We drive the Rolls-Royce Phantom Limelight Collection – a special edition model with added elements that take the meaning of luxury into (what feels like) a new dimension.
When a brand has achieved the level of respect or status where its name is used in a different context, you know they’ve “made it”. Think about terms like Kalahari Ferrari or Hoover, the latter being a brand of vacuum cleaner, but sometimes people will refer to their vacuum cleaner as a Hoover, no matter what brand it happens to be. It is the same with Rolls-Royce; “Oh, that is the Rolls-Royce of watches” or “the Rolls-Royce of yachts” etc. It serves as an adjective that describes something as the finest of its kind.
There is a good reason why that is the case – because the Oxford-based ultra-luxury arm of the BMW Group – Rolls-Royce – deserves that recognition. Since the early days, it has been a car for the elite, the successful and those who want to be seen. It is still arguably the ultimate automotive status symbol.
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This example is a 2015 Phantom Limelight Collection of which only 25 units were produced. It is fitted with a 6.75-litre V12 engine that develops 338 kW and a healthy 720 Nm of torque. But that is only a small part of what makes it special, as this engine has done duty in the Phantom for many years.
Specifications
- Model: 2015 Rolls-Royce Phantom Limelight Collection
- Engine: 6.75-litre, V12, twin-turbopetrol
- Power: 338 kW at 5 350 rpm
- Torque: 720 Nm at 3 500 rpm
- Transmission: 8-speed automatic, RWD
- Weight: 2 670 kg
- 0-100 kph: 6.1 sec (claimed)
- Top speed: 240 kph
In the passenger seat of the Phantom Limelight Collection
I begin my classic drive here because this is where most Rolls-Royce owners will usually find themselves seated when travelling in a Phantom. I’m sitting in the left rear seat with an abundance of space around me. The seats are cossetting, the cabin is eerily quiet and I see the landscape passing by slightly faster when the driver puts his right foot down, making use of the saloon’s combination of torque and power.
You can barely hear the engine, it whirrs oh-so-softly in the background. As the seatback is reclined by 27 degrees, I can comfortably rest my head on the soft, cushioned headrest. The Phantom Limelight Collection has an extended wheelbase, which allows for an even greater amount of occupant space.
I look around and notice the cabin’s jewellery, clock and fragrance holders, some of which are situated in the doors. The headliner is studded with tiny lights, to resemble a starry sky; it looks spectacular at night.
When we stop next to the road, I take a closer look at the umbrella that is neatly rolled up and situated in the door. I stand next to the Phantom Limelight Collection and again realise that, in terms of size and height, it will make some large SUVs look more like compact SUVs. It is time to get behind the ‘wheel.
Piloting the Phantom Limelight Collection
I open the hefty driver’s door and experience a genuine sense of occasion when sliding in behind the thin-rimmed steering wheel. The front seats are, again, soft and absorbent. Once you close the door – with a simple push of a button – you’re completely insulated from any external noise, including engine idle. Despite its 6.75-litre displacement, you need to concentrate to hear the twin-turbopetrol V12 from inside the cabin, even though I’m now sitting closer to the engine than I did in the rear passenger seat.
The dashboard is unconventional in the modern sense as there are still a multitude of buttons and “organ pull-stops”. The ambience is utterly luxurious and you feel cocooned in a way I have not experienced in any other car. The thin-rimmed tiller feels light and classy in my hands and serves as a reminder that steering wheels don’t need to be chunky and button-infested, as is the case with most luxury cars today.
See also: Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II (2015) Video Review
On our short drive in the Jonkershoek Valley outside Stellenbosch, the Phantom Limelight Collection simply wafts along the asphalt road. It’s difficult to describe the sensation, but it feels as if the Phantom’s suspension takes advantage of the car’s weight, filtering out unavoidable bumps and body movements with aplomb. You can’t help but be impressed; these are absurdly high levels of comfort and luxury.
With 338 kW on tap and 720 Nm of torque available at a relaxed 3 500 rpm, I managed to firmly plant the Rolls-Royce’s accelerator pedal when traffic and road conditions allowed. Again, engine and exhaust noises were kept to an absolute minimum (the latter seemed non-existent). That lengthy bonnet gently carries the beautiful Spirit of Ecstasy as a wave of torque pushes the giant machine down the road.
BMW should be congratulated for its sensitive handling of the Rolls-Royce flagship. Unlike the Ghost and its 2-door spinoffs, you won’t notice any BMW switchgear in the Phantom’s cabin; it all feels bespoke.
My spell-binding time behind the ‘wheel of this sumptuous grand saloon was unlike any other. But, was I missing the point? Should I not have continued reclining on the enveloping rear bench as I did earlier? Arguably yes, in the same way that the owner of a yacht sits on the deck, soaking up the sun while the captain sails across the bay.
I quite often long for more time to experience the intricacies of a hypercar during these test drives, and the Phantom makes me want to indulge the other end of the spectrum: enjoying the top echelon of luxury and refinement while watching the landscape fly past in near-silence. There are so many little elements, luxuries and features to discover and experience in the car that it could fill another article.
This Phantom Limelight Collection was supplied by one of Cape Town’s premier vehicle destinations, The Archive.
Find a Rolls-Royce model listed for sale on Cars.co.za
Find exclusive car-themed merchandise at the SentiMETAL Shop
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