2022 Rolls-Royce Phantom

When asked why he wanted to climb Mount Everest, English mountaineer George Leigh Mallory retorted simply with the words, "because it's there". By the same token, if you asked any Rolls-Royce Phantom owner why they decided to spend nearly half a million dollars on a four-door sedan when many other alternatives do the same job for far less money, they'd say that it's because the Phantom exists - if they were being honest, of course. Because with the Phantom, there is no greater automotive peak to conquer. Owning a Phantom is like summiting Everest and coming back down alive, knowing you can bask in the glory that comes with the achievement for years to come. To help stave off the effects of frost-bitten limbs, the Phantom's back seat is the epitome of luxury, with heated everything, a massaging function, and outstanding craftsmanship. From the elegant Spirit of Ecstasy ornament on the hood to the coach-style doors at the back, from the sublime ride to the creamy 563-horsepower V12 engine, it's a car that symbolizes status and grandeur like no other, and that includes theMercedes-Maybach S. Mr. Mallory wasn't interested in playing second fiddle to anyone or anything else, and neither is the Rolls-Royce Phantom.

Starting at around $465,000 for the standard-wheelbase version, the Rolls-Royce Phantom is one of the most expensive vehicles in the world, and that's before adding in taxes, licensing, registration, a destination cost of $2,750, and a gas guzzler fee of $2,600. Opting for the extended-wheelbase variant will cost in the region of $545,000. Even the Bentley Flying Spur begins at less than half the price of the Rolls.

自流平的空气弹簧常量tly makes adjustments based on speed, and even a camera system that can 'see' imperfections in the road ahead, the Rolls-Royce Phantom glides over all manner of surfaces like nothing else. This really is a good couple of notches above even a Mercedes-Benz S-Class, which is as much praise as we can bestow on the Phantom. Apart from the bumps that are dispensed with before they ever reach the passenger compartment, it's the lack of noise that stands out: close to 300 lbs of sound insulation has been used, and you can tell. Be it wind noise, mechanical roar, or feedback from the tires - they're all absent. Take to a series of curves, and the Phantom exhibits good body control and a tad more feedback through the effortless electric power steering than before, but nothing about the car really encourages you to do anything but take it easy. Even though it does many things exceedingly well, the Phantom's ability to isolate its occupants from the elements remains one of its most astounding achievements.

The greatest life coaches will often tell their students that we should compete with nobody but ourselves, striving only to be better than who we were yesterday. Similarly, at over $450,000, it seems that the Rolls-Royce Phantom competes with nothing other than, well, the previous Phantom. This is a truly special vehicle that is equal parts luxury sedan and status symbol. It pampers its occupants like nothing else, floats across the road with silky smoothness, looks as expensive as it is, and now, also integrates the latest driver-assist and infotainment technologies.

The driving experience has somehow been elevated over the previous Phantom; this latest version is ten percent quieter than its already hushed predecessor (thanks to 330 lbs of sound insulation), while providing a touch more driver involvement. It's not quite as fun to pilot as the Bentley Flying Spur, but the Phantom's sense of occasion somehow runs even deeper than that car. It's difficult to justify a vehicle that costs this much, but where mere words and logic fall short, the Phantom does all the talking (or is that whispering?) by providing a tranquil motoring experience quite unlike anything else.

At half a million bucks, value falls right down to the bottom on the list of priorities when purchasing a Rolls-Royce Phantom. For this reason, we'd go all-out and get the extended-wheelbase version with the privacy suite, the Rolls-Royce bespoke audio system, and at least one tacky extra that will make drivers of regular cars cringe: personalized illuminated treadplates.

Sharing much with the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, the Maybach turns up the luxury offering even more. It has a beautiful, massive cabin, is gorgeously put together, and comes with a string of driver-assist technologies that not even the Phantom can match. Oh, and did we mention that even the Maybach S580 - with almost 500 hp - costs less than half that of the Phantom? For 2022, there is a new V12 Maybach called the S680 that is much faster than the Phantom but still less than half the price. On paper, then, the Maybach is the more sensible option, but having experienced both cars, the German's appeal starts to dwindle. Where the Maybach can feel simply like a glorified S-Class and, therefore, a tad mainstream in its execution, everything about the Rolls-Royce feels a cut above. The Phantom's cabin is more special, with exquisite materials and a charming design. Fully kitted out, it simply makes more of a statement inside and out, and let's be honest, these cars are as much about comfort as they are about prestige. We'll take the Rolls.

劳斯莱斯与f进入未知的领域irst SUV, the Cullinan. If its raised body style and a bit more off-road capability appeals to you, it's the natural choice between these two. It also doesn't hurt that the Cullinan starts at around $335,000, over $100k less than the Phantom. The SUV also uses the Phantom's 6.75-liter V12, and a Black Badge version produces close to 600 hp. The Cullinan's trunk is almost the same size as the Phantom's, so it doesn't have a huge practicality advantage, despite being an SUV. Both cars are exceptionally comfortable to drive, but the Phantom just about has the edge with its more traditional sedan body. Although we view the Cullinan as a successful interpretation of a Rolls-Royce ultra-luxury SUV, we still prefer the look and feel of the Phantom.