Something amazing happens when you see 100 years of car history in one place. At the 2025 Pebble Beach car show, all eight versions of the Rolls-Royce Phantom will stand together for the very first time. This creates a stunning timeline of luxury car history. The “Phantom Centenary” class celebrates 100 years of the world’s most famous luxury car.
Designer: Rolls-Royce
The timing is perfect. Rolls-Royce was the first car brand to get its own class at Pebble Beach and appears at the show more than any other brand.
The Early Cars: 1920s Through War Years
The 1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Brewster Ascot Phaeton starts this royal parade with serious sports car style. Named after England’s fanciest horse race, this car was built in Springfield. It’s one of only 21 Ascot Phaetons ever made. The shiny aluminum trim catches the California sun perfectly. Those big 21-inch wire wheels give it a tough look that still works today. Murphy Coachworks in Pasadena worked on this car. They added roll-up windows and other upgrades that made it even better than normal Rolls-Royce cars.
The 1934 Phantom II Continental takes style to the next level. This was the last of the 40/50 HP models, made from 1929 to 1935. Car design was getting smoother and more modern during this time.
The most important car in this group might be the 1937 Phantom III H.J. Mulliner Sedanca de Ville. This was the last car that company founder Henry Royce worked on before he died in 1933. So it’s a direct connection to the company’s beginnings. The Phantom III was Rolls-Royce’s last V12 car until 1998. That’s a 60-year gap that shows how ahead of its time this design was. The H.J. Mulliner body has a design that people back then called “dark and gothic—but still beautiful.”
The 1954 Phantom IV Hooper Landaulet brings real royal history to the group. The Duke of Edinburgh and Princess Elizabeth (now Queen Elizabeth II) asked for this car to be built in 1948. This is the ultimate government car. Between 1950 and 1956, only 18 more Phantom IV cars were built.
The End of Hand-Built Cars
The 1961 Rolls-Royce Phantom V James Young Touring Sedanca represents the end of an era in the most beautiful way. Made from 1959 to 1968, only 11 Sedancas were built by James Young on the Phantom V frame. This makes it truly rare. This car is one of just four right-hand-drive touring limos. It serves as an important ending to the legendary work of custom designer A.F. McNeil.
The 1972 Phantom VI Mulliner Park Ward State Landaulette has a special claim to fame. It’s the only left-hand-drive Phantom VI State Landaulette ever built. From 1960 to 1991, Rolls-Royce made two different styles of convertible tops. The shorter design had manually operated tops. The longer State or Ceremonial version had much more complex electric opening systems. These ceremonial cars were made mostly for royalty and world leaders. They represent the ultimate in diplomatic luxury cars. The engineering needed to make that huge roof section work smoothly while keeping the car strong is really impressive.
The Modern Era
The Phantom VII Coupe brings modern craftsmanship into this historic gathering with serious style. Made from 2006 to 2016, only about 550 were built.
The star of this century-long collection is the 2023 Rolls-Royce Phantom VIII Platino. It was introduced as part of the eighth-generation Phantom Series II update in 2022. Limited to just 10 cars worldwide, the Platino celebrates smart design through rare materials and elevated craftsmanship. This pushes custom boundaries into completely new territory. The interior features silk woven with complex patterns. This offers a soft, glowing texture that truly redefines what modern luxury materials can do. Power comes from a 6.8-liter twin-turbocharged V12 engine making 563 horsepower and 664 lb-ft of torque.
Inside, you’ll find hand-stitched leather, rich wood, and the amazing Starlight Headliner that turns the ceiling into your own planetarium. The attention to detail is incredible. Each interior represents hundreds of hours of individual craftsmanship. The level of customization available today would have been impossible to imagine when that first Phantom rolled out in 1925.
A Living Legacy
This amazing gathering represents far more than car history appreciation. Each Phantom generation shows the social, cultural, and tech changes of its time while keeping those core principles established nearly 100 years ago. From the handmade style of pre-war cars to today’s digital luxury, these eight generations show how true craftsmanship adapts without losing its basic character. The fact that all eight generations can stand together and still look like a family speaks to the strength of the original design. Rolls-Royce’s “Post Opulence” design approach focuses on personal luxury over flashy display.
This celebration at Pebble Beach provides the perfect backdrop for showing how car artistry can stay relevant across an entire century while continuously pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in luxury transportation. [1 sentence]
The post A Century of Phantom: Eight Generations Unite for Rolls-Royce’s Historic Pebble Beach Celebration first appeared on Yanko Design.