Sailing into the sunset
Unveiled in 2003, the seventh generation of the Rolls-Royce Phantom comes to an end with this cool, nautical model. Used intermittently along six previous generations, the cars that bear this illustrious name have always been the last word in ultra-luxury saloons. And this one is no exception.
Commissioned by an unnamed Rolls-Royce collector, this final Phantom VII take its cues from the ships that criss-crossed the Atlantic between Britain and America around the time the first Phantom was introduced in 1925. With a ‘Blue Velvet’ paint scheme and careful hints of white lines in the tires, the oceanic motif is subtly evident on the outside. The deep blue recalls the vastness of the deep ocean, or the inky infinity of a midnight sky, while inside, the maritime theme is far more evident. Beautiful wood marquetry is enhanced by a stark palette, with the dashboard featuring an Art Deco-inspired cruise ship from the 1930s sailing against a map of North America and Europe immediately drawing the eye. Other nautical notes inside include: dash clocks modelled after ship radios, wavy embroidery on the Powder Blue leather and carpeting cut to look like a ship’s wake.
It seems an appropriate theme to cap off the seventh generation of the Phantom, sailing off after a fantastic voyage. What’s next? Prototypes of Phantom VIIIs have been spied, but there’s no guarantee that the next Rolls-Royce saloon will bear this name. But to know where you’re going, you need to know where you’ve come from. Reigning for 13 years, the Phantom VII is a marvel, and just as it set the standard and spawned imitative gestures, its successor is sure to do the same.
