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Rolls-Royce Phantom Gallery
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| RUNNING COSTS RATING: |
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The surprise is that the Phantom isn't thirstier: an official EC average of 17.8mpg is commendable for something so big and powerful, but the urban figure of 11.5mpg is probably closer to reality if the torque is used liberally. Servicing, though needed infrequently, will be expensive. Buyers will no doubt afford it easily. This will be interesting as cars filter on to the market. Historically Rolls-Royces have lost value very quickly, more so than Bentleys whose sportier image has kept a more enthusiastic following, but this car is such a leap ahead, and has such a strong identity of its own beyond the iconic grille, that it should be more in demand once pre-owned. Expect Rolls-Royce to keep a close watch on its products, to keep them within the dealer network and to try to keep prices high. How can you define value for money in a car like this? It's mid-way in price (and size) between the Maybach 57 and 62, but massively more expensive than its Silver Seraph predecessor. For the money you might expect perfection, which some parts of the Phantom don't quite reach. Objectively it's hard to justify a cost three times that of a Mercedes-Benz S600, but then the Rolls owner will probably have a Mercedes as well. And a few other cars besides.
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