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The Rolls-Royce Phantom VII was a luxury saloon car made by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. Launched in 2003, it was the first Rolls-Royce developed and introduced after BMW purchased the right to use the Rolls-Royce name and logo in 1998.

It is credited with successfully reviving the Rolls-Royce brand and restoring Rolls-Royce's credibility as a maker of luxury cars.

The Phantom Drophead Coupé and Phantom Coupé are two-door derivatives of the Phantom launched in 2007 and 2008, respectively.

From 2003 until the launch of the smaller Ghost in 2009, the Phantom, along with its two-door counterparts, was the only car produced by Rolls-Royce. The Phantom acted as the company's flagship model. 13 year production run https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/best-cars/rolls-royce-phantom-eight-generations-luxury  first fulll year of ales 3004 http://redesign.autoweek.com/article/car-news/rolls-sees-third-or-more-future-sales-coming-new-phantom-based-convertible

BMW acquires the rights to the Rolls-Royce name
In October 1997 Vickers plc placed Rolls-Royce Motor Cars up for sale. BMW first expressed its interest in purchasing the company in November 1997, and, in March 1998, announced that it had offered Vickers £340 million for Rolls-Royce. Vickers accepted this offer in principle in April. However, in the same month, Volkswagen outbid BMW, offering £430 million for Rolls-Royce. In May the Vickers board switched its support to the VW bid and, on 5 June, Vickers shareholders voted overwhelmingly to accept Volkswagen's offer. The sale was formally completed on 3 July.

However, the right to use the Rolls-Royce name and logo had not been included in Volkswagen's purchase; when Rolls-Royce Motor Cars was separated from Rolls-Royce (1971) Limited in 1973, Rolls-Royce (1971) Limited (and subsequently Rolls-Royce plc) retained exclusive control over Rolls-Royce Motor Cars' use of the Rolls-Royce trademarks in the event of the sale of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars to a foreign buyer.

Rolls-Royce plc was known to favour selling these rights to BMW; it had, in March, both given its official support to BMW's offer of £340 million and agreed to licence the Rolls-Royce trademarks to BMW, expressions of support it did not later extend to Volkswagen's higher bid.

The three companies negotiated and, on 28 July 1998, announced that they had reached an agreement; BMW would pay Rolls-Royce plc £40 million in exchange for the rights to use both the Rolls-Royce name and the Rolls-Royce "double R" logo on automobiles. BMW then agreed to licence these rights to Volkswagen "exclusively and free of charge" until 31 December 2002, after which they would revert to BMW. This was to give BMW time to design and develop an all-new Rolls-Royce, build a factory for this to be produced in, and set up a distribution network for the new car. Volkswagen agreed to transfer to BMW the rights to use Rolls-Royce's "Spirit of Ecstasy" mascot, and the "temple" radiator grille design (both of which, as trademarks of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, had been included in Volkswagen's purchase) for free on 1 January 2003.

Development
Development work on "Project Rolls-Royce" began in January 1999. In February, BMW dispatched a team of five designers to an apartment near Hyde Park, central London, to work on the design of the new model. The team moved to a former bookshop in nearby Holborn in May 1999 to begin clay modelling. The final exterior shape, a design by Marek Djordjevic, was selected in December. During development the Phantom was given the internal code name RR01.

BMW extensively researched Rolls-Royce's history during the development process to ensure the new Phantom felt like an authentic Rolls-Royce. This research included speaking with members of Rolls-Royce owners' clubs in Europe and the United States about their experience of the brand, as well as reviewing vehicle drawings of former Rolls-Royce coachbuilders. Senior members of Project Rolls-Royce also visited the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation in Paulerspury, England to study archives, artifacts, engineering drawings, and other Rolls-Royce memorabilia.

BMW felt that it could not satisfactorily adapt one of its existing platforms for use in the new Rolls-Royce, so it set about developing an entirely new one instead. It decided on an aluminium spaceframe chassis. This was developed in conjunction with, and supplied by, the Norwegian firm Hydro Aluminium. This had the advantage of being lightweight and very stiff.

BMW opted for a high-displacement naturally aspirated engine as it believed a forced-induction engine could not offer the smooth power delivery required by a Rolls-Royce. The 6.75-litre V12 developed for the Phantom is a bored and stroked version of the 6.0-litre V12 fitted to the E65 BMW 760i.

Launch
Series production of the Phantom commenced at the Goodwood plant in December 2002.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited was formally established on 1 January 2003. Just after midnight on 1 January 2003, Rolls-Royce handed the keys of the first Phantom over to its new owner, a UK-based collector.

Two days later, on 3 January, Rolls-Royce revealed the Phantom to the press and other selected guests at an event held at the newly constructed Goodwood factory. BMW had kept the name of the new model secret until this point.

The Phantom made its motor show debut on 5 January at the North American International Motor Show (NAIAS) in Detroit.

