{"id":36185,"date":"2022-11-16T08:00:54","date_gmt":"2022-11-16T13:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=36185"},"modified":"2022-11-16T08:00:54","modified_gmt":"2022-11-16T13:00:54","slug":"2023-rolls-royce-phantom-series-ii-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=36185","title":{"rendered":"TEST DRIVE: 2023 Rolls-Royce Phantom Series II\u2014Forget the Chauffeur"},"content":{"rendered":"

It only takes driving about three and a half feet to realize that the Rolls-Royce Phantom<\/a> is unlike every other car in existence. I\u2019ve driven plenty of Rollers before but never a Phantom. And after barely a yard\u2019s worth of driving I said out loud \u201cOh, I get it.\u201d The Phantom is a completely unique experience, one that might not be for everybody, but it\u2019s one that everyone should experience at least once in their life.<\/p>\n

Phantom Series II<\/h2>\n

For 2023, Rolls-Royce updated the Phantom but Rolls doesn\u2019t use BMW-speak, so it isn\u2019t called an LCI. Instead, it\u2019s the Phantom Series II. Some of the updates from Series I to Series II include an illuminated Pantheon grille, new headlight bezels with laser-cut starlight patterns, and an updated art gallery dashboard.<\/p>\n

In pictures, the Phantom isn\u2019t an especially pretty car but, in person, it\u2019s striking like nothing else on the road. There\u2019s something about its sheer size and imposing proportions that immediately let you know it\u2019s not like other cars. Everything about it, from the design, to the paint quality, to the materials, and even the way it sits on its wheels feels like it\u2019s another league entirely from everything else.<\/p>\n

The car I drove was especially stunning. Its breathtaking metallic green paint combined with black disc wheels was just the perfect spec. It looked elegant but also badass in a way that only a Rolls-Royce can.<\/p>\n

Like Nothing Else in the World<\/h2>\n

Once I set off, though, I realized that, despite its imposing looks and absurd levels of luxury, the Rolls-Royce Phantom isn\u2019t a snobby car. The common trope is that Phantom owners don\u2019t drive their cars, they have chauffeurs for that. However, the driver isn\u2019t the chauffeur, the Phantom is. Even as the driver, the Phantom coddles you, it wraps you in warmth and comfort, turning the chore of driving into a luxurious pleasure. There\u2019s an old expression among us automotive scribes, that good luxury cars make you feel more refreshed at the end of a long drive than you were when you started. That\u2019s only actually<\/em> true of one car\u2014the Rolls-Royce Phantom.<\/p>\n

I drove the Phantom up the same canyon road that I drove everything else on in Palm Springs. Prior to the Phantom drive, I tested the BMW X1<\/a>, the X7 M60i, the 330e, and the 760i<\/a>. In all of those cars, even the 760i, that mountain felt like work. Fun, often heart pounding work, but work nevertheless. In the Phantom, it felt so easy and effortless that it was like taking a break.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s genuinely hard to describe how smooth and supple the Phantom is over any sort of pavement. The only way I can accurately describe it is that it deletes bumps. You can see a bump in the road, watch the long, bow-like front end of the Phantom go over it, and it\u2019s gone. It takes a bit for your brain to recalibrate because you\u2019re expecting to feel the bump. But you don\u2019t. Like it never existed in the first place.<\/p>\n

Fun in an Odd Way<\/h2>\n

The Rolls-Royce Phantom isn\u2019t exactly fun to drive, in a traditional sense. Its steering ratio is incredibly slow, so it takes quite a bit of steering input to make things happen. But that\u2019s by design. Twitchy steering inputs would be uncouth, especially for a chauffeur. So Rolls wants its driver to be deliberate and almost request some steering from the car. However, once you get into a groove, it\u2019s actually shockingly accurate and easy to place.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t think that because the Phantom is pillow soft that it\u2019s a sloppy mess when you turn the steering wheel, though. It\u2019s quite the opposite. Rolls\u2019 air suspension keeps body movements in check, even when you\u2019re driving in a manner that would upset the dignitary in the back. It also has rear-wheel steering, which makes it surprisingly nimble, despite being as long as a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier and as heavy as one too.<\/p>\n

