2011 Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe Review
Rolls-Royce's Phantom Coupe is the latest addition to the Phantom lineup, introduced for the 2009 model year. It is a highly customizable, hand-built model with high-end build quality and materials. The Phantom Coupe competes with the Bentley Brooklands.
Driving the 2011 Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe through the rain slicked streets of London; I realized this was going to be a rough crossing of the English Channel on our way to Paris, France.
The starlight headliner twinkled above our heads as dawn slowly gained the upper hand.
Arriving on time was critical as we were booked on the earliest crossing with little extra time for getting lost or stuck in traffic. Performance for the 2011 Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe comes in the form of a 6.7-litre V12 48-valve engine. Power numbers indicate 453 horsepower at 5,350 rpm and 531 lb.-ft. of torque at 3,500 rpm. Words cannot easily describe the feeling of driving a Phantom Coupe at speed. Traveling from one country to another requires passport approval in both as we leave England and drive over one speed bump to arrive in France.
What follows next is a series of twisting orange pylon bordered lanes worthy of a new vehicle test circuit. The Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe proves nimble once again as we leave the lane to drive onto the train.
Arriving in Calais in the north of France, it is now time to stretch our legs and those of the Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe. Taking curves at speed is a graceful exercise in planning ahead, the kilometres flying by as we reach the outskirts of Paris just in time for rush hour.
The drive downtown to our hotel takes nearly as long as the trip in from Calais. Paris is a city of magnificent boulevards surrounded by small two or one-lane streets, some cobblestone. Built in 1860, Hôtel Scribe Paris features 200 rooms and 13 suites decorated with Parisian flare and elegance. Our room is comfortable in size, especially for a European hotel, with a king-sized bed, oversized bathroom and relaxed furnishings.
Fuel mileage is an EPA estimated 11 mpg city and 18 mpg highway. Features include suicide doors, full-grain leather, fine veneer trim, 21-inch alloy wheels, starlight headlining, extended veneer package, navigation system, new 2011 interior/exterior colors and audio integration for iPod.
