Merc1

Even though we've known the Phantom Drophead Coupe has been coming ever since Rolls-Royce unveiled the convertible 100EX concept three years ago, the sight of one out here in the real world is still enough to drop the jaw. From its sweeping profile to its striking face with that angled, jutting radiator, Rolls' second new product since BMW bought the name in 1998 sees the company still in no mood for understatement. It is ostentatious like no other car on the road, the most visible declaration of wealth on four wheels.

But if any car can get away with this, surely it is one with the Spirit of Ecstasy riding high on its nose. For when you get past the overtness of its detailing, such as the stainless steel bonnet, teak deck (both technically optional but, to date, with a 100% take-up) and those gimlet-eyed headlamps, what remains is a magnificently imposing vehicle. For any other car manufacturer, it would be too brave an approach, but for a Rolls it seems natural and conspicuously desirable, which is perhaps just as well given its £305,500 price tag.

Get beyond its DC Comics appearance and what lies beneath is almost pure Phantom. Sure there's 25cm taken out of the wheelbase but it's still the same spaceframe chassis, beefed up in key areas to replace most of the rigidity lost in the decapitation process. Overall it weighs just 70kg more than the Phantom, a tribute to how hard the engineers have worked to keep its weight down. Even so, at 2,620kg, it's not going to be winning slimmer of the year any time soon. The engine is the same 6.75-litre V12 with the same 453bhp, its gearbox an unchanged ZF six-speed automatic. Rolls calls the car a full four-seater, more of which in a minute.

There is only one car capable of mounting credible opposition to the Phantom Drophead Coupe and it is Bentley's more powerful, more spacious £222,500 Azure, which has everything the Rolls has except perhaps the most important thing of all in the rarefied world of the ultra-high luxury convertible: an unrivalled sense of occasion.

Before the involvement of BMW, you'd never question the quality of the materials used in a Rolls-Royce, just the way they were put together. Many feared a slip in standards when a mass-market manufacturer took the reins but, to date, these concerns have been unrealised and Rolls-Royces have been constructed to a standard that surpasses even those achieved in the past.

The Drophead continues this theme: everything you touch is either leather, wood or chrome. The teak on the rear deck is not a veneer but a specially treated slab of wood. The detailing is impeccable, from the beautiful ashtrays shaped like tubes to the provision of special umbrellas in the front wings; they have weak spots designed into their shafts so they collapse in a heavy frontal impact rather than intrude into the passenger area. However, we did notice that some of the dashboard panels, where wood meets leather for instance, were less well aligned than you might find in many massively cheaper cars. It is perhaps the price you pay for assembly by naked eye, rather than laser-guided robot.

That little lady on the bonnet has a stronger image than most cars in their entirety: it's a Rolls-Royce and you either buy into its position as the most luxurious automotive brand in the world, or you don't. Judging by the waiting list, currently stretching into 2009, it would seem that its target customers are extremely comfortable with what they imagine the Drophead is going to say about them.

Assets
Incredible presence, fabulous ride, engine refinement, material quality.

Drawbacks
Insufficient wind isolation with roof down, modest performance, rear legroom.

Verdict
A beautifully engineered wealth statement which doesn't quite deliver on the promise of its appearance.

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I knew I liked this car for a reason. It is the worlds best 4-seat convertible, period.

M

Mr. M

The Phantom platform is aluminium-based, if I remember correctly... I wonder where it gets all its weight from.

I disagree with the article about the sense of occasion, I think the Azure has just the same, if not more, of the sensation.

Monster

This car is big, even with an aluminium spaceframe structure, it is still heavy, if this car is made from steel, it will definitely be more than 100kg heavier. All the thick layers of insulation will weigh a bit as well.

shonguiz