I am not a great fan of the Dropheads Design - I didn't love the Drophead Coupé and so, I don't really like the design of this new Rolls!! I miss the pure elegant the Brookland has and the interior doesn't offer the design I would like. So, I would go with the Bentley Brooklands definitely.

Well i never like the DHC so naturallt i won't like this,th roof reminds me of an E46 cabrio with the hard top on don't like that at all in a high-end luxury coupe like,Brooklands all the way.

P.S. can someone do a poll before this thread is hijacked

Edmunds Inside Line: 2009 Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe

What is it?
2009 Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe

What's special about it?
What price top-shelf automotive indulgence? If the new Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe is any guide, bank on a cool $400,000.

This is the breathtaking price tag being attached to this plush two-door in the run up to its world premiere at the Geneva auto show early next month. To put it in perspective, that's more than double what Mercedes-Benz asks for its top-of-the-line coupe, the $197,500 CL65 AMG. Yikes!

Revealed here officially for the first time, the Phantom Coupe is scheduled to go on sale in North America in October, joining the Phantom sedan, Phantom Extended Wheelbase and Phantom Drophead Coupe in an impressive four-model lineup that has been created under the auspices of BMW, the British carmaker's parent company, following its takeover of Rolls-Royce in 1998.

Those with the desire — not to mention the financial means — to snap up the new Rolls-Royce will want to be quick with their order, though. Our inside sources tell us that the waiting list for the Phantom Coupe is growing fast, with deliveries already stretching well into 2009 and beyond. Recession? What recession?

After achieving a corporate record 1,010 worldwide sales in 2007 thanks to the buoyant appeal of the Phantom and high demand for the recently introduced Drophead Coupe, Rolls-Royce says the arrival of the imposing new Phantom Coupe will drive sales to new heights. Rolls-Royce also anticipates the addition of an all-new entry-level model aimed directly at the Benltey Continental Flying Spur around the turn of the decade, at which point sales volumes are expected to triple from current levels.

The Phantom Coupe is far from being an all-new car, as it's based upon the aluminum structure and bodywork of the Drophead Coupe, with which it shares identical dimensions. Its less formal appearance compared to the Phantom sedan is not at all unfamiliar, as the arresting 101EX concept car previewed the look back in 2006.

Styled under the direction of Ian Cameron, the design boss at Rolls-Royce, the high-waisted coupe incorporates all of the contemporary exterior design cues found on the Phantom convertible, including thin LED side markers, large round headlights, a gently raked grille and, naturally, the optional brushed-steel hood and matching windshield frame.

Further back there are the signature rear-hinged doors, which are opened by beautifully crafted art deco door handles and closed electronically by push-button. The novel trunk incorporates a tailgate designed to support a weight of up to 330 pounds. There are 13.9 cubic feet of capacity within the trunk, enough to swallow four sets of golf clubs, Cameron says.

Unlike the Phantom and Phantom Extended Wheelbase derivative, both of which Rolls-Royce describes as being suited to formal occasions, the new Coupe is seen very much as a leisure vehicle for the rich, just like the Drophead. A nod to sportiness can be seen in the chrome, trapezoidal exhaust tips. The towering 21-inch aluminum wheels carry Goodyear EMT tires, 255/50R21s in front and 285/45R21s in the rear.

Each body gets five coats of paint before being polished for a minimum of five hours to order to achieve a luster Rolls-Royce claims is unparalleled, even among limited-production automobiles. For its latest model, the British carmaker has nine standard colors, and says that more than 44,000 different exterior hues can be ordered through its customized vehicle program.

At 220.8 inches in length, the new car has a 130.7-inch wheelbase, 9.8 inches shorter than that of the Phantom sedan. Extensive chassis reinforcements for this convertible mean the car tips the scales at 5,710 pounds, some 232 pounds above its four-door stablemate. The shorter wheelbase leaves ample room up front, but the rear seat (which Rolls-Royce describes as a lounge) isn't exactly endowed with loads of space.

