Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé
Encyclopedia
The Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé is a British handmade convertible manufactured by Rolls-Royce
that debuted at the 2007 North American International Auto Show
in Detroit, Michigan
, on 7 January 2007. The platform is based on the 2003 Rolls-Royce Phantom and has styling heavily derived from the 100EX
, a concept car
unveiled to celebrate the company's centennial in 2004. It is currently the most expensive Rolls-Royce model at $443,000.
The exterior remains faithful to the marine
-nautical theme of the 100EX. The two-door four-seat convertible features rearward opening coach doors
and a two-tone colour scheme that delineates between the upper and lower bodywork and frames the teak
wood panelling of the convertible's tonneau cover. Unlike the 2004 concept car, however, the production unit eschews the EX's aluminium bonnet in favour of more easily maintained stainless steel.
The front fascia takes its cues from the 100EX but with the crucial difference of the middle bodywork/raised bonnet/grille assemblage terminating midway down the face rather than continuing downwards and bisecting the front bumper. The headlamps are also taken straight out of the 100EX/101EX concept and are similar to the Phantom's. The deep set rectangular high beams are light-emitting diode
(LED) units while the round "faux-foglamp" driving lights are projector-style xenon arc lamp
s. The exterior is available in more than 44,000 colour combinations.
It combines aluminium technology and hand-crafted materials. All in all, the car continues Rolls-Royce's current design theme, premiered on the Phantom, combining features of luxuriant 1930s Art Deco
with cold 21st century "techno-modern".
The interior is a modern avant-garde reinterpretation of the traditional English gentlemen's clubroom with stylistic influences ranging from minimalism
to Art Deco
. Perhaps the car's main design showcase is the yachting-inspired wood veneering that wraps around the 8/9ths top portion of the cabin from coach door to coach door and terminating in a crafted convertible tonneau cover, hand-finished in nautical-grade teak wood panelling sandwiched between an interior band of contrasting hardwood and the bare stainless steel motif of the car's upper exterior bodywork. Similarly with the 100EX and 101EX, the dashboard and the steering wheel are straight out of the Phantom.
A triangular A-pillars
with quarter glass
, as well as the spring-loaded pop-up rollover hoops behind the rear seats, provide additional strength and protection for the convertible body.
Like other current Rolls-Royce models, the hood ornament, the Spirit of Ecstasy
, is retractable with options to have it automatically retract into the bonnet whenever the car is locked or whenever the driver so chooses; the option is selected in the glove box as with the Phantom sedan. The vehicle uses parent company BMW's iDrive
system.
The first car destined for the U.S. market was auction
ed at the 2007 Naples, Florida
Winter Wine festival
charity for $2 million, of which $1.6 million went to the Naples Children and Education Foundation. Purchased by a local real estate developer, the winning bid is believed to be the most expensive new car ever sold in the U.S.
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is a British manufacturer of luxury automobiles based at the Goodwood plant in West Sussex, England. It is the current producer of Rolls-Royce branded automobiles, whose historical production dates back to 1904. The factory is located across from the historic Goodwood Circuit...
that debuted at the 2007 North American International Auto Show
North American International Auto Show
The North American International Auto Show is an annual auto show held in Detroit, Michigan at Cobo Center, usually in January. It is among the largest auto shows in North America.-History:...
in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, on 7 January 2007. The platform is based on the 2003 Rolls-Royce Phantom and has styling heavily derived from the 100EX
Rolls-Royce 100EX
The Rolls-Royce 100 EX has:*9.0 litre V16 engine*6 Speed automatic transmission*Dimensions: Height , Width and Length...
, a concept car
Concept car
A concept vehicle or show vehicle is a car made to showcase new styling and or new technology. They are often shown at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or may not have a chance of being produced....
unveiled to celebrate the company's centennial in 2004. It is currently the most expensive Rolls-Royce model at $443,000.
Exterior
Marine (ocean)
Marine is an umbrella term. As an adjective it is usually applicable to things relating to the sea or ocean, such as marine biology, marine ecology and marine geology...
-nautical theme of the 100EX. The two-door four-seat convertible features rearward opening coach doors
Suicide door
A suicide door is a car door hinged on the trailing edge, the edge closer to the rear of the vehicle. Such doors are rarely used on vehicles in modern times because of their disadvantages....
and a two-tone colour scheme that delineates between the upper and lower bodywork and frames the teak
Teak
Teak is the common name for the tropical hardwood tree species Tectona grandis and its wood products. Tectona grandis is native to south and southeast Asia, mainly India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Burma, but is naturalized and cultivated in many countries, including those in Africa and the...
wood panelling of the convertible's tonneau cover. Unlike the 2004 concept car, however, the production unit eschews the EX's aluminium bonnet in favour of more easily maintained stainless steel.
