Rolls-Royce Motor Cars announced that the current seventh generation of Phantom will enter the last stages of its celebrated life. Calling it the time to take the next step in the luxury journey, the carmaker will not renew the Phantom Coupé and Drophead Coupé models in the future. A special collection of only 50 cars called Phantom Zenith will roll out to commemorate the iconic Phantom line-up.
Over 13 years ago, on 1 January 2003, the production of the seventh generation of Phantom started in Goodwood. Thereafter, the resurgence of the new Rolls-Royce cars was underpinned by the production of the Phantom. From 2005, new variants of Phantom VII were added. First was the Phantom Extended Wheelbase, followed by the luxurious open-top Phantom Drophead Coupé in 2007 and the Phantom Coupé, grand tourer in 2008. Over those years Rolls-Royce created many stunning Phantoms that redefined the notion of pure luxury motoring. The very last Phantom Coupé and Drophead Coupé will be built at Goodwood in November this year. These models will not be replaced.
To celebrate the end of production Collectors a collection of 50 Coupé’s and Drophead Coupés, called Phantom Zenith, will be built to celebrate the end of production. Rolls-Royce will also build the last Phantom VII limousines this year. Phantom VII – Continuing to set the luxury benchmark even as it prepares to leave the world stage. Even as it prepares to leave, Phantom VII will continue to set the benchmark for luxury motoring with a number of limited-run collector’s pieces, each of which will be the last of their line.
Talking about the Phantom Zenith, the first of the special collections will be named Zenith, and will be the last ever Phantom Coupé and Drophead Coupé models made by Rolls-Royce. The special edition Zenith line-up will be packed with features such as a Tailgate Hosting Area; laser etched armrests depicting the original launch locations of 100EX in Villa D’Este and 101EX in Geneva. Also custom built instrument dials and a special treatment of the iconic Spirit of Ecstasy figurine will be featured. Each customer will also receive a ‘money cannot buy’ portable memento of his or her purchase. The cars will be offered to clients in a palate of memorable colour combinations from Rolls-Royce’s history.
On the Occasion Director of Design, Giles Taylor commented, “As the name promises, Zenith will be the pinnacle; the best of its kind; the highest standard achievable by which everything else is judged, Zenith will be the sum of all the best features of Phantom Coupé and Drophead Coupé, with a few surprises added. We expect huge demand for these 50 fine motor cars as we shall not look upon their like again.”
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Chief Executive Officer, Torsten Muller Otvos said, “I am proud and excited to announce that a new Phantom is on the way – a contemporary and beautiful Phantom enhanced with cutting-edge technologies and design innovations. Any new Phantom is an historic and important moment in automotive history and we are working hard on perfecting the Phantom VIII.”
In other news, it was reported that Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has begun testing an all-new aluminium architecture. The new space-frame architecture will underpin every future Rolls-Royce line-up arriving in the market.
The future of Rolls Royce cars is already taking shape as Rolls-Royce Motor Cars begins testing and engineering mules being assessed on public roads in various locations around the world. The current testing phase aims to ensure that the new space-frame structure perfectly delivers Rolls-Royce’s trademark ‘magic-carpet ride’ on a variety of surfaces and that it is resilient to extreme weather conditions. The assessment of the new proprietary architecture is the first stage of a development programme that will see a new generation of Rolls-Royce motor cars become available from early 2018.
