I've only seen the Top Gear review of the Mulsanne but I doubt you'll have many people wanting to damage one of them
Sod the vandal problem i got a wife problem if buy a 200k car i dread to think what she would want in return
Sub 100k Phantom.
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Sod the vandal problem i got a wife problem if buy a 200k car i dread to think what she would want in return
Caporegime
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Always been in two minds about the Phantom, I’ve never been 100% on the styling and even though I’ve seen these things daily it hasn't really grown on me quite as much as other more radical car styling’s have, however I do love the car for what it can do.
Sod the vandal problem i got a wife problem if buy a 200k car i dread to think what she would want in return
New washing machine
It can go fast in a straight line and be very comfy, i just cant see where the premium over a Flying Spur is deserved, and this new Mulsanne, well its all over, Rolls need to up their game.
those phantoms are beautiful, but in a very odd way.
very striking and very bold. the most noticable time i remember seeing one was a services on the M4, mid night ish, years ago, i had parked up my B6 audi A4, not exactly a tiny car, when a phantom pulled up.
the audi, the whole thing, could have fitted in the interior of the phantom. it was immense, looked completely graceful and completely menacing all at the same time.
very striking and very bold. the most noticable time i remember seeing one was a services on the M4, mid night ish, years ago, i had parked up my B6 audi A4, not exactly a tiny car, when a phantom pulled up.
the audi, the whole thing, could have fitted in the interior of the phantom. it was immense, looked completely graceful and completely menacing all at the same time.
They have had a skinny wheel since 1950
Suits the car, dont forget the steering needs little finger pressure to move, you dont need a chunky wheel.It's funny that this thread has appeared. It was only yesterday (maybe the day before?) I was saying how much I wanted a Phantom. I have adored the big RR since the marketing buzz began years ago, and have loved it even more since the day my backside first graced the leather, my heels first settled in to the rugs, and my lungs swallowed the air scented with the fresh smell of a £300,000 masterpiece.
I can still recall the sense of awe as I pressed the door close button, the enormous suicide door clamped shut, and my buzzing surroundings were completely silenced. I was cocooned in the epitomic pinnacle of automotive grandeur. The classiest vehicle being constructed by anyone, anywhere in the world. A modern, progressive Rolls-Royce that retains all the gentlemanly 'Britishness' of the best the company has ever produced.
Over time, other cars have come along that have taken my fancy for a while. However, my love for the Phantom was recently rekindled. I was stood on Charing Cross Road at around 2am on a Saturday night waiting for an Addison Lee taxi to drive me home. It wasn't raining, but it was cold and I was pulling my neck in to my coat to keep as warm as possible. In front of me was a set of traffic lights, and up pulled a black Rolls-Royce Phantom. The driver's window was down, and an arm was on the door. Inside was a man in a suit, smoking a giant cigar, wearing darkened glasses. The lights went green, and the Phantom rapidly ushered itself away amongst the composed roar of the six and three-quarter litre V12. That man, was the coolest man in the world, and I vow to become him!
With regards to the Muslanne, I have mixed opinions. It may be a technically superior car, but it is 7 years the Phantom's junior - an entire generation in typical automotive terms. Yet, the Phantom still has an air... a presence that the Muslanne does not. You get the feeling that the Muslanne is trying to compete, but the Phantom just exists unto itself ignoring any challengers. It doesn't need to compete. It's as if the Bentley is for the person who is trying to get the "one-up", and the Rolls-Royce for the person who is already at the top.
It's interesting how the Muslanne borrows some of the Phantom's styling cues. It does so while trying to be less ostentatious, but I think the result is that it looks like a Chinese imitation of the Phantom. The front of the Muslanne is awkward, whereas the front of the Phantom is regal.
My opinion of the Phantom's 'competition' is probably biased. I love the Phantom. But, I feel like my love for it is derived from the fact that it is simply the best at what it does. The Bentleys and Maybachs of this world will arrive and then disappear as 2nd and 3rd best. The Phantom is timeless and I think will be heralded as one of the best examples of a luxury automobile ever produced.
I can still recall the sense of awe as I pressed the door close button, the enormous suicide door clamped shut, and my buzzing surroundings were completely silenced. I was cocooned in the epitomic pinnacle of automotive grandeur. The classiest vehicle being constructed by anyone, anywhere in the world. A modern, progressive Rolls-Royce that retains all the gentlemanly 'Britishness' of the best the company has ever produced.
