2009 Rolls-Royce Phantom CoupeRolls-Royce does things differently. Doors open backwards, hood ornaments are powered, engine displacement is measured to two decimal places, and headliners are designed to mimic the night sky.
Even the company's product launches are unique. At the 2008 Geneva show, Rolls-Royce will formally announce the Phantom Coupe. This comes over a year after the Phantom Drophead Coupe (convertible to those outside Britain) was launched. This is not your ordinary coupe/convertible timeline.
The fixed-head Phantom is expected to be much like its convertible precursor. The same 6.75-liter V-12 sits under the long hood, making a familiar 453 hp and 532 lb-ft of torque. The Coupe can be equipped with the starlight headliner seen on the 101EX concept and also available in the four-door Phantom. Ingress and egress are made possible by rear-hinged, powered doors that Phantom owners are used to.
Rolls says the new two-door will be the most driver-oriented of the Phantom line. Torsional stiffness is up, as is expected, compared to the droptop. The transmission has a new sport mode that holds shifts longer. Changes to the suspension firm up the ride and aim to reduce body roll. Acceleration from 0 to 60 mph is quicker by one tenth at 5.6 seconds.
Pricing has not yet been announced but we expect it to be similar to that of the Drophead, which starts at $412,000. Production of the Phantom Coupe will begin in the summer of 2008.
