Rolls-Royce Motor Cars will reveal a new model to their Phantom line at the Geneva Motor Show on the 4th March 2008. The Phantom Coupé will stand alongside the Phantom and Phantom Drophead Coupé and production is due to start in the summer at Goodwood.

The Phantom Coupé is described by Rolls-Royce as the most driver-orientated model of the Phantom range. With a 25% increase in fuel capacity compared to the Phantom Drophead Coupé. The Phantom Coupé is the most torsionally rigid car Rolls-Royce have ever produced. These two factors along with the 453 BHP normally aspirated 6.75-litre V12 will on paper make this a great grand tourer.

Like the Phantom and Phantom Drophead Coupé, the Phantom Coupé features rear-hinged doors which aids access to the rear lounge seats. New to the Phantom line is a picnic boot. A split rear tailgate opens to create a comfortable seating platform, which sounds ideal for an impromptu picnic. The interior also shows the LED roof lining, first seen in the limited edition Phantom Tungsten.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Chief Designer, Ian Cameron, said “Rolls-Royce has always been about pace, performance and style. For the Coupé design we gave the quintessential Rolls-Royce design a dynamic twist. This adds a sense of drama to the outstanding engineering and drivability that are fundamentals of Rolls-Royce cars. The dynamic drive of the Phantom has always come as a surprise to customers and the Coupé takes it one step further.”

If the Phantom Coupé performs half as good as it looks, it will give the Bentley Continental GT a run for it’s money. We will have to wait for the Geneva Motor Show to see this stunning car in the flesh.

The term “eco-friendly” would probably not be the first word that comes into your head when you think of Rolls-Royce. Rolls-Royce may indeed make the world’s finest cars, but manufacturers like Toyota and Lexus could argue that their hybrid vehicles are the greenest.

Yet in an interesting video interview with Ian Robertson, Chairman and CEO of Rolls-Royce Motors Ltd. Lou Ann Hammond on CarList.com, an expert in alternative energy technologies, probes Mr Robertson for some details of Rolls-Royce’s environmental commitment.

There can be no doubt, that in this day and age of throw away products - use them then bin them. Rolls-Royce are leagues ahead of any other car manufacturer. Since 1904 when the first Rolls-Royce cars were produced, between 70 and 75 percent of the cars are still on the road! What is the life expectancy of the Prius or a G-Wiz? Are they designed for 100 000 miles or 100 years?

When you take a look at how the latest generation of Phantoms are manufactured, then the eco-friendly Rolls-Royce argument is even more valid. The aluminium used in the production is all sourced from a hydro plant in Norway. The Goodwood Rolls-Royce factory has an eight acre living roof, storm water is recycled to help cool the building and the use of large windows reduces the factory’s use of energy for lighting. So although at first glance a Rolls-Royce would not be the vehicle to take on the next eco rally, in some ways it is up there with some of the most frugal vehicles.

The aluminium space-frame of the Phantom helps it achieve class leading fuel economy and CO2 emissions of any car in the ultra-luxury segment. Although a huge car, it weighs a fraction less than the Bentley Continental Flying Spur which helps make it very efficient - for it’s size.

When quizzed about future power plants for Rolls-Royce, Mr Robertson would not rule out even diesel engines, a rumour I have heard about the new “Baby Rolls” aka RR4 too. What would really be fabulous would be to see a fuel cell powered Rolls-Royce. BMW the parent company, have been hard at work developing the BMW Hydrogen 7. The trouble with hydrogen is that there is no nation wide distribution structure set up. Almost like the age old conundrum - which comes first - the chicken or the egg? This is a problem that will hopefully be addressed in years rather than decades, but I for one would love to see a hydrogen powered Rolls-Royce.

I have discussed the Rolls-Royce bespoke programme before. But John Griffiths writing for the FT has gleamed some interesting details about the bespoke service in his road test of the dazzling Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé - Steel fist in a velvet glove.