Over time, other cars have come along that have taken my fancy for a while. However, my love for the Phantom was recently rekindled. I was stood on Charing Cross Road at around 2am on a Saturday night waiting for an Addison Lee taxi to drive me home. It wasn't raining, but it was cold and I was pulling my neck in to my coat to keep as warm as possible. In front of me was a set of traffic lights, and up pulled a black Rolls-Royce Phantom. The driver's window was down, and an arm was on the door. Inside was a man in a suit, smoking a giant cigar, wearing darkened glasses. The lights went green, and the Phantom rapidly ushered itself away amongst the composed roar of the six and three-quarter litre V12. That man, was the coolest man in the world, and I vow to become him!
The Phantom justifies it's premium by being a better, more exclusive car, in a market where the best and exclusivity are two of the most important things. From the bespoke process used to transform the bull hides in to the Phantom's upholstery, to the industry-leading craftsmen employed to take some of the finest woods and construct the RR's veneers, it is a step above the Flying Spur in almost every way. The audience for the Phantom are people for whom the £150,000 difference between a Flying Spur and a Phantom is of almost no consequence. The equivalent to the Flying Spur is the Ghost, and the Ghost is priced (and built) in a way to reflect that.
With regards to the Muslanne, I have mixed opinions. It may be a technically superior car, but it is 7 years the Phantom's junior - an entire generation in typical automotive terms. Yet, the Phantom still has an air... a presence that the Muslanne does not. You get the feeling that the Muslanne is trying to compete, but the Phantom just exists unto itself ignoring any challengers. It doesn't need to compete. It's as if the Bentley is for the person who is trying to get the "one-up", and the Rolls-Royce for the person who is already at the top.
It's interesting how the Muslanne borrows some of the Phantom's styling cues. It does so while trying to be less ostentatious, but I think the result is that it looks like a Chinese imitation of the Phantom. The front of the Muslanne is awkward, whereas the front of the Phantom is regal.
My opinion of the Phantom's 'competition' is probably biased. I love the Phantom. But, I feel like my love for it is derived from the fact that it is simply the best at what it does. The Bentleys and Maybachs of this world will arrive and then disappear as 2nd and 3rd best. The Phantom is timeless and I think will be heralded as one of the best examples of a luxury automobile ever produced.
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Maybach is not even on the same page for the same reason a Lexus is never going to compete at this level, it just hasnt got the same sense of occasion.
You say about the Bentley being a one up, i could have bought a Phantom, so could my partner, you know why we didnt? Because at 44 im not quite ready to throw in the towel and get a driver. The Rolls just dosent drive as well, in Phantom or Ghost form.
Iv only had the pleasure of an afternoon in a Mulsanne, but let me tell you it ****es all over both of Rolls offerings, thats not true, at this level nothing ****es over anything, but it is better, by a margin, to call it a Chinese imitation is just wrong.
Got to add a bit, that stupid 3 spoke bus steering wheel and back to front rev counter finished me for this incarnation of Rolls Royce's the second i stepped in it. If you are sitting in the back i have no doubt a Phantom is the place to be, but as long as im not banned or too drunk and im still driving, not a chance.
Power reserve in the Ghost my arse, call it what it is, a rev counter.
You say about the Bentley being a one up, i could have bought a Phantom, so could my partner, you know why we didnt? Because at 44 im not quite ready to throw in the towel and get a driver. The Rolls just dosent drive as well, in Phantom or Ghost form.
Iv only had the pleasure of an afternoon in a Mulsanne, but let me tell you it ****es all over both of Rolls offerings, thats not true, at this level nothing ****es over anything, but it is better, by a margin, to call it a Chinese imitation is just wrong.
Got to add a bit, that stupid 3 spoke bus steering wheel and back to front rev counter finished me for this incarnation of Rolls Royce's the second i stepped in it. If you are sitting in the back i have no doubt a Phantom is the place to be, but as long as im not banned or too drunk and im still driving, not a chance.
Power reserve in the Ghost my arse, call it what it is, a rev counter.
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They have had a skinny wheel since 1950
Aye I understand this but I meant for looks, the skinny wheel just looks dated compared to the rest of the car!
That was their intention, a retro look, sadly they didnt get it right like Bentley did.
