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Rolls-Royce Phantom celebrates decade of decadence

Ten years ago, Rolls-Royce opened its Goodwood manufacturing facility and handed over the keys to the very first Phantom. Back then, parent company BMW was cranking out Phantom sedans at the blistering pace of one unit per day. By the end of 2003, that number had tripled, and today, the Goodwood plant builds a total of 20 Phantoms in sedan, coupe, drophead and extended-wheelbase models during a single day's working hours. Originally, there were fewer than 400 workers on staff responsible for hand-building the big cruisers, but now the plant boasts over 1,400 craftsmen, with 100 of those positions added in 2012 alone.
Rolls-Royce boasts one of the lowest staff turnover rates of any brand in the industry, thanks in part to a successful apprenticeship and internship program, and the company notes 80 percent of its workers live within 15 miles of the facility. You can read the full press release on the 10th anniversary of both the Phantom and the Goodwood plant below.

2016 Rolls-Royce Dawn First Drive

There is apparently a migration of sorts among the set that would buy something like the 2016 Rolls-Royce Dawn, the newly arrived drophead variant of the raffish Wraith. When our theoretical Dawn buyer finds the Cote d'Azur or some such place a bit chilly, perhaps it's off to South Africa. Late March is the tail end of summer, and it's an exceedingly pleasant way to get into the Dawn state of mind. Stellenbosch is just northeast of Cape Town, the "Mother City." What used to be open country occupied primarily by the Khoikhoi and Khoisan peoples, as well as prototypical African game, is now wine country. Our starting point is a vineyard estate called Delaire Graff owned by a diamond baron. South Africa's diverse and stunning countryside is on display as we leave the vineyard and climb. The lower highlands are covered with quasi-Californian scrub, but with altitude the scene transforms into a mist-tickled moor full of low heather-like plants and tumbling rivulets. We traverse the suburban lowlands to a windy road clinging to a cliffside above the crashing surf of the Indian Ocean. Ancient cliffs and peaks jut over us at improbable angles and in fascinating shapes. At the end of our drive, looking across False Bay, the Cape stretches south towards the equivocal boundary between two oceans. Twice and then once, the Cape lighthouse winks at the end of Africa. Most automakers consider sportiness the ultimate attribute. Like its stablemates, the Rolls-Royce Dawn's draw is its timelessness and unabashed luxury. Here that's paired with the inherent hedonism of a convertible, not to mention the cachet that comes with spending $340,000 or more (most likely more) on a car. That figure makes the Dawn more expensive than the Ghost or Wraith, but less than the Phantom range. The Dawn is vast; like most huge things, it commands attention because it takes up so much space. Watching my colleagues dart around town was a bit like watching a flotilla of cruise liners maneuver to their moorages. Like a yacht with a lot of freeboard, the flanks rise impressively to the top of the door, but then there's some tumblehome inward to the thick brightwork strip ringing the cabin. A longitudinal spear of chrome bisects the hood, a bit like a grab-rail on the foredeck. The Spirit of Ecstasy could have graced the bowsprit of any of the windjammers that hove into Table Bay. Twice and then once, the Cape lighthouse winks at the end of Africa.

Next-gen Rolls-Royce Ghost spied with new interior design

The Rolls-Royce Ghost is going to be entering a new generation soon, and things are remaining largely the same. You'll be hard pressed to notice any significant, new design details through the camouflage on the exterior, but Rolls is coming in hot with new interior bits. Technology from the Cullinan and Phantom appears to be on the table, as Rolls-Royce adapts to the modern world. We can see the digital dials in the instrument cluster that aren't lit up in this photo, in addition to the large infotainment display alongside. Comparing this setup to a Cullinan, it appears to be largely the same. And even though Rolls has covered much of the fancy trim on the center console, it's left some of the parts uncovered. The placement of the vents and other parts seen here echo the design of both the Cullinan and Phantom. The new Rolls Royces have succeeded in adding great tech while also retaining that old world feel about them. It's no surprise to see the same thing happening with the Ghost. We expect this newest Rolls to be riding on a version of the "Architecture of Luxury" modular platform underpinning the new Phantom and Cullinan. Normally, automakers would want to switch up the exterior styling with the move to a new platform, but there's no reason for Rolls to ruin what's working here. We can clearly see a lack of change on the outside from these spy photos. New LED headlight tech will surely be on the ticket, but the rest of the car will retain classic Ghost styling. It's hard to find any problem with that logic, as the design is instantly recognizable, even under heavy camouflage wrappings. Nobody will mistake this for anything other than a Rolls-Royce, and that means the design team is doing something right. This big car will undoubtedly take on the updated 6.75-liter twin-turbo V12 we saw in the Phantom — it makes 563 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque in that application. Just as we mentioned in the first spy shots we saw of the Ghost, there are rumors this car could get four-wheel steering. Electrification rumors continue to swirl, as well, pointing at a possible 48-volt system in this car and even more electrified powertrains down the road for Rolls-Royce.