Rolls-Royce revealed the Phantom Extended Wheelbase (EWB) at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show. The EWB's wheelbase is lengthened by 250 mm from the B-pillar backwards compared to that of the standard Phantom for added rear passenger space.

Exterior
The Phantom has distinctive proportions, with a short front overhang and long bonnet, a set-back passenger compartment, long wheelbase and long overhang at the rear.

The front end is upright and dominated by a large rendition of Rolls-Royce's "Pantheon" radiator grille. The Spirit of Ecstasy mascot is mounted atop the grille and can be raised or lowered by a switch in the car's glovebox. Another distinguishing feature are the Phantom's bi-xenon headlights; these are seated in round clusters which resemble foglights. These are mounted below rectangular units which house the position and indicator lights.

The Phantom uses rear suicide doors, which Rolls-Royce refer to as "coach doors". These, along with the wide C-pillars, were inspired by the Silver Wraith and, in conjunction with the small rear window, afford rear passengers a high degree of privacy.

The rear end is tapered, and characterized by small tail lights.

The "RR" monograms in each of the hub caps are mounted on independent bezels which allow them to remain upright while the wheels are rotating.

When designing the Phantom, BMW took inspiration from the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud and Silver Shadow, as well as the first and second generation Phantoms.

Interior
The design of the Phantom's interior features several classic Rolls-Royce cues. For example, the Phantom used a split-level air conditioning system, a technology which made its automotive debut in the 1970s Rolls-Royce Camargue. Other Rolls-Royce cues include the "organ stops" which control the flow of air from the car's metal eyeball vents. The Phantom also eschewed a rev counter like traditional Rolls-Royces; instead, it uses a "power reserve" gauge which indicates what percentage of the engine's maximum power is unused and available to the driver. The Phantom uses a large-diameter thin-rimmed steering wheel with raised grips at the 4 and 8 o'clock positions.

A veneered panel on the dashboard houses an analogue clock. This panel swivels to reveal the screen for the multimedia system. This multimedia system used a simplified version of BMW's iDrive operating system and was operated by a controller mounted in the centre console.

The seats of the Phantom are mounted higher than those of other luxury saloons, with a driving position midway between that of a normal saloon and an SUV. The Phantom also uses theatre seating; the rear seats are mounted 18 mm higher than the front seats.

Two rear seat configurations were offered for the Phantom; "theatre" and "lounge" specification. "Theatre" specification uses a traditional 3-seat rear bench. The two outer seats are angled slightly towards the centre of the car to facilitate easier conversation between rear seat passengers. "Lounge" specification uses two individual seats separated by a centre console.

Novel features

 * Customers can choose from 44,000 paint colours, and specify any leather colour.
 * The rear doors are rear-hinged, a style commonly referred to as suicide doors, but called 'coach doors' by Rolls-Royce. Because of the rear-seating position in relation to the rear inner-door handles, buttons are mounted on both C-pillars which operate hydraulic motors in order to close the rear doors. https://www.autoblog.com/2007/10/01/in-the-autoblog-garage-2007-rolls-royce-phantom/#slide-431273 An electronic lock prevents the doors from being accidentally opened when moving.
 * The car will automatically brake to a walking speed if a coach door remains open when driving off.
 * When the front or rear doors are opened, umbrella compartments built into the rear doors are accessible. The factory supplied umbrellas are Teflon coated so they, and the compartment in which they are stored, dry out faster.
 * The traditional Spirit of Ecstasy bonnet ornament has an automatic electronic retraction mechanism to prevent theft and protect pedestrians in the event of an accident. It may also be retracted by the driver at the touch of a button, or when the alarm is armed. The ornament base contains a sensor that detects movement, and will retract it if someone tampers with it.

Construction
The Phantom uses an aluminium spaceframe chassis which offers exceptional torsional rigidity of 40,500 N · m / degree. This is composed of more than 200 box sections of cast aluminium extrusion  and over 300 sheet metal parts. This platform was developed specifically for the Phantom and was not shared with any BMW models. Aluminium was chosen as it offers desirable strength and mass characteristics, being both stronger and lighter than steel.

In addition, most of the bodywork is constructed from aluminium, save for the front wings and bootlid, which are made from composites and steel respectively.

Suspension and steering
The Phantom uses double-wishbone front suspension and multi-link rear suspension. It features four-corner self-levelling air springs, as well as electronically-controlled dampers front and rear.

The Phantom was the first car in the world to use Michelin's PAX run-flat tyres. These allow the car to drive for up to 100 miles at speeds of up to 50 mph after a puncture.

The Phantom uses a variable-rate rack and pinion steering system with speed-sensitive power assistance.

Powertrain
The Phantom uses a naturally aspirated 6.75-litre direct-injection V12 engine. This a version of BMW's N73 which is unique to the Phantom. This unit was engineered to develop most of its torque lowdown in the rev range https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/anything-goes-throwback-thursday/throwback-thursday-rolls-royce-phantom-first-drive-2003: over 75% of peak torque is available at 1,000 rpm. Series I Phantoms are exclusively mated to ZF's 6HP 6-speed automatic transmission. Series II cars were fitted with ZF's 8HP 8-speed automatic. Both gearboxes had a "low" mode; activated by a button on the gear selector, this altered the transmission's shift programming to delay upshifts and hasten downshifts, with the primary aim of providing more engine braking when driving downhill.

