From Auto Driver To Rolls Royce Owner: Here's His Inspiring Story
It isn't common to see people buying Rolls Royce Phantoms, due to how exclusive and expensive it is to own one. In comparison, we see more Ghosts on our roads. You will hardly expect to find the Rolls Royce flagship sedan in a small town or village. Believe it or not, this has now happened. Sathya Shankar, the creator of the iconic 'Bindu Jeera Masala Soda' has just bought a brand-new Phantom. The 11.3 Cr car will now have its home in Puttur, a small town in Karnataka.
Sathya Shankar's New Rolls Royce Phantom
Sathya Shankar has chosen an elegant exterior colour for his Phantom. The interior is finished in a shade of Burgundy. He shared a picture of him taking delivery of the car, together with his wife. Another post by the Instagram page Automobili Ardent shows Karnataka's newest Phantom in more detail. As suggested by these, the vehicle has a sill plate that reads ' Specially ordered for Sathya Shankar K'.
Rolls Royce Phantom VIII: A Closer Look At It
It was in 2018 that Rolls Royce launched the Phantom VIII in the Indian market. The flagship sedan is available in two forms- Standard Wheebase (SWB) priced at 9.5 Crores, ex-showroom and the Extended wheelbase (EWB) with a base price of 11.35 crores, ex-showroom.
The SWB form has an overall length of 5.7 metres while the EWB spans around 6 meters (5,982 mm) in length. The wheelbase here is a massive 3,772 mm.
The Phantom VIII is built on an all-new aluminium spaceframe platform that has increased rigidity and is significantly lighter. The company claims it to be 30% more rigid than the predecessor. The same platform forms the base of the Cullinan as well.
This modern architecture has also helped in improving the ride quality and refinement levels. Despite having a massive 6.75-litre, twin-turbo, V12 engine under its hood, the eighth generation Phantom is one of the quietest Internal combustion (IC) engined cars in the world.
The twin-turbo, V12 petrol engine is capable of producing 571hp at 5,000rpm and 900Nm at 1,700rpm, and comes mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox.
Rolls Royce offers a wide range of bespoke customisation options on the Phantom. The sedan comes with the 'Gallery'- a single piece of fixed glass that spans the width of the dashboard and can be customised. If you are ultra-rich, you can commission art of your favourite artists on this, or choose from a composition that Rolls-Royce already has on offer.
This glass panel has made its way into the Series II Cullinan as well. Owners reportedly love this element and the opulence it embodies.
The cabon also offers a lot of equipment, customisation opportunities, and luxury. You get the likes of a Starlight roof, a champagne chiller and flutes, buttons to open and close the doors, high quality entertainment systems and and a super-impressive insulation.
Sathya Shankar's Inspiring Journey
Shankar had an extremely humble beginning- as an autorikshaw driver in Bengaluru. His ambitious nature made him pay off his Auto's loan nd upgrade to an Ambassador. By 1987, he forayed into the automotive garage industry and opened a tyre dealership.
In 2002, he conceived the idea of Bindu Jeera Masala Soda, a unique beverage inspired by the Indian drink made from cumin seeds. SG Corporates, his company, found immense success with the product and the 'once an autorikshaw driver' soon became the beverage baron. Sathya Shankar's story continues to be an inspiration for many...