Item: Used Rolls-Royce Phantom Saloon 2003 - 2018
Author: Steve Huntingford

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Saloon

When it comes to making a statement about how successful you are, there is no brand that shouts “I’ve made it!” more emphatically than Rolls-Royce.

If that’s all you want from your car, look no further. The firm has expanded its range in recent years, with the top-of-the-range Phantom saloon being joined by the Cullinan SUV, and other models including the Wraith and Ghost.

Whichever way you go, if you have to ask how much it costs, the chances are you can’t afford it. And, even then, the base price is unlikely to be what you end up spending, such is the list of alluring options on offer.

It’s also a moot point whether the cars themselves – rather than the image they portray – represents the very best way to spend your money. What Car?’s testers rate all of them positively but reckon that – if you’re buying with your head rather than your heart – there are other cars that you should also consider.

ROLLS-ROYCE

PHANTOM

The Rolls-Royce Phantom is the king of the luxury market

Used Rolls-Royce Phantom Saloon 2003 - 2018

People who commit themselves to a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/rolls-royce/phantom/saloon/review/n131">Rolls-Royce Phantom</a> are unlikely to worry about cash flow. Residuals are pretty good, but only in percentage terms. After three years, the car will still be worth 65% of its original price, but that's still a lot of cash to lose.

Running costs are astronomical, too. You can expect no more than 14mpg on an average run. A heavy right foot will yield 7.6mpg. So here's the deal. It's a 100-litre tank. Fill it up. Drive 400 miles. Visit petrol station.

It'll be tough on the planet, too. It'll emit 385 grammes of carbon dioxide per kilometre, so it's no surprise that it's in the top tax band for vehicle excise duty.

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The Rolls-Royce Phantom is the king of the luxury market

There's only one model available, and that rather negates any real conundrums over trim levels and engine sizes when you are considering buying a Phantom. However, you don't just buy a Phantom, you buy into a Phantom.

These Rolls-Royces are built bespoke to the original customer's every quirk and demand. Colour choices, both inside and out, and equipment levels have been carefully tailored to suit the first owner's needs, so if you're in the market for a used Phantom, yet expect it to fulfil your own list of specifications, you may have to compromise a little.

There's little likelihood that any two cars left the factory in exactly the same specification, never mind one that will suit you.

If preserving residual value is right up on your list of priorities, then any aftermarket 'bling' is best avoided. It's vulgar and unnecessary, you see.

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<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Plush ride and the ability to cruise in near-silence </li> <li>Powerful and efficient engine</li> <li>Space for passengers to stretch out in the rear seats</li> <li>Exquisite materials and build quality</li> <li>Endless luxuries on the options list</li> <li>Sensible fuel and tax bills</li></ul>

If you’re in the market for a luxury car, you’ll be after a sumptuous interior, a ride that can soak up the worst of the UK’s pockmarked roads and supreme refinement that allows you to travel at speed in near-silence.

Your cheapest (and smallest) options are the Audi A6, Mercedes E-Class and brilliant BMW 5 Series, the latter of which is so good we voted it our 2017 Car of the Year. Larger options that are definitely worth considering if you plan to travel in the back include the BMW 7 Series, Audi A8 and the Mercedes S-Class, which is beautifully finished inside and not as expensive to run as you might think.

Or if money really is no object at all, the Rolls-Royce Ghost is hard to overlook – especially in extended-wheelbase form. It’s as opulent as cars get.

Luxury

A colour that you like. Aside from that, straightforward common sense applies - just use the normal rules that you'd employ for any car-buying decision.

Anything that has done more than 12,000 miles per year deserves a discount, and it's fair to say that you should expect to be furnished with a full service history of the car before you decide to part with your hard-earned.

The Phantom is a beautiful machine, styled in England and engineered in Germany by Rolls-Royce's parent company, BMW. With that in mind, you get the classic English car, with German reliability. It's not hand-built, like its rival the Maybach, but fit and finish are on a supremely high level.

These cars are lovingly assembled, so there's no reason to expect a host of problems. Rolls-Royce dealerships work 'alongside' their customers, so any problems should be ironed out with the minimum of fuss.

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At almost six metres long, the Rolls-Royce Phantom cuts an imposing figure on the road. It weighs 2.5 tonnes, but the air-sprung suspension allows for unflustered and precise cornering - better than any previous Rolls. Under the bonnet is a 453bhp, BMW-sourced 6.75-litre engine, which will propel you from 0-60mph in 6sec.

This Rolls still sets the benchmark for comfort inside the cabin. You sit at around the same height as in a 4x4, and under a flap is a simplified version of <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/bmw">BMW</a>'s iDrive multi-control system.

There's plenty of space and almost zero road noise, but you do hear some wind noise at speed. Mind you, that's only because you can't hear the mechanical components at all inside the cabin and the ride is fantastically smooth.

Even the rear doors are exceptional - rearward-opening coach doors, which allow occupants to get in and out with dignity. There's also an array of passive and active safety systems, and, er, a drinks cabinet in the back.

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Used Rolls-Royce Phantom Saloon 2003 - 2018 review

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