Roll Royce Phantom

Rolls Royce Phantom, the super symbol of ultimate luxury. For a car costing more than the price of a top end Merc S-Class and BMW 7 Series added up together, the Rolls has to be something special. As we all know, Rolls is now owned by BMW, so being a driver-oriented car, the Rolls has to have a makeover so that the front cabin appeals to drivers wanting to drive it like a sporty BMW.

But hell no. Just a look at the front dashboard makes you feel like you're driving in a century old coach built vehicle. Lots of walnut panels fill up the dash, and while many car makers flocking to the use of thicker, fatter steering wheels, the Rolls retains the use of a thinly, big 3-spoke steering wheel still belonging to the coach-built era.

Like the old BMW 7 Series, the Phantom has no gear shift selector on the centre column. Instead, following the imbeciles in the Merc planning department, they opted for a column gear selector just behind the steering wheel. Hey I have the same thing in my 1990 Toyota Liteace Van!

So we concluded, despite its driving dynamics, the driver's seat isn't a nice place to be in. So what about the back? Special? Yes definitely. First of all, to enter, you need to get past the suicide doors, which is erm...fascinating. Sumptous leather and wood greets you at every corner. A foldable table pops out and the top of the table unfolds out further and hey presto! You get a huge personal screen, larger than any seen in Mercs or Beemers. What an ingenious design.

And you thought that was the end? No. Lift your heads up and you're greeted with a ceiling of hand-stitched LED lights. Talk about star-gazing! What an idea. So this is what a Rolls is all about.