Rolls-Royce Phantom 2013 News

We've seen Tax The Rich punishing a Ferrari Enzo before, but this time they're giving us a closer look at the action in all the grace of slow-motion.It's the latest in a series from the mystery team, who take supercars to places they're never supposed to be. Over the past couple of years we've seen the Enzo, a Ferrari 288 GTO, Bugatti EB110 SS, Rolls Royce Phantom, twin Ferrari F50s and a Jaguar XJ220 thrashed through farm paddocks and down crumbling rural bitumen, dirt and gravel roads.While the identity of the Tax The Rich driver is officially unknown -- and despite his denials -- it's becoming increasingly obvious there's a connection to Harry Hunt, the rally driver son of Brit real estate magnate Jon Hunt, who's the owner of the palatial Heveningham Hall manor estate identifiable in some of the videos.Watch the Ferarri drifting, sliding and doing burnouts.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott 

Ken Block makes do with a specially-built Ford Fiesta Gymkhana thrash machine for his video ventures, but the anonymous souls at Tax The Rich like to create their sideways sequences using museum-grade thoroughbred supercars or ultra-luxury machines.Over the past 18 months we’ve seen a Ferrari 288 GTO, Bugatti EB110 SS, Rolls Royce Phantom, twin Ferrari F50s, a Ferrari Enzo, and a Jaguar XJ220 thrashed mercilessly around their agricultural playground, to the chagrin of supercar fanciers and the guilty pleasure of everyone else.For their latest and tenth instalment, the mega-dollar 288 GTO returns to the Tax The Rich farm, where they put it through the usual opposite-lock action across mud, gravel and tarmac, all to the tune of Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries.The 288 GTO was developed for Group B rallying, but never raced due to the disbanding of the category, and the 272 road cars are now worth serious money. Perfect for the Tax The Rich treatment then!The highlight this time are the slo-mo figure-eights the GTO executes within the tight confines of a hay shed, with its composite body slewing sideways just inches from brick walls.And as with recent entries, it looks like there’s a clue to the subject of the next Tax The Rich instalment, with what looks to be a prototype Ferrari F40 (chassis 74047 as seen below) appearing through smoke at the end of the film. If so, it will be the most precious to be pummelled yet.While the identities of the Tax The Rich progenitors officially remain a mystery, the elaborate gates shown in the Phantom film just happen to signify the entrance to Heveningham Hall, a palatial 25 bedroom manor that makes Downton Abbey look like an outhouse, set in 460 acres of lush Suffolk farmland. Significantly, Heveningham Hall is owned by real-estate magnate Jon Hunt, and his rally driver son Harry…This reporter is on Twitter: @Mal_Flynn Watch the desktop version of the Tax The Rich Ferrari 288 GTO video here.  

No, this isn't another of those hoaxes showing a supposedly diamond-covered car owned by a Middle-East sheik -- which always turn out to be a crystal covered show car created for a US customisation house.These are real diamonds, and the car has been built by Rolls-Royce's in-house special options team. The one-off edition Celestial Phantom was unveiled overnight at Dubai international motor show with a whole new level of bling.The skilled handcrafting team in Rolls-Royce's Bespoke department have set 446 jewelry-grade diamonds in the Phantom's doors, centre console and rear seat privacy divider -- proving there is probably no limit to what can be ordered from Rolls-Royce as a personal modification.Like other Rolls-Royces, the Celestial Phantom has the option of a 'starlight headliner' -- an inner roof set with more than 1000 fibre optic lights to mimic the night sky. But on the Dubai show car, the headliner is a precise sky map of the exact positions of those stars as seen over the brand's British headquarters on January 1, 2003: the date the first Celestial Phantom was handed over to its new owner.Rolls-Royce worked with a UK planetarium to map out the roof, guaranteed to be as astronomically correct as the car's price is guaranteed to be astronomically high. They're not revealing the price tag, but the car is likely to go into a serious collector's garage.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott  

