Rolls-Royce builds the most beautiful car

(Credit: CNET Networks/Sarah Tew)

Opinions differ wildly when it comes to automotive design, but no one could deny the sheer beauty of Rolls-Royce's new Phantom Drophead Coupe. The second car in Rolls-Royce's rejuvenated model lineup, the Drophead takes the elegance of the Phantom and adds exterior elements that make it more sporty and downright lovely. The most obvious elements are the brushed steel hood, which creates a nice two-tone effect with the body, and the teak cover for the convertible top, reminiscent of a Chris-Craft powerboat.

(Credit: CNET Networks/Sarah Tew)

Ostensibly a convertible version of the Phantom, the Drophead Coupe shares very little with its hardtop sibling. All the body panels are different, the Drophead is shorter, and the interior materials are designed to be weather-resistant. The Drophead uses coach-style doors, which open from the front, allowing for easy access to the rear seats. The convertible top is lined with cashmere on the inside and extremely thick, with five layers of insulation. The trunk lid is made up of two parts, hinged from the top and bottom, with the lower one forming a bench designed for people to sit on during picnics.

The underpinnings of the Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe are pure BMW, which owns Rolls-Royce, with an aluminum frame to reduce weight, and a 6.75-liter V-12 engine. The engine produces 453 horsepower and pushes the 5,776-pound car to 60mph in 5.7 seconds. As with everything else in this car, dashboard tech is as good as it gets, with a premium stereo, navigation, and voice command all controlled with subtle and refined switchgear. Like the Phantom, the Drophead includes a split-view camera in front so the driver can see to the left and right of the car when pulling into a blind intersection.

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[make_or_break]

Luv dem suicide doors, baby!

There's a legitimate reason [i]why[/i] the Rolls' door pivot configuration was referred to as suicide doors all those decades ago. Do we really NEED to revisit this concept again, in all its gory, blood-splattered glory?<br /><br />OK...I get it...really I do...people who actually own Rolls-Royces don't demean themselves with such mundane trivialities like parallel parking their cars, either themselves OR their chauffeurs.

[mduvivier]

nobody could deny ... what??

nobody could deny ... what?? It is the ugliest car I've seen in decades - since the 70's gremlin, to be precise ... I'm sure someone likes it but the fat-yuck gauge is registering a "10" over here.

[skipwhite]

Those calling this car, "ugly" simply have no taste whatsoever. The car is absolutly beautiful in every possible way. What would you expect the car to look like I wonder, after all it is a Rolls Royce. Few cars on the planet can compete in any catagory. The styling is breathtaking to say the least. I personally own the new coupe, not the drophead, but the actual 2009 coupe, and it grabs more attention and awe, than anything else I have ever owned. People from every class, age, and gender admire this car to the highest degree. I'm really shocked that some people find this ugly. I would normally say, each to his own, but in this case, I'm going to say a lack of taste to max. <br />SW

[bduboff]

The ugliest car at the show - really!

I walked the floor yesterday and could not believe how ugly this beast was. Nothing about it was pleasing to my eyes - not the grill, LED headlights, metal hood - nada, nothing! 20 feet away was the Bentley exhibit showing beautiful lines and style. Rolls Royce has totally lost it's way. IMHO.

[maddogwri]

You are kidding

[maddogwri]

where is this car?

The German's have not designed a good car since the Gullwing Mercedes<br />Because of this they been buying english designs, Mini, Rolls and the Bently<br />The workmanship has dropped off in bothe Rolls and Bently<br />and the old mini 1275 with dual webbers would blow the wheels of the "NEW" Mini, which handles poorly, ahndles worse and gets poor fuel economy<br />more NAZI Junk

[cruiseliner]

Made by Home Depot?

Looks like someone chopped the top off my Chrysler 300 and put some basement wood panel on the back.