2008 Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe

[SL65]

Convertible Phantom revealed

Rolls-Royce Launches Phantom Drophead Coupé at Detroit

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars will unveil its new Phantom Drophead Coupé at the Detroit Motor Show on Sunday 7 January. Production of the new car will start at Goodwood in the summer of 2007.

The two-door, four-seat convertible is a less formal interpretation of classic Rolls-Royce design. Using the lightweight rigidity of an all-aluminium spaceframe, it marries modern technology to a sleek, streamlined convertible body.

Its exterior lines echo the timeless styling of the great Rolls-Royce cars: a long bonnet, large-diameter wheels, short front and long rear overhangs and the quintessential dynamic line descending along its flanks. Inside, the design emphasises the airy openness of top-down motoring, embracing the elements and creating a stunning, social environment.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Chief Designer, Ian Cameron, said, “This car gave us the chance to think about the very nature of convertible motoring and in particular what it means to Rolls-Royce. Above all we were determined to make this car a joy to live with and engineered it to give years of effortless service to its owner.”

A number of features first seen on 100EX, the experimental convertible shown by Rolls-Royce in 2004, have been engineered into the new Phantom Drophead Coupé. Two of the most visually striking of these are the brushed steel bonnet and A-pillar and the teak decking for the rear hood cover. The brushed steel is machine finished to give a uniform grain before undergoing extensive hand polishing to achieve a perfect sheen. At the rear, the teak decking is treated with a carefully blended mix of oils to preserve a natural finish and a long lasting lustre that is as beautiful as it is hardy.

Front opening coach doors have been homologated for the new car and add considerably to the ease of access to the rear seat, as well as to the overall aesthetics. Unique to Rolls-Royce, the doors dramatically transform the Phantom Drophead Coupé’s looks, giving a side profile reminiscent of classic sports cars of the ‘60s. Crucially, they also aid the overall stiffness of the body as the rear hinged doors allow for an uninterrupted A-pillar.

Luggage is housed within a picnic boot, a split tail compartment that opens in two parts giving easy access to the 315 litres of space. The lower tailgate provides a comfortable seating platform for two adults when lowered. Careful engineering of the folding soft-top roof means that it stows in a relatively small space resulting in a luggage compartment that remains unaffected regardless of whether the roof is up or down.

The fabric hood is the largest of any modern convertible car and its acoustic insulation is exemplary. Five layers of material ensure that the cabin remains a serene space, even at speed. Lined with cashmere it has been tailored to stow in a relatively small space.

At the core of the Phantom Drophead Coupé is an advanced aluminium chassis, perhaps the single most significant component in delivering the marques legendary refinement. Lightweight and exceptionally strong, it impacts positively on ride comfort, handling and safety. Hand made, it requires over 140 meters of welding in each chassis. Power is supplied by the same 6.75 litre naturally aspirated V12 engine found in the Phantom saloon, giving brisk performance and a 0-60mph time of 5.7 seconds.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Chairman and Chief Executive, Ian Robertson, said, “The Phantom Drophead Coupé marks the next chapter in our history. While the saloon continues as the brand flagship, the Drophead leads us in a more informal direction, attracting new buyers to the marque. In the coming years other new models will strengthen the company still further.”

The Phantom Drophead Coupé has been carefully crafted to be aesthetically pleasing, yet practical too. Wood, leather, chrome and brushed steel have been used where most appropriate. Form and function have equal billing. The simplicity of the design belies a car built to provide years of effortless service. It will offer owners an unparalleled convertible experience, combining compelling driveability with exceptional engineering, technology and design – hand crafted from the finest materials to an exceptional level of quality.

Wow its bloody nice, just imagine how much tree and hide must have been used in that interior. I love the teak decking sitting on the rear half and the detail thats gone into some of the switchgear. The "coach" doors are really good for showing off, haha!

It even has a split fold rear tailgate like a Range Rover - Jeremy Clarkson will love it then

BUT the Bentley Azure (its only competitor until perhaps that Ocean Drive concept by Merc) is sexy and this just isn't. Which one would you have?



The Rolls definately has the quality over the Bentley but the Bentley is just so cool 8)

[fbc]

I'm a big fan of the Phantom - but I'm not liking this. The new front-end is a step backward, and the styling just doesn't seem to work as well - though some of that may be the colour of the car. In a darker colour it might look a lot better.

I prefer the Bentley (the Azure, not the GTC) - but the problem with it is I just see a rapper wearing bling when I look at it...

[jetsetter]

I'm loving the Phantom. One of the few convertibles that I actually like. While the Bentley is good the styling reminds me of something from the 90s.

Here is a link to a gallery with 60 high res photos of the vehicle: http://www.autoblog.com/photos/rolls...rophead-coupe/

[fbc]

Craftmanship FTW

[British_Rover]

I like that very much. Always prefered Rolls over Bentely.

The teak wood is just perfect.

And suicide doors are 8)

[FATMOUSE]

How ghastly.

[jayjaya29]

Rolls Royce doing what Rolls Royce are known for.

[flyingfridge]

That phantom is awesome. i'll take two

[jetsetter]

Originally Posted by FATMOUSE

How ghastly.

Eh?

[FATMOUSE]

Originally Posted by jetsetter

Eh?

It's big, fat, ugly and horrible.

That said, I do like it.

[Dsemaj]

Hah, they were right. Here it is, going into production! I like it, but as a Rolls.. maybe it's not discrete enough. The idea of a convertible Rolls-Royce seems a little bit weird, I guess.

[bartboy9891]

i like how the hood blends in with the grille, looks pretty cool overall

[BerserkerCatSplat]

That looks awful. Especially the teak.

[un-dee]

These headlights are even worse than the ones on that Ocean Drive Mercedes. Apart from that... well its a Rolls Royce, and I am sure Jeremy will like it a lot.

[BlitzR]

I dont think Jeremy liked the Coupé concept too much.

[hajj]

This is a lovely car, but it hasnt got the understatement that some older rolls had, it's too flashy.

[Redliner]

Originally Posted by un-dee

These headlights are even worse than the ones on that Ocean Drive Mercedes.

Originally Posted by BerserkerCatSplat

That looks awful. Especially the teak.

Originally Posted by FATMOUSE

It's big, fat, ugly and horrible.

Originally Posted by fbc

but the problem with it is I just see a rapper wearing bling when I look at it...

All my opinions on the car have already been written...

[SL65]

Originally Posted by un-dee

These headlights are even worse than the ones on that Ocean Drive Mercedes. Apart from that... well its a Rolls Royce, and I am sure Jeremy will like it a lot.

Originally Posted by BlitzR

I dont think Jeremy liked the Coupé concept too much.

Thats true, if I recall correctly, they had the concept version of it in the studio and Jeremy didn't like the hood and the flashy Roller badge. I think he also didn't like the roof inside the car with the lights that look like the stars of the universe (forgive my silly description) - not sure if thats on this production version.

[fbc]

Originally Posted by Redliner

All my opinions on the car have already been written...

I was referring to the Bentley - though no doubt in time the comment will apply (sadly) to the Rolls.