‘Small things make perfection, but perfection is no small thing.’
The Rolls-Royce Phantom represents the pinnacle of automotive luxury and craftsmanship. For over a century, the esteemed marque has delivered a peerless motoring experience, securing itself at the forefront of the luxury automotive market as not only the maker of the world’s finest motorcars, but a superlative in and of itself.
Rolls-Royce has unveiled the facelift to the current-generation Phantom, the Phantom Series II. The luxury automaker has confirmed that while it strives to improve on perfection, the options and desires of its devoted clientele are of paramount importance and, therefore, the majority of the changes being made to the Phantom focus on specification and personalisation rather than reengineering what is already a feat of automotive design and development.
One of the changes to the exterior of the Phantom is the polished horizontal line between the daytime running lights and the Phantom grille, which aims to improve the presence and stature of the car. In response to clients’ recommendations, the grille can now be changed to a darkened chrome surround, black bonnet veins, and side frame finishes. Alongside that is the geometrical adjustment of the “Badge of Honour” and Spirit of Ecstasy, improving its visibility and prominence on the front end of the car. The headlights have been adjusted and now feature laser-cut bezel starlights which increase Phantom Series II’s “night-time presence”.
The side profile remains relatively unchanged, maintaining its short front and long rear overhangs with thick C-pillars. An addition to the appeal of the side profile is a set of 3D, milled, stainless steel wheels with triangular dimensions. The wheels are available to be commissioned in a fully or partly polished finish. The interior architecture of the Phantom remains the same as before, with the only changes being the addition of a thicker steering wheel and specification options.
The Rolls-Royce Phantom has been touted as a platform directed at owners wishing to have a “do-it-yourself” driving experience while the Phantom Extended offers a better driving experience for those that desire to navigate along the road from the comfort of their rear seat.
“The eighth-generation Phantom has thus been deliberately designed to offer a ‘blank canvas’ for Bespoke personalisation, capable of becoming whatever the client wishes it to be, and a true reflection of their individual style and character.”
One of the bespoke creations, Phantom Platino, introduces an interior lined with hand-painted fine textiles comprising of bamboo textures and fine silk. This is just one example of the extent to which Rolls-Royce are happy to go in order to insure that their customers are afforded the ultimate in personalisation.
Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, says, “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.”
