The Rolls-Royce Phantom is arguably the best-handcrafted luxury automobile in the world. Every Rolls-Royce automobile is built by hand at a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Goodwood, England. Its exceptional design and self-indulgent adornments were developed over a long history of building luxurious motorcars for the world's wealthiest clients.
The 2022 models start at $460,000 and employ a modern aluminum structure supported by an air suspension for extraordinary comfort. There are also a number of updates for the flagship Phantom. Th newest feature is the Privacy Suite, which adds an electrochromic-glass divider between the front and rear seats. There is also an intercom that allows the passengers to communicate with the driver. There are now two 12.0-inch monitors mounted ahead of the rear passengers that can mirror laptops or other smart devices, and a set of curtains provides additional privacy from those outside. However, one feature that remains the same, and which is perhaps the most unique Rolls-Royce feature, is the umbrella that is placed in the door.
UPDATED March 2022: The iconic Rolls-Royce umbrella has been reimagined with striking colors for 2022 models. Finished with a polished color-tone handle and detailed with the Rolls-Royce monogram, it makes for the ultimate everyday accessory for Rolls-Royce owners, or even hardcore car enthusiasts - if they afford it.
Here is what makes the Rolls-Royce Phantom umbrella unique and how much it costs.
The Most Expensive Umbrellas In The World
During heavy rain, a high-quality umbrella is a lifesaver. It can make the difference between arriving at a destination in a dry, presentable manner or drenched from head to toe.
A high quality rain protector is available for purchase at a number of stores or online for a very reasonable price. In 2020, The New York Times recommended the Repel Easy Touch Umbrella. The newspaper subjected the nine-rib umbrella along with 47 other models to five rounds of testing and concluded that the Repel is built to combat gale-force winds and remain sturdy in the worst downpours, as well as those that sell for twice the price.
The Repel is available in a variety of colors online for a mere $23. However, for customers with virtually unlimited funds, the Billionaire Couture Umbrella is available for a mind-numbing $50,000. Designed by the Italian menswear designer and shirting expert, Angelo Galasso, the umbrella is made from waterproof crocodile skin. If that seems a little too much, you could come down to the Swaine Adeney Brigg Men Malacca Umbrella, which is available for as little as $1,270. While these ubrellas might be fancy and impressive, it does seem a little ubsurd for an umbrella to cost that much. When it comes to the Rolls-Royce Lifestyle collection, the famous Rolls-Royce Umbrella is actually not priced as amusingly, as one might think.
The Rolls-Royce Umbrella Is A Bargain
A Rolls-Royce umbrella costs a mere $700. For the average person content with buying a good quality umbrella online for under $30, the price may seem exorbitant, but most Rolls-Royce owners would not flinch at paying this amount. On a car with a price tag exceeding $500,000, a $700 accessory is a mere drop in the bucket.
Owners may even consider the cost a bargain. Compared to the alternative luxury umbrellas ranging from $760 to $50,000, the RR version designed specifically for the Rolls-Royce Phantom is an absolute necessity for owners, especially considering the UK's uncertain weather, which is where the car is manufactured.
When Would A Rolls-Royce Owner Need An Umbrella?
Although the long, narrow form of an umbrella consumes little space, the awkward object creates several inconvenient situations for the average driver when it's either deployed or restored to its place in the car during the rain.
Leaving a wet or dry umbrella in the car’s interior interferes with passenger comfort, and placement in the trunk requires a driver to spend a minute or so under the rain while scampering back and forth to access (or store) the umbrella in the back.
Rolls-Royce owners automobiles seldom encounter these potentially rain drenching conditions for many reasons. Perhaps an umbrella for a Rolls-Royce owner is best employed when he or she gets out of the car dressed in priceless executive attire on their way to an important business meeting.
What Makes The Rolls-Royce Umbrella Unique?
Rolls-Royce takes great pride in the umbrellas it hides in its cars, calling them a “hallmark” feature of its lineup. The majestic carbon-fiber rain deflection devices slot right into the doors. A push of a button pops the umbrella out of the side door cavity with drainage points for the rainwater and warm air pumps inside that dry the wet umbrella before its owner needs to use it again. The umbrella’s length is “designed to fit the average man,” allowing the car owner to use it as a cane without the need to slouch.
The aesthetic rain shield’s deployment mechanism is activated with the slight movement of a sleeve partially up the shaft. The canopy is available in striking colors and is absent of any logo or identifying text. Only the bottom of the handle displays the famous Rolls-Royce monogram, identifying the device as a Rolls-Royce accessory. For 2022, the Rolls-Royce Umbrella is available in sex special colors: Dark Spice, Mandarin, Black, Mugello Red, Navy Blue, and Tailored Purple.
Sources: caranddriver.com, Rolls-Royce, luxurylaunches.com