Rolls-Royce to unveil Phantom Coupé

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars will unveil its new Phantom Coupé at the Geneva Motor Show next month. Billed as the most driver-orientated model in the Phantom line, the car is powered 6.75-litre V12 that produces 453 bhp, 720 Nm of torque and achieves 0-60 mph in 5.6 seconds. A 25 per cent increase in fuel capacity compared to the Drophead Coupé plus improved fuel economy adds to its driving range. Access to the expansive rear lounge seats is enhanced by the use of rear-hinged coach doors and for the ultimate picnic, the rear compartment provides 395 liters of space (that's enough for four sets of golf clubs) with the tailgate doubling as a comfortable seating platform for two adults when lowered.

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.”

“We could have simply bolted a hard-top roof to the Drophead in order to make the Phantom Coupé. After all, the convertible is an incredibly well mannered car that performs impeccably. But this would not have been the right thing to do. The Coupé and the Drophead are two distinct cars, with different personalities and specific performance characteristics.”

Sporting familiar Rolls-Royce design cues such as the long bonnet, large-diameter wheels, short front and long rear overhangs the Phantom Coupé is derived from the experimental 101EX shown on 2006. It is the third new model from Rolls-Royce Motor Cars since BMW Group became custodian of the marque in 1998.

Production of the latest edition to the prestigious marque is slated to start at Goodwood in the summer of 2008.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION - US VERSION

Dimensions
• Number of doors / seats: 2 / 4
• Vehicle length: 5609 mm / 220.8 in
• Vehicle width: 1987 mm / 78.2 in
• Vehicle height (unladen): 1592 mm / 62.7 in
• Wheelbase: 3320 mm / 130.7 in
• Turning circle: 13.1 m / 43.0 ft
• Track, front: 1687 mm / 66.4 in
• Track, rear: 1671 mm / 65.8 in
• Fuel tank capacity: 100 ltr / 26.4 US gal
• Curb weight: 2630 kg / 5798 lb

Engine & transmission
• Engine / cylinders / valves: V / 12 / 48
• Fuel management: Direct injection
• Displacement: 6749 cc / 411.8 cu in
• Stroke: 84.6 mm / 3.33 in
• Bore: 92.0 mm / 3.62 in
• Power output @ engine speed: 453 hp (SAE) @ 5350 rpm
• Max torque @ engine speed: 720 Nm / 531 lb ft @ 3500 rpm
• Compression ratio / fuel type: 11:1 / premium unleaded1

Steering & brakes
• Steering type: Rack & pinion, speed-sensitive variable-rate power assistance
• Brakes, front / diameter: Ventilated disc / 374 mm / 14.7 in
• Brakes, rear / diameter: Ventilated disc / 370 mm / 14.6 in

Aerodynamics
• Drag Cd: 0.36
• Drag Cd x A: 0.985 m2 / 10.6 ft2

Performance
• Top speed: 155 mph (governed)
• Acceleration 0-60 mph: 5.6 sec