I think it isn't fair to say Maybach isn't on the same page. I'd agree they don't have the sense of occasion of a Bentley or Rolls-Royce, but that is purely our opinions - it's almost certain that at this level the Phantom, Maybach and Mulsanne (previously Arnage) 'compete'. I say 'compete' there as it's rare for the decision to be made particularly objectively. The purchaser will be choosing the car they like the most almost irrespective of cost. They will select the car they prefer subjectively and order a specific selection of equipment.
With regards to the Bentley being a one up, whether you could have bought a Phantom or not is beside the point. The Bentley is the 'cad' car. It's why it has turbochargers, lots of flashing lights and infinite buttons strewn across the centre console. The Rolls has none of this because it isn't required. The RR doesn't drive as well because it is a bespoke luxury car. It has a unique platform and design oriented around being the best car to be in. The Bentley is built on a shared VAG platform and thus shares the more sporting driving dynamics (and much of the drivetrain) with it's little brother, the Phaeton. To say drive 'well' is hard to justify - it's different, and different by design. I would happily forego somewhat enhanced dynamics for the enhanced form of the Phantom. Additionally, I've had personal testimony from someone who owned both, that the drive of the Phantom was better than the Bentley. The fact you feel otherwise demonstrates it's a matter of personal taste.
As I said just above, the Mulsanne is a technically superior car. It would be an absolute travesty if Bentley, after 7 years of technological advancement and research, could not produce a superior car to the Phantom, would it not? I hope and suspect that when the Phantom's successor is announced we will be treated to the launch of a car that again eclipses everything else that's being built. It happened in 2003 when the Phantom simply outmoded the then 6 year old Arnage. Something worth pointing out at this point is that the Phantom has spent the last 6 years competing with the Arnage, and Rolls-Royce intends to have it compete with the Mulsanne for 6 years, too. It will be one of the longest running car generations, and I think that is a testament to how sure Rolls-Royce are that the Phantom can hold its own. Rolls-Royce will have carefully made that decision based on their predictions for the Mulsanne's success, and I share their opinion that the Phantom is not outmoded by the Mulsanne like the Arnage was by the Phantom.
Calling it a Chinese imitation was purely in reference to its looks. I know many people share my opinion that the Mulsanne's looks are awkward, especially from the front, and that awkwardness is reminiscent of the Chinese 'rip-off' cars. I am certain that the Mulsanne is a very well constructed and capable car.
I think the power reserve meter is actually quite a good idea. In reality, for a car with no options for a manual gear change, the RPM of the engine is hardly any more useful than the RPM of the fuel pump. A power reserve meter is just a token way of letting you know how hard you are working the engine, and how much harder you can work it.
If I had the choice of a Bentley Continental and a Rolls-Royce Phantom, I would choose the Phantom. I would soon become accustomed to the superior drive of the Bentley, but I would never cease to enjoy embracing the event of driving the Phantom.
With regards to the Bentley being a one up, whether you could have bought a Phantom or not is beside the point. The Bentley is the 'cad' car. It's why it has turbochargers, lots of flashing lights and infinite buttons strewn across the centre console. The Rolls has none of this because it isn't required. The RR doesn't drive as well because it is a bespoke luxury car. It has a unique platform and design oriented around being the best car to be in. The Bentley is built on a shared VAG platform and thus shares the more sporting driving dynamics (and much of the drivetrain) with it's little brother, the Phaeton. To say drive 'well' is hard to justify - it's different, and different by design. I would happily forego somewhat enhanced dynamics for the enhanced form of the Phantom. Additionally, I've had personal testimony from someone who owned both, that the drive of the Phantom was better than the Bentley. The fact you feel otherwise demonstrates it's a matter of personal taste.
As I said just above, the Mulsanne is a technically superior car. It would be an absolute travesty if Bentley, after 7 years of technological advancement and research, could not produce a superior car to the Phantom, would it not? I hope and suspect that when the Phantom's successor is announced we will be treated to the launch of a car that again eclipses everything else that's being built. It happened in 2003 when the Phantom simply outmoded the then 6 year old Arnage. Something worth pointing out at this point is that the Phantom has spent the last 6 years competing with the Arnage, and Rolls-Royce intends to have it compete with the Mulsanne for 6 years, too. It will be one of the longest running car generations, and I think that is a testament to how sure Rolls-Royce are that the Phantom can hold its own. Rolls-Royce will have carefully made that decision based on their predictions for the Mulsanne's success, and I share their opinion that the Phantom is not outmoded by the Mulsanne like the Arnage was by the Phantom.
