German Car Zone

Drophead Dollars
Rolls-Royce convertible sells for $1.6 million

A cool half-mil is all it takes to own one of Rolls-Royce’s new Phantom Drophead Coupés (“Great Affectations,” AW, June 18), but one recently sold for nearly three times that.

At the 9th annual White Tie and Tiara Ball, a Drophead Coupé was auctioned for just more than $1.6 million, with proceeds benefiting the Elton John AIDS foundation. The event raised more than $12.1 million, with nearly half that figure stemming from the auction alone.

The high bidder will take delivery of the car this summer, bypassing a long waiting list (all 2007 models have been accounted for). If interested in a 2008 model, head to your Rolls retailer with $412,000 (which includes the $2,000 destination fee and $3,000 gas-guzzler tax) in hand.

[Source: AutoWeek ]

Why does every new RR model kick off with an auction?

to have some fun....

and so the Rich people can show off what they can spend!

man, if I have that money to spend as ocket money I would be the highest bidder on this one for sure, imagine, THIS summer in RR drophead, St Tropez......hehe You would make Jack Nicholson turn his head on that powertoy

Good question. Is it even necessary for RR to do that? I think the auction is better than RR sending one of the marketing department dudes to personally deliver a car to a famous celeb or businessman, inevitably posing for a gaggle of pictures for the cheap press.

That's very right. Lets face it, the true RR clientele is present at the auctions. While those people generate revenue for RR by ordering a speced out RR with 50 000 dollars worth of options the Hollywood celebs just walk into Bentley&RR in Beverly Hills, lease a Rolls and return it to the dealer 7 months after they have grown tired of it.