Rolls-Royce is getting ready for its first fully electric production model – the Spectre – but that doesn’t mean it won’t be updating the rest of the range, including the Phantom flagship which has just made its spy debut. The lightly camouflaged prototype is hiding subtle design changes for the facelifted Phantom. All the body panels remain virtually unchanged, besides the grille and the headlights that will feature new graphics. We shouldn’t rule out more design changes in the bumpers that could appear later on in the development.

Likewise, the rear end retains identical styling although the exhaust pipe covers are not fitted as in the production model – again this could be an issue with this early prototype. Still, the quad exhaust pipes hiding under the bumper prove that this is an ICE-powered model, most likely with the V12. The facelifted model is expected to carry over the twin-turbo 6.75-liter V12 which currently produces 563 hp and 900 Nm of torque in the flagship. The unit could have minor updates in order to comply with emission regulations and keep it alive for more years until the forthcoming ICE-ban in many markets.

 

The current Phantom debuted in 2017 introducing the “Architecture of Luxury” all-aluminum spaceframe architecture which is also underpinning the Cullinan and the Ghost, and will soon be used by the complete Rolls-Royce portfolio. The platform has been developed with electrification in mind and it can support BEVs as noted in the announcement of the upcoming Spectre. This means that the new Phantom could also boast an electric variant in the future, although this would definitely arrive after 2024.

The mildly updated Rolls-Royce Phantom is expected to arrive this year as a 2023 model, marking four years after the introduction of the new generation. Like every Rolls-Royce, it will feature countless personalization options and boast many different bespoke editions designed to satisfy the taste of each owner. We could also see a “Black Badge” variant since those are becoming increasingly popular.