The new Rolls-Royce Phantom will arrive in 2018

Rolls-Royce has announced that the new, eighth-generation Phantom will arrive in 2018. And here's your first look at the new luxury kingpin. Well, sort of.

RR has released this image of the aluminium shell to showcase that development on the next Phantom is making "excellent progress".

And, um, that's about it. We know that this new aluminium shell will not only underpin the next-generation Phantom, but also Rolls' upcoming SUV, currently codenamed 'Cullinan', and other 'future Rolls-Royces'.

It'll be able to house hybrid architecture, along with access to BMW's plethora of next-generation driving technology too.

Why are we talking about a new Phantom? Because earlier this year, RR announced that production of the current, seventh-generation Phantom - which arrived in 2003 - would be coming to an end this year, with a series of special edition 'Zenith' models built to commemorate it. 

That's not to say that demand has slowed with the knowledge of a new one on the way. “To paraphrase Mark Twain, reports of Phantom’s death are greatly exaggerated,” said RR boss Torsten Müller-Ötvös. “The huge level of demand for Phantom VII, which we will fulfil well into 2017, clearly demonstrates that the Rolls-Royce customer and patron of true luxury will accept no compromise when considering the purchase of a super-luxury motor car, and will not be seduced by mass-luxury brands.

"I am proud and excited to confirm that a new Phantom is on the way – and it will be a contemporary and beautiful Phantom befitting of its role as the flagship of global luxury."

Stay tuned for more info. While you're pondering on a new Phantom, have a click here to see every single generation of the luxury behemoth since the name first appeared way back in 1925...