REFRESHED: 2013 Rolls Royce Phantom

[1985Jetta]

Almost nothing about that car appeals to me. I don't quite know how to describe it. Just seems... contrived.

This.

[justanotherusername]

That's not what I said

You said it was a BMW. If that's not what you mean, then clarify instead of leaving us guessing.

[jrmcm]

You said it was a BMW. If that's not what you mean, then clarify instead of leaving us guessing.

I said it's a BMW, I didn't say it was a reskinned 7 series

[emmettlodge]

Yes

Don't be obtuse.

No.

[Impeccable]

People keep saying you pay for the image, this car actually has alot of hand workmanship that goes into it.

Its no VW Passat or mass market luxury mobile

[Professor Gascan]

Who hated the round lights? Loved the round lights. Not that it's "anonymous" looking now, but it somehow looks bland-ish headon.

Guilty. Everything else on the front end of the car was drawn with a T-Square, then boom, Compass rocks a circle in there for no reason!

[justanotherusername]

I said it's a BMW, I didn't say it was a reskinned 7 series

And you still haven't clarified anything. It's NOT a BMW and more than a Mini is. It's a Rolls.

[jrmcm]

A Mini is also a BMW

[rynodyno312]

A Mini is also a BMW

So a Lamboghini is a VW? A Rang Rover is a Tata?

[jrmcm]

So a Lamboghini is a VW? A Rang Rover is a Tata?

Yes.

Don't forget Jag.

[jrmcm]

Ok I'll stop if you guys are gonna get sensitive.

[B3passatBMX]

I always forget how enormous these are till you pass one. They're the size of a midsize truck.

[justanotherusername]

I always forget how enormous these are till you pass one. They're the size of a midsize truck.

230 Inches long and about the same weight too. Edmunds lists the 2013 at almost 5800lbs.

[J-Tim]

Hmm, part of me realizes how nice that actually is, but the part that doesn't think feels that for the price there should be some ultra sonic automated climate system even though that would be less luxurious. You've got to respect Rolls Royce for going with the less impressive, but nicer option.

Yup, the whole idea is to keep things as simple as possible. No fancy flappy paddles, no different suspension options, just "Park", "Drive" and "Reverse" modes.

All the sophisticated electronics and gadgets are behind the scenes, where IMO they belong in a real luxury car.

[Avus]

All the new cars need to add LED strips to show potential buyers "I am a new car". And this "refresh" is mainly for this...

[J2G]

I don't know if I'd call the Phantom sophisticated, I think it's just built fantastically with amazing materials. It's a car you have to "feel" to appreciate, rather than reading stats IMO.

[J-Tim]

All the new cars need to add LED strips to show potential buyers "I am a new car". And this "refresh" is mainly for this...

Main reason for adding LED lights is so to conform with new EU standards for daytime running lights. All new cars have got them.

[woofster]

I don't know about all of you guys but I like it.

[Pool Runner]

truthfully I haven't seen one of these in probably two years, almost forgot RR still existed let alone this car. And this is living in a town where Lamborghini, new 911, random F cars and S, E, G-wagon sightings are a daily occurrence.

[PowerDubs]

All I know is you can set different temperatures between the top vents and the bottom vents that go to your feet, kinda neat

Is this not common? My VW does this. I would think many modern cars do.




- Josh

[a2a4raddo]

I'd like to see the rear seat

[2.0T_Convert]

I always forget how enormous these are till you pass one. They're the size of a midsize truck.

Looks better in person too. I always do a head snap when I spot one.

[shaykes]

I've seen them before. It puts me to sleep. Exquisite materials packed in a completely unimaginative box which excels at impressing people you don't know.

I know, I know... Here come all of the completely subjective buzzwords that drive people batsh!t crazy, but for me it's true. Vintage Rolls exude style, sophistication, imagination, grace. To me, this is a better equipped and more expensive Camry. An appliance the same, just for the wealthy.

Well you must be totally narcoleptic in your cx-9, I seriously doubt you have seen a phantom on the road rolling in real life, nothing about the car is sleepy, it exudes style and presence like no other car in recent memory and it looks much better than any of the RR's since the silver cloud of the 50s and 60s.

[HaterSlayer]

Regardless.....I liked the round lights better..

I agree. It wouldn't stop me from buying one, but the front looks a bit more bland now. I'm sure you'll still be able to spot them from a mile away though.

I personally LOVE the Phantoms and would buy one if I hit the power ball. So comfy.

[AKADriver]

Well you must be totally narcoleptic in your cx-9, I seriously doubt you have seen a phantom on the road rolling in real life, nothing about the car is sleepy, it exudes style and presence like no other car in recent memory and it looks much better than any of the RR's since the silver cloud of the 50s and 60s.

