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Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe bought at charity auction for $1.6 million
click above image to view more high-res pics of the Drophead Coupe from RR
Giving to charity is a good thing, no doubt, but what better incentive is there for budding philanthropists than dangling the keys to a brand new Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe in front of their compassionate eyes? One guy took the bait and dropped £800,000, or a little over $1.6 million, at the 9th Annual White Tie and Tiara Ball's charity auction for a new Drophead Coupe. His cash will go to the Elton John AIDS Foundation, while the Drophead Coupe will arrive in exchange later this summer. A new RR Phantom Drophead Coupe costs "only" £260,000, but in comparison to what the undisclosed auction winner paid, that's beginning to sound like a bargain.
[Source: Newspress]
PRESS RELEASE:
Rolls-Royce bought at auction for £800,000
A Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé has been bought at a charity auction for £800,000. The successful bid was made at the 9th Annual White Tie and Tiara Ball held to raise money for the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Overall the event raised in excess of £6 million, with £3.1 million raised at the auction alone.
The Rolls-Royce was bought by a private buyer who will take delivery of his new car later in the summer. The event took place at the private residence of Sir Elton John and David Furnish.
Rolls-Royce unveiled the new Drophead Coupé in January this year. The two-door, four-seat convertible is hand made at the company's manufacturing plant at Goodwood, and combines the latest aluminium technology and engineering with the very best in hand craftsmanship. The result is a car that many have already hailed as the ultimate in convertible motoring. Rolls-Royce has now begun full production of the new car.
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Chairman and CEO, Ian Robertson, said, "We were delighted that the Phantom Drophead Coupe raised such a significant amount on the night and that Rolls-Royce Motor Cars had the opportunity to support The Elton John AIDS Foundation in their continued fight against this global epidemic."
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Barney 6:48PM (7/06/2007)
If you got the money an put it towards a good cause like this, you deserve the best. The Rolls Royce will be one car that the buyer can be proud of. Here is a case where the owner is not flaunting his wealth.
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500 6:54PM (7/06/2007)
Not flaunting his wealth? Driving around in an abomination like that? As a former Rolls-Royce owner from back before BMW got ahold of it and "Bangled" the design, I must say that thing is hideous compared to the beautiful shapes of the past. A fool and his money...
Wonder how much of it he gets to deduct off his taxes though.
Barney 7:03PM (7/06/2007)
"A fool and his money..."
I don't agree. The price he paid for the car was for the AIDS society. The fact the car is not to your liking is not relevant. Donate more then him and I'm sure they'll come up with a non-BMW for you.
500 7:14PM (7/06/2007)
>The fact the car is not to your liking is not relevant.
Well, not exactly. This is AUTOblog, after all. I'm sure some guy donating money to an AIDS cause, even a particularly generous donation, wouldn't be noted here otherwise.
Mike I 1:06AM (7/07/2007)
Yeah, but the fact that this is a car meant that this instance of donation WAS on Autoblog. I must say that I completely agree with Barney.
Andy 7:09PM (7/06/2007)
The car still looks like the pre-BMW Rolls--meaning, it's bloated, ugly, and oversized. Time to follow Jaguar and go for an exterior change in direction.
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Barney 7:07PM (7/06/2007)
"As a former Rolls-Royce owner "
Then you won't like the idea I was going to make mine into a pickup truck. (I was stopped by a then, next owner of the car.)
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500 7:17PM (7/06/2007)
:-) Mine was a '72 Silver Shadow, which would have made an especially pretty pickup haha. Which model was yours?
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Barney 1:24AM (7/07/2007)
This was thirty years ago and a 1969 Silver Shadow. What is it about the Silver that makes us see a good pickup in them? I didn't sell it for the money but to end the constant sniveling of cohorts.
500 7:19PM (7/06/2007)
:-) Mine was a '72 Silver Shadow, which would have made an especially pretty pickup haha. Which model was yours?
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Barney 10:17PM (7/06/2007)
"This is AUTOblog, after all."
True!
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bmoredlj 1:41AM (7/07/2007)
More like the Rolls-Royce Phantom DropJAW Coupe.
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Quattrofan 3:39AM (7/07/2007)
Holy Jebus! British pound is twice the US dollar. Way to go George!
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cappuccino 8:37AM (7/07/2007)
hey this is the best thing I've seen
since the article of Bentley being badged as a Hyundai.
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That Famous Chinese 2:38PM (7/07/2007)
It looks no better than Chrysler 300. How does R-R justify a quasilion dollars premium over 300? Oh, yeah, the doors open the other way ($5000 upgrade at the most) and interior came straight from '86 Buick with some wood.
R-R makes good engines, but their design never comes above the $25,000-car level. Call it "classic", if you like, but Bentley, Austin Martin and Ferrari all have achieved a truly luxury modern classic look, while R-R is just a 300 with doors opening the other way.
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Reader 4:43PM (7/07/2007)
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2006/12/rr_phan_dhc_xhr_37.jpg
That Famous Chinese 8:44PM (7/07/2007)
12 cyls? True.
Isn't it sad that with 12 cylinders it does 0-60 a second slower than Chrysler 300 STR? So it looks like 300, has dated interior (comparing to 300), thirstier engine and it is also slower. You get it all for just $350,000 more. Great value.
With $15,000 in upgrades, btw, 300 will be identical to this abomination.
chad.dawkins 12:25AM (7/08/2007)
When you see a Phantom in person you will NEVER mistake it for a 300. You may mistake a 300 for a Phantom occasionally, but when you see one you KNOW it is something special. The car is GIGANTIC. My first thoughts when I saw one was, "Damn, that's a big ca... ahh the grill is blinding... omg a Phantom!" I personally think the Phantom is perfectly designed. It looks big bulky and strong. It's what a car for an aristocrat is supposed to look like.
To even compare the interior of a Phantom(or the drophead coupe) to a RR is laughable. It takes like 17 cow hides to leather a Phantom. Perhaps the older classic RR designs do look better, but the Phantom looks much better than the RRs of the 80s and 90s.
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chad.dawkins 12:50AM (7/08/2007)
Err, I meant compare the interior to a Phantom to a 300 is laughable.