FIRST CUSTOMER PHANTOM DROPHEAD COUPÉS LEAVE GOODWOOD
26 July 2007 - Rolls Royce

The first customer Phantom Drophead Coupés have left the company’s head office and manufacturing plant at Goodwood.

The five cars are destined for customers around the world.

Each car is hand-built to specific requirements and features individual wood veneer, leather and paint finish choices. The first five customers have also specified the optional steel bonnet and rear teak deck. The bonnet is machine brushed before being hand finished to ensure a uniform grain throughout. The deck is made up of separate solid teak slats, hand sanded and waxed to give a ‘just cut’ finish.

The two-door, four-seat convertible is a less formal interpretation of classic Rolls-Royce design than its four-door stable mate, the Phantom. Using the lightweight rigidity of an all-aluminium spaceframe, it marries modern technology to a sleek, streamlined convertible body. Hand-built using the finest quality materials to the exacting standards of Rolls-Royce, the new Phantom Drophead Coupé is attracting new and existing Rolls-Royce customers world-wide.

Ian Robertson, Chairman and Chief Executive of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars said, “The reaction to the Phantom Drophead Coupé from customers, the media and enthusiasts around the world has been phenomenal. We are delighted that the first cars are being delivered to customers and we are now in full production to meet demand. The passion and dedication that our workforce has shown in delivering this new model has been inspiring.”

The Phantom Drophead Coupé uses 1300 new parts over those developed for the Phantom, is the first convertible to be offered by Rolls-Royce since 2002, the last being the Corniche and will be hand-built alongside the Phantom at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars’ manufacturing plant at Goodwood on the south coast of England.

It is based on an advanced aluminium spaceframe. Lightweight and exceptionally strong, it requires over 120 metres of hand-welding. Luggage is housed within a picnic boot, a split tail compartment that opens in two parts giving easy access to 315 litres of space. The lower tailgate provides a comfortable seating platform for two adults when lowered. The fabric hood is the largest of any modern convertible car and uses five layers of material to insulate the interior. Power is supplied by a 6.75 litre naturally aspirated V12 engine giving brisk performance and a 0-60mph time of 5.7 seconds.

The 2007 Rolls-Royce Motor Cars product range:

Phantom
£219,975
US$333,350
328,000 Euros
Launched Jan 03

Phantom Extended Wheelbase
£260,500
US$395,000
388,500 Euros
Launched Mar 05

Phantom Drophead Coupé
£260,000
US$407,000
370,000 Euros
Launched Jan 07

www.rolls-royce.com

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