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By Turbonius J. Monkey | September 29, 2007
Your Editor has recently been lamenting the demise of the more affordable personal luxury cars like the Lincoln Mark VIII and the Cadillac El Dorado. I always figured that if I didn’t end up a really rich old man that at least I’d be able to get one of those. Well those moderately priced 2 door luxury barges have gone the way of the Oldsmobile and the Tucker. At least Rolls-Royce hasn’t given up on the idea. The good news from Goodwood is the announcement of a new Phantom Coupe with production to begin at the end of Summer 2008. The Phantom Coupe will represent “the desire to create the world’s foremost transcontinental tourer” (their words not mine.) and with a 6.75 liter V12 putting out 453bhp and 720 nm of torque, it looks like they have a proper platform to do just that and in grand Rolls-Royce style. If you remember the 101EX Concept from last year, you should have a good idea of what the Phantom Coupe will look like.
Unless the guys in Detroit get their heads on straight, it looks like your editor will have to be sure to get good and rich before he’s too decrepit to drive a proper sports car. Until then enjoy the pictures and press release from BMW after the jump.
ROLLS-ROYCE ANNOUNCES NEW COUPÉ
Goodwood, 28 September 2007
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has confirmed that a series version of the two-door, four-seat experimental car, 101EX, will be launched in 2008. Production is scheduled to begin next summer. It will be hand-built at the company’s manufacturing plant in
Goodwood, England.
This model will complete the Phantom family line-up alongside the Phantom
, Phantom Extended Wheelbase and Phantom Drophead Coupé.
The new car will be an elegant two-door, four-seat coupe that builds on the extraordinary driving experience offered in the Phantom and Drophead Coupé. It will use an all aluminium construction similar to the rest of the Phantom family. However, it will be a unique car in the Phantom family, designed around the desire to create the worlds’ foremost transcontinental tourer.
Outright power will be identical to the other Phantom models – an impressive 453bhp and 720nm of torque – however the coupé will be subtly tuned with more emphasis placed on the driver. The body will be shorter than that of the Phantom sedan and there will be revisions to the suspension and chassis set-up.
Rolls-Royce Chief Designer, Ian Cameron, said, “With this car we wanted to emphasise the performance potential of the 6.75litre V12 engine and the effortless experience that it delivers. Whilst never overtly sporty, Rolls-Royce is a brand that has always offered owners a powerful and refined drive combined with, as Sir Henry Royce described it, a bit of fizz.”
Ian Robertson, Chairman and Chief Executive, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, said, “This new model represents an important milestone in the company’s history. It completes the Phantom family and judging by the customer reaction to 101EX, we are confident of its success. Our challenge lies in meeting the exceptional levels of customer demand for the Phantom range and in preparing Goodwood to meet the needs of future new cars.”
The new coupé will be priced between the Phantom and Phantom Drophead Coupé. Further information will be released in the coming months.
Model year 2008 prices are based on standard models excluding optional extras. All prices are net of local taxes and delivery charges.
Phantom – Launched January 2003
UK £224,000
Europe €334,000US $340,000
Canada $440,000
Middle East $340,800APAC $337,700
Russia $340,000Japan ¥42,600,000
Phantom Extended Wheelbase – Launched March 2005
UK £265,000
Europe €395,000US $403,000
Canada $521,500
Middle East $397,500APAC $397,500
Russia $403,000Japan ¥49,600,000
Phantom Drophead Coupé – Launched January 2007
UK £260
,000
Europe €370,000US $407
,000
Canada $527
,400
Middle East $407
,000APAC $407,000
Russia $407,000Japan ¥49
,000
,000
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Topics: Rolls-Royce | No Comments »
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Your Editor has recently been lamenting the demise of the more affordable personal luxury cars like the Lincoln Mark VIII and the Cadillac El Dorado. I always figured that if I didn’t end up a really rich old man that at least I’d be able to get one of those. Well those moderately priced 2 door luxury barges have gone the way of the Oldsmobile and the Tucker. At least Rolls-Royce hasn’t given up on the idea. The good news from Goodwood is the announcement of a new Phantom Coupe with production to begin at the end of Summer 2008. The Phantom Coupe will represent “the desire to create the world’s foremost transcontinental tourer” (their words not mine.) and with a 6.75 liter V12 putting out 453bhp and 720 nm of torque, it looks like they have a proper platform to do just that and in grand Rolls-Royce style. If you remember the 101EX Concept from last year, you should have a good idea of what the Phantom Coupe will look like. 
