Rolls-Royce Phantom

[Flybrian]

I ask because I saw yet another one today - white, with chrome wheels - just cruising down to the beach. I pass it and just observe it as I do and I could shake the feeling I had that this was likely the single ugliest automobile I have ever seen on the road.

Seriously.

The rear is too tapered and contorted. The car is too tall and way too narrow for being so tall. And the headlamps are so small they look just plain stupid.

I would say this looks like one of those cheesy Zimmer kitcars but some Zimmers look damn nice.

Is something wrong with me? Shouldn't I be appreciating this rolling hunk of what's left of stout British pride? I like pretty much every other Rolls ever made, even the ones from the seventies that most people hate. I just absolutely detest this one.

Am I alone here?

[ToniCipriani]

The Phantoms are OK, but Bentleys look better. Both blown away into water when the AM Rapide hits.

[Farkas]

No. I totally agree with you.

To me it has no character. It's like, "Hello, I am a $300,000 brick on wheels."

I can respect a car that is unique.

But ugly, expensive, and having no character = no good.

I'd rather have ugly, weird, probably dangerous, and tonnes of character:

[DetroitNut90]

I'm rather fond of the Phantom's exterior...

But I'm not on the dash. It looks way too much like our '81 Jag-same black plastic-like stuff, same color and pattern of wood, similar overall design, and the same thin, wide steering wheel. The Arnage/Continental GT FS has a much nicer interior than the Rolls.

[pow]

I love the Phantom. I think it's a great design, but I also think it's too eccentric for its own good. And it's tainted by the sort of people who buy one, people who make it more vulgar and ostentatious than it really is.

[Intrepidation]

Give me a Continental GT over a Bently anyday.

[sciguy_0504]

I'd take a Bentley over the Phantom anyday but that doesn't mean the Phantom's a horrible car. Like someone else said, the dash needs some work but I think it looks good. It reminds me of the older-type luxury/gangsta/mob mobiles.

[Guest YellowJacket894]

Give me a Continental GT over a Bently anyday.

203844[/snapback]

Then I suspect you'd rather have a Malibu over a Chevrolet, too.

[Bimmer325]

Give me a Continental GT over a Bently anyday.

203844[/snapback]

The Continental GT is a Bentley.

[Intrepidation]

Then I suspect you'd rather have a Malibu over a Chevrolet, too.

203858[/snapback]

Oops! I ment Rolls Royce.Studying fortomorrow's exam is giving me a brain fart

[XP715]

I agree with you 100%. Like most other high-end automobile manufacturers, Rolls-Royce finds a basic design they like and stick with it for the next few decades while making minor changes. To me, a Phantom is just a modernized and beefier-looking car from the Silver Shadow/Silver Spirit/Silver Seraph line, the fundametally same goddamn car that was built from 1965-2002 with not much more than headlight and grille changes and very subtle body changes. Personally, I wouldn't give you a dime for any Rolls-Royce made after World War II but, for what it's worth, I don't mind the Silver Dawns of 1949-1955 and the Silver Clouds of 1956-1964 because they still look like someone in the design department at least made an effort on them to make significant changes before they went stagnant for the next 40 years. Kinda like what Cadillac did from 1977-1992; different headlights, different grille, different powerplants and subtle interior changes, but overall still the same old $h!.

Foreign Motors West is a local Rolls-Royce dealership here in Massachusetts. Optioned the way I want it, the '06 Phantom I "built" came to $351,600. Sorry to break it to you, James Guyette, but if I had $350,000 specifically earmarked to spend on a Rolls-Royce Phantom, I'd buy this stunning 1928 model instead. With the current exchange rate being 1.8621 dollars to one Great British Pound, I'd spend $238,349 on the car, and I'll round it off to an even $250,000 to bring it home, and first-class at that. In keeping with the original $350,000 figure, I've saved $100,000 on a car that will only go up in value, versus losing about the same amount on a brand new Phantom the second I leave the dealership with it; used 2004 models with under 3,000 miles top out at about $220,000 and can probably be had for less. Anybody who went out and bought a new Rolls-Royce Phantom bent over and grabbed their ankles. And, as Fly mentioned before, they didn't even get a good looking car after it was all said and done.

[pow]

The Continental GT is a Bentley.

203865[/snapback]

No, it's a Phaeton.

If I wanted a big Volkswagen, I'd buy a big Volkswagen.

[Dsuupr]

I loved the looks of the pre-BMW & pre-VW Rolls & Bentleys. Now, well they just don't look right. They used to look classey, now they look bling.

[ToniCipriani]

Then I suspect you'd rather have a Malibu over a Chevrolet, too.

203858[/snapback]

No no no, he'll have a Shadow over a Dodge...

[Intrepidation]

No no no, he'll have a Shadow over a Dodge...

203927[/snapback]

Hah hah and furthermore hah.

[ToniCipriani]

No, it's a Phaeton.

If I wanted a big Volkswagen, I'd buy a big Volkswagen.

203901[/snapback]

But unfortunately you can't get this anymore. It's out of production.

[Intrepidation]

But unfortunately you can't get this anymore. It's out of production.

203945[/snapback]

You can buy it in Europe still.

[Flybrian]

Also, the Bently looks good.

[Satty]

Its whats on the inside that counts.

[tmp]

I'm not too fond of the new Rolls. They took the whole retro-futurist thing too literally, using the same proportions of the Rolls' of the 40's and 50's. While those were beautiful cars, they weren't even considered modern looking then, let alone now.

It would be like having a DTS with big honking '59 fins on it or a Lucerne with a "fashion-aire dynastar" grille...

[Flybrian]

Its whats on the inside that counts.

203980[/snapback]

Like two Passats worth of buttons?

[razoredge]

So whats it look like ?

[razoredge]

This thing ?

Yea, about as much as I like the 300, which I dont like.

I was never into Rolls, or the equivelent Bentleys. They were different but about as stylistly exciting as a Citroen. No thanks !

As for the narrowness ? Are the width of the roads in England still an issue ? I hope they stay narrow and quaint, unlike here in America where we are turning everything into a major boulevard, even the country roads. Getting ready for the big boom town............

[ocnblu]

After seeing a photo of a Phantom in a powerslide in Car, or was it Top Gear? I changed my mind about the car. I like it. Not as much as a Flying Spur, I guess, but I think it's pretty tough.

As far as stratospheric cars go... right now I am drooling all over the '07 CL63 AMG in this week's Autoweek. Badass to the core.

[Bimmer325]

I love the Flying Spur, though it's become a bit too commonplace around here.

No, it's a Phaeton.

If I wanted a big Volkswagen, I'd buy a big Volkswagen.

203901[/snapback]

Right. As I said, the Continental GT is a Bentley.