The front fascia takes its cues from the 100EX but with the crucial difference of the middle bodywork/raised bonnet/grille assemblage terminating midway down the face rather than continuing downwards and bisecting the front bumper. The headlamps are also taken straight out of the 100EX/101EX concept and are similar to the Phantom's. The deep set rectangular high beams are light-emitting diode
Light-emitting diode
A light-emitting diode is a semiconductor light source. LEDs are used as indicator lamps in many devices and are increasingly used for other lighting...
(LED) units while the round "faux-foglamp" driving lights are projector-style xenon arc lamp
Xenon arc lamp
A xenon arc lamp is a specialized type of gas discharge lamp, an electric light that produces light by passing electricity through ionized xenon gas at high pressure to produce a bright white light that closely mimics natural sunlight...
s. The exterior is available in more than 44,000 colour combinations.
It combines aluminium technology and hand-crafted materials. All in all, the car continues Rolls-Royce's current design theme, premiered on the Phantom, combining features of luxuriant 1930s Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
with cold 21st century "techno-modern".
Interior
Minimalism
Minimalism describes movements in various forms of art and design, especially visual art and music, where the work is set out to expose the essence, essentials or identity of a subject through eliminating all non-essential forms, features or concepts...
to Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
. Perhaps the car's main design showcase is the yachting-inspired wood veneering that wraps around the 8/9ths top portion of the cabin from coach door to coach door and terminating in a crafted convertible tonneau cover, hand-finished in nautical-grade teak wood panelling sandwiched between an interior band of contrasting hardwood and the bare stainless steel motif of the car's upper exterior bodywork. Similarly with the 100EX and 101EX, the dashboard and the steering wheel are straight out of the Phantom.
A triangular A-pillars
Pillar (car)
Pillars are the vertical supports of the greenhouse of an automobile — known respectively as the A, B, C or D-pillar moving in profile view from the front to rear....
with quarter glass
Quarter glass
Quarter glass on automobiles and closed carriages may be a side window in the front door or located on each side of the car just forward of the rear window of the vehicle. Only some cars have them. In some cases the fixed quarter glass may set in the corner or "C-pillar" of the vehicle...
, as well as the spring-loaded pop-up rollover hoops behind the rear seats, provide additional strength and protection for the convertible body.
Like other current Rolls-Royce models, the hood ornament, the Spirit of Ecstasy
Spirit of Ecstasy
The Spirit of Ecstasy is the name of the hood ornament on Rolls-Royce cars. It is in the form of a woman leaning forwards with her arms outstretched behind and above her...
, is retractable with options to have it automatically retract into the bonnet whenever the car is locked or whenever the driver so chooses; the option is selected in the glove box as with the Phantom sedan. The vehicle uses parent company BMW's iDrive
IDrive
iDrive is a computer system which is used to control most secondary vehicle systems in many current BMW cars. iDrive's user interface consists of a LCD panel mounted in the dashboard and a controller knob mounted on the center console....
system.
Production
In its first year on the market (2007), 253 Drophead Coupés were sold worldwide.The first car destined for the U.S. market was auction
Auction
An auction is a process of buying and selling goods or services by offering them up for bid, taking bids, and then selling the item to the highest bidder...
ed at the 2007 Naples, Florida
Naples, Florida
Naples is a city in Collier County, Florida, United States. As of July 1, 2007, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population at 21,653. Naples is a principal city of the Naples–Marco Island Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated total population of 315,839 on July 1, 2007...
Winter Wine festival
Florida food festivals
Florida is host to a wide variety of food festivals.The Sunshine State Steak Cook-Off at Ave Maria, Florida is scheduled for its 2nd year on January, 28th 2012.13th Annual Delray Beach Garlic Fest is Scheduled to take place Feb. 10-12th, 2012....
charity for $2 million, of which $1.6 million went to the Naples Children and Education Foundation. Purchased by a local real estate developer, the winning bid is believed to be the most expensive new car ever sold in the U.S.
Concepts
Pininfarina built a version called the Hyperion, based on the Drophead Coupé. The car was unveiled in 2008 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.In 2009 it was on the market for £4,000,000.External links
- Official Rolls-Royce website, offering detailed specifications and pictures about the Drophead Coupé
- Soft-top Rolls lifts the lid on global wealth, by Jorn Madslien, BBC News
- Phantom Romance Autoweek article about the 2008 Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe
- Images of the Phantom Drophead Coupe