Rolls-Royce Phantom

The Rolls-Royce Phantom has graced this earth since 1925, and the 2018 Phantom is an 8th-generation model based on an all-new aluminum chassis. With this uber-luxurious sedan, Rolls-Royce has switched away from a shared-platform strategy, and the company tells us that no future models will ever be based on a chassis shared by another manufacturer. The Phantom’s unique aluminum chassis — what Rolls calls “The Architecture of Luxury” — is some 30 percent stiffer than its predecessor, which has allowed the British manufacturer to fine-tune the suspension for even better ride comfort. The new 2018 Rolls-Royce Phantom is available in a standard length and one with an extra 8.7 inches of wheelbase. The 2018 Rolls-Royce Phantom is available with one engine, and it’s the strong, silent type: a twin-turbo 6.75-liter V12 that puts out 563 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 664 lb-ft of torque at a lowly 1,700 rpm. Although the aluminum-block engine is related to a BMW V12, it’s unique to the Phantom. Mated to an 8-speed automatic, it accelerates this big Rolls-Royce sedan to 60 mph in 5.3 seconds, a remarkable time given the enormity of this 5,600-pound vehicle. Top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph.