Rolls-Royce to Introduce Phantom Drophead Coupe at Detroit

Rolls-Royce will be unveiling a brand new convertible at this year'sNorth American International Auto Show. Since 2003, the Phantom has been Rolls-Royce’s lone model, but starting next year it’ll have two distinct cars in its portfolio. It was long thought that the car would have been called the Corniche, the name used for previous generation Rolls-Royce convertibles, but instead Goodwood has christened it with a new name: Phantom Drophead Coupe, which is typical fancy old English speak for convertible. As its appearance suggests, the Drophead Coupe is based off of the Phantom sedan, but has two fewer doors and the world’s largest retractable cloth roof that incorporates five insulated layers and an inner lining of luxurious cashmere.

When Rolls showed off the 100EX Concept a coupleof years back at the 2004 Geneva Motor Show, it was pretty much settled that Rolls-Royce was going to get a convertible model in some way, shape or form, but nobody figured that it would retain almost all the details of the concept car. One of the most distinctive features of the Drophead Coupe is its doors. They are rear-hinged suicide doors, like the rear doors in the Phantom sedan, but in the case of the Drophead, it’s the only production car to have its front or main doors of this type. It was expected that these would have been swapped for standard opening doors, but Rolls’ engineers found that the suicide doors actually improved the aluminum chassis’ rigidity.

Other concept car features that made it to production include a new nose with a wider radiator plus new LED main-beam headlamps. These give the convertible model a distinctive look, separating it from the more upright and boxy sedan. It’s a bit hard to see from lower angles, but the hood of the Drophead is made of polished stainless steel, as is the windshield frame, which is set at a different angle. Among other interesting touches that are unique to the Drophead include its teak wood tonneau cover that was inspired by speedboats, its two-piece trunk that features a lid, plus a bottom-hinged tailgate similar to the Mini Cooper Convertible. Unlike the 100 EX, the interior of the trunk is finished in carpet, not wood.

Just about the only thing that didn't make it to production was the engine. The EX had a V16 engine, a cylinder count reserved only for the Bugatti Veyron and the now cancelled Cadillac Sixteen, but the production car has the trusty 453-hp 6.75 V12 engine from the standard Phantom sedan along with its automatic gearbox. Rolls-Royce will begin producing the Phantom Drophead Coupe later this year, and it is expected to follow with a hardtop coupe model.