A key trait of Rolls Royce over the years is that when the company updates one of its models, it prefers to do things subtly, with the car’s presence and the features it’s packing doing much of the talking. That established script has carried over to the 2023 Rolls Royce Phantom which has received a suite of new updates and an all-new Series II designation.
Phantom Styling Takes Pages From Ghost
When Rolls Royce execs said that the changes to the Phantom were mild, they were not kidding with the car looking much like it did when it is viewed from certain angles. However, look closer and some differences do begin to emerge with the iconic front grille being more upright than before and the headlights benefitting from a new laser cutting process that’s supposed to make them shimmer like the roof-mounted starliner system in the cabin. It also borrows a few traits from the smaller Ghost sedan too
Two new wheel options were also added including a flat disc style wheel that’s supposed to emulate the look seen in 1920’s era Rolls Royce models. The other one is decidedly more modern looking with stylish triangular facets giving the car a slightly sportier look. Other than those items, the rest of the look has not changed too much which is fine since Rolls designers have said in the past that the Phantom is supposed to have a timeless look in the first place.
Opulence Thy Name Is The Phantom’s Cabin
Slip inside and the interior carries over mostly unchanged which is fine with us since the Phantom is the benchmark when it comes to proper flagship luxury. The only two changes that Rolls Royce did make centered on updating the infotainment system to be compatible with the all-new Rolls Royce Connected system, and a slightly thicker steering wheel. To help things pop out a bit more, Rolls Royce made a one-off called the Platino which features bleached white accents and plenty of high-end materials.
An interesting diversion is found when you look at the seats, the front seats themselves are full leather units, but the rear seats are adorned in special high-end fabric. This odd detail was actually very common during the late brass era and even into the 1930s when the rear seats of early luxury cars were adorned in fabric versus the full leather treatment passengers get in modern luxury offerings.
Performance is unchanged but it’s important to note that The Phantom will be the last V12 powered offering left in BMW’s entire portfolio with the 7-Series pitching the twelve-cylinder as part of its recent updates. It will also be living on borrowed time, with Rolls Royce execs revealing that it plans to completely shift away from ICE-powered offerings by 2030.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.