Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé

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.^[1] The platform is based on the 2003 Rolls-Royce Phantom and has styling heavily derived from the 100EX, a concept carunveiled to celebrate the company's centennial in 2004.

Manufacturer	Rolls-Royce
Parent company	BMW Group
Also called	Drophead Coupé
Production	2007–present
Assembly	Goodwood, Chichester, W Sussex, UK
Predecessor	Rolls-Royce Corniche V
Class	Luxury car
Body style(s)	2-door, 4-seat convertible
Layout	FR layout
Engine(s)	V12 6749 cc (412 cu in)
Transmission(s)	6-speed automatic
Wheelbase	3,320 mm (130.7 in)
Length	5609 mm (220.8 in)
Width	1987 mm (78.2 in)
Height	1581 mm (62.2 in)
Curb weight	2620 kg (5776 lb)
Fuel capacity	80 L (21.1 US gal; 17.6 imp gal)
Related	Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupé

Exterior

he exterior remains faithful to the marine-nautical theme of the 100EX. The two-door four-seat covertible features rearward opening suicide 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 lamps. 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".

Interior

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.