The Rolls Royce marque needs no introduction. Cars bearing the ‘RR’ badge have been providing exemplary service to royalty, captains of industry, and the rich & famous since the early 20th century.

This mantle of service, and the corresponding wealth of heritage, now rests in the pragmatic hands of BMW. While an all new Rolls Royce factory still resides in the UK, ownership has been with the Germans since 1998, and BMW since 2003. The car you see here is the first car developed solely under BMW’s control – albeit designed by Englishman Ian Cameron. He seems to have risen to the challenge, and pulled off the unmistakable look of a Rolls Royce while also bringing the car into the 21st century.

In September 2008, Rolls Royce expanded its worldwide dealerships to 82 with its latest addition in the heart of the Indian Capital. Rolls Royce and India share a long and fruitful history with the Indian royalty being one of the luxury car makers’ largest customers in the early 20th century. The Delhi showroom is their second in the country – after 50 years, Rolls Royce returned to India in 2005 with a dealership in Mumbai.

So if you have the means, which would need to be considerable to say the least, and the inclination, then one of the 10 or so Rolls Royce Phantoms assigned to the Indian market each year could be in your (almost certainly) vast driveway.

The Phantom is truly massive – it absolutely dwarfs everything else on the road. The front grille is fittingly large and fantastically imposing – let’s just say you wouldn’t exactly enter into an argument with whoever’s behind the wheel of this car. Surprisingly, despite its size, the Phantom has a drag co-efficient of just .38. I would have thought just the grill alone would annihilate (or, being a Rolls, gently disburse) the air molecules it comes in contact with as it storms down the road, but such a low drag co-efficient suggests that it simply slices through the air.

The Phantom has been accused by some of looking a little over the top, but to me it just looks incredibly impressive and very stately indeed. And boy does it draw a crowd. In fact, you can hear people speculating on how much they think it costs – inflating the price three times over as they look on in amazement.

Even the wheels on the Phantom are massive at 21 inches – a wheel diameter that even rap stars would be happy with. Yet, it’s the small things that completely win you over – the way the RR badge on the wheels always stay upright; the evocative, delicate and legendary ‘Spirit of Ecstasy’ hood ornament; the multiple Rolls Royce badges and emblems that invoke a sense of awe and admiration; the chrome door handles that meet in the middle of the suicide doors – or as Rolls Royce calls them, coach doors. Even the paint is exquisite, it takes just one look at the car to be in no doubt that it really does receive five coats of primer, paint and clear coat – other cars look almost unfinished in comparison, or at least like they have a matte finish instead. And, of course, you can choose between a mind boggling 44,000 different shades of paint – just that in itself should take about a week or so once you’ve actually decided to buy a Rolls.

Climb into the rear seat, which is a throne finer than any other you’re likely to experience, and you’re transported into an entirely different world where leather is softer than a baby’s bottom, where you’re surrounded by different types of wood hand picked and crafted to absolute perfection – it’s literally like being in a parallel universe with you at the center of it. If this is what it feels like to be a dictator or monarch, I’ll take it thank you very much.

Should the valet, butler or chauffeur forget to close the door for you, shudder the thought, you simple have to extend your index finger to press a button and its done. Here again, there’s so much to feast your eyes on, such as the chrome plungers that open and close the AC vents or the art deco roof light – everything is exquisite to look at, and fine to the touch. Every button, switch or knob makes a satisfying sound, and has an engineered feel – even the clicking of the umbrella as you insert it back in the door is satisfying (if those kinds of things do in fact satisfy you). You won’t find a hard surface or a sharp edge anywhere in the cabin – the attention to detail is truly extraordinary.

The rear hinged doors open generously and provide easy access to the cabin. The high roof and flat floor, covered in some 6-inch thick carpets of the finest wool, ensure that you remain dignified during ingress and egress. However, since the rear seat is set quite far back to ensure absolute comfort and provide some privacy, it does require a step or two when getting in and our of the car. And the front seats are no less inviting, with a stunning and elegant dashboard laid out in front of you – the shell of which is built from a single piece of cast magnesium to ensure that there are absolutely no squeaks or rattles whatsoever.