Rolls-Royce Just Threw A Phantom Into A Pool. For Real

Rolls-Royce has never been shy about making a statement, but this time the brand took things to another level. In a stunt designed to honor the Phantom’s long-standing connection to music culture, the company lowered a prototype into a swimming pool.

While modern AI tools can create such a surreal image in seconds, this was no digital trick, with Rolls-Royce even releasing a behind-the-scenes video to prove it really happened.

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Before anyone mourns the loss of a stately machine, it’s worth noting this was a retired Phantom prototype destined for recycling. Not just any version either, but the extended wheelbase model, stretching an impressive 5,982 mm (235.5 inches). It took up nearly as much space as the pool itself.

Instead of tipping it over the edge, Rolls-Royce opted for a more careful approach. A crane placed the car on a submerged platform so the water level rose only just above the wheel centers, close to the Phantom’s real-world wading depth. In theory, even a production car might have survived such a dip, though the company wisely chose a prototype instead.

Rock-and-roll inspiration

But how does this stunt relate to the music industry? According to music lore, Keith Moon, the famously unpredictable drummer of The Who, once drove a Phantom into a pool on his 21st birthday in the 1970s. Moon later claimed the car was actually a Lincoln Continental, while guests admitted they couldn’t remember much at all. Fact or fiction, the legend inspired Rolls-Royce to revisit the tale as part of the Phantom’s centenary celebrations this year.

The location added another layer of symbolism. The Tinside Lido in Plymouth, perched beside the English Channel, served as the stage. The spot has a musical history of its own, having appeared in a Beatles photograph from 1967. That same year, John Lennon famously repainted his Phantom in bright yellow before decorating it with swirling patterns of red, orange, green, and blue.

A long musical legacy

The Phantom’s story is deeply intertwined with the music world. Over the decades, names like Duke Ellington, Edith Piaf, Sam Cooke, Elvis Presley, and Sir Elton John all enjoyed the experience of being chauffeured in the marque’s flagship sedan.

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More recently, the modern reincarnation of the Phantom became a status symbol among R&B artists, with Pharrell Williams, Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, and Lil Wayne all featuring it in their music videos, TV appearances, and album covers.

Interestingly, the British marque isn’t the first to throw a homage to Keith Moon. British band Oasis submerged a classic Phantom in a swimming pool to create the artwork of their album Be Here Now, which was released in 1997. Reports suggest the budget for that single photoshoot was £100,000, equivalent to roughly £200,000 ($270,000) today.