Phantom Coupe´ Exterior View

Brushed Steel Bonnet

Inspired by the ‘bare metal’ theme pioneered in the 100EX experimental car, the Phantom Coupé’s beautiful brushed stainless steel bonnet is a spectacular feature unique to Rolls-Royce. It’s also the largest panel made from anti-corrosion steel in the car industry.

With a perfectly applied brushed finish, the soft sheen of the bonnet accentuates the Phantom Coupé’s rakish lines, creating an unbroken flow of shimmering steel that runs from the streamlined radiator grille, around the A-frame windscreen surround and along the waistline that encircles the passenger compartment.

Putting this brushed steel finish into production was a major technical challenge, and it took us six-months to perfect our finishing techniques and treatment processes. Only through such exacting development have we ensured that the unpainted metal is durable enough to withstand the elements.

New Face

Sleek and rakish, yet instantly recognisable, the Phantom Coupé’s new face embodies its modern, dynamic spirit while retaining the confidence and grandeur that has characterised Rolls-Royce motor cars for more than a century.

Smaller and reclined at a more streamlined angle than that of the Phantom, the Phantom Coupé’s grille is made entirely from stainless steel: the central element of which is polished, while the outer shell is brushed to match that of the optional bonnet, windscreen surround and other exterior brightwork.

The new grille design also conceals an ingenious hinged mount, which allows the base of the grille to move in the event of a low speed impact, absorbing parking knocks that would otherwise result in damage.

Another striking feature of the Phantom Coupé’s face are its headlights. Incorporating LED technology, these headlights add drama and expression to the Coupé’s face.

Spirit of Ecstasy

Sitting on top of the new stainless steel grille is the Spirit of Ecstasy, an iconic mascot recognised the world over. Claude Johnson originally commissioned the sculptor Charles Sykes to produce a mascot worthy of his cars in 1911. It is thought that Sykes used a woman by the name of Eleanor Thornton as his model, and the resulting sculpture has graced Rolls-Royce motor cars ever since.

When BMW Group bought the rights to produce Rolls-Royce motor cars in 1998, it was clear that after so many years of use, the original mould for the Spirit of Ecstasy had become worn. The decision was taken to recast the mould, using state-of-the-art computer technology, and old photographs of Eleanor Thornton herself, to restore the missing detail and definition to the legendary figurine. Like the Phantom, the Phantom Coupé’s silver lady retracts into the radiator grille, either at the touch of a button, or automatically when you remove the key from the ignition.

Wheels

Phantom Coupé is available with a choice of three wheel and tyre options: Standard and optional 21 in wheels are all fitted all with Goodyear’s Extended Mobility Technology (EMT) run-flat performance tyres for complete peace of mind.

In the unfortunate event of a puncture, EMT run-flat tyres have the capability to be driven for at least 100 miles at speeds up to 55mph, and negate the need for a spare wheel or compressor, which saves both weight and luggage space.

The optional seven-spoke forged wheels mirror the design first previewed on the 101EX experimental car, whilst an all-new Star design forged alloy wheel is introduced to further capture the dynamic spirit of the Phantom Coupé’.

A standard feature of all our wheel options are ingenious self-righting RR logos, which remain upright at all times, and illustrate perfectly how our obsessive attention to detail distinguishes Rolls-Royce from all other marques.

Coach Doors

A unique feature pioneered in the Phantom, the Phantom Coupé develops Rolls-Royce’s coach door theme, with a pair of spectacular rear-hinged doors.

While creating an unmatched sense of drama and occasion, the unconventional nature of the coach doors posed our engineers some serious legislative challenges. These were overcome with the use of sophisticated electronically controlled door latches, which work in conjunction with a series of sensors to ensure that the coach door cannot be opened while the car is travelling at more than walking pace.

With four full seats, it was essential that the coach doors afford both front and rear passengers with unimpeded access. We have also incorporated a closing assistance system, which can pull the door shut from any opening angle, allowing occupants to close the door from within the passenger cabin at the touch of a button. There is also a soft-close mechanism that pulls the doors closed through the final 6mm of travel, minimising effort and noise.

Suspension

With its aluminium spaceframe chassis some 225mm shorter than the Phantom, and with a lower centre of gravity, the Phantom Coupé builds on Rolls-Royce’s modern tradition of combining a supple ride and precise handling.

Using Rolls-Royce’s custom-developed double wishbone front suspension and sophisticated multi-link rear suspension, together with air springs and continuous electronic damping control, the Phantom Coupé maintains a level stance when laden with passengers and luggage, while detail changes to the spring rates and damper settings, together with new rear anti-roll bar mean the Phantom Coupé unites the apparently conflicting demands of exceptional ride comfort with agility, precision and dynamism.

There is also a driver-selectable ride-height adjustment, which raises the Phantom Coupé by 25mm, for additional ramp clearance or when driving on poorly surfaced roads. Once it exceeds 60km/h the suspension returns to normal level automatically.

Paint

The product of our exacting surface finishing process, every Phantom model has a total of 6 layers of pre-treatment, primer, paint and high-gloss clear coat (of which there are two layers), for an unrivalled shine and depth of colour.