The Rolls-Royce brand manager in Dubai, Mohammed El-Arishy, has ordered a very special edition from his company's customisation arm, Rolls-Royce Bespoke. Called the Chicane Phantom Coupe, the one-off is a tribute to the Goodwood Circuit near the storied brand's British HQ.To salute the race venue, the Phantom's wood-trimmed interior has been ditched in favour of ultra-modern carbon-fibre, a chequered flag has been embroidered into the seating, and a metal plaque featuring the Goodwood track map installed.Exterior accents have been finished in matte black, and the bodywork painted a gunmetal grey with matching wheels -- the first time they've been painted on a modern Roller.“I wanted to create a motor car that captures the unique atmosphere and history of the Goodwood Motor Circuit,” El-Arishy said. And we have to admit that while we've seen a lot of garish bespoke work on Rolls-Royces -- some of it from El-Arishy's home in the United Arab Emirates capital -- his creation is restrained and tasteful, if a departure from normal fit-out.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott 

Company founder Sir Henry Royce aimed to "strive for perfection in everything you do" but problems happen even to the best of them - Rolls Royce has issued two recalls on its Ghost and million-dollar Phantom.The BMW-owned British marque is investigating a fault with the Ghost's turbocharger cooling system on its 6.6-litre twin-turbo V12 engine, as well as the Phantom's hydraulic fault within the braking system.The company issued a recall on the Ghost Sedan over fire risks if "the turbo cooling pump cracks, the pump electronics may smoulder, possibly causing an engine compartment fire or a vehicle fire," the notice said. The recall covers Ghosts available for sale between September 1, 2009 and June 30, 2011.Rolls-Royce Asia-Pacific aftersales general manager Carl Whipp said in a letter to customers said vehicles may be affected by an auxiliary water pump failure within the turbocharger cooling system. "In extreme cases this could lead to overheating, posing a potential fire risk," the letter to customers said.The bastion of British motoring has also recalled the Phantom - in sedan, coupe and convertible forms - sold between January 1, 2009 and November 30, 2009, over concerns oil can get into the brake booster. In a letter to owners, Rolls-Royce aftersales general manager Michael Dedekind told Phantom owners a potential oil leak in the braking system and reduce of braking assistance."Mechanical braking is still available to slow and stop the vehicle and there have been no reported incidents among Rolls-Royce owners. "Furthermore, as this issue relates to older vehicles with a high mileage, we believe it is highly unlikely that Rolls-Royce customers will be affected," the letter says.The recall numbers are only a handful as the company's Australian volumes are not considered high - the brand's total sales for 2012 so far is 4 and just 20 Rolls-Royce cars were sold last year.In fact, over the last 10 years only 124 Rolls-Royce cars were sold in Australia - but that's no surprise, given the Ghost starts at $645,000 and the Phantom's asking price starts at just over $1-million. 

