Test Drive:2006 Rolls-Royce Phantom

I have said this here before, but when this vehicle came out I detested it. It struck me as a horrible German bastardization of an English car. As I have had the opportunity to become more acquainted with the Phantom, it no longer strikes me as such.

You will probably all think that I am mad as a hatter [I know my neighbors do], but this car is charming in a very quaint way. Despite its behemoth size and art deco details it has the air of something that belongs in the country- wafting about on long country roads with no traffic and shaded rolling green hills. After a while I now picture it parked in front of some quaint, but well appointed, small country home.

Of course I admit that I have always felt that all English cars are really more country cars- they need to be stretched out and let run. German cars are more befitting of urbanites.

Being an interior person, I find the interior charming in some of the old details.

— cdoke (View Profile)

Posted on 6/28/2007 3:58:53 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

But mommy, why is it so ugly? Don't rich people have taste?

— Steve (View Profile)

Posted on 6/28/2007 5:24:08 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

A few months right after it came out, I found one sitting in the local mall, randomly, with a RR representative. She was very impressed that I knew more about the car than she did....she had no clue about the unbrella holder. It was really nice.

— mstangpny07 (View Profile)

Posted on 6/28/2007 10:57:54 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

This reply is long, and I appreciate those who take the time to read it. I hope all of it fits, as I've tried to keep it brief. I love cars and I could go on and on about the Phantom. Once you've had the opportunity to drive the finest luxury automobile crafted today, you would be just as passionate about it.

For the record, I own a 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid. My boss owns a 2006 Rolls Royce Phantom and drives it daily when he's in town. I'm not a chauffeur or personal assistant. Because I have driven so many different cars, and I end up driving the Phantom often enough, I felt I had to contribute to this thread.

The Phantom is effortless to drive. Power delivery is immediate, especially on the freeway. The solidity of the body feels as if it were formed from a single piece of granite. The doors shut with absolute authority, but not as nice as a W126 S-Class.

The comfort and the ergonomics are first-class. The quality of the wood, leather and metals is beautiful. What little bit of plastic I've seen is the best available. The interior of the Phantom exposes the materials used in EVERYTHING ELSE for what it is -- mass-produced and inferior. A designo S600 can't match it.

The a/c is awesome - four zones with independent bilevel temperature zones for the front occupants. Your feet can be in Death Valley, your face in Antarctica. Your passenger can do the opposite. Amazing.

The ride is surprisingly athletic. My boss drives the car like a maniac when he is late to the airport and needs me to drive it back to his house. I don't get scared because I know, in that car, I'll survive the accident if one happens. You feel that secure in the car. The ride is better than any S-Class I've ever driven, including the current one - and I LOVE that car. Several times, I was doing 100 and thought I was driving 60. It is very difficult to do 25 in the Phantom. It feels soooo slow. Twenty-five is no problem in my Honda. When I first drove the car, I was surprised that the Phantom is a DRIVER'S car. The seating position and steering wheel can be adjusted low. It can be DRIVEN like a 550i. In the lowest driving position possible, you are positioned midway between a Ford 500 and a Chevy Tahoe, yet it feels like a BMW would. The rear seat isn't as comfortable as I thought it would be, but it is nonetheless a wonderful place to be. It sets you higher than the front seat, and you sit well back into the seat behind the C-pillar for privacy.

Making u-turns is EASY.

The high beam xenon headlamps are scary when activated for passing. People move out of the way every time.

EVERYBODY looks at you (not just the car; eye contact is always made), however no one gestures "hello" when waved or spoken to.

Valets give the best treatment imaginable. They treat me one way when I'm in the Civic (nice, polite), but in the Phantom, suddenly I'm "Sir." Even at the best hotels in LA where expensive cars are regularly seen, they practically fight over who gets

— UYPeterson (View Profile)

Posted on 6/28/2007 11:33:58 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

to park it. The valet makes sure I ask only for him upon my return.

I like how the Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament retracts when the vehicle is locked. I especially like how you "go back in time" once inside the Phantom. My Civic feels like I'm piloting Voyager, the S-Class feels like the Enterprise-E. With the Phantom, you might as well be captain of the Constitution. You can close up the iDrive controller and the nav screen and enjoy the deceptive simplicity of it all.

If the Phantom goes in the shop for any malfunction (12,000 miles, three problems since my boss has owned it), almost always, it's out of service in an hour. Hooking it up the computer usually fixes the problem. The exception has been the audio system. The speakers and amplifier have been replaced twice.

Some of the things I do not like about the Phantom -- HUGE blind spots, especially when backing up or parking. The Parktronic is a godsend and thank goodness it is accurate.

The steering wheel is too thin, the trunk is small for a car its size, I hate the little turn signal indicators in the dash, the cruise control is difficult to use, the audio system sucks (poor sound quality, awful bass response, the audio system in my Civic sounds WAY better in my opinion).

I nudge the windshield wiper stalk all the time (I love how the wipers operate and how the washer doesn't spray fluid all over the windshield like other cars), and I understand firsthand why everyone hates iDrive. It has a navigation system and you get lost using it. My boss sometimes follows me in my Honda -- better nav system. Such a shame in a car as wonderful as the Phantom.

Overall, a wonderful vehicle in most respects. Very enjoyable to drive. I would definitely purchase one for myself. Thank you for reading.

— UYPeterson (View Profile)

Posted on 6/28/2007 11:41:39 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1