For 100 years, the Rolls-Royce Phantom has been more than a luxury car. It has been a silent witness to history, a stage for artists, and a canvas for self-expression.
The Phantom, Rolls-Royceโs flagship model, marks its centenary in 2025. Over eight generations, it has been driven, painted, and even reimagined by some of the worldโs most celebrated creatives.
โPhantom has moved in the same circles as the greatest artists,โ said Chris Brownridge, Rolls-Royce Chief Executive. โIt is both a motor car and a cultural icon.โ
From Salvador Dalรญ filling a Phantom with 500 kg of cauliflowers for a Paris stunt in 1955, to Andy Warhol buying a 1937 model on impulse in Zurich, the car has long been linked with eccentric genius. Dalรญ even illustrated a surreal Phantom frozen in ice in his 1934 artwork Les Chants de Maldoror.
The car itself has also been displayed in galleries worldwide, including Londonโs Saatchi Gallery and New Yorkโs Smithsonian Design Museum. Dame Laura Knight, the first woman elected to the Royal Academy of Arts, famously used her Phantom as a mobile studio at British racecourses.
At Monterey Car Week later this month, Rolls-Royce will gather Phantoms from all eight generations for a showcase at Pebble Beach Concours dโElegance. โThis is not just about cars,โ Brownridge added. โIt is about creativity, legacy, and the power of design to inspire.โ
The Phantomโs centenary comes at a time when most luxury cars struggle to remain relevant. Yet, Rolls-Royce says the majority of Phantoms ever built are still in operation, evidence of its endurance. Collectors and artists alike continue to see it as more than a vehicle, but as a piece of living art.
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