We use state-of-the-art robots in two dust-free ‘clean rooms’ to apply the paint, as they minimise wastage and achieve a more consistent finish than humanly possible. However, we rely on our highly-skilled paint associates to spray those areas of the body the robots can’t reach, and to complete those tasks that require human dexterity and judgement, such as ensuring scrupulously cleaning the bodies between coats, inspecting the final finish for the most minute imperfections, and polishing the paintwork to a flawless mirror finish.

In addition to the range of standard paint colours, there is a choice of some 44,000 different hues if you enlist the services of our Bespoke team.

Picnic Boot

Unique in a car of this kind, the Phantom Coupé’s picnic boot is so much more than simply a place to stow your luggage.

By dividing the boot lid into an upper and lower section, our designers have created a wonderfully informal and versatile feature. Lifting the upper section and letting down the lower allows you to gain access to the capacious luggage area, or should the opportunity arise, use the space to host the ultimate picnic for friends and family. With a load capacity of 150kg, the lower section also makes an ideal platform on which to view all manner of sporting events.

Thanks to exceptional packaging and engineering the luggage compartment has ample space for up to 4 golf bags, suitcases or the fruits of a successful shopping mission, despite the fitment of a larger 100-litre fuel tank, which increases the Phantom Coupé’s range, as befits a consummate continent-crossing Grand Tourer.

Power

As you’d expect from the latest member of the Phantom family, the heart of the Phantom Coupé is its all-aluminium 6749cc V12 engine. Using the most sophisticated engine technology available, including direct petrol injection, variable valve control and variable camshaft timing, it produces impressive maximum power and torque figures - 453bhp at 5350rpm and 531lb ft at 3500rpm - with peerless refinement and unmatched drivability.

Tuned to deliver Rolls-Royce’s legendary ‘waftability’ it gives 75% of its maximum torque at just 1000rpm, the remaining 25% arriving in one, sustained, linear stream as the driver squeezes the throttle. All this muscular accelerative power is delivered to the road through the rear wheels, via a six-speed automatic gearbox. Controlled by a column selector, the transmission uses shift-by-wire technology, which means there is no mechanical linkage between the selector and the transmission itself.

Equipped with a broad spread of ratios and specially programmed mode for spirited driving, this new transmission strategy enhances the Phantom Coupé’s sporting character, while preserving its seamless progress. Engaged via a button located on the steering wheel, the driver is fully able to exploit the V12’s engine’s power and accelerative potential, while automatic downshifting under braking brings an added sense of control and responsiveness.

Though effortless in delivery, the Phantom Coupé’s performance is truly spirited, with a 0-60mph time of just 5.6sec and an electronically governed top speed of 155mph.

Safty

In keeping with our philosophy of uncompromising design and engineering, we were determined to give the Phantom Coupé exceptional standards of occupant safety.

In order to achieve this, the Phantom Coupé features a sophisticated Intelligent Safety and Information System (ISIS) network, which monitors the car’s behaviour and, in the unfortunate event of an accident, determines which of the Phantom Coupé's numerous active safety systems to trigger - including the integrated front seat airbags and seatbelt pre-tensioners - via a host of intelligent sensors.

Ever vigilant, these sensors almost instantaneously transmit and receive all crash-relevant information, which ISIS then uses to activate individual safety features in such a way as to provide the most effective protection. For increased safety, ISIS also automatically disconnects the battery, retaining just enough energy within the system to activate the airbags if required.

Spaceframes

The Phantom Coupé is built around a version of the innovative hand-welded aluminium spaceframe first seen in the Phantom.

Some 225mm shorter than that of the original, the Phantom Coupé’s spaceframe is built from 200+ extruded aluminium profiles, 40 per cent of which are new. Together with around 300 parts made from aluminium sheet, the structure is welded together by highly skilled craftsmen in a painstaking process requiring some 130m of weld in 2728 separate locations. More welding takes place at the point where the superformed aluminium front wings are invisibly joined to the sill, and also at the rear of the car, where the curvaceous sweep of the roofline joins the Coupé’s muscular haunches just below the rear window.

To ensure the Coupé’s structure has standard-setting levels of rigidity and safety, the spaceframe features a brace bar across the engine bay, and four more beneath the floor at the front and rear of the chassis. The sill profiles are deeper and thicker for additional strength.

Coachlines

An impressive and highly effective finishing detail, it takes some 3-hours for our highly-skilled craftsman to hand-paint a single, 5-metre long coachline. Using special brushes, made from ox and squirrel hair, the coachline must be precisely level and an even 3mm in width.

Traditionally painted in a colour to match the interior trim, many customers now elect to have coachlines - both single and twin - in contrasting colours, and sometimes request additional hand-painted monograms or emblems, to further personalise their cars.

Visible Tailpipes

Reflecting the Phantom Coupé’s more driver focused character it features a purposeful pair of visible tailpipes, which emerge from the sculpted rear valance through eye-catching elliptical apertures.

A subtle but unmistakable hint at the Phantom Coupe’s huge reserves of effortless performance, the integrated twin exhausts add a sense of visual purpose without compromising the whisper quiet nature of the peerless Rolls-Royce 6.75 litre V12 engine.