The residents of Plymouth, Devonshire, UK woke up the other day to find a Rolls-Royce Phantom swimming in a public pool. The company was called upon to comment on the incident and explained that it was just its idea of a celebrating a 100th anniversary.
The whole story is a nod to the popular urban legend concerning Keith Moon, the infamous drummer of the London rock band The Who. Moon, who was known for his eccentric antics and explosive personality, allegedly sank his Rolls-Royce in a hotel swimming pool while celebrating his 21st birthday.
The evidence of the incident is incomplete and contradictory. Some claim it was a Chrysler, not a Rolls-Royce. Others insist it was a Lincoln Continental. Others still go as far as to claim that it was, in fact, a Rolls-Royce, and that it belonged to none other than John Lennon.
Whatever it was, the mental imagery of this purported incident proved so strong that multiple musicians and celebrities proceeded to reference it. For example, Be Here Now, a music album by Oasis, had a Rolls swimming in a pool for cover. Even Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson did something similar in one of the episodes of his show.
Replicating the late Moon’s infamous stunt, Rolls-Royce mounted the car on a special platform to keep the water level safely at the door handle level.
The first Phantom sedan was introduced in 1925. It wore the name “New Phantom”, which was a bit confusing because there was no “Old Phantom” preceding it. All production initially took place in Derby, UK, with a second assembly line launching in Massachusetts, U.S. a year later. With the advent of Queen Elizabeth II, the Phantom was officially elected to be Her Royal Majesty’s vehicle of choice. It proceeded to gain the reputation of a celebrity ride, used by numerous media personalities ranging from Elton John to Snoop Dogg.
