2005 Rolls-Royce Phantom GCC Ltd Edition

This motor car is being sold as part of an overseas collection. It has been imported from the Middle East under the Bonhams temporary admission customs bond. Car older than 30 years are subject to the lower rate 5% import tax if the car is to remain in the UK & purchased by a private individual. The 5% is calculated on the final selling price. Cars less than 30 years old will pay 10% duty + VAT 'on the hammer' plus 20% import VAT.

A company buying the car will have to pay VAT on the hammer price, as well as duty + VAT. If you plan to export the car to your location, then you will only pay tax in that country, and can ignore these fees.

The winning bidder will receive a receipt for the final hammer value, and proof that HMRC fees are paid. If the car is subsequently exported abroad within 30 days then these fees are refundable.

Lastly, there will be a nominal administration fee of £350 for removing the car from bond and generating a NOVA from HMRC, and payable direct to the shipping company. A completed and processed NOVA will provide you formal proof that all duties & taxes are paid in UK and is required to register the vehicle with the DVLA.

In common with the majority of cars in this collection, this vehicle has been on static display for a number of years and there is no history available beyond that displayed in our photography section.

We have not tried to start or drive the car, so it will require recommissioning and is sold ‘as seen’. We cannot vouch for its mechanical viability or functionality.

It is available for view and inspection at our HQ near Abingdon and we will be pleased to show the car to you and/or your appointed engineer.

This is a LHD auto 2005 Rolls-Royce Phantom ‘GCC Limited Edition’ model.

GCC is the acronym for Gulf Co-operation Council. The member states are Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE (United Arab Emirates).

Only seven examples of the GCC Limited Edition were ever built. But this one is entirely unique as, unlike the other six, its paintwork is not ‘Black Sapphire’ but a metallic, two-tone lilac-over-purple finish which has been applied at some later date.

It looks as if it should have FAB 1 number plates, Lady Penelope in the back and Parker at the wheel.

The bespoke paintwork aside, the car shares the other attributes with which the GCC editions left the factory.

Namely, ‘Cashmere’ upholstery and underdash, with black and ‘Cornsilk’ elsewhere, ‘Black Tulip’ veneers with silver inlays, and a satin metal fascia.

The VIN is: SCA1S68035UX00429.

This 2005 model-year car was bought new in December 2004 and is effectively brand-new, with only 854 kilometres to show for its 17 years of life.

The bodywork is virtually pristine, as far as we can see.

The panels are straight and even, and the panel gaps and shut lines seem entirely consistent and true.

The suicide doors (Rolls-Royce calls them ‘coach doors’) open and close with the gravity and precision of a bank vault.

The metallic lilac/pink over purple two-tone paintwork has clearly been done to a high standard and has plenty of shine and lustre to it.

The chrome and exterior trim are in excellent condition, as are the lights, lenses, badging and all exterior fixtures and fittings.

The wheels seem largely untroubled either by time or use.

Unsurprisingly, this car hasn’t covered enough miles to have picked up any significant stone chips, but there is a scuff in the centre of the rear bumper section.

All in all, it’s pretty much a brand-new car in terms of exterior condition and signs of wear.

Pretty much everything in the interior is a match for the exterior and continues the time-warp theme of a car that’s been in suspended animation since new.

All of it is, of course, the very height of luxurious opulence and indulgence. It’s really a very special place to spend some time.

The ‘Cashmere’ upholstery and dark grey carpets create, to our mind, a very attractive colour balance and help imbue the interior with a particularly classy ambience.

Needless to say of a car that’s done little more than warm up its engine, there are no creases or signs of wear anywhere. That said, the front seats could probably do with being shown a damp cloth and given a quick freshen-up.

The carpets are deep enough to steal your sandals.

The veneers on the dashboard and door cappings are as black and shiny as you could want and are free of any flaws that we can see.

The acres of tan-coloured leather are sumptuous, inviting, comfortable and cosseting.

The mats, door cards and headlining are all in fine fettle.

All the Rolls-Royce (and BMW) toggles, stops, levers, switches and buttons are as shiny and classy as the day the good folk at Goodwood screwed them down.

We can’t vouch for their operational effectiveness as we haven’t driven the car.

Even the umbrellas that should be inside the doors are still present.

There’s nothing so vulgar as a rev counter. Instead, the Ghost has a ‘Power Reserve’ meter.

It does the same thing, only differently.

As far as we can tell, everything does what it’s supposed to do. That said, you’d need to spend a week in here to have a go on all the fridges, TVs and other electrical gadgets and gizmos on offer.

The inside of the boot (which looks small compared to the rest of the car but is nonetheless massive) is excellent.

The undersides look as if they belong to a car that’s only covered 500 miles and has spent its entire life kept warm and dry inside.

Everything in the engine bay appears to be in its right and proper place.

The car doesn’t come with a service history or any records of work done beyond what is shown in the gallery.

It must be registered in the country of your choice and you will need to contact the appropriate vehicle licensing agency for instructions on how to do this.

We think this time-warp condition example is as close as you can get to a brand-new Rolls-Royce Phantom GCC Edition – but without the price tag that would have accompanied any of the seven original, brand-new Rolls-Royce Phantom GCC Edition cars.

We’re struggling to imagine how any of the other six could be in appreciably better condition than this one.

Provided that the engine and mechanicals prove to be in good working order, we think you’ll be a long time waiting to find a finer Rolls-Royce Phantom than this.

It really is quite exceptional.

We’re confident to offer this car for auction with an estimate of £70,000 - £100,000.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays 9am-5pm, to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.