Calling it a Chinese imitation was purely in reference to its looks. I know many people share my opinion that the Mulsanne's looks are awkward, especially from the front, and that awkwardness is reminiscent of the Chinese 'rip-off' cars. I am certain that the Mulsanne is a very well constructed and capable car.
I think the power reserve meter is actually quite a good idea. In reality, for a car with no options for a manual gear change, the RPM of the engine is hardly any more useful than the RPM of the fuel pump. A power reserve meter is just a token way of letting you know how hard you are working the engine, and how much harder you can work it.
If I had the choice of a Bentley Continental and a Rolls-Royce Phantom, I would choose the Phantom. I would soon become accustomed to the superior drive of the Bentley, but I would never cease to enjoy embracing the event of driving the Phantom.
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I just cant string a post together like that so i concede, but having driven both for a long time i say you are wrong, If you intend to actually drive the car yourself.
As for who was aimed at what, we live in the here and now, and right the Bentley kills it.
You dont just sacrifice a "bit of dynamics" you swap a driving beast for a numb big car.
Also "cad" thats a throw back, i normally get called ****er for my car choices
I keep adding bits, as for an Arnage being the competitor, iv had a couple of those, and they drive better than the Rolls in 2002 facelift guise anyway, so thats a 9 going on 15 year old platform .
As for who was aimed at what, we live in the here and now, and right the Bentley kills it.
You dont just sacrifice a "bit of dynamics" you swap a driving beast for a numb big car.
Also "cad" thats a throw back, i normally get called ****er for my car choices
I keep adding bits, as for an Arnage being the competitor, iv had a couple of those, and they drive better than the Rolls in 2002 facelift guise anyway, so thats a 9 going on 15 year old platform .
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@PMKeates
Have you been going to some sort of creative writing classes? I'm sure I don't recall your style of posting to be so structured and eloquent.
As a footnote to the thread... If I was in the market for this type of car with this type of budget I couldn't see past the Phantom.
Have you been going to some sort of creative writing classes? I'm sure I don't recall your style of posting to be so structured and eloquent.
As a footnote to the thread... If I was in the market for this type of car with this type of budget I couldn't see past the Phantom.
Erm, thanks? I wouldn't say it's all that structured.. I struggle to write in such a fashion as my mind is usually thinking about my next point before I've even begun penning the first. If I write at length it tends to be very disjointed. I'll usually have to go back and re-arrange things to make it less convoluted and less painful to read. With regards to eloquence - maybe. I put more than my usual "zero" effort in to writing it, so I'm glad that at least someone was appreciative!
I often lament the fact I have a 'D' grade in GCSE English Language. I literally just this second used the word "commensurate" in conversation and as such feel my 'D' is unjust. People often say I'm a 'C' so it would have been nice for everything to match up.
Erm, thanks? I wouldn't say it's all that structured.. I struggle to write in such a fashion as my mind is usually thinking about my next point before I've even begun penning the first. If I write at length it tends to be very disjointed. I'll usually have to go back and re-arrange things to make it less convoluted and less painful to read. With regards to eloquence - maybe. I put more than my usual "zero" effort in to writing it, so I'm glad that at least someone was appreciative!
I often lament the fact I have a 'D' grade in GCSE English Language. I literally just this second used the word "commensurate" in conversation and as such feel my 'D' is unjust. People often say I'm a 'C' so it would have been nice for everything to match up.
Many talented people are surprised that others notice what seems to flow from them.
I quite agree, whilst not always with your content, your presentation is excellent.
I hope you can now get your head through the door....
As for the thread - I'm with Mark & the "Power reserve" Bull.
No point even posting because everyone knows someone.
Anyway i know 2 people with Phantoms, 2 brothers, and neither of them are buying another, both bought them because they could, for the big "**** off im king" factor.
Novelty soon wore off, same brothers went through ever exotic Italian too, not that they could fit in them.
Theres nothing "tasteful" about Phantom buyers same as theres nothing "cad" about Bentley buyers, its all about who wants to spend what on a car, i think PM is wrong differenciating between people with 100k to spend on a car and those with 200k, in my opion there is no difference, its the same set of people.
I know a lot of caked people and no one with 100k is trying to "get one up" on the 200k man, its all ******.
No one saves up for a Phantom, you can either buy one or you cant.