... rival the prices on the BMW options' list for things like salad and spuds.So it's no surprise that the top end of town calls the shots at the Palexpo alongside Geneva Airport as Europe's carmakers go head-to-head for the first time in 2012. Ferrari and Lamborghini battle for go-faster bragging rights as Rolls-Royce and Bentley get serious about family motoring for the ultra-rich, while Infiniti pitches an new exotic coupe and even Ssangyong of Korea goes upmarket with a new concept. There are also dozens of one-off dream machines and hotrod tuner cars in Geneva, a show that is traditionally dominated by European design stars including Pininfarina and Giugiaro. But there is plenty, too, for ordinary car buyers as the Fiesta ST brakes cover, Hyundai updates the i20 and teases with the Veloster Turbo, Jaguar confirms an XF station wagon, Audi and Mercedes-Benz previews their A3 and A-Class, and Ford even updates its box-boring Transit workhorse. Picking the best of the best is tough with so much gorgeous stuff on the stands, but Alfa Romeo is the winner for 2012 and edges out the Infiniti Emerge-E with its Disco Volante.The pretty little red coupe is dreamy without being stupid and is already confirmed for production, although the slightly-retro body will be draped over Alfa's existing 8C Competizione chassis - 4.7-litre V8, 335kW, 0-100km/h in 4.2 seconds - which means it's no chance for Australia with only left-hand drive.The Ferrari F12 is exactly what you expect from the fastest car to wear the badge - 340km/h and 0-100km/h in 3.1 seconds - including a swoopy body that taps the past as well as the influences that created the California convertible, but Lamborghini goes even better with an Aventador J preview car that is snapped up for a rumoured $2.8 million ahead of genuine production of an open-topped Aventador supercar.Rolls-Royce updates the Phantom with a new nose that still demands respect, as well as tweaking its colour choices with a two-tone approach that triggers memories of cheap seventies vinyl roofs, and Jaguar gets serious for families with an XF Sportbrake that will still struggle in a world of SUVs.Further down the food chain, the Audi A3 looks good but not as edgy as an A-Class that must break away from the bus pass generation into something closer to the Y-Gen futurists, and Volkswagen previews a more car-like Tiguan crossover with its Cross Coupe.Hyundai has a preview of a new flagship coupe called the i-oniq - did it mean ironic? - Kia shows a Track'ster that will become the new Soul, Honda shows the CR-V design that's coming to Australia, and the pocket rocket Ford Fiesta ST breaks cover with a confirmation for Australia.The action and excitement at Geneva goes on and on, and that is - really - the best thing about the show. Detroit in January hinted that the word's carmakers are finally emerging from the austerity and fear of the global financial crisis and the big-spending effort in Geneva confirms it, with good news for almost everyone from Euro billionaires to ordinary Aussie families.PG PICKS:1. Bentley EXP 9 F.Only one word fits - Ugly. With a big capital U. The hulking British bulldog might tick the boxes for cashed-up families, but this SUV makes a LandCruiser look elegant, and subtle.2. Giugiaro Brivido.Exactly what you expect to see in Geneva, as designers go all-out to impress the crowds - and each other. Not for production but a great looker with huge gullwing doors.3. Range Rover Evoque Convertible. A certainty for production as Land Rover milks its most successful design - ever. This one will never go bush but is being fast tracked for Double Bay and Toorak.4. Ssangyong XIV-2. Who knew the South Koreans could trump the Euros with a design that combines SUV practicality with a coupe-convertible body? A big surprise.5. Toyota FT-Bh: Just when you thought the uglies were done, Toyota lobbed with this. If it's the future for hybrid cars then sales will be slow. Very slow.

Then again, the open-air Phantom was revealed at Pebble Beach in California, the scene of America's most cashed-up annual car show. The Concours d'Elegance judging at Pebble, on the 18th fairway of one of the country's most-famous golf courses, usually draws a collection of restored classics with a total pricetag beyond $250 million. The special Phantom was created to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Pebble Beach classic and was re-worked from a Phantom Drophead Coupe, a convertible with a starting price of $1.35 million in Australia. The Bespoke department at Rolls-Royce in England went all the way on the car, starting with a special one-off Bespoke exterior colour called Stillwater Blue as a tribute to Stillwater Cove on the Monterey Peninsula. The car's navy blue soft-top is lined with cashmere and upholstered in a cream-coloured leather interior. Interior wood fittings combine cross-banded Santos Pallisander veneer with a silver pinstripe inlay. The car has special teak decking for the roof tonneau and luggage compartment, which is loaded with a fitted champagne set to take advantage of the refrigerated cabined beneath the floor in the boot. The final Bespoke touches are an enamelled plaque on the dash with special Concours logs on the tread plates and embroidered on the seats.

You could be forgiven for thinking it's a luxury yacht, however these are features of a limited edition Rolls-Royce.  The Phantom Drophead Coupe has received the bespoke additions to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the legendary Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in Carmel, California. The car was unveiled at the event by Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Muller-Otvos and chief designer Ian Cameron, and was sold within minutes.  The exterior paintwork is a tribute to Stillwater Cove on the Monterey Peninsula. It also features a navy blue soft top lined with cashmere and interior wood fittings cross-banded Santos Pallisander veneer contrasted with a silver pinstripe inlay. Handcrafted oiled teak decking is used for the roof tonneau and also in the luggage compartment flooring with a refrigerated cabinet underneath. Further Bespoke cues include an enamelled plaque on the dash, Concours logos on the tread plates and embroidery on each seat.  Price? If you have to ask, you can't afford it. Besides, Rolls is simply not discussing it.

