The 2016 Rolls-Royce Phantom

For the unapologetically affluent among us, sure, there are brands like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Lexus—fine makers all. But for those privileged enough to be able to take luxury to the price point of a beach house in Wildwood—there is and will always be but one highest-altitude choice: Rolls-Royce.

The revered luxury brand once again rolls out the red carpet, so to speak, with its 2016 Phantom, a monster of a vehicle (with a 12-cylinder engine and a whopping 5,840- pound curb weight) that, as usual for the British auto maker, sacrifices nothing in terms of comfort and style. It is both beauty and beast.

Start with beauty: from the Phantom’s imposing oversized grille to its tapered rear-end design, this is a vehicle that commands respect. (It had better—it has a price tag north of $400,000.) Nineteen feet in length in its stock model (there are also Extended-Wheelbase, Coupé, and Drop head Coupé versions available), there’s plenty of room for its dignified retro-modern profile to be admired. The Rolls-Royce signature rear-hinged doors are here, too, which close themselves at the push of a button, as is the famous “Spirit of Ecstasy” hood ornament, which, in a canny design stroke, retracts to discourage souvenir seekers and vandals. A set of ingeniously crafted LED headlights is able to curve light around corners. Another elegant touch: the double-R logo, which adorns the wheels, doesn’t spin or move no matter how fast the car is traveling.

Rolls says the vehicle’s leather upholstery takes two weeks to hand-stitch, and plush lamb’s wool rugs on the floorboards add to the comfort. The wooden veneers are available in walnut, elm, Malabar, and wedge, are always crafted from a single tree and, as everything else within the Phantom, are customizable (with inlaid monograms, for example). Sixty craftsmen and women are required to complete vehicle assembly, who tweak everything from the five coats of paint on the body shell to veneers to hand-stitched leatherwork.

A 6.75-liter, 453 hp engine gets the Phantom from a standstill to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds, and to an electronically limited top speed of 149 mph, while a self-leveling pneumatic suspension keeps the ride smooth over even the most uncivilized of potholes. So, pass the Grey Pompon!

Paul Miller Rolls-Royce
250 US Highway 46 West, Parsippany
855-637-9339 / paulmillerrollsroyce.com