Mr Griffiths writes a very warm and glowing review of his experience road testing this beautiful convertible. “It is a pussycat to drive: amiable, cosseting, only demanding the driver pay serious attention if the mighty, steel-fist-in-a-velvet-glove performance of its 6.7 litre V12 is released to the full. At that point, it unfurls the spinnaker, so to speak, and really sets up a wash: 62mph comes up from standstill in 5.9 seconds and the surge is relentless towards a top speed of 149mph.”

As you might expect from the FT, the question of money is never far away. There is perhaps nobody better qualified than the manager of the bespoke division, Mr Clive Woolmer, to answer this question. “Individualism is a fundamental part of Rolls-Royce,” says Woolmer.

It is not too uncommon for customers to hand over a cheque for £1 million for their unique Rolls-Royce. Making the price of a “standard” Phantom Drophead Coupé of £307,000 seem like a steal.

The Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé has helped Rolls-Royce achieve their best ever year. 2007 sales were up 25 per cent, compared to 2006, with Rolls-Royce selling 1010 cars. This is the first time sales reached four figures and the fourth successive sales increase since BMW took the helm in 2003.

75 per cent of sales were for the four door models - the Phantom and the Phantom Extended wheelbase, but it was the stunning Phantom Drophead Coupé, which was launched in the summer which really helped the volume increase.

“Everybody at Rolls-Royce is delighted with this tremendous result which marks our fifth anniversary in the best possible way,” said Ian Robertson, Chairman and Chief Executive of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. “It confirms Rolls-Royce as the most desirable brand in the super luxury market and is a credit to the passion and dedication of our teams at Goodwood and around the world. The customer reaction to the Drophead Coupé has been astonishing, exceeding all our expectations.”

2008 looks like being another great year for the Goodwood based company. They plan to launch a two-door coupé model based on the Phantom. Looking further forward to 2010, the “baby Rolls-Royce” (codename RR4) will start competing against the Bentley Continental range.

The Rolls-Royce clientele are demographically classified as high-net worth individuals. With an average bank balance of $30 million, the typical Rolls-Royce customer is from a very exclusive club. A club where quite simply money talks. Even at these rarified heights of wealth the Rolls-Royce customer may not always get what they want, as Bojan Pancevski writes in the Telegraph.

The idea of customising a Rolls-Royce is nothing new - the Spirit of Ecstasy was fashioned to help stop inappropriate mascots being appended to the front of Rolls-Royces. Some owners have even had Spitfire engines fitted to their “Rollers”. When John Lennon had his Phantom Rolls-Royce painted in psychedelic colours, one particularly outraged elderly lady beat the car with her umbrella, shouting, “You swine, you swine! How dare you do this to a Rolls-Royce.”

The fact is you don’t just buy a Rolls-Royce, you commission one.

Customising a Rolls-Royce is part of the whole Rolls-Royce experience. Early Rolls-Royces were just a chassis from which the Rolls-Royce customer could commission a coach builder to furnish the body. Companies such as Mulliner and Park Ward would build designs for these new motorised coaches. Each one unique and totally bespoke. With the new BMW lead Rolls-Royce selecting Mutec to be the only officially licensed company permitted to customise Rolls-Royce cars. They have signed a non-disclosure agreement and plan to open a showroom for their clientele in the near future. Along with bullet proofing and armour plating they also fashion purely cosmetic customisations.

However not all ideas are approved, no matter how lucrative. A gold plated Rolls-Royce Phantom is simply not in keeping with the Rolls-Royce marque - even if you are a multi gold disc winning rapper. A gold Phantom would show ‘poor taste’, not in keeping with the Rolls-Royce ethos. You can get Lincoln or Bentley to do a hot pink car - but not on a Rolls-Royce thank you very much.

The nouveau riche mainly from Russia, the Middle East and the Far East have been knocking on Mutecs door since they got the Rolls-Royce approval. American rapper, Nelly has had a mink fur interior installed to his Phantom Rolls-Royce while about 100 other customers have had everything from footbaths for Muslims or extra long wheelbases to accommodate leggy Russian girlfriends. It seems that for 2008 a customised Rolls-Royce is the thing to have for anyone with deep enough pockets.

