Comments on: A Baby Rolls is Born! Soon. Ish.

By: Robert Farago

Robert Farago — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 13:20:14 +0000

Nicodemus :

Hardly a flop. I’d describe the Maybach as a flop. Selling 3700 ultraluxury cars is astonishing.

In four years. Often at a discount. The Phantom never even came close to doing the biz that BMW wanted/predicted. If their business plan was based on those early predictions…

By: Nicodemus

Nicodemus — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 12:35:59 +0000

Hardly a flop. I’d describe the Maybach as a flop. Selling 3700 ultraluxury cars is astonishing.

By: Johnster

Johnster — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 01:29:21 +0000

L47_V8: How does it make any business sense to position the smaller, less regal model above the Phantom in price? Does anyone see the problem with that?

Stupid move. They deserve any negativity that’s coming to them.

A long time ago it worked with the Cadillac Seville being priced higher than the larger DeVille and Fleetwood models. Lincoln tried to copy the model by pricing their Continental higher than the larger Town Car, but it never worked as well for them. And that’s about it.

By: 6G74

6G74 — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 23:47:40 +0000

How does it make any business sense to position the smaller, less regal model above the Phantom in price? Does anyone see the problem with that? BMW doesn’t sell many 328i sedans for more than the 750i, do they? Why would this arrangement work at Rolls?

Stupid move. They deserve any negativity that’s coming to them.

By: confused1096

confused1096 — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 22:41:17 +0000

Looks a lot like a Chyrsler 300.

By: Johnster

Johnster — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 19:42:15 +0000

I agree with NickR that the Phantom looks like something that one of the Pruneface or some other Dick Tracey villain would drive.

The Phantom doesn’t really compete with the Bentley Continental GT and Flying Spur. It’s direct competition is the Bentley Arnage/Azure/Brooklands and the Maybach.

As far as I know Bentley (Volkswagen) is really cleaning up in the ultra-luxury market. They’re delivering a one-two punch with the conservatively-styled Arnage/Azure/Brooklands selling to the “old money” crowd and the Continental GT and Flying Spur selling to the “noveau riche.”

By: NickR

NickR — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 17:28:05 +0000

The Phantom looks like the car a cartoon villain would drive to the ‘old warehouse district’ in. That is not a good thing.

RRs haven’t been sleek cars for about half a century, I get that, but having a front end as square and as large as a garden shed is taking it to an extreme.

By: Robert Schwartz

Robert Schwartz — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 17:16:50 +0000

In my work, I must occasionally visit Palm Beach FL. Down there where beach-front houses cost upwards of $10 Million, you can see a lot of exotic cars that you will not see here in Ohio.

I have seen the BMW Roller, and I am here to tell you that it is one ugly beast. Not beaten with an ugly stick like its corporate sister the 7 or that 6CUV abomination that appeared at NADA. But it is very badly proportioned.

However, even if it were well proportioned, not many would be sold. It is enormous, 230 in long (240 for the extended model), and from articles I read when it was released, it is really meant to be chauffeur driven. By way of contrast the Bentley is 20 in shorter and the Merc S and BMW 7 are more than 2 feet shorter.

A smaller sedan that could be driven would seem to be in order.

By: Cicero

Cicero — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 15:32:02 +0000

How do you say “Cimarron” in German?

By: Virtual Insanity

Virtual Insanity — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 14:59:29 +0000

I think the problem is with the design language itself. Bentely’s offerings have often been, dare I say it, “hip and new”. Very young, sporty, the new money so to speak. Rolls have always seem stuffy to me. I wouldn’t mind either, mind you, but if I had to choose, I would take a Continental GT or Flying Spur over the Phantom. Of course, I would take one of those Arnage T24s above all.

By: starlightmica (Richard Chen)

starlightmica (Richard Chen) — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 14:40:29 +0000

Reading this rosy article from Time last month, you wouldn’t think there’s a problem.