So despite its slow steering and plush ride, you can get into a rhythm with the Phantom on a twisty road and it actually becomes rather fun. All the while, you\u2019re insulated from any sort of outside noise, your hands and butt are free from bumps and vibration, and you\u2019re ensconced in leather, wood, and metal. It\u2019s fun but without any of the work of driving a sportier car.<\/p>\n

Internal Combustion Turned Invisible<\/h2>\n

Powering the Rolls-Royce Phantom is a 6.75-liter twin-turbocharged V12 engine and I honestly don\u2019t care how much power it makes because it doesn\u2019t matter. It doesn\u2019t matter because the engine completely disappears once you start moving. I\u2019ll admit it sounds kinda good on startup, from outside the car, but once you\u2019re inside, there\u2019s no physical or audible proof of its existence. Just effortless, buttery-smooth waves of instant torque. Almost like an electric car, just with more dead polar bears.<\/p>\n

Thinking about it now, though, the Rolls-Royce Phantom should be electric. The next one will be and that\u2019s good. After driving the Phantom I can say that its magnificently smooth engine is its only real weak spot. Not that it\u2019s bad\u2014it\u2019s a brilliant piece of engineering\u2014it just blends into the background and you never notice it. So why not have an electric motor that\u2019s even quieter and has more torque?<\/p>\n

Stunning Interior<\/h2>\n

Slipping into the Phantom is special. Every surface, every switch, every touchpoint is made from the highest quality materials and built to an a unbelievable standard. My car\u2019s interior spec wasn\u2019t anything special by Rolls\u2019 standard, especially when compared to the breathtaking green paint and black wheels, but that doesn\u2019t mean it wasn\u2019t gorgoues. It\u2019s still nicer than every other car\u2019s on the road, especially in terms of build quality. The wood work is incredible, the metal work feels durable and premium, and all of the tech\u2014including BMW\u2019s latest drive\u2014remains hidden until you ask for it.<\/p>\n

Not only is the Phantom easy on the body, regardless of road, but it\u2019s also easy on the mind. Screens can be hidden away, the gauges are a mix between old-school analog gauges, and even the cabin clock is analog. If you don\u2019t want modern distractions, you don\u2019t need to have them.<\/p>\n

Drive the new 7 Series and it\u2019s practically shouting at you the whole time. It\u2019s a great luxury car but there\u2019s so much tech and so many lights that it can almost be blinding. In the Phantom, there are no such distractions. Only pure, simple, old-school luxury.<\/p>\n

Owners Should Drive Their Phantoms<\/h2>\n

I spent about an hour in the Rolls-Royce Phantom II and I didn\u2019t want the journey to end. I know that most Phantom owners will have drivers to take them to and fro. However, I highly recommend you ditch your driver and do it yourself. The Phantom offers a unique driving experience that can\u2019t be found in any other car and you\u2019ll never experience that from the back seat. Forget the chauffeur, get out and drive your Phantom.<\/p>\n

\n
\n

<\/p>\n

Exterior Appeal – 9<\/h5>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Interior Quality – 10<\/h5>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Steering Feedback – 8<\/h5>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Performance – 9<\/h5>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Handling – 8<\/h5>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Specialness – 10<\/h5>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Price Point – 8<\/h5>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

8.9<\/h3>\n\n
\n

The Rolls-Royce Phantom is an incredibly unique driving experience that’s unmatched in the industry. Forget the chauffeur, drive this thing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It only takes driving about three and a half feet to realize that the Rolls-Royce Phantom is unlike every other car in existence. I\u2019ve driven plenty of Rollers before but never a Phantom. And after barely a yard\u2019s worth of driving I said out loud \u201cOh, I get it.\u201d The Phantom is a completely unique […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":36186,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-36185","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-industry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36185","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=36185"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36185\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/36186"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=36185"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=36185"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=36185"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}