The growing convertible market saw a preview of what this car would be like in 2004, when Rolls-Royce was exhibiting the 100EX concept car. The Phantom Drophead Coupe will be produced by Rolls-Royce at its production facility in Goodwood (England) along with the largest four-door Phantom.
The brand-new Rolls-Royce set aside the name Corniche to be replaced by Phantom Drophead Coupe, a very typically English name. The English often use the word “drophead” to refer to convertible cars. It is speculated that later another Rolls-Royce (smaller in size) will use the name Corniche.
The exterior design of the Drophead Coupe is basically the one proposed in the 100EX concept. Smoker than other previous Rollos-Royce models, it is less formal than the Phantom sedan four doors, despite sharing certain signals. Among the most ostentatious elements already presented in the 100EX concept are the high-tech headlights, the raked grill, the stainless steel hood and the reverse opening doors.
As with the Phantom sedan, the Drophead Coupe uses a reinforced aluminum frame. Thus, this decision by Rolls-Royce allows you to make a new car at a fraction of the cost of developing a new structure model especially for a single vehicle model.
To move this heavy convertible car that reaches a weight of 2,620 kg, Rolls-Royce uses the same V12 engine present in the Phantom sedan. The aforementioned impeller has twelve V-cylinders and 6,700 cm3 cylinder capacity. With a power of 453 hp at 5,350 rpm and a maximum torque of 531 pounds foot at 3,500 rpm, the Drophead Coupe accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 5.7 seconds and reaches a self-limiting top speed of 240 km/h — really amazing for a car as quiet as it is heavy.
In terms of dimensions, the new Drophead Coupe is almost 250 mm shorter than the Phantom Sedan, reaching a maximum length of 5,608 mm. With a wheelbase of 3,317 mm, the interior of this convertible resembles a luxury yacht rather than an ordinary car, as the use of wood and finishing details are influenced by yacht designs of the 1930s.
© Adrián Blanco 2007 - No full or partial reproduction of text and/or images without explicit written consent of the author. —
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