The Phantom Coupe is propelled by the familiar silken-smooth, direct-injection 6.7-liter Rolls-Royce V12. A development of BMW's 60-degree V12, it kicks out 453 horsepower at 5,350 rpm with 531 pound-feet of torque available at 3,500 rpm. A six-speed automatic sends the power to the rear wheels. Despite its weight, the new two-door's straight-line performance is very much in the sports-car league. Rolls-Royce claims the car accelerates to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 5.6 seconds — 0.5 second quicker than the Phantom sedan, which is 176 pounds heavier. Its top speed is limited to 155 mph.

What's Edmunds' take?
BMW has taken its time to develop a line of Rolls-Royce models, and apparently the luxury market is finally responding to it. —

Now that I`ve seen it, I`ll take the Bently Brooklands!

the cutline in the A-Pillar really takes away the flow and beauty of the design.

The aluminum treatment around that area creates a huge design problem!
I believe the designers should have taken that aluminum all the way back into the C-Pillar just behind the glass panel area. The design would have looked much better with a certain elegance and flow.

^^
I think it look rather pale without the alu bonnet and A-pillar.

OMG I love it. Absolutely sick.

And of course, the usual BMW 'haters' start about how much more beautiful and better that freaking VAG Bentley
It's a natural thing to do I guess...

It's quite easy, don't you find? Beautiful, if you disagree you are a BMW hater...

Sorry, I prefer the Brooklands. And I am no BMW hater. I just find this is a rather lazy work of puting a hardtop on a DHC, that's all. Even an obvious cut on the A-pillar/windscreen which I find not less than shocking.

haha its ugly..im sorry..it is...
a coupe is supposed to be elegant and sexy not fat like a rhino

Press Release

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars will unveil its new Phantom Coupé at the 78th International Geneva Motor Show on Tuesday, 4 March 2008. Production of the new car will start at Goodwood in the summer of 2008.

The Coupé is the most driver-orientated model in the Phantom line. A number of subtle but significant modifications have been made that change its character. It is noticeably more dynamic, whilst still offering incredible levels of comfort.

Marrying cutting-edge technology with a beautifully proportioned, muscular body that exudes power and style, it incorporates timeless Rolls-Royce design cues in an utterly contemporary manner.

Designed to cover great distances effortlessly, the Coupé is the perfect choice for a transcontinental trip. Power is provided by the Phantom’s 6.75-litre V12 that produces 453 bhp, 720 Nm of torque and has segment-leading fuel economy. A 25 per cent increase in fuel capacity, compared to the Drophead Coupé, adds significant driving range. Agile, fast, long-legged and virtually silent, the Phantom Coupé allows both driver and passengers to emerge unruffled, even after an all-day run.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Chief Designer, Ian Cameron, said “Rolls-Royce has always been about pace, performance and style. For the Coupé design we gave the quintessential Rolls-Royce design a dynamic twist. This adds a sense of drama to the outstanding engineering and drivability that are fundamentals of Rolls-Royce cars. The dynamic drive of the Phantom has always come as a surprise to customers and the Coupé takes it one step further.”

The Phantom Coupé features rear-hinged coach doors which add considerably to the ease of access to the rear lounge seats as well as to the overall aesthetics. Crucially, they aid the overall stiffness of the body as the rear hinged doors allow for an uninterrupted A-pillar helping to make this the most torsionally rigid Rolls-Royce ever. A brushed steel finish of A-pillar and bonnet, as seen for the first time on 100EX, is also available for the Coupé.

At the rear is a spacious picnic boot. A split tail compartment that opens in two parts, gives easy access to 395 litres of space. The lower tailgate also provides a comfortable seating platform for two adults when lowered.

At the core of the Phantom Coupé is an advanced aluminium chassis, perhaps the single most significant component in delivering the marque’s legendary refinement. Lightweight and exceptionally strong, it impacts positively on ride comfort, handling and safety. Hand made, it requires over 130 meters of welding to create each body.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Chairman and Chief Executive, Ian Robertson, said, “The Coupé has been designed and engineered to be the most dynamic interpretation of our values. Our 2007 sales figures illustrate how successful the entire model range has been with an increase of 25 per cent over the previous year.”

[Source: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars via WCF]