Yahoo Autos This Is the Last Rolls-Royce Phantom VII
While the first Rolls-Royce Phantom (codenamed Eastern Armored Car) might have been the best motorcar in the world in 1925 thanks to the hard work of lead engineer Ernest Hives, the seventh-generation had to do even better.
After working out the whole Bentley deal with Volkswagen and building a new factory at Goodwood, BMW only had five years to design, develop, engineer and test what needed to be an authentic luxury car with a contemporary look. With the Phantom VII still rocking it 13 years later, I would say that designer Ian Cameron and his team did a fine job with their pencils.
The first modern Rolls-Royce in decades featured an aluminum subframe for weight-saving, a 6.75 naturally-aspirated V12 for effortless cruising and couch doors like a proper luxury car should. BMW was also quick to realize that by offering endless customization options through their Bespoke program, the Phantom could become much more than a sum of its parts, turning the factory from a 350-strong side project to a team of 1700 skilled craftspeople. With interiors like this rolling out and sales records rolling in year after year, Rolls-Royce suddenly needed all the talented workforce they could find.
Now that Rolls-Royce is busy cooking up an all-aluminum Phantom VIII and an SUV that can beat the Bentley Bentayga or the upcoming Maybach SUV, the moment has come for the brand's savior to hang up its hat.
The final Phantom VII is an extended-wheelbase model in Blue Velvet, finished with a twin coachline and ocean liner motif to the shoulder, offset by pinstripe tires and a solid silver Spirit of Ecstasy. It was commissioned by a Rolls-Royce collector with marquetry depicting a stylized 1930s ocean liner, "reflecting this particular patron's fascination with the design and iconography of this grand era," in case you were wondering.
Inside, the nautical theme continues with tone-on-tone embroidery applied to acres of Powder Blue leather. The clocks–featured in both the front cabin and the partition wall–have been designed to echo the style of the radio clocks with 24 time zones on their bezels. To complete the looks, the carpets are lambswool, of course, with a hand-cut wake effect.
Bon voyage indeed. Especially to the Phantom VII Coupe, since that's not coming back in 2018.
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