The flagship Phantom was sliced and diced for a scene where Ironman star Robert Downey, playing Tony Stark, is attacked by his Russian rival Ivan Vanko, played by Mickey Rourke.  The villain uses high-powered whips to wreak the havoc on the Rolls- Royce, exposing the car's signature alloy spaceframe construction in an unsuccessful attack during what is claimed to be the Monaco historic car race meeting. It looks like a piece of costly product placement by Rolls-Royce, but the British company says it did not even know its Phantom was being used in Iron Man 2. And it says - unlike a vast number of companies, including Apple and Pepsi - that it does not pay to have its cars placed in major movies. "No product placement payments were made by Rolls-Royce, nor did Rolls- Royce supply free vehicles for destruction," says Rolls-Royce's spokesman in the USA, Wayne Kung.  A matched pair of Phantoms were bought for the movie, starring in the Monaco scenes involving Downey and his co-star Gwyneth Paltrow. One survives but the other came to a grisly end. "The filming/stunts were done without our knowledge after the production company bought two cars from our dealer," says Nigel Wonnacott of Rolls-Royce in the UK. Kung takes up the story.  "The Rolls-Royce motor cars used in the film were purchased by a representative of the studio through a dealer. These Phantoms are privately owned by the studio, and were used in the film without oversight from Rolls-Royce," he says. "As always, we have the utmost respect for the privacy of our clients, and I cannot comment further on their purchase."

"I always thought I'd like one of those cars one fine day," he says.  So when he went into semi-retirement about 15 years ago, he sought out an early model Roller just like the Galway vet's.  The 1938 Phantom III he bought at a deceased estate auction in Sydney originally cost less than $5000. Glynn paid $84,000, restored it to its original condition and it's now worth over $500,000.  "I don't think I'll ever sell it. It's part of the family," he says.  Phoebe the Phantom, as he calls it, comes with quite a history. The chassis was built in Crewe and the Sedanca de Ville town car coach was built by H.J. Mulliner in London.  It was a demo model for seven months before being bought by a French woman and shipped to Quebec. She died in 1952 and it was taken to a New York caryard until 1967 when it was bought for about $1200 by a London undertaker who returned it to Old Blighty.  The body was modified to add another row of seats so it could be used as a mourning car. Just two years later a Sydney solicitor bought it and drove it around London for a couple of years before shipping it out the colonies.  In 1975, a Sydney Volvo dealer swapped a new Volvo for the relic which was then in need of substantial restoration. The dealer restored the engine, but little else until Glynn came along and bought it.  Glynn smiles as he fires up the Roller's big black 7340cc twin-spark V12 engine and it purrs into life. "It's true what they say about it being so quiet inside the only thing you can hear is the clock,' he says.  "Sometimes you can hold the starter on for too long because you can't hear or feel when the engine has started. "But it can sit in the garage for three months without running and it starts first time."  The big 2630kg beast has 160 horsepower that will roll it up to 100km/h in 16.5 seconds and out to a top speed of 150km/h while guzzling fuel at 23.5L/100km. Mechanical highlights are a Bijur auto lubricating system with "miles" of copper tubing, hydraulic auto jacks, three-speed auto and four drum brakes.  Only 727 of these were made and they have been owned by lords, ladies, princes, maharajahs, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Field Marshal Montgomery. But as each model is purpose built to owner specifications, no two models are the same.  Glynn's features the extra seats, a cocktail cabinet, a rear picnic table, pull-out tool kit, one-way intercom from passenger to chauffeur and, as his wife, Ann, points out, an electrically controlled silk privacy screen. "There's plenty of room to do whatever you like in the back," she says.  Their other pride and joy is a 1960 Bentley Continental Flying Spur with a coach also made by Mulliner. It was originally owned by Hammer Films managing director Lt Col J. Carreras.  Only 70 were ever made and Glynn believes there are only six in Australia. He bought it for $60,000 from a Hong Kong doctor when the British colony was handed back to the Chinese in 2000.  "The doctor sold it because of the ill feeling toward the British at the time," he says. "But look at Hong Kong now and there are Rolls-Royces and Bentleys everywhere."  Glynn believes the V8 Spur is now worth about $200,000. "I won"t sell either of them. We've had them in the family a long time and every time I sit it them I feel good," he says. Become a fan of Carsguide of Facebook