Rolls-Royce Phantom Phantom 4dr Car Review - March 2012

The 6.8 litre twelve cylinder engine produces maximum figures of 453bhp at 5350rpm and 531lb-ft at 3500rpm and offers spectacular performance for a car of this size but as befitting its stature, it is delivered with consummate ease and discretion rather than screaming aggression. A 0-62 mph time of 5.7 seconds and a limited top speed of 149mph prove that it’s no slouch and it never gives you the impression that it's trying too hard.

The Phantom’s ride comfort is generally rather splendid and it can waft along on a wave of serenity all day but attack a suitably interesting road and it grips surprisingly well in corners and maintains a dignified poise. The steering feels nicely weighted and fluid too. At higher cruising speeds there is a bit of wind noise but this may just be noticeable because it’s as quiet as a library inside.

There is all kinds of electronic adjustment in the driver’s seat and the steering wheel so most drivers should be able to find a decent position. The interior is typically sumptuous with a beautifully crafted dash and a simplified version of BMW’s iDrive interface, which is easy and intuitive to use. Rear visibility is hampered somewhat by the fact that rear passengers are given the suitable degree of privacy. And of course trying to manoeuvre a barge of this size around town will often see the driver sucking in his/her breath but rear parking sensors should help take the worry out of reversing.

The Rolls-Royce Phantom 4dr is a sleek yet grand looking car and while it has lost some of the prettiness of earlier incarnations, there’s no denying its imposing presence. Inside, you get pretty much everything you can think of as standard but if there’s something you want that isn’t on the options list, then for a suitable emolument, Rolls-Royce will no doubt design and create it for you.

There is plenty of head and legroom in the cabin and rear seat passengers are able to take control of the entertainment and communication functions, should they desire. The boot has a useful 460 litres of space with a good wide opening to make access easy for the bellboys and butlers to handle your monikered luggage.

As with equipment levels the Phantom is loaded with safety features too and comes with every piece of technology designed for the 7 series BMW. As well as all the usual airbags and driving control aids it includes perimeter cameras, a blind-spot warning system and a highly advanced anti-theft protection.

Reliability is unlikely to be an issue but for a certain piece of mind this car comes with a four year unlimited mile warranty.

At £285,200 the Rolls-Royce Phantom 4dr costs as much as a trendy apartment in London. But then cars like this aren’t really about value for money. Overall, It has a quality, a majesty, a class, a status that very few other marques can match.

A combined cycle of 18.0mpg is what you might expect and with a CO2 emissions figure of 377g/km the taxes and running costs are about as high as its possible to get with a car.