• This Rolls-Royce sedan is as hugely imposing as its NBA superstar original owner.
  • It’s one of three cars bought on a whim when the salesman challenged Shaq on whether he could actually afford a Rolls.
  • The first generation of Rolls-Royce built under BMW ownership, it offers immense luxury.

One of the greatest basketball players of all time, four-time NBA champion Shaquille O’Neal was one of the most formidable centers in the game. That doesn’t mean he never got outplayed.

To hear him tell the story, during his stint playing for the Lakers, he wandered into a Rolls-Royce dealership dressed casually in sweats. In his words, “I like to spend money, but I don’t like to waste money. I don’t want to spend $400,000 for a car.” Thus, every time the salesman tells him the price for a particular Roller, O'Neal waves him off.

Finally, the salesman asks, “You’re asking about all these cars—can you afford them?” Riled up, Shaq buys three Rolls-Royces on the spot. Heck of a flex by the NBA player, but not a bad move by the salesman, who gets to pocket a triple-Rolls commission.

One of that trio of Rolls-Royces just turned up at Bring a Trailer (which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos): a 2004 Phantom sedan in glossy silver. Yes, the driver’s seat goes back, way back, but this Roller is going to set you back far less than O’Neal’s impulse purchase.

This was the debut model year for the Phantom VII, the first Rolls-Royce of the BMW ownership era. Like Shaq, much of this generation of Rolls-Royce’s curb presence comes from its sheer size; the sedan was longer than a Ford Excursion when it launched.

Power came from an enlarged version of the BMW 750’s V-12, here displacing 6.75 liters. Peak power was 453 horsepower, but a more subtle motivating force was the 531 pound-feet of torque. Almost 400 pound-feet was available from just 1000 rpm, fed through a smooth-shifting six-speed automatic, giving the Phantom a driving experience less like a luxury sedan and more like a Cunard cruise liner.

Add in coach doors with integrated umbrellas, self-righting Rolls-Royce center-caps on the wheels, and a retractable Spirit of Ecstasy on the massive hood, and this generation of Phantom is plenty imposing. It’s even better on the inside, with acres of walnut trim, buttery leather, and deep-pile lambswool carpets. Other faintly ridiculous amenities include rear picnic tables and six-zone climate control.

Shaq says he barely drove his three Rolls-Royces, although this example now has 45K miles on the odometer. That means there’s still plenty of luxurious life ahead, along with a great story about the day somebody scored on Shaquille O’Neal.

The auction ends on November 3.