The Rolls-Royce Phantom occupies an unrivalled position at the very apex of not only automotive luxury, but the luxury sphere as a whole. François Oosthuizen jets off to the French Riviera for a rendezvous with the new, refined Series II.
With a proud legacy that dates back to 1925 when the very first Phantom I launched a new tradition in the upper echelon of the luxury automotive sector, the Phantom went on to become Rolls-Royce’s crowning glory, symbolising everything that bespoke excellence is about. Eight generations of the car and almost a century later – with several iterations over the years marking the Phantom’s remarkable evolution – the new Series II (Phantom VIII), with its light-touch visual and aesthetic enhancements, reinforces the model’s long-standing and deserved notoriety.
Says the debonair and eloquent CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Torsten Müller-Ötvös, “As our pinnacle product, Phantom 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.”
He continues, “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.”
And so, here I am, finding myself among journalists from the world’s leading luxury media to enjoy a rare encounter with the new Rolls- Royce Phantom Series II in the south of France. The setting on the glamorous Cote d’Azur couldn’t be more apt.
Our home for the next few days is the newly opened Maybourne Riviera (from the same stable as Claridge’s, The Connaught and The Berkeley in London, and The Maybourne Beverly Hills in Los Angeles), perched on a rocky peninsula high above the picturesque French town of Roquebrune-Cap-Martin. Naturally, there are views galore: Italy to the west, a sparkling Mediterranean Sea stretching out in front of the hotel, and Monaco to the east.
Unbeknownst to many, the French Riviera has been associated with Rolls-Royce since the first part of the 20th century, when the Côte d’Azur established itself as the favoured haunt of actors, artists, musicians and other wealthy luminaries of the Belle Epoque. There is also a potent historical resonance for the company: In 1912, Sir Henry Royce built a villa, La Mimosa, in the village of Le Canadel, where he subsequently spent every winter until his death in 1933.
During our stay, a fleet of Phantom Series IIs is lined up to chauffeur guests around to enjoy curated experiences; those that signify a privileged and enviable Rolls-Royce kind of lifestyle.
To mark the introduction of Phantom Series II and to illustrate Rolls-Royce’s bespoke features, the marque created a new 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 that began in 2015 with the launch of Serenity with a hand-painted, hand-embroidered silk interior.
Heralding the next step in this significant journey, Phantom Platino introduces materials other than leather, embarking on an area of exploration for Rolls-Royce and a move that demonstrates a greater acceptance of alternative interior upholstery. Thus, while the front seats of the Platino are finished in fine Rolls-Royce leather, those in the rear are upholstered in fabric.
Rolls-Royce has also created 10 Phantom “Exemplars” across what they call “the poles of luxury” to provide the ultimate blank canvas for bespoke commissions – each reflecting a different aspect of what Phantom can be to its prospective owner. Each has its own very different and distinctive character, based on the automaker’s deep knowledge and understanding of its customers’ needs, demands and personality traits. The cars cover the full spectrum – from the youthful, subversive and rebellious Maverick to the refined and exquisite Connoisseur.
One of the excursions takes me to the Fondation Maeght, home of one of Europe’s largest private collections of modern art, and the picturesque 1,000-year-old town of Saint-Paul de Vence, which is set majestically on the crest of a hill and known for its connection to the most revered artists of the 20th century (think Matisse, Chagall, Renoir, and Modigliani). I am chauffeured-driven in The Extrovert.
According to Rolls-Royce, “Many Phantom owners are actors and entertainers performing at the top of their game and revelling in living amid the full glare of publicity. In The Extrovert, we demonstrate Phantom’s bold, outgoing and charismatic side – a motor car designed to attract attention and provide its owner with a vibrant cocoon from which they can step confidently back into the spotlight.”
Sure enough, attention it attracts. With its unusual shade of plum and snow-white interior, The Extrovert is a head-turner. During stops, it would attract people like magnets for a photo opportunity. It’s a glamorous ride in the back, too. Everything you would expect from a Ghost. As for the experience itself, I am reminded of the famous advertising copy line penned by the legendary David Ogilvy: “At 60 miles an hour, the loudest noise in this new Rolls-Royce comes from the electric clock.” Except, of course, the clock is no longer electric.
So, what exactly is new in the Series II, you wonder? As it turns out, not a great deal, but significant enhancements all the same. In line with clients’ expressed wishes, Phantom Series II incorporates only minor aesthetic enhancements. As Rolls-Royce puts it: “It is not about what should be changed, but in fact, what should be preserved and protected.”
The most obvious and important feature to be retained is Phantom’s commanding presence. This has been further accentuated by a new polished horizontal line between the daytime running lights above the Pantheon Grille. This gives the car 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, while 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.
Meanwhile, the Phantom’s side profile retains Rolls-Royce’s signature short front and long rear overhang, long wheelbase and broad C-pillar, the latter 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 side profile has been further enhanced with a suite of new wheels. The 3D milled stainless steel wheel with triangular facets is available to be commissioned in a fully or part-polished finish. Alternatively, Phantom may be graced with a truly elegant disc wheel, recalling the romance of ’20s Rolls-Royce motor cars. This disc wheel is produced in both polished stainless steel and black lacquer, perfectly encapsulating the sense of flight on land.
Responding to Phantom clients who have previously requested a darkened chrome grille surround, black bonnet reins, windscreen surround and side frame finishers, these may now be commissioned.
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 ever-increasing number of clients wishing to be in the driving seat themselves. For those preferring to command the road from the rear seat, the Phantom Extended offers a definitive super-luxurious chauffeur-driven experience.
Catering to a younger, tech-savvy generation of Rolls-Royce buyers, the Phantom also now includes the Rolls-Royce Connected feature, which enables the driver to send an address directly to the car from Whispers, the Rolls-Royce private-members’ app, 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.
As the marque’s pinnacle product, Phantom attracts an elite stratum of Rolls-Royce clients. Established and successful, at the top of their field and often in the public eye, these are determined and demanding people. It is no coincidence that Phantom attracts the most ambitious and challenging bespoke commissions ever undertaken by Rolls-Royce.
Whether you are driving the new Phantom or being chauffeured, one thing is certain: You have arrived.
This story first appeared in the August 2022 issue of Prestige Singapore
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François Oosthuizen
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