By Corina Tan
Phantom Series II
At the very core of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is the ultimate pursuit to inspire greatness. Inspiring Greatness is the guiding force from which the company’s innovation, aspirations and ongoing legacy unfolds as they continue to extend the limits of possibilities. Rolls-Royce products enjoy an expansive lifetime, ultimately becoming a timeless expression of good taste, beauty and luxurious perfection. The Phantom occupies a unique, pinnacle position in this regard.
In 2017, the eight-generation Phantom was presented, 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. Phantom’s great strength and appeal is that it allows clients to position themselves anywhere, defining luxury on their own terms. Wherever that point happens to lie, they have the assurance that Phantom itself is − technically, materially, aesthetically and dynamically − still the ‘best car in the world’.
Rolls-Royce designers and engineers considered clients requests when creating the new expression, with only the lightest of design touches, embellishments, and adaptations. With clients imploring the company not to make any major changes to an already iconic motor car, the company considered features which should be preserved and protected when incorporating the new expression.
The dark chrome grille surround of Phantom Series II.
The most obvious and important feature retained in its commanding presence has been further enhanced by a new polished horizontal line between the daytime running lights above the Pantheon Grille. This enhancement gives the Phantom a new and assertive modernity, reflecting its driver-focused character. A subtle geometric change to the Pantheon Grille makes the ‘RR’ Badge of Honour and Spirit of Ecstasy mascot more prominent when viewed from the front. The grille itself is now illuminated, a feature debuted and popularised in Ghost. The headlights are graced with intricate laser-cut bezel starlights, creating a visual connection with the Starlight Headliner inside, and adding further surprise and delight to Phantom’s night-time presence.
Starlight Headlights
Phantom’s side profile retains Rolls-Royce’s signature short front and long rear overhang, long wheelbase and broad c-pillar, the later giving greater privacy for occupants. The silhouette preserves the elegant key lines running from the Spirit of Ecstasy to the tapering rear tail. The ‘split-belt’ line begins at the front fender and curves gently towards the rear door, emphasising the car’s long dash-to-axle proportions, before falling gently towards the lantern-like rear lamps. The heavily undercut ‘waf line’ creates a strong shadow, visually signalling the marque’s unequalled ‘Magic Carpet Ride’.
3D Milling Wheel
The side profile is further enhanced with a suite of new wheels. A 3D, milled, stainless steel wheel with triangular facets is available to commission in a fully or part-polished finish. Alternatively, Phantom may be graced with a truly elegant disc wheel, recalling the romance of 1920’s Rolls-Royce motor cars. This disc wheel is produced in both polished stainless steel and black lacquer, perfectly encapsulating the sense of fight on land.
A darkened chrome grille surround, black bonnet reins, windscreen surround and side frame finishers, may now be commissioned. This aesthetic now enables Rolls-Royce to transform Phantom into the lightest of light or the darkest of dark appearances. Phantom’s sumptuous interior remains almost unaltered: the steering wheel has been made slightly thicker, providing a more connected and immediate point of contact for the owner-driver.
Phantom and Phantom Extended have distinct characters of their own, representing two different seats of power. Phantom is now predominantly favoured by the ever-increasing number of clients wishing to be in the driving seat themselves. For those preferring to command the road from the rear seat, Phantom Extended offers the definitive super-luxurious chauffeur-driven experience.
To mark the introduction of Phantom Series II and to illustrate Rolls-Royce’s Bespoke capability, the marque has created a new Bespoke masterpiece, Phantom Platino, named after the silver-white finish of the coveted and precious metal, platinum. Phantom Platino continues Rolls-Royce’s exploration into fabric interiors, a story which began in 2015 with the launch of Serenity, a truly Bespoke Phantom with a hand-painted, hand-embroidered silk interior. Heralding the next step in this significant journey, Phantom Platino introduces materials other than leather, an area of exploration for Rolls-Royce and a move that demonstrates a greater acceptance of alternative interior upholsteries.
Now, Phantom includes the debut of ‘Rolls-Royce Connected’. This enables the owner to send an address directly to the motor car from Whispers, the Rolls-Royce private members’ Application, providing seamless navigation to an event, restaurant, dealership or even the Home of Rolls-Royce itself. ‘Rolls-Royce Connected’ also displays the motor car’s location, security status and current ‘health’ condition on Whispers; at the touch of a button, the owner can contact a preferred dealership for any servicing requirements or information about the car.
(Read more: Rolls-Royce unveils a Fine Feathered Phenomena)
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.”
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“Phantom occupies an unrivalled position at the very apex of the luxury world. 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. 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.”
“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’.
(Read more: Rolls Royce Offers A Supernatural Allure)
For more information, head over Rolls-Royce Moto Cars.
