Autoblog

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The Detroit Auto Show traditionally belongs to the domestic automakers, who pull out all the stops as they unveil some of their best and brightest new products and concepts. This year, however, the ultimate showstopper may well be located at the Rolls-Royce display. The fabled British marque (now owned by BMW, of course) has chosen Detroit to reveal the 2008 Phantom Drophead Coupé, a jaw-droppingly spectacular 4-seat convertible aimed squarely at Bentley's Azure.

The Drophead Coupé is, for all intents and purposes, a perfect production interpretation of RR's 100EX concept car, which made its debut at 2004's Geneva show. The key elements of the 100EX remain -- the thin LED headlamps, rear-opening "suicide" doors, brushed steel hood and A-pillar, and teak decking aft of the passenger compartment are all here. The V16 that powered the 100EX is replaced in the Drophead Coupé by the Phantom sedan's proven 6.75L V12., which generates 453 horsepower and 513 lb-ft of torque at 3500 rpm. That's enough to propel the 5775-pound droptop to 60 mph in approximately 5.7 seconds.



Follow the jump for more of our take, an animation of the roof mechanism, plus the official (and very long) press release and tech specs from Rolls-Royce. If you'd like to have the Drophead Coupe grace your desktop, check out our mega-gallery of over 60 hi-res photos.

[Source: Rolls-Royce]

In the face of robust sales that show no signs of slowing, Rolls-Royce continues to expand its global dealer network. Since 2003, that number has risen by 10 to 74. Recently, dealers have set up shop in locations as diverse as Denver and Pakistan.

The company moved almost 800 cars last year, all of them Phantoms in either standard or long-wheelbase guise (because, you know, that standard 19-foot-long car is just too cramped inside). Expectations at Rolls are that it'll meet or surpass that number this year. Beyond that, the coming addition of the 100EX-based convertible (and possibly a 101EX-inspired coupe after that?) should help keep sales lively.

The long-wheelbase car, which is apparently selling well everywhere else, will make it into US showrooms by the end of the year, giving the well-heeled more room to cool their ... uh ... heels.

(Press release after the jump)

[Source: Rolls-Royce]