Rolls-Royce is said to have started work on the next-generation Rolls-Royce Phantom prior to a reveal in around three years.
Incredibly, the current Rolls-Royce Phantom has been in production since 2003 and minus a slight facelift, has remained largely unchanged. However, the second-generation Phantom is currently being sketched out with deliberations ongoing regarding the technical aspects of the car.
It has yet to be decided the platform which will underpin the second-generation Rolls-Royce Phantom but it is possible that the luxury car will utilise a similar architecture to the BMW i3 and i8 which combines aluminium and lightweight carbon fibre throughout.
Under the hood, it is likely the next-gen Phantom will retain the 6.75-litre V12 of the current car but previous statements from Rolls-Royce all but confirm that a plug-in hybrid variant will be offered. Furthermore, if the second-gen Phantom last for over 10 years like the current model, an all-electric version is also likely.
While discussing the design of the new Phantom, design chief Giles Taylor said, “I don’t feel boxed in by the [existing] design. We are treading an evolutionary path and have a defining vision of modernity. The Wraith was all about modernising the brand. The fastback profile has a contemporary relevance. We are working on how to lay down what we call a ‘charismatic expressiveness’ for our future design language.
“Cars like the post-war Cloud were inspiring in their surfacing, almost baroque,” he continued. “Rolls-Royces have always had flair and movement. We’re looking at more charisma and more edge in the future.”
[Via Autocar]
