It was nearly 20 years ago when Rolls-Royce offered me a weekend loan of a then-$350K Phantom VII, one of the most rare and exclusive new cars on the planet at the time. And that weekend happened to coincide with the famous Woodward Dream Cruise. Hmmm.

For those who may not know, that unique event began in 1995 as a charity fundraiser and attracted a very surprising 250,000 participants. "Since then," its organizers say, "the Woodward Dream Cruise has grown to become North America's largest one-day automotive event, drawing nearly one million people and 40,000 classic cars annually from around the globe -- from as far away as Australia. Cruisers from all across North America caravan to Metro Detroit to participate in what has become, for many, an annual rite of summer."

The eight-lane, center-divided Woodward Avenue stretches northwest from downtown Detroit through a series of suburbs from Ferndale at the south to the city of Pontiac at the north. And that first Dream Cruise was such a hoot that it has become an eagerly anticipated annual event that begins on a mid-August Monday (no longer a "one-day" event) and builds to a Saturday dawn-to-dusk automotive orgy.

When not proudly showing off their four-wheeled (sometimes two- or three-wheeled) prides and joys in the creeping, crawling traffic jam, they park and display them and line nearly every inch of the route to party and spectate as the world's largest free car show passes in review. Except for the super-slow pace (both directions) and the development of wall-to-wall stores, bars, restaurants and other businesses along the route, it harkens back to the 1960s era of cruising drive-ins for burgers and cokes and often-impromptu - and sometimes very serious -- racing. Some summer nights back then saw people sitting along both curbs to watch.

So why not take the Rolls-Royce to the Dream Cruise to see how it would mix with the thousands of weird and wonderful rods, customs and rolling collectibles of all descriptions and see how the hordes of enthusiasts who line the famous boulevard through those Detroit suburbs would react? Would they accept, respect, reject, resent or simply ignore it as a bona fide Dream Cruiser worthy of prime Woodward real estate on that special day? We would see. I even rented a chauffer's cap from a local theater group to complete the picture.

The Phantom

The 2006 Rolls-Royce Phantom - designed and built by Germany's BMW since it purchased the rights to the storied brand in 1998 - struck me as the beautifully refined nuclear aircraft carrier of luxury cars. It was seven inches longer on a wheelbase 10.6 inches longer than the monster truck-based Cadillac Escalade ESV of the time. And, despite its high-tech aluminum space frame and lightweight body panels, nearly as heavy at 5,577 lb. Yet it's burly, BMW-based 453-hp direct-injected, DOHC, 48-valve, 6.75-liter V-12 could launch it from rest to 60 mph in just 5.7-seconds and through the quarter-mile in 14.3 seconds.

Its massive "Parthenon" grille proclaimed to all exactly what it was. Its wide rear doors opened to the front to ease ingress and exit and whispered shut electrically. Its traditional round analog clock at dashtop center flipped over to reveal a 6.5-in. screen for navigation, (BMW iDrive-type) central control functions and even live local TV. Its sumptuous full-leather interior consumed an average of 17 quality hides, its rich wood veneers were "book matched" with alternating feature and straight grains, and its carpeted floor mats were plusher than the wall-to-walls in most peoples' homes.

On the outside, its pie-plate-size center wheel caps were weighted so their big RR logos were always right-side up. Its legendary Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament, once a collectors' item for unscrupulous non-owners, retracted out of sight at the push of a button and when the car was locked.

Each new 2006 Phantom took some 260 hours (10.8 days) for skilled craftsmen to assemble, compared to 30 hours for the average new car. In 2005, 796 were sold worldwide, 382 of them in North America through 29 U.S. dealers, and one each in Canada and Mexico. Tiny as it was, that global number bested Mercedes' rival Maybach by nearly three to one. In reality, that spectacular car competed mostly with private planes, yachts and vacation homes.

Then, as now, Rolls-Royce Phantom owners are typically multi-millionaires with three or four homes and five or six other cars. Not counting royalty and heads of state, most are self-employed (famous writers, artists and athletes) or heads of privately held companies. Only about a third have names or faces we would recognize. Outside the U.S., about 80 percent of new Phantom owners custom-specified their interior materials, not unlike decorating a house. But in America at that time, barely 20 percent took advantage of that opportunity. U.S. liability lawyers and gamblers who hit a big jackpot want their new Rolls-Royces right away.

The Reactions To The Rolls-Royce

So there I was with my borrowed super-status symbol, wearing a chauffeur cap for effect, wondering how it would be received. Surprisingly well, it turned out!

Most Woodward Dream Cruise gawkers are hard-core car guys and gals, and most know what a Rolls-Royce is and what it means. First, their jaws dropped in amazement. They could watch all day and night and not see another new Phantom among the many thousands of classic, specialty, sports and exotic machines parading slowly before them. They pointed it out to wives and kids and friends. Most broke into smiles, and I smiled back. Some shot photos or video. A surprising number offered enthusiastic thumbs up. Some shouted such things as, "Nice car!" A few held up flashcards with the number "10," as if judging a perfect Olympic dive.

Assuming I was the chauffeur, they strained to see who was in back...but the cavernous rear cabin was vacant behind tinted windows. "Does he know you're out here with his car?" someone yelled. One man asked, "How you doin'?" "Great," I replied with a grin. "You sure is!" he laughed back, shaking his head in amazement. One driver in the next lane stared at the Rolls until he bumped smack into the car in front of him. No damage, luckily. Perhaps the best reaction came from a group of 30-something women in a row of folding chairs. They hooted and hollered while one flashed a "10" sign and another announced through a megaphone, "That's too nice for this road!"

Some fellow cruisers offered trades. One couple offered a beautiful Bentley racer replica. A tightly packed group of four golden agers and three golden retrievers offered their mid-'60s convertible decked out with "Golden Oldies" signs. They said they would throw in the dogs. I love dogs but politely declined. Two guys (probably dealers) at GM's Athens Coney Island hospitality area offered an employee discount on something new. Really?

Off the avenue, approaching the toney Townsend Hotel in the upscale suburb of Birmingham, I watched the valets' eyes light up, then drop in disappointment as I cruised on by (That felt cheap but strangely satisfying.) I used the wonderful and very necessary front and rear park distance sensors and cameras to maneuver the Rolls into a tight parking spot. A woman with a European accent asked to take a picture of it. I took her picture taking the picture. A man inquired about the color, a medium brown called dark sable that was once reserved for England's royalty. An SUV-load of teens slowed to oggle and shout, "Nice ride!" and some other youthful superlatives I'd never heard before. Two guys said it reminded them of the evil killer car in the movie "The Car."

The next day, my wife and I docked the Rolls in a discount house parking lot for a few minutes of shopping. Upon our return, some folks took our pictures through the windshield. Guess they'd waited to see what multi-millionaires look like. Guess we disappointed them.

That $351K Phantom - actually $328,750 plus $19,000 worth of options and a $3,000 federal gas guzzler tax -- achieved a surprising 16 mpg for the weekend, which included some 180 miles of high-speed freeway running. It had posed for a lot of pictures and had brightened a lot of days, including mine. I had to return it the next day. Also, the chauffeur's cap. Sigh

What Detroit Thought Of A $350,000 Rolls‑Royce On Woodward