Rolls-Royce Phantom verdict

Sequels are rarely better than the books, films or shows they succeed. And yet the functional superiority of this Rolls-Royce Phantom over its super-luxury peers may be even greater than the margin by which its predecessor led its field.

The Phantom surpasses by some distance what its direct rivals offer in almost every way that’s critical for a genuinely luxurious car: on mechanical refinement, outright space, lavish richness and easy drivability. There is the occasional moment of rudeness from its ride isolation, but it comes only on nastier surfaces, and as a result of Goodwood's preference to make this car feel so waftily opulent on ride comfort the rest of the time - which is a preference whose ultimate effectiveness we're happy to endorse.

The Phantom has an ostentation and sense of occasion far in advance of anything else on four wheels, yet that was true of its predecessor. But it also seems even better aimed at the tastes and preferences of its customer base than its predecessor was; it has an even deeper and more easily accessed reserve of silken performance to plunder; and it has added greater dynamic flexibility and range without having compromised the supreme highlights of its utterly singular and special driving experience.

Thinking like a millionaire remains a challenge for the modern motoring journalist, and I'm not sure I could find a great deal of use for a car as aristocratic as this even if it was mine. But I'd always adore driving it – which says a lot for Goodwood's close dynamic attention to detail, I think.

Matt Saunders

Road test editor