Rolls-Royce has paid tribute to a rock ‘n’ roll legend by submerging its flagship Phantom in a swimming pool.
Across 100 years and eight generations, the Rolls-Royce Phantom has embedded itself into the world of music. Famous owners include everyone from Duke Ellington and Fred Astaire, to Elvis Presley and John Lennon.
The Phantom has endured as a symbol of music industry success and excess, leading Rolls-Royce to recreate the infamous tale of Keith Moon, drummer for The Who, plunging his Phantom into a pool.
Now part of rock folklore, the story runs that Moon was celebrating his 21st birthday at a Holiday Inn in Flint, Michigan.
While enjoying the party, Moon is said to have pushed the Rolls-Royce into the motel’s swimming pool. The drummer later claimed the car may have been a Lincoln Continental instead, with others saying no vehicle at all ended up in the water.
Perhaps the truth does not really matter, though. The idea of a submerged Rolls-Royce Phantom remains a symbol of ultimate rock ‘n’ roll extravagance.
Tinside Lido in Plymouth is, arguably, a classier location than a Michigan motel for recreating a rock legend – and dunking a Rolls-Royce Phantom EWB worth £500,000.
In collaboration with Rolling Stone magazine, Rolls-Royce placed a Phantom Series II development prototype into the water for a special photoshoot.
Moved into position by barge, and then craned onto a submerged platform, the modern interpretation is less dramatic in its execution than Keith Moon’s effort. Nonetheless, the stunt apparently led to confusion among local Plymouth residents.
Chris Brownridge, chief executive of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, said: “From the golden age of Hollywood to the rise of hip-hop, over the last 100 years, music artists have used Phantom to project their identity and challenge convention.
“Their motor cars often became icons in their own right, with a lasting place in the history of modern music.
“This enduring connection reminds us that Rolls-Royce and the extraordinary people who are part of the marque’s story are united by one ambition: to make their presence felt.”
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