Rolls-Royce Phantom V
1959-1968 · Rolls-Royce Phantom V — Limousine, V8, designed by Rolls-Royce (Crewe).
The Story
The Phantom V (1959) was Rolls-Royce’s formal limousine of the 1960s – a vast, coachbuilt state car bodied by Park Ward, Mulliner Park Ward and James Young, powered by the new 6.2-litre V8. 832 were built, carrying royalty and heads of state the world over.
But its immortality belongs to a single car: John Lennon’s. Ordered in 1964 and delivered in matte black, it was repainted in 1967 in psychedelic art-nouveau swirls – prompting an outraged onlooker on Piccadilly to scream ‘How dare you do that to a Rolls-Royce!’ Inside were a television, a refrigerator, a floating record player and a back seat that folded into a double bed. It survives today at the Royal BC Museum, perhaps the most famous Rolls-Royce on earth.
The Numbers
Benchmarked against its class
Each dial ranks this car within its Limousine class — fuller means higher, and the tick marks the class midpoint.
Signature Colors
The Designer
Rolls-Royce (Crewe)
A corporate attribution for the post-war coachbuilt Rolls-Royces with no single named stylist: the factory built the rolling chassis and drivetrains, supplied to external coachbuilders (Park Ward, James Young, H.J. Mulliner) who clothed them to commission.
Studio Motors POV
The Phantom V is the rolling throne of the 1960s – and John Lennon’s turned it into pop-culture history; with these cars, provenance is the entire game.
The Engine
Rolls-Royce / Bentley L-Series 6¾ V8
Lineage
Where it sits in the bloodline
Market & Value
Values on cars like this move monthly. Our brokers price from real transactions.
What Reviewers Said About Phantom V
Worth Knowing About the Phantom V
3 Things You Didn’t Know
- 1) John Lennon's psychedelic Phantom V (repainted 1967) had a TV, a refrigerator, a 'floating' record player and a back seat that converted into a double bed. 2) When it cruised down Piccadilly, an outraged woman screamed 'How dare you do that to a Rolls-Royce!' 3) Queen Elizabeth II and Fred Astaire also owned Phantom Vs – all three cars were shown together at Rolls-Royce's 'Great Eight Phantoms' exhibition.
5 Fast Facts
- 1) 6.2L V8, ~220 bhp. 2) 832 built, 1959-1968. 3) Bodies by Park Ward, Mulliner Park Ward and James Young. 4) ~5,600 lb bare chassis before a body was even fitted. 5) John Lennon's car now lives at the Royal BC Museum.
Provenance
Owners & what to look for
Famous Owners
John Lennon (the psychedelic car, later loaned to Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, Elton John and the Moody Blues); Queen Elizabeth II; Fred Astaire.
Studio Buyer’s Brief
Provenance is everything – a documented royal or celebrity car is worth a fortune, and the James Young limousines are the most elegant. Verify the V8 and the complex coachbuilt body and electrics; otherwise a usable, imposing classic.
Full Specifications
- Make / Model
- Rolls-Royce Phantom V
- Class
- Limousine
- Production years
- 1959-1968
- Units built
- 832 (James Young built 197 bodies)
- Variants
- James Young / Mulliner Park Ward coachwork
- Engine layout
- Front
- Engine
- V8
- Engine family
- Rolls-Royce / Bentley L-Series 6¾ V8
- Displacement
- 6.2L (6,230 cc)
- Power
- 220 hp
- Torque
- lb-ft
- 0–60 mph
- s
- Top speed
- 101 mph
- Power-to-weight
- hp/tonne · lb/hp
- Transmission
- 4-speed automatic (GM Hydramatic)
- Drivetrain
- Rear-wheel drive · Petrol
- Curb weight
- lb
Questions
Phantom V FAQ
What is the story of John Lennon’s Rolls-Royce Phantom V?
John Lennon ordered his Phantom V in 1964 and had it repainted in psychedelic art-nouveau swirls in 1967, prompting outrage on Piccadilly. The car now resides permanently at the Royal BC Museum in Victoria, Canada.
How many Rolls-Royce Phantom Vs were built?
Approximately 516-518 Phantom Vs were produced between 1959 and 1968, each on a coachbuilt chassis clothed primarily by Park Ward, Mulliner Park Ward, and James Young.
What engine does the Rolls-Royce Phantom V have?
The Phantom V uses the 6.2-litre Rolls-Royce V8 producing approximately 220 bhp with a 4-speed GM Hydramatic automatic. The same engine family, enlarged to 6.75 litres, powered Rolls-Royces for decades after.
How much is a Rolls-Royce Phantom V worth today?
A Phantom V’s worth rests on coachwork, condition and — above all — provenance. Just 832 of these formal state limousines were built between 1959 and 1968, with James Young bodying 197 of them, and the coachbuilder, specification and ownership history separate ordinary cars from exceptional ones. Celebrity and state provenance — this is the model behind John Lennon’s famous psychedelic car — can transform a value entirely. Ask Studio Motors for current pricing and availability on any specific example.
Which other famous figures owned Rolls-Royce Phantom Vs?
Queen Elizabeth II famously used Phantom Vs as State cars. Lennon’s psychedelic Phantom V and a royal Phantom V were both featured in Rolls-Royce’s Great Eight Phantoms exhibition. (Fred Astaire’s exhibition car was a Phantom I, not a Phantom V.)
The Rolls-Royce Lineup
Explore every Rolls-Royce
Silver Wraith ’46Silver Dawn ’49
Phantom IV ’50Silver Cloud I ’55Phantom V ’59Silver Cloud II ’59
Silver Cloud III ’62Silver Shadow I ’65Phantom VI ’68
Corniche (1971) ’71Camargue ’75Silver Shadow II ’77
Silver Spirit / Silver Spur ’80
Corniche (2000) ’00Phantom VII ’03Ghost (1st Gen) ’09
Wraith ’13Dawn ’15Phantom VIII ’17Sweptail ’17Cullinan ’18
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