Rolls-Royce has kicked off celebrations for the Phantom’s 100th anniversary with an eye-catching stunt in Plymouth, England. At the historic Tinside Lido, a Phantom was carefully placed into the swimming pool, reviving the legend of The Who’s Keith Moon, who was said to have driven a Rolls-Royce into a hotel pool in the 1970s.
The automaker avoided any risk of damage by using a crane and a specially built platform, creating a dramatic scene while preserving the car.
Rolls Royce has staged an unusual celebration to mark the upcoming 100th anniversary of the Phantom, placing one of its flagship luxury cars in a swimming pool at Tinside Lido, Plymouth.
The event paid tribute to a story from the 1970s involving The Who’s drummer Keith Moon, who was rumored to have driven a Rolls Royce into a hotel pool. Rather than risking damage, Rolls Royce craned the Phantom onto a platform specially designed within the Art Deco lido, creating the spectacle without harming the vehicle.
The Phantom has been closely linked with music culture for decades, with owners ranging from Elvis Presley and John Lennon to Elton John. Rolls Royce CEO Chris Brownridge said: “Over the last 100 years, music artists have used Phantom to project their identity and challenge convention. Their motor cars often became icons in their own right, with a lasting place in the history of modern music.”
The brand said the stunt was part of a broader effort to celebrate the Phantom’s centenary in 2025 and to acknowledge its role in popular culture. The choice of Tinside Lido, a heritage site with links to Britain’s cultural history, was intended to underscore the connection between tradition and modern identity.
By revisiting the Keith Moon legend, Rolls Royce aims to highlight both the Phantom’s heritage and its enduring appeal to new generations of artists. The company said the centenary will be marked with further events leading up to 2025.