protected the delicate natural materials, while the exterior featured a subtle color-shifting paint inspired by exotic bird plumage.
20. Phantom Koa: Hawaiian Heritage
Tree hunting expedition! When a client requested rare Koa wood for his Phantom, Rolls-Royce spent three years searching Hawaiian forests for the perfect specimen. This wood, traditionally reserved for Hawaiian royalty, appears in just one privately commissioned Phantom.
The dashboard Gallery, picnic tables, and center console all showcase this extremely rare timber. Matching the exterior’s Packard Blue paint (inspired by the client’s vintage Packard), this creation demonstrates how far Rolls-Royce will go to fulfill the desires of its most dedicated customers.
21. Phantom Rose: Garden of Delights
Floral fantasy! This one-of-a-kind creation celebrated the unique “Phantom Rose” cultivated exclusively in the grounds of Rolls-Royce’s Goodwood headquarters. Embroidered roses with one million stitches adorned the interior, each taking over 17 hours to complete.
The Starlight Headliner depicted a garden scene with over 1,600 hand-placed fiber optic lights. Even the air conditioning emitted a subtle rose scent. The exterior’s unique Peacock Blue paint contained actual crushed pearls for an ethereal shimmer effect.
22. Phantom Oribe: Ceramic Inspiration
Teacup on wheels! Commissioned by Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa, this 2021 creation drew inspiration from ancient Japanese Oribe ceramics. The two-tone green and cream exterior mimicked the distinctive glazes of these 16th-century pottery pieces.
Rolls-Royce collaborated with luxury brand Hermès to create unique interior elements, including custom leather with a textured finish resembling ceramic glaze. The Gallery featured porcelain roses crafted by the same artisans who make Japan’s imperial family’s dinnerware.