The Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, is unarguably a man of class who knows what is best for his position as a foremost traditional ruler in Africa’s most populous nation. No wonder his dressing style; carriage and choice of items all exude opulence and royalty.
Thus, one should not be surprised when the businessman-turned-monarch acquired one of the world’s best luxury cars, a Rolls-Royce Phantom. It is a vehicle designed for the rich, lovers of luxury and people of class. Notably, the Phantom is a thorough blend of meticulous German engineering and iconic British panache, thanks to parent company BMW’s prudent stewardship.
The Phantom is exactly what you would expect of a Rolls-Royce. It is decadently opulent, wickedly powerful, meticulously engineered and unapologetically grandiose.
Referring to the 2011 Rolls-Royce Phantom as a mere car is like calling the Queen an ordinary British citizen. Somehow, that would be a grossly inadequate term. Rolls-Royce is a supremely luxurious transportation.
Sure, a Bentley or a Maybach are similarly powerful and plush, but take a survey on what folks consider the world’s nicest luxury car and everyone, from rappers to royalty, will likely say Rolls-Royce.
Naturally all the pampering and state-of-the-art high-tech features one would expect in a prestigious automobile are found in the Phantom. But it’s the countless special touches that set the Rolls apart. Within the cabin, the surfaces are covered in the finest leather, highly finished wood or lustrous metal. The sheepskin carpets will tempt passengers to take off their shoes just to dig their toes in it, while the reverse-opening rear doors contain Teflon-coated umbrellas to protect occupants in times of sunshine or rainfall.
The 2011 Rolls-Royce Phantom is an ultra-luxury sedan available in regular or extended-wheelbase models and it seats five in one of the largest backseats on four wheels. For those who want more, the Extended Wheelbase model offers an additional 10 inches of rear-seat legroom. Sure, you could buy a Porsche Boxster S and an 82-inch TV for what those 10 extra inches will cost you, but you’ll certainly be happy you took the advantage.
Performance
The rear-wheel-drive 2011 Rolls-Royce Phantom is powered by a 6.7-litre V12 that produces 453 horsepower and 531 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic is the lone transmission. The base Phantom accelerates from zero to 60miles per hour in 5.7 seconds, while the larger EWB is a few tenths slower. Environmental Protection Agency estimates fuel economy to be 11 miles per gallon in the city, 18mpg on the highway and 14mpg in combined driving.
The power from the V12 is prodigious, but you never feel the transmission changing gears and the engine makes little noise as the car leaps forth. The ride is superb, as it avoids being floaty while soaking up potholes and other road imperfections.
Features
Most expected luxury features come standard, including 21-inch cast-aluminum wheels, an adjustable air suspension, front and rear parking sensors, power-closing rear coach doors, soft-close power front doors, multizone climate control, heated front and rear seats, driver memory functions, a power tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel and veneered picnic tables built into the rear seatbacks.
Also standard are Bluetooth, keyless ignition/entry, a navigation system, voice command functionality, Rolls-Royce Assist emergency telematics and a multifunction electronics controller. The audio system is a 15-speaker Lexicon Logic seven surround-sound stereo with an in-dash single-CD player, a glovebox-mounted six-CD changer, an auxiliary audio jack and satellite radio with a lifetime subscription. The Phantom EWB adds 10 inches of rear legroom, full rear climate control, reversible footrests and a rear-seat entertainment system.
If that list seems incomplete, rest assured that the Phantom, like other Rolls-Royce cars, can be customised to your heart’s content, and that is any other feature you can dream up and fund, for an extra fee, of course.
Other optional features include front and rear camera system, multi-adjustable power rear captain’s chairs, chilled storage box for the rear seats, a ‘drinks cabinet,’ fiber-optic “Starlight Headliner” ceiling illumination, rear curtains and a DVD-changer rear seat entertainment system with dual 12-inch monitors.
Safety
The 2011 Rolls-Royce Phantom safety equipment includes antilock brakes, traction control and stability control, active front head restraints, side airbags for front occupants and full-length side curtain airbags.
The good: The Phantom has majestic passenger accommodations; iconic and extravagant styling; magnificent ride; drives surprisingly well for its size and there is near infinite customisation options.
The bad: The size makes it difficult to manoeuvre in tight spots; slight confusing secondary controls and poor fuel economy, which is understandable though, given the engine size and its numerous powered features.
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