Prices start from RM2.2mil before taxes

For all its ostentatiousness delivered in vintage British charm, one would never imagine a car such as the Rolls-Royce Phantom to require an update, let alone a new model from the ground up. But Rolls-Royce has done the latter anyway. And its ultra-luxe limo hasn't taken long to land on Malaysian shores.

The new Rolls-Royce Phantom is underpinned by a new brand-exclusive spaceframe - this will be the basis of future Rolls-Royce models - which has lightened the Phantom by 30 percent in comparison to the previous model. That said, the regular wheelbase version still tips the scale at 2,560kg.

However, an all-new 6.75-litre V12 heart which pumps out 563bhp and 900Nm ensures that the Queen's new ride (possibly) does 0-100kph in 5.3 seconds all the way to a regulated top speed of 250kph. Fuel economy is an equally big figure at 13.9l/100km, but we don't imagine it'll perturb a potential Phantom buyer.

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In case you're wondering, there is an Extended Wheelbase variant which measures 5,982mm long (versus the regular 5,762mm) and weighs 2610kg. Despite the difference, the stretched model only takes 0.1 seconds more to complete the century sprint, with no detrimental effect on efficiency on paper at least.

Onto the luxurious bits, the Phantom obviously doesn't disappoint. All four doors are electronically operated (no swinging required) and they open up to an interior finished in "the finest leathers and veneers". The new head unit, which is essentially a 12.3-inch touchscreen finished in "toughened glass" now has the glamorous name of The Gallery. Behind it lies the signature analogue clock, which supposedly produces "the loudest sound in a Rolls-Royce".

We don't doubt these claims of luxury of course, which is why the starting price of RM2.2mil (for the regular wheelbase) isn't surprising. The Extended Wheelbase is slightly pricier at RM2.5 mil. These prices are before taxes, mind you. But surely that's a small price to pay for something you can have in 44,000 exterior colours and a variety of other customisation options.

Have you booked yours?

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