Phantom Drophead Coupé
The Phantom Drophead Coupé is a 2-door convertible version of the Phantom. It was unveiled at the 2007 North American International Auto Show.

The design of the Drophead was previewed by the 100EX design study, which Rolls-Royce revealed at 2004 Geneva Motor Show.

Production of the Drophead commenced in June 2007.

Phantom Coupé
The Phantom Coupé is a 2-door coupé derivative of the Phantom which was unveiled at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show.

The design of the Coupé was previewed by the 101EX concept, which Rolls-Royce revealed at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show.

Production of the Coupé commenced in summer 2008, with sales beginning in autumn of the same year.

2009 model year update
For the 2009 model year, Rolls-Royce lightly updated the Phantom and Phantom Extended Wheelbase. The revised models received a redesigned front bumper and shallower grille. Other changes included the fitment of LED door handle illumination as standard, as well as the fitment of 21" cast aluminium wheels as standard.

Inside, the rear climate control, volume control and electric window switches were repositioned to the rear doors, among other minor changes.

Production of the revised models began in the spring of 2009.

102EX (Phantom Experimental Electric)
The 102EX is an electric prototype Phantom developed by Rolls-Royce. It was created to gauge the response of Rolls-Royce customers, the automotive press, and the public to an electrically-powered Rolls-Royce. It was unveiled at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show.

Rolls-Royce took the 102EX on a 28 city global tour after the car's debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March. This tour, which included visits to capitals such as Paris, Abu Dhabi, Singapore, Beijing and Washington, ended in December 2011.

While the automotive press reacted positively to the 102EX,     Rolls-Royce disclosed in 2012 that its customers had given a lukewarm response to the 102EX.

Series II Phantom
Rolls-Royce unveiled the facelifted Phantom line-up at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show. Rolls-Royce refers to the facelifted cars as "Series II" models.

On the outside, Rolls-Royce fitted new, LED light units. By doing so, the Phantom became the first car to be fitted as standard with LED lights. Series II cars are fitted with grilles made from a single piece of stainless steel, as opposed to Series I models which were fitted with grilles made from 3 bonded pieces. Series II cars feature a simplified rear bumper design, some additional chrome detailing, and were offered with new alloy wheel designs, among other small changes.

The interior received a heavily updated infotainment system in the form of the latest version of BMW's iDrive. This was complemented by a new, larger 8.8" centre information display. The seat designs and dashboard were both simplified.

While the Phantom's engine remained unchanged, Rolls-Royce fitted ZF's 8HP 8-speed gearbox in place of the pre-facelift models 6-speed unit. The new gearbox, along with a new rear differential, were credited with reducing the Phantom's fuel consumption by approximately 10%, as well as reducing the car's CO2 emissions from 385 g/km to 347 g/km.

In addition, a new dynamic package was offered. Changes over a standard Phantom include a stiffer suspension set-up, visible exhausts, thicker steering wheel, and sportier calibrations for the gearbox and braking system.http://www.motortrend.com/cars/rolls-royce/phantom/2013/rolls-royce-phantom-series-2-first-drive/ https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/rolls-royce/phantom/first-drives/rolls-royce-phantom-series-ii-ewb  http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/first-drives/reviews/a18220/2013-rolls-royce-phantom-series-ii/ https://www.caranddriver.com/news/2012-rolls-royce-phantom-series-ii-photos-and-info-news http://www.caradvice.com.au/188973/rolls-royce-phantom-series-ii-review/

Production and sales
The Phantom was assembled by hand at Rolls-Royce's plant in Goodwood, England.

The Phantom's body-in-white, made from over 200 pieces of extruded aluminium, was welded together at BMW's factory in Dingolfing, Germany from 2002 to 2007. From 2007 onwards, body-in-white production moved to a dedicated Rolls-Royce facility in Unterhollerau, a few kilometres north of the Dingolfing plant.

Finally, they were transported to Rolls-Royce's plant in Goodwood for final assembly.

Rolls-Royce set an annual sales target of 1,000 units for the Phantom at its launch; however, in 2004, the first year the Goodwood plant operated at full capacity, the Phantom failed to reach this target, selling only 792 units in the same year.

The final Phantom, an Extended Wheelbase model, was completed in January 2017.

Rolls-Royce unveiled the Phantom VII's successor in July 2017.

Safety recall
In October 2010, Phantoms sold between 2003 and 2010 were involved in a recall that also included certain V8 and V12-powered BMW models. The cars were recalled because of the potential to develop a leak in the braking system which could cause a vacuum loss and, consequently, lead to a reduction in power braking assistance. 5,800 Phantoms, including Drophead Coupés and Coupés, were affected.