Rolls-Royce Phantom Gallery

Here it is - the all-new Rolls-Royce Phantom from the all-new Rolls-Royce company. It's bigger, higher-tech, more powerful and more expensive than any recent regular-price Rolls, and it's built in a brand new, glass-fronted, grass-roofed factory on the Earl of March's Goodwood estate.

But that doesn't mean it's a wholly British enterprise. The right to build Rolls-Royce cars now belongs to BMW, which describes itself as the marque's custodian. This right took effect on January 1 2003, at which point Rolls-Royce and Bentley, whose joint existence had moved out of UK hands and into Volkswagen's ownership, separated for the first time since 1931.

There's much BMW influence in the new Rolls. The engine, rear suspension and many of the electrical systems are related to those of the 7-Series, much of the engineering work was done in Germany, and the body is made in BMW's Dingolfing factory using components from Eisenach (eastern Germany) and Italy. But the design was developed in London, some of the designers and the chief engineer are British and came from Land Rover, and of course the Phantom is painted, trimmed and assembled at Goodwood.

It's built on an aluminium spaceframe like an Audi A8, new Jaguar XJ or BMW Z8. The outer panels are aluminium, too, apart from a steel bootlid and composite plastic front wings. The wheels are the biggest you'll find on a modern production car, but they are exactly in proportion with a body over 19 feet long. The back doors are rear-hinged for more 'graceful' ingress and egress, and the rear seat is set back so most of it is behind the door openings.

There's an engine to match a style which, seen from the front three-quarters, is redolent of a monster emerging out of the ground. Based on BMW's V12, it's enlarged to 6749cc and optimised for torque (pulling force): up to 531lb ft of it. Power is 453bhp. Air suspension promises a wafting ride with crisp handling; chief engineer Tim Leverton intended the Phantom to be as good to drive as to be driven in.

Mercedes-Benz has its Maybachs, BMW has its Rolls-Royce. Let the battle of the giants begin.