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First Drives

Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe CAR review

08 June 2007 12:29

Ohhh… suits you Mr Kacher

Thank you very much indeed. Yes, Rolls-Royce's Drophead is a truly breathtaking vehicle, one in which it only feels right to wear a tailored suit before swinging open that big rear-hinged door and slipping behind the thin-rimmed steering wheel. And it will be an incredibly rare sight, the Phantom Drophead Coupe. Over the next 10 years, no more than 3000 of these phenomenal vehicles will pass out of the gates at Rolls-Royce’s high-tech Goodwood factory. And with 43,000 different hues of paint, the choice of nine interior palettes and six shades of leathers and roofs, it’s unlikely your Drophead will ever pull up along side an identically specced model. But the personalisation won’t extend beyond the cosmetic – there’s no possibility of ordering an uprated engine or a tweaked suspension set-up.

I just love the polished aluminium bonnet and teak rear deck…

Do you? I’m not so sure. These options may cost the equivalent of a decently priced family hatchback, but I’m not entirely convinced of their stylistic integrity. The bonnet reminds me of shiny kitchen equipment and that deck is too maritime for my liking. And it doesn’t match the interior veneers. I’d go for a body-coloured bonnet (and please, I beg you, no two-tone paint jobs) and a leather roof lining that matches the body colour, so when the roof is retracted the rear matches the cabin. In your chosen spec, this is a truly unique car and one that exudes top-notch pedigree. Just seeing one is a real occasion, and that's before you get behind the wheel...

By: Georg Kacher
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Statistics

How much? £307,500
On sale in the UK: Now
Engine: 6749cc 48V V12, 453bhp @ 5350rpm, 531lb ft @ 3500rpm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Performance: 0-60mph 5.7sec, 149mph, 17.6mpg
How heavy / made of? 2620kg/aluminium
How big (length/width/height in mm)? 5609/1987/1581
Need to know

CAR's rating

Rated 4 out of 5

Handling

Rated 3 out of 5

Performance

Rated 4 out of 5

Usability

Rated 4 out of 5

Feelgood factor

Rated 5 out of 5

Readers' rating

Rated 4 out of 5

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Average rating: Rated 4 out of 5 (7 votes)

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Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe CAR review

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