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Phantom Series II
Five years ago Rolls-Royce introduced the eighth generation of its ultraluxurious Phantom, and the elegant automobile has been well received by the British marque’s exclusive clientele. Reps at Rolls say the latest Phantom is so good that clients asked the automaker not to make any major changes. Designers and engineers listened to their clientele and moved ahead with only slight updates and adjustments to make the 2023 Rolls-Royce Phantom Series II even better.
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Perfection No Small Thing
“We are acutely conscious of our clients’ esteem for and love of their Phantoms,” said Torsten Muller-Otvos, CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. “They felt it could not be improved; but while naturally respecting that view, we believe it is always possible, indeed necessary, to gently go further in our pursuit of absolute perfection. The subtle changes we have made for the new Phantom Series II have all been minutely considered and meticulously executed. As Sir Henry Royce himself said: ‘Small things make perfection, but perfection is no small thing.’”
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Pantheon Grille
Rolls-Royce motor cars have always been recognized by their Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornaments as well as their iconic Pantheon grilles, and this still holds true for the Phantom Series II. The grilled is now squared off for a bolder look, further emphasized by a polished horizontal line at the top that links the new daytime running lights. Like the Rolls-Royce Ghost, the Series II Phantom now features an illuminated grille for a grand presence after dark.
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Prominent Badge
With a small geometric change to the top of the grille, Rolls-Royce designers were able to give the legendary Spirit of Ecstasy and “RR” badge more prominence, especially when viewed from the front.
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Stylish Headlights
The 2023 Rolls-Royce Phantom Series II receives updated headlights that now feature a single LED light bar that aligns with the top of the grille, giving the lights a cleaner style while better tying the lights and grille together. Intricate laser-cut bezel star lights can be seen surrounding the headlights — a clear connection to the signature Starlight Headliner inside.
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New Wheels
The familiar short front and long rear overhangs that emphasize the Phantom’s long wheelbase continue for this refreshed version, giving the vehicle a stately silhouette. This side view has been enhanced with new wheel options. These include a 3D-milled stainless steel wheel with triangular facets that can be fully or partially polished, as well as a classic disc wheel reminiscent of those found on Rolls-Royces of the 1920s.
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Black Badge Styling
Rolls-Royce recently introduced the Black Badge Ghost, which gives this elegant automobile a dark and almost sinister look with increased performance to match. Although there is no Black Badge version of the Phantom (yet), the British marque is offering a similar style on the 2023 Rolls-Royce Phantom Series II that includes a darkened chrome grille surround, black bonnet reins as well as a dark finish around the windshield and side frame.
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Interior
The incredibly lavish interior of the 2023 Rolls-Royce Phantom remains primarily unchanged, utilizing the finest leather, wood and other materials in its construction. The only alteration has been to the steering wheel, which is now slightly thicker for a better driver connection.
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Rolls-Royce Connected
Speaking of connections, with the average age of a Rolls-Royce buyer among the youngest in the BMW Group (Rolls-Royce is part of the BMW Group, along with BMW and MINI), the company now offers a connection to the vehicle via the Rolls-Royce private members app called Whispers. With the app, the owner can send the address of a destination to the vehicle so the chauffer can seamlessly deliver them to the place of their choosing. Whispers also allows the owner to track the location of the vehicle, its security status and its mechanical state, with the ability to schedule servicing directly as needed.
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Bespoke — Something for Everyone
With a wide span of ages and styles among Rolls-Royce Phantom buyers, it can be difficult to create a singular vehicle that satisfies each owners’ particular automotive tastes. “Phantom has always been viewed as the ‘best car in the world’: our Bespoke capabilities mean that, for our clients, it can be the best car for their world, too,” noted CEO Muller-Otvos. To accomplish this, the Series II Phantom has been designed as a blank canvas that allows a high level of bespoke customization. To demonstrate this high level of personal customization, Rolls-Royce created the Phantom Platino to showcase both the new Phantom and the marque’s Bespoke capabilities.
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Phantom Platino
The Platino name comes from this Phantom’s color — named for the silver-white finish of the rare precious metal, platinum.
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Leather and Fabric
In a nod to the early days of Rolls-Royce, the front seats in the Phantom Platino are trimmed in fine leather while the rear seats are upholstered in fabric. This isn’t simply run-of-the-mill fabric — rear seats feature a tone-on-tone treatment using two different fabrics; one created in an Italian mill for its durable yet luxurious appearance, and another is made from bamboo fibers that provide a lustrous finish.
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Details
Throughout the rear cabin of the Phantom Platino, the fabric features a repeating pattern fashioned after the Spirit of Ecstasy. This can be seen in larger format for the seatback, while other areas of the sedan such as the upper seatback and doors use a smaller, more interesting design still based on the iconic hood ornament.
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Bespoke Clock
The same design used in the fabric can be found surrounding the dashboard clock, made from 3D-printed ceramic.
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Shooting Stars
The Platino makes special use of the Rolls-Royce Starlight Headliner, with individual LED “stars” placed in such a way to draw the eye rearward with shooting stars following this special pattern.
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Best Gets Better
“Phantom occupies an unrivalled position at the very apex of the luxury world,” noted Muller-Otvos. “As our pinnacle product, it represents the very best of Rolls-Royce design, engineering and craftsmanship — a perfect blend of vision, creativity, the finest materials, skill, patience and precision. With Phantom Series II, we have retained and carefully protected everything our clients love about this superlative and luxurious item; subtle yet meaningful enhancements reflect their evolving tastes and requirements,” concluded the Rolls-Royce CEO.
