2007 Rolls Royce Phantom Review

Specifications

Perhaps the most famous, if not the best known Rolls-Royce of all time is theSilver Ghost. Unlike most Rolls-Royces, the Silver Ghost was not the car’s official name, but rather a nickname for a one-off endurance testing vehicle. The original car was called the 40/50, named after the two outputs that the car was available with. Besides being one of the most popular Rolls-Royces of its era, with production occurring in both England and the United States, this was the vehicle that helped to set Rolls-Royce’s reputation as one of the world’s finest automobile manufacturers. Keeping in mind that the vehicle was introduced during the early years of the automotive industry, reliability, durability and quietness were top priorities. Rolls-Royce proved this by testing the Silver Ghost nearly 15,000 miles, a feat unheard of during that time period. As time went on, the production Silver Ghosts received various modifications that involved upgrading the engine to produce 80 horsepower, the addition of electrical starters and lights, plus four-wheel, servo-assisted brakes.

The Silver Ghost recently turned 100 and in celebration of its century-long existence, the brand is honoring it with a limited edition version of the Phantom sedan called the Silver.

For the Silver edition, Rolls-Royce created a bespoke shade of silver aptly named Ghost Silver to cover the stately aluminum space frame bodywork. The Silver is based on the standard wheelbase Phantom rather than the extended wheelbase version, and it wafts on an air suspension system designed to cosset and isolate its passengers. It also features 21-inch alloy wheels with chromed center caps. Minor customization was done for the interior of the Silver, the most notable changes include Santos Palissander wood that is featured on its edifice-like dashboard, around the instrument cluster, and on the doors. Besides having a strong grain, it also has a rich, light caramel color that provides strong contrast to the black dashboard. Upon delivery, the vehicle’s keys are handed over to the owner in a special box also made from this wood. The instruments feature white dials rather than the black dials of the regular car. Buyers have a choice of two different colors for the leather-trimmed interior: Rose Leaf or Crème Light.

Mechanically speaking, the Phantom Silver is unchanged from the regular car. It still uses the six and three-quarters liter direct-injection V12 engine that develops 453 horsepower and 531 lb-ft of torque. It takes under six seconds to reach 60 mph, which is comparable to a sports car such as an Audi TT 2.0T, or a base Porsche Boxster; impressive granted its size and 2.9-ton curb weight.

What makes the Silver model so special is that Rolls-Royce actually used a lot of solid silver in the car and its accompanied accessories. For instance the retractable Spirit of Ecstacy hood ornament is crafted from silver; the same goes for the keyfob, which is also made from solid silver. We’ve seen key fobs with intriguing shapes and ones that are trimmed in leather and embeddedwith crystals, but never the entire key made from silver. Those who ride in back have the luxury of trying the bespoke glass holders and the champagne flutes and tumblers that have detailing done in pure silver. Those who purchase the Phantom Silver also receive a silver and enamel fountain pen made by Conway Stewart. That’s a lot of silverware to polish and keep clean!

While Rolls-Royce made over 6,000 Silver Ghosts in its 18-year production run, only 25 Phantom Silvers will be made, and it will only be produced this year, making it, in many ways, just as exclusive as the original. In fact, the Phantom is quite a rare vehicle in general, with total production of this car limited to 10,000 units. Last year, Rolls-Royce offered a limited edition Phantom Black, painted in - you guessed it - black, with a few other exclusive features. They created 25 units. In 2005, Rolls also built the Phantom GCC Limited Edition and the 80th Anniversary to commemorate 80 years of Phantom. The year prior saw the creation of the Phantom Centennial, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Rolls-Royce brand. That means that every year since the Phantom was launched, there’s been a special edition model – if not more – to accompany the regular production volume. We’re curious if Rolls-Royce will continue with this trend, and what the underlying theme will be.