Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe

The Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe is one of the most beautiful, desirable and expensive automobiles on the planet. For almost a century Rolls-Royce has defined elegance and luxury, and many felt that there was no way to improve upon the latest Phantom Coupe. Thankfully, the designers at Rolls-Royce disagreed, and they chopped the top off of one of the best coupes in the world in order to create one of the best convertibles in the world.

The 2007 Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe costs close to half a million dollars, yet nothing about it feels overpriced. The car has a strong, aggressive front fascia with an upright grille composed of polished vertical bars leading to twin steel-colored accent pieces that frame each side of the hood and connect with the windshield frame. Single, circular headlights keep the square front section uncomplicated, and the car is bereft of complicated aerodynamic pieces or flare.
The side of the car bears a slight crease towards the top, and the door handles are located at the front of each door near the side mirrors. The Drophead has suicide doors, a rare touch on a two-door vehicle, and the only production convertible since the 1960’s Lincoln Continental to bear this feature. Continuing on to the rear, the short, muscular deck and simple integrated bumper and headlights give an almost nautical feel, in the sense of the beautiful wooden speedboats popular in the first half of the 20th century. This impression is even more vivid with the top down.

There are technological reasons, of course, for the inclusion of rear-latched doors: this allowed Rolls-Royce engineers to better incorporate the A-pillar into the chassis, strengthening the vehicle and also increasing rollover safety. The front grille is also hinged in order to move out of the way during a collision, increasing the ability of the car to absorb impact energy. The cloth top is the largest of its kind in the world, and it disappears into a cavernous trunk that also offers a sort of bench which folds out of the cargo area and can carry 330 pounds – perfect for a picnic, as you certainly would not want to eat inside of your almost-half million dollar car.

Underneath the hood, which Rolls-Royce also claims is the largest available on any current convertible (apparently this is important to some buyers in this segment), sits a 6.8 liter V12 engine that churns out 453 horsepower. Along with 513 lb-feet of torque, the almost 2 ton 2007 Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe can leap to 60 with amazing grace in only 5.7 seconds. Cornering and handling are also superb, with a 50:50 front to rear weight distribution and a low center of gravity working together with 20-inch wheels and a strong suspension system. Electronic stability control is integrated with braking and traction assist in order to make sure that your Rolls-Royce only sets sail along your intended course.

When so much time, effort and money has been put into a vehicle, as it has in the case of the Drophead Coupe, it is very difficult to find any fault with the execution of the concept. The 2007 Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe essentially sets the bar for outrageous luxury while simultaneously delivering exciting driving dynamics wrapped in one of the most beautiful packages on the road. If any complaint were to be made at all regarding this vehicle it is that the type of individual who can afford to purchase such an exquisite vehicle rarely has time to drive it often enough to exercise it to its fullest. Hopefully enough of these convertibles will find their way out onto the streets where others can enjoy them from a distance.