Rolls-Royce Phantom: the oh-so-subtle 2009 facelift

By Alex Michaelides

First Official Pictures

16 February 2009 15:23

It’s the moment the aristocracy have been waiting for: Rolls-Royce has unveiled its new, and oh-so-mildly improved, Phantom and Phantom Extended Wheelbase. Changes have been made both inside and out for 2009.

This will be the first time the stately Phantom has been properly updated since its arrival in 2003.

The new Rolls-Royce Phantom is given a streamlined front bumper and a slightly less pronounced grille. This brings it inline with the Coupe and Drophead Coupe, so that his lordship shall not feel out of vogue.

Other modifications include LED illumination for the door handles, and 21in alloys being offered as standard.  Inside, the picnic tables now get 12in monitors strapped to the back of them, and passenger controls such as the climate control and volume controls have been repositioned, so sir needn’t work so hard to operate them.

Thankfully not. Rolls-Royce raised the Phantom list price in January 2009, the range now starting at £267,950 for a regular wheelbase, stretching to £316,825.

By Alex Michaelides