One of the most important engines ever, the Merlin was Sir Henry Royce’s final design. An aero engine which arguably changed the outcome of World War II. It was fitted to the legendary Spitfire fighter along with many other British aircraft including the Lancaster bomber as well as tanks. The American P-51 Mustang also later adopted this amazing engine. The massive engine produced over 1400 horsepower helped by it’s two-stage supercharger. Later generations would produce even more power.

The Rolls-Royce Phantom II was unveiled at the 1929 Olympia Motor Show. An evolution of the ‘New Phantom’ it featured an improved six-cylinder engine, transmission, hydraulic shock absorbers and under-slung semi-elliptic springs. Approximately 1767 Phantom II’s were produced. Only one however was fitted with the 27 litre Merlin V12 engine. Producing over 1100 horsepower with out a supercharger. This behemoth Rolls-Royce could out accelerate a 1958 Vanwall Grand Prix car!. The only comparable vehicle is a Merlin powered Phantom III now owned by American comedian Jay Leno.

This amazing Rolls-Royce has just been sold at the Al Wiseman collection auction for $412,500.

Driving a Rolls-Royce Phantom is often a very rewarding experience. Wafting along in the two and a half tonne work of art, could hardly be called hard work. Yet it is a very large motor car, and finding parking spaces large enough to suit, is not always easy. However one Scottish owner of a Phantom has come up with a way of parking his Phantom anywhere he likes. He regularly parks it on the yellow lines just outside his office in Glasgow.

“Mr Love cheerfully admits he’s happy to pay the fines, as long as he can keep his car close to his office. “I feel I am doing the council a favour,” he said. “I am giving them a bit of revenue.”

The local council can’t do alot about it, the car is too heavy to be towed away. So the wealthy Mr Love just keeps paying the fines. As a chauffeur I couldn’t possibly afford to flout the law in this manner, but for well-heeled owners like Mr Love, it is quite affordable and apparently many Glaswegians like spotting his Rolls-Royce Phantom. “We like it. We think he brings a bit of class to the street.”

Read more from The Herald.

The word “bespoke” could have been crafted especially for Rolls-Royce. By their very nature, cars from the Rolls-Royce stable are exclusive and tailor-made. As Rolls-Royce say, “You don’t just buy a Rolls-Royce: you commission it, like a piece of fine art or a super yacht.”

The Rolls-Royce Phantom Tungsten is a perfect example of what one can ‘commission’ from the Goodwood factory. With styling cues taken from the 101EX concept car, the Tungsten features a brushed aluminium bonnet, seven-spoke forged aluminium wheels, a visible stainless-steel exhaust and ‘Xirallic’ Darkest Tungsten paintwork. These exterior highlights are themselves not the star of the show though, as you take a peek inside you’ll see Smoke Grey leather and Navy blue hide along with a full width metal fascia and bespoke treadplates, but as your gaze lifts vertically you’ll witness the “Starlight” headliner. Using over 800 fibre optic lights the ceiling creates the impression of a star-filled night sky.

To be sold in strictly limited quantities the Tungsten is an exceptional version, of an exceptional car.

Learn more about the Rolls-Royce Phantom Tungsten.

It has just been announced that six Tungsten Phantoms are already destined for the Middle East.

One of only 19 Phantom II coupe’s, this 1935 Rolls Royce Phantom II is one of only two completed by Hooper & Company, and will be sold at No Reserve during the 37th Annual Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Event on Jan. 12-20, 2008, in Scottsdale, Ariz.

The black and Tudor Gray Phantom II was special-ordered in December 1934 through R.P. Collyer, Ltd., in Montreal, Canada’s lone Rolls Royce dealer. Specific design elements ordered by the new owner included sloping bonnet shutters, Dunlop Fort Silent Tread tires, front and rear Wilmot Breeden bumpers and an unusual request for no wheel carriers in the front wings of the vehicle, giving the bare side panels an extraordinary fluid shape. It is also lavishly equipped with Marchal headlamps and center light, a windscreen sun visor and matching pairs of Lucas trumpet and Alto horns.

Learn More from Barrett-Jackson.

A spectacular Rolls-Royce Phantom crash from the 2006 Gumball Rally, and no, I wasn’t driving!