Updated 2023 Rolls-Royce Phantom Series II Has the Best Wheels on Sale
The Phantom gets a host of styling updates for 2023, from a lit grille and stars in the headlights to new wheel designs and trim options.
Rolls-Royce describes its flagship Phantom sedan as the best car in the world, and now it's getting even better with a bunch of small but noticeable updates for the eighth-generation Phantom's sixth model year. Called the Phantom Series II, Rolls' typical name for facelifted models, the 2023 Phantom's new styling features were apparently directly influenced by customer desires.
I'll get the most important change right off the bat: The Phantom Series II has the best factory wheels of any car on sale, and maybe even the best wheels of any car in the past handful of decades. The 22-inch disc-style wheels are inspired by the amazing wheels of 1920s-era Rolls-Royces, and they're available in polished stainless steel or gloss black. Wheels like this have become increasingly popular, with Mercedes-AMG bringing back the monoblocks and aftermarket companies making similar dished wheels, but the Phantom's discs are by far the coolest. The flat face subtly dishes inward at the center cap, and the rim features slotted vents for brake cooling. Another awesome new wheel option are a geometric seven-spoke design that are 3D milled from stainless steel.
Seriously, these rule.
The Phantom's Pantheon grille is now illuminated from the top like on the new Ghost, and the grille has been subtly reshaped with a new horizontal chrome line at the top. Customers can now spec the grille surround, hood trim, windshield surround and side window trim in darkened chrome, a response to the popularity of the 'murdered-out' look and Rolls' Black Badge models. The top of the grille has also been reshaped to make the Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament look more prominent from the front. Another excellent update is to the headlights, which get dozens of tiny laser-cut starlights that echo the interior's starlight headliner.
More cars need illuminated grilles.
When it comes to the interior almost nothing has changed, but that's OK as the Phantom's cabin is nicer than most houses. The steering wheel has a thicker rim, there are some new color and trim options, and that's about it. But the Phantom Series II does get a new Rolls-Royce Connected service that lets owners view the car's location and status, schedule a service appointment or send a navigation route to the vehicle from the Whispers smartphone app.
The Phantom Series II will go on sale later this year, and while pricing hasn't been announced yet it should stick close to the current model's near-$500,000 starting price. Alongside the 'standard' production Phantom Series IIs, Rolls-Royce also unveiled its latest bespoke creation: the Phantom Platino, which has interior materials derived from bamboo.
