Talking about a car that's long in the tooth, the Rolls-Royce Phantom will probably stand up and try to get itself recognized. Despite its stature as one of the preeminent luxury cars in the market, the current-generation Phantom is pretty old.

So it comes as no surprise that the British automaker is laying out plans to prepare the next-generation model for launch in the next few years.

According to Automotive News, the next-generation Phantom is already in the pipeline and is likewise on track to make its debut sometime in 2016. Do the math and that's a little over two years from now.

Initial details surrounding the next-gen Phantom calls for the luxury sedan to be based on the new BMW 7 Series. Hardly shocking, considering that Rolls-Royce->ke74 falls under the BMW->ke178 umbrella. Should that be the case, you can expect the new Phantom to take advantage of the lightweight build -- at least relative to its predecessor -- of the 7 Series, something that's attributed to BMW's generous use of aluminum and carbon fiber.

No details on the powertrain have been given but we're not closing the door on a completely new powertrain that's vastly more efficient than the gas-guzzling 6.75-liter V-12 engine that currently resides under the hood of the current Phantom.

A hybrid V-8, perhaps?

Click past the jump to read about the current generation Rolls Royce Phantom Series II

Rolls-Rpyce Phantom Series II

Considering the stature of Rolls-Royce as one of the world's finest luxury brands, the Phantom's place in the pecking order of most desirable luxury cars is pretty secure. Pretty much anything of what everybody describes as high-class can be found on the Phantom Series II.

But the best part about it -- or the worst, depending on how much you value fuel efficiency -- is the luxury car's 6.75-liter V-12 engine that packs a whopping 453 horsepower at 5,350 rpm and 531 pound-feet of torque delivered between 1,000 and 3,000 rpm. The sprint from 0 to 60 mph is made in just 5.7 seconds, while top speed goes up to 155 mph.