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Kenny goes to Rollywood http://images.thesun.co.uk/picture/0,,2003080869,00.jpg High Roller ... the new Phantom | ||||||||
I AM the first journalist in the world to drive BMW’s all-new Rolls-Royce. Driving a Rolls remains one of motoring’s great experiences. It is still the ultimate status symbol. In days gone by it would have been unthinkable to introduce a Roller anywhere but in England. But BMW chose Los Angeles to launch the £250,000 Phantom, clearly aiming primarily at the lucrative American market. One look tells you it is a Rolls, from the jumbo-sized grille and Spirit of Ecstasy mascot, to the massive bonnet, 31-inch wheels and classic, flowing lines. It may not be beautiful but it has huge presence on the road, even by American standards.
That is hardly surprising, as the Phantom is more than 19ft long and nearly 6ft tall. Step inside the cabin and it could only be a Rolls. Occupants are surrounded by the finest wood and leather money can buy, and treated to a superior high-seating position. Sitting in the back is even more impressive on the wraparound lounge-style bench seat, which is 0.7inches higher than the front seats. Then there are the classic forward-opening rear doors which close automatically at the press of a button. BMW have transformed the Rolls’s handling, with an aluminium chassis and air suspension.
Getting behind the wheel is like sitting on your own throne, motoring royalty looking down on mere mortals. The Roller’s 6.75-litre V12 engine launches this two-tonne monster from 0-60mph in just 5.7 almost silent seconds. Despite being crammed with technology, the Rolls’s controls are reassuringly simple. I like the way the navigation and music systems are discreetly hidden away and only seen when you want to use them. I was less impressed with the voice activation system which failed to follow my instructions. Maybe it was the Geordie accent.
BMW may have failed with Rover but they have more than made up for it with their resurrection of the Mini and now the ultimate, the Rolls-Royce. More than 100 American buyers have already paid deposits of 50,000 dollars (just over £31,000) for the Phantom, without even having a test drive. Rolls aim to sell 286 cars in the US this year and less than 1,000 worldwide. This is certainly a true Roller. It is just a pity that no British company had the desire to save one of our national treasures. http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2003090001-2003081538,00.html |
