The story of Phantom spans 100 years, and the entire world. Today, Phantom owners can be found in over 100 countries on six continents, with each individual motor car commissioned to satisfy both its owner’s personal tastes and codes of luxury, and the specific conditions and surroundings in which it operates.
Chris Brownridge, Chief Executive, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, commented: “Phantom has always been defined by the people who commission it, and the places in which they use it. As an exemplar of excellence, Phantom has inhabited and been influenced by locations worldwide, from the glamorous Côte d’Azur to the peaceful Sussex countryside, and from the bustling heart of London to the vast wilderness of the Australian Outback.
“Each stage in this 100-year odyssey has shaped Phantom’s character and helped secure its place in cultural history. As we mark Phantom’s centenary, we reflect on some of the most important places, events and people that have made our pinnacle motor car everything it is today, and informed a new and extraordinary Bespoke creation soon to be revealed.”
The story of Phantom spans 100 years, and the entire world. Today, Phantom owners can be found in over 100 countries on six continents, with each individual motor car commissioned to satisfy both its owner’s personal tastes and codes of luxury, and the specific conditions and surroundings in which it operates.
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars reflects on some of the key locations, moments and people that have shaped Phantom’s development and philosophy from its launch in 1925 to the present day.
Le Rayol-Canadel-Sur-Mer: Engineering an icon
From 1911 until his death in 1933, Sir Henry Royce spent the winter months in the South of France, at a secluded retreat on the Côte d’Azur. He initially stayed at Claude Johnson’s villa, until Villa Mimosa was completed in 1917; Royce used this location to test and refine many Rolls-Royces, including the first motor car to bear the Phantom nameplate.
West Wittering: The quiet pursuit of perfect
In the warmer months, Sir Henry returned from France to Elmstead, his beloved home in the village of West Wittering on the Sussex coast. Just eight miles from the present-day Home of Rolls-Royce, Elmstead remains a place of pilgrimage for enthusiasts, providing a personal and emotional connection to one of the founders that resonates throughout the company today.
London: A century of influence
For all its global reach, London remains Phantom’s spiritual home. For much of the twentieth century, Rolls-Royce was based at 14-15 Conduit Street, near Savile Row in London’s fashionable Mayfair, where Charles Rolls had established one of Britain’s first car showrooms in 1905. Here, Rolls conducted demonstration drives of early motor cars and met clients from London’s social elite. The building’s role in automotive history was commemorated by English Heritage in 2010 with a Blue Plaque, unveiled by Lord Montagu of Beaulieu.
Australia: A new era begins
The first Goodwood Phantom made its global debut on 1 January 2003, where it was handed over to its new owner at exactly 00:01. The delighted client wished to immerse themselves in this grand and contemporary expression of the marque, and so began a 4,500-mile journey from Perth across the Australian continent. It was an audacious statement – and a bold demonstration that Phantom had not only returned, but was ready to define a new era of global luxury travel. In a fitting full-circle moment, that very same Phantom returned to the Home of Rolls-Royce in August 2025 – Phantom’s centenary year – to undergo a detailed inspection by the marque’s engineers.
102EX: An electric vision
Following Phantom’s highly successful market introduction, engineers within Rolls-Royce began thinking about the marque’s longer-term future. Reflecting the Rolls-Royce’s visionary spirit, a small team considered a wide range of powertrains that would be suitable for the brand’s electric future and amplify the qualities clients celebrated about their Rolls-Royce.
In 2011, Rolls-Royce revealed 102EX, also known as the Phantom Experimental Electric (EE): a fully electric Phantom. Though never intended for production, this experimental motor car offered the first glimpse of how the brand might harness battery-electric technology to elevate the wider Rolls-Royce experience. It marked the beginning of a bold electric journey – one that would carry the marque into the present day, and beyond.
The future of Phantom, told through its legacy
Phantom’s remarkable history remains a constant source of inspiration within Rolls-Royce. The centenary year of this nameplate, celebrated in 2025, offers a fitting moment to honour the individuals and ideas that have shaped Phantom’s first 100 years. From world-renowned artists to musical pioneers, Phantom has been chosen by those who truly shape our world. It has served monarchs, statesmen and captains of industry – and, above all, remains a tribute to the vision of the marque’s founders, Charles Rolls and Sir Henry Royce.
