Rolls-Royce Phantom updated with reworked grille, 1920s-inspired wheels and Bespoke Phantom Platino edition
Rolls 'gently goes further in the pursuit of absolute perfection'
Rolls-Royce has announced a range of updates for its range-topping Phantom model, giving a light refresh to the ultra-luxury saloon.
The changes to the Phantom, which was introduced in 2017, are all visual with no alterations to the car’s mechanicals, and the primary focus has been on the imposing front end.
As seen on the smaller Rolls-Royce Ghost, the Phantom’s grille is now illuminated and, with a very slight change to the shape of the grille, the Spirit of Ecstasy mascot is now more prominent than before.
Also new is the option of a darkened grille surround with the colour extending up along the bonnet, finishing with a black windscreen frame. Rolls-Royce says that the inclusion of this option on what it dubs the Phantom Series II, is in response to customer requests.
There’s also now a line of polished aluminium brightwork visually connecting the two daytime running lamps across the top of the grille.
The headlights include star-shaped laser-cut motifs to give the car a more distinctive presence at night and also to make a visual reference to the interior headlining, which has embedded strands of LED lights that twinkle after dark to give the impression of the night sky — quite a feature for those who care to look up from the reclining rear seats.
Perhaps the most eye-catching part of the facelifted Phantom are the two new sets of wheels, in particular the 22in disc-shaped versions inspired by wheels from the 1910s and ’20s, and which are available in either a polished stainless steel or a lacquered black finish.
Another more contemporary-looking set is also an option, again made from stainless steel but shaped with geometric triangular cut-outs.
Beyond those exterior tweaks aimed, the company says, at giving the Phantom “a new and assertive modernity, reflecting its driver-focused character,” there’s very little else new on the Series II with only the inclusion of a thicker steering wheel setting the interior apart from that of earlier models.
Those repeat customers who’d like their new Phantom to stand out that bit more do, however, have the option of turning to Rolls-Royce Bespoke.
Rolls-Royce Bespoke is the company’s personalisation division that specialises in one-off, low-volume and limited-run projects (such as the incredible £23m Boat Tail built by Rolls-Royce Coachbuild, a department of Rolls-Royce Bespoke).
For the Phantom Series II, Bespoke has created the limited-edition Phantom Platino that trims the rear seats in a combination of white silk and a harder-wearing material made from bamboo fibres.
The surfaces (including the armrests) are embroidered with an abstract rendition of the Spirit of Ecstasy, a design that also appears in the front around the Platino’s clock.
Rolls-Royce’s CEO, Torsten Müller-Ötvös said: “We are acutely conscious of our clients’ esteem for and love of their Phantoms. 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’.”
Related articles
- After reading about the updated Rolls-Royce Phantom, you may be interested to read about the new Rolls-Royce Spectre completing Arctic testing
- You might like to know that Rolls-Royce has redesigned the Spirit of Ecstasy for the electric car age
- Also check out our review of the 2020 Rolls-Royce Ghost
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