With two weeks left until its official world debut at the Geneva Motor Show, the Rolls Royce Phantom Coupe was officially revealed today, in a press release made by the British producer.
The Phantom Coupe is powered by the 6.75 litre V12 engine that produces 453 bhp and 720 Nm of torque and, benefiting from a 25 per cent increased fuel capacity it has an improved driving range. The press release says: “Designed to cover great distances effortlessly, the Coupé is the perfect choice for a transcontinental trip”. Yeah right, like people who buy a Rolls usually get around between continents by car. We can only imagine a rich arab travelling from Dubai to Paris by car, no matter how fancy and comfortable this is. And we seriously doubt that Rolls can compete with an private jet.
And another thing we don’t understand. Sure, the first impression was “Oh, cool, a new Rolls. Looks great!”. But the we thought about it better and, by definition, Rolls Royce is a car made for back passengers. Sure, there are rich idiots who buy a Rolls just so they have to something fancy to drive, but that’s not important. A Coupe is, also by definition, a car for it front passengers, especially for the driver. Now I wonder, where’s Rolls going with this model? Is it trying to enter other markets, where a Rolls will be a car you can also drive yourself? Then what’s with the fancy back seats?
Anyways, check out more photos of the Rolls Royce Phantom Coupe and the full press release after the jump.
Full Photo Gallery: Rolls Royce Phantom Coupe
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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.”
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The indulgent and colonial British institution that is Rolls Royce has given the environmental theme of this year’s Geneva Motor Show a blunt one fingered salute with this grotesque monstrosity, the Phantom Coupe.
Cheers
Tom
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