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Rolls-Royce Phantom celebrates decade of decadence

Ten years ago, Rolls-Royce opened its Goodwood manufacturing facility and handed over the keys to the very first Phantom. Back then, parent company BMW was cranking out Phantom sedans at the blistering pace of one unit per day. By the end of 2003, that number had tripled, and today, the Goodwood plant builds a total of 20 Phantoms in sedan, coupe, drophead and extended-wheelbase models during a single day's working hours. Originally, there were fewer than 400 workers on staff responsible for hand-building the big cruisers, but now the plant boasts over 1,400 craftsmen, with 100 of those positions added in 2012 alone.
Rolls-Royce boasts one of the lowest staff turnover rates of any brand in the industry, thanks in part to a successful apprenticeship and internship program, and the company notes 80 percent of its workers live within 15 miles of the facility. You can read the full press release on the 10th anniversary of both the Phantom and the Goodwood plant below.

'Most expensive safety deposit box in the world' has a Rolls-Royce ferry

Ultra-high-end security and storage company International Bank Vaults (IBV) has several locations around the world, but as of next week, none will be more exclusive than the London branch. IBV is set to open a new vault with what's claimed to be the most expensive safety deposit boxes in the world. With price come perks, however, including a personal Rolls-Royce Ghost chauffeur to take customers to and from the vault. According to The Guardian, IBV, owned by South African millionaire Ashok Sewnarain, decided to open the new vault as a response to rapidly increasing demand for private wealth storage from the world's richest people. “We wonÂ’t deal with millionaires," managing director of the new facility Sean Hoey said. "We will be dealing only with billionaires.” For the top tier of the rich, a full room can be rented out for about $3.3 million per year. On a much lower scale, the cheapest available safety deposit box will cost about $785 to rent per year. Those boxes are pretty small, however, at about two inches high, 6.3 inches wide, and 19.3 inches deep. Hoey says it's enough space to store jewelry or "a fair few gold bars."  At this location, when the customers need to deposit or withdrawal spare gold bars in between polishing sessions, a chauffeur will arrive in a Rolls-Royce Ghost for proper luxury transportation. To get to the underground vault, two door people will take clients through fingerprint and iris scans. The vault itself is secured from theft attempts by steel lining in the walls, ceiling, and floor. Read more and see photos of the building on The Guardian. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Rolls-Royce rolls out more powerful Ghost V-Specification

With the release of the 624-horsepower Wraith fastback, Rolls-Royce proved that its 6.6-liter V12 engine could produce significantly more than the 563 horsepower it offers in the Ghost. But those looking for an extra dose of power yet still want the extra two doors - and have the six-figure price of admission to burn - will be delighted by the release of the Ghost V-Specification.
Although Goodwood has yet to put out a press release, its consumer website already has all the details we could want: the engine has been upgraded to 593 horsepower (to sit in between the base Ghost and the more powerful Wraith), driving the rear set of 21-inch two-tone alloys. Buyers will be able to choose from white, grey or three shades of black (or pick an existing color from the catalog), with a hand-painted coachline incorporating the same V-Specification emblem you'll find inside, where you'll also find unique piping and top-stitching, a custom dashboard clock, special treadplates and more.
Buyers will also be able to order their V-Specification Ghost in either standard or extended wheelbases at a price that's expected to, like the engine's output, bridge the gap between the more sedate Ghost and the more powerful Wraith. We're looking forward to seeing it in person at the Geneva Motor Show in a few months, but for now you can scope out the images in the gallery below and play with the configurator tool on the Rolls-Royce website.