Rolls-Royce Phantom VIII
2017-present · Rolls-Royce Phantom VIII — Luxury Saloon, V12 Twin-Turbo, designed by Giles Taylor.
The Story
The eighth-generation Phantom (2017) is the car the rest of the range orbits: Rolls-Royce’s flagship and, in its own words and the trade’s, ‘the best car in the world.’ It debuted the all-new aluminium ‘Architecture of Luxury’ spaceframe that now underpins the Cullinan and Spectre, powered by a 6.75-litre twin-turbo V12 tuned for silence and torque rather than drama.
Its headline feature is ‘The Gallery’ – a sweep of glass across the dashboard behind which an owner can commission a personal artwork. Add double-glazed glass, around 130 kg of sound insulation and self-levelling everything, and the Phantom delivers an isolation no rival matches. It is hand-built at Goodwood and exists to make the outside world disappear.
The Numbers
Benchmarked against its class
Each dial ranks this car within its Luxury Saloon class — fuller means higher, and the tick marks the class midpoint.
Signature Colors
The Designer
Giles Taylor
Coventry- and RCA-trained; chief designer of the Jaguar XK and XJ lines (to 2011) before joining RR, where as Director of Design (2012-2018) he shaped the Wraith, Dawn, Phantom VIII and Cullinan. Now global design VP at FAW’s Hongqi.
Studio Motors POV
Nothing on earth isolates you like a Phantom; a lightly-used VIII is arguably the most car money can buy in ultra-luxury – provided you can stomach the upkeep.
The Engine
BMW N73 / N74 V12
Market & Value
Values on cars like this move monthly. Our brokers price from real transactions.
What Reviewers Said About Phantom VIII
Worth Knowing About the Phantom VIII
3 Things You Didn’t Know
- 1) 'The Gallery' lets owners commission bespoke art – a painting, metalwork, even a 3D map – sealed behind the dashboard glass. 2) The Phantom VIII introduced the 'Architecture of Luxury' aluminium spaceframe later shared with Cullinan and Spectre. 3) It carries ~130 kg of acoustic insulation and double-glazed windows for near-total silence.
5 Fast Facts
- 1) 563 bhp / 664 lb-ft 6.75L twin-turbo V12. 2) Standard and Extended Wheelbase (EWB) bodies. 3) Named BBC Top Gear Luxury Car of the Year and a 2018 Autocar five-star car. 4) Wheel-centre monograms stay upright as the wheels turn. 5) Hand-built at Goodwood; current since 2017.
Provenance
Owners & what to look for
Famous Owners
FLAG: Phantom VIII-specific named owners are largely private. Documented example: Indian industrialist C.J. Rao/Roy, reported (CarToq) to have added a Phantom VIII to a large RR collection. The Phantom’s famous celebrity/royal ownership mostly attaches to EARLIER generations (e.g. John Lennon’s Phantom V).
Studio Buyer’s Brief
The EWB is the one to buy if rear-seat space is the point. Bespoke ‘Gallery’ commissions and tasteful, documented specs add value. Verify all air-suspension and electronics; a lightly-used early car is the value play – but Goodwood-level servicing is unavoidable.
Full Specifications
- Make / Model
- Rolls-Royce Phantom VIII
- Class
- Luxury Saloon
- Production years
- 2017-present
- Units built
- Not disclosed (RR does not publish per-model figures)
- Variants
- Extended Wheelbase (EWB); Series II (2022 facelift)
- Engine layout
- Front
- Engine
- V12 Twin-Turbo
- Engine family
- BMW N73 / N74 V12
- Displacement
- 6.75L (6,749 cc)
- Power
- 563 hp
- Torque
- 664 lb-ft
- 0–60 mph
- 4.5 s
- Top speed
- 155 mph
- Power-to-weight
- 209 hp/tonne · 10.6 lb/hp
- Transmission
- 8-speed automatic (ZF 8HP)
- Drivetrain
- Rear-wheel drive · Petrol
- Curb weight
- 5950 lb
Questions
Phantom VIII FAQ
What engine does the Rolls-Royce Phantom VIII have?
The Phantom VIII is powered by a 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 producing 563 bhp and 664 lb-ft of torque, paired with an 8-speed ZF automatic gearbox.
How fast is the Rolls-Royce Phantom VIII from 0 to 60?
Despite weighing nearly 6,000 pounds, the Phantom VIII covers 0 to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds.
What is The Gallery feature on the Rolls-Royce Phantom VIII?
The Gallery is a full-width glazed display case spanning the Phantom VIII dashboard, allowing owners to commission bespoke artworks, sculptures, or personal memorabilia sealed behind glass.
What is the Architecture of Luxury platform?
Architecture of Luxury is Rolls-Royce’s all-aluminium spaceframe, debuted on the Phantom VIII in 2017 as an advance on the Phantom VII’s earlier all-aluminium structure. It underpins the Cullinan, Ghost, and Spectre.
How much does a Rolls-Royce Phantom VIII cost?
The Phantom VIII launched from approximately $450,000 for the standard wheelbase in 2018, with the Extended Wheelbase carrying a further premium. The 2022 Series II update has since revised specifications and pricing.
What is the Phantom VIII Extended Wheelbase variant?
The Extended Wheelbase (EWB) adds approximately 8.7 inches of wheelbase (and ~8.6 inches of overall length) over the standard Phantom VIII, creating a chauffeur-driven environment with enhanced privacy glass and greater rear legroom.
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
Buy, sell, source or lease this Phantom VIII.
Studio Motors operates outside the dealership model — nationwide and off-market sourcing, custom lease structures, trade-in coordination. Tell us what you’re chasing.
