« Praise the Lord and pass the ethanol, it's the 2008 Great Race | Main | Itsy pricey Spider »

Rolls Royce's coupe de grace

LatrrCould this be the next star car of ‘Entourage’? It’s the Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe and it debuts at the Geneva auto show on March 4. This two-door version has been tuned to provide a more exciting drive, yet still offer all the luxury expected of a Rolls-Royce.

By the numbers: Its 6.75-liter V-12 engine produces 453 horsepower and 531 pounds-feet of torque, whooshing this 5,798-pound package of selected wood veneers, 21-inch aluminum wheels and fine hand-tooled leather to 60 mph in a deceptively quick and effortless 5.6 seconds. Even at 100 mph, the engine is only using 10% of its muscle. Fuel capacity has been upped by 25% for a longer driving range.

Like its soft-top Drophead sibling, the Coupe’s doors are rear-hinged for a more elegant entry and exit -- and note the rakish slant of the radiator grille that signals a driving experience with a little more drama. The steering has been tuned to provide more feel, the chassis honed to provide a touch more poise. But R-R still claims the car to be virtually silent. Production of the Phantom Coupe begins this summer. And let’s not talk about anything as tacky as money. If one has to ask, one can’t afford it.
-- Colin Ryan

TrackBack

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/t/trackback/816965/26246100

Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Rolls Royce's coupe de grace:

Comments

I'd like one. I'll just plan on winning the MegaMillions drawing tomorrow night!

Having a stainless steel rollbar for your windshield surround is a much more tolerable idea on the convertible than it is on this coupe. Coup-ay. Whatever. The curves in the roof fight with the curves in the body. Again what makes visual sense with a fabric top does not work here.

Jimminentlies, if I must have a 2-door behemoth, I think I'd pick the Bentley Brooklands Coupe, because it at least looks the part, even if it doesn't have that lovely V-12 under the hood.

Post a comment
If you are under 13 years of age you may read this message board, but you may not participate.
Here are the full legal terms you agree to by using this comment form.

Comments are moderated, and will not appear until they've been approved.

If you have a TypeKey or TypePad account, please Sign In





ADVERTISEMENT



About the Blogger
Our Bloggers

Dan Neil is a Los Angeles Times Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist who writes the weekly column, Rumble Seat.

Ken Bensinger is a Los Angeles Times staff writer who covers the automotive industry.

Martin Zimmerman is a Los Angeles Times staff writer who covers the automotive and finance industries.

Joni Gray is a Los Angeles Times staff writer who covers the automotive industry.

Whitney Friedlander is a Los Angeles Times staff writer who writes for both Autos and Travel section blogs.

Colin Ryan is a freelance writer who covers the automotive industry.

All LA Times Blogs

All The Rage
All Things Trojan
Babylon & Beyond
Big Picture
Blue Notes - Dodgers
Booster Shots
Bottleneck
Comments Blog
Countdown to Crawford
Culture Monster
Daily Dish
Daily Mirror
Daily Travel & Deal Blog
Dish Rag
Extended Play
Fabulous Forum
Funny Pages 2.0
Gold Derby
Greenspace
Hero Complex
Homeroom
Homicide Report
Jacket Copy
L.A. Land
L.A. Now
L.A. Unleashed
La Plaza
Lakers
Money & Co.
Movable Buffet
Opinion L.A.
Outposts
Readers' Representative Journal
Show Tracker
Soundboard
Technology
Top of the Ticket
Up to Speed
Varsity Times Insider
Web Scout
What's Bruin
Your Scene Blog

ADVERTISEMENT