Rolls-Royce Phantom Series II

It is a bold car-maker that messes with an icon – and Rolls-Royce has been more than cautious upgrading one of the world's most expensive cars. In fact the changes to the Phantom Series II are so subtle that if you happened to blink, you'd miss them altogether.

While the company describes as a "striking new front end" comprises the replacement of the round auxiliary lights below the regular headlights with a rectangular shape, while the front bumper, though new, is almost indiscernibly different. The bluff front end with the trademark, blatantly un-aerodynamic grille, otherwise remains essentially the same.

More importantly, the Rolls is now fitted with full LED headlights employing "curve functionality" that uses electronically controlled reflectors to follow bends in the road, while an adaptive function regulates beam shape according to the car's speed.

Rolls-Royce claims it is the first car-maker to employ full LED headlights as standard on a production car, although it is far from being the first to use the technology. If memory serves correctly, Audi made the claim of being the first to offer LED headlights with the current A8 when it was launched in late 2010.

Speaking at the unveiling of the Series II Phantom range at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Mueller said the company is the most important luxury brand on the planet.

"Rolls-Royce is the pinnacle luxury goods trademark in the world. And to be pinnacle means we have to be exclusive and to be exclusive essentially means remaining rare, so Rolls-Royce will always remain a rare and precious drop in the ocean of luxury goods worldwide.

The company is operating profitably, with all-time record sales in 2011, when 3538 cars were delivered on global markets.

"Germany reported a doubling in sales. Our third largest market, the UK, rose 30 per cent. My very clear expectation is to report another record sales year in 2012 when our figures are published next January," he said.

Questioned on sales aspirations, Mueller said Rolls-Royce intends maintaining its "exclusive" status and does not want to sell 10,000 units per annum.

"We have no desire to become a mass luxury brand with five-figure annual sales volumes. Our customers likewise have no interest in seeing Rolls-Royce in every street corner and in every supermarket parking lot," he continued.

Other Series II Phantom changes are similarly discreet inside: Multimedia and satellite navigation systems have been redesigned, the latter offering a bigger 8.8-inch screen with 3D display, topography, guided tours, enhanced points of interest and composite route planning - some of which come from BMW's latest exploits in the infotainment area.

To assist the manoeuvring of the massive car into parking sports, there are also front, rear and top-view camera systems to give some idea of where the extremities actually are. Once again, this technology comes direct from Rolls-Royce owner, BMW.

On the dynamic front, all Rolls-Royce Series II Phantoms now come with a new eight-speed auto transmission that helps the 338kW/720Nm 6.8-litre V12 engine return improved fuel consumption and lower CO2 emissions.

The claimed 10 per cent reduction in fuel consumption (although Rolls-Royce supplies no figure) suggests a drop from the current 15.9L/100km to something like 14.3L/100km while the CO2 output, for Euro models, drops from 388g/km to 347g/km.

The Australian CO2 figure is quoted slightly lower, at 385g/km, so it could be expected this would be reflected in local readings.

All models in the Rolls-Royce Phantom range – saloon, drophead coupe and coupe – are beneficiaries of the Series II update.

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