"exudes style and presence"... such meaningless words.

It only does that because you know it costs a lot of money. If someone built a $25k car with the exact same body shape, it'd be the dullest, most unimaginative faux-luxury bauble on the planet.

Yes, they're still built well and much by hand and all that's fine. I'm just not impressed with anything beyond that. It looks boring. Not sophisticated; sophistication implies an appreciation for design, a ceertain artfulness and grace. This isn't graceful, it's a vulgar block of granite.

[Vwgeist]

Its weird, I was just driving one of these today. Loathed it for a few reasons.

The very high beltline and enormous shape/long hood made it very nerve racking to drive on the street. Just waiting to get smacked by a Kia. Also, it has this big, skinny steering wheel like a 70's luxo-barge and lock to lock takes ages. Its like driving an old british man around town. Rich and lumbering.
The interior reminded me of starbucks bathroom, wood, soft lighting and brushed metals, not my thing. Also, its has this goofy "reserve power" gauge

What I can tell you is that for the money, a Maybach is more handsomely styled, drives/feels better and is much more comfortable. Feels rich and modern, like being in a jet.

[IridiumB6]

Is this not common? My VW does this. I would think many modern cars do.




- Josh

What, Really? What kind of VW is it?

[r_fostoria]

I've seen them before. It puts me to sleep. Exquisite materials packed in a completely unimaginative box which excels at impressing people you don't know.

I know, I know... Here come all of the completely subjective buzzwords that drive people batsh!t crazy, but for me it's true. Vintage Rolls exude style, sophistication, imagination, grace. To me, this is a better equipped and more expensive Camry. An appliance the same, just for the wealthy.

Really? I think the Phantom was the model that returned Rolls Royce to its roots. In the 60s they made great cars, but the 80s models were getting pretty lackluster and the 90s were just painfully dull retirement-mobiles. The Phantom was a breath of fresh air and made ultra luxury cool again.

I mean, look at this thing. White wall tires, really? It's like a really expensive Buick Century.

[a2a4raddo]

"exudes style and presence"... such meaningless words.

It only does that because you know it costs a lot of money. If someone built a $25k car with the exact same body shape, it'd be the dullest, most unimaginative faux-luxury bauble on the planet.
.

I disagree, the car has a ton of road presence. And if someone built a 25k clone, it would also have a ton of road presence. The size helps, so does the attention to detail when up close.

[MylesPH1]

What I can tell you is that for the money, a Maybach is more handsomely styled, drives/feels better and is much more comfortable. Feels rich and modern, like being in a jet.

Seeing as we're discussing opinions, I'll just say a Maybach looked to me like someone took a perfectly nice S-class and screwed it up with tacky adornments. And I love big Mercedes, but Maybach never got it right, and buyers agreed by not buying enough of them to keep Maybach alive.

I got to drive a Phantom a few times, it was a pretty easy car to glide along in. Their size gives them presence, but I'll miss the round headlights - the new front reminds me more of a bad Chrysler 300 limo conversion for some reason.

[r_fostoria]

"exudes style and presence"... such meaningless words.

It only does that because you know it costs a lot of money. If someone built a $25k car with the exact same body shape, it'd be the dullest, most unimaginative faux-luxury bauble on the planet.

Hmm, the Chrysler 300 is a relatively cheap car with lots of Rolls type bling in a smaller package and that car has often been praised for its style and "cool" factor even if the rest of the car was dynamically lackluster.

[volkstyle]

Waste of money.

[Vwgeist]

...I'll just say a Maybach looked to me like someone took a perfectly nice S-class and screwed it up with tacky adornments. And I love big Mercedes, but Maybach never got it right, and buyers agreed by not buying enough of them to keep Maybach alive.

You make an excellent point and I agree. The few Maybachs I have seen were actually traded in for a 6.3 or something similar. In fact, a basketball player came in last week, traded in his flat black May for two Mercs

[thetopdog]

I really want to drive one of those. I've driven just about every other modern era Rolls and I'd really like to see what that is like. I bet it's other-worldly.

I drove the Ghost a couple weeks ago and it was nice but nothing mind-blowing

Seeing pictures of a Phantom in isolation doesn't do it justice because in person they are HUGE. I swear it's as big as some SUVs. Not exactly my style but it definitely does it's job well

[Galrot]

Main reason for adding LED lights is so to conform with new EU standards for daytime running lights. All new cars have got them.

These cars (like all cars) were already offered in many countries with daytime running lights. No need to add LED lights for that.