First Drive: Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe
We test the ultimate luxury drop-top on Australia's magnificent southern coastline
Text & Photos by Karl Peskett - Teamspeed Contributing Editor

Australia is one of the most isolated countries in the world. It’s also one of the most contrasting. It’s harsh, yet beautiful. Relaxing, yet dangerous. It’s those opposing elements which make it both enticing and enthralling.

One of the best driving roads in Australia is called the Great Ocean Road, a ribbon-like run of twisting blacktop that runs the southern coastline of the state of Victoria. It too is a road of contrasts.

There are long straights and winding switchbacks. There’s coastline and farmland. There are hills and open flats. If its variety you’re after, then look no further than this stunning piece of bitumen. Thing is, you need something just as stunning to enjoy it.

Thankfully, Teamspeed was thrown the keys to the world’s most luxurious convertible and told to go and enjoy the Great Ocean Road (GOR). Yes, the Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe is certainly a worthy match for this stretch of tarmac, and one that has a few surprises up its sleeve.

We began in Melbourne, on a grey, overcast day, forlornly looking at the skies, begging the sun to make an appearance. That it does, but only after we start driving toward Geelong, the first turn-off leading to the GOR. It was sort of like providence; the sun only burning through the cloud layer once this gorgeous car was nearing its spiritual homeland.

Arriving in Torquay, the unofficial start of the GOR, we noticed the traffic had thinned, making our entrance rather easy, and allowing us to enjoy the drive rather than be frustrated by infernal tourists who would normally rent a car and then be hell-bent on infuriating their followers by stubbornly sticking to half the posted speed limit. Tourists…I hate tourists….

But I digress.

Building speed steadily as the car gets into its stride in the first few kilometers of the road, it gives you a good chance to reflect on what Rolls-Royce has created.

With its 6.75-litre V12 which produces virtually no noise, but makes a very respectable 450hp, the Drophead Coupe will power from 0-60mph in just 5.6 seconds. No mean feat for a 2.6-tonne luxobarge. And I do mean barge with the greatest of respect.

Boating was the inspiration for the Drophead Coupe with teak decking extending from the rear of the cabin toward the boot. Over 30 individual pieces of wood are used, with grain that looks like it was freshly sawn. It’s weather-resistant, though, thanks to an impregnation of oils that keep its appearance looking very natural.

The rest of the interior is typical Rolls-Royce perfection. From the huge rear-hinged doors with their perfectly juxtaposed chrome and wood highlights to the super soft leather which covers almost all surfaces, and the glossy mahogany which is perfectly bookmatched, the cabin’s build is literally second to none.

The design of the Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe’s seats is also one of simplicity but total comfort. Despite spending hours behind the wheel, not once did I have to shift around to regain a comfortable position.

The space is just excellent, even with four on board. It is a four seater, but the rear passengers will never utter a word of complaint about being squeezed, unless your driver is being scouted by the NBA. What’s odd is the boot space. At 315 liters it seems out of proportion with the car’s size, however we were able to pack in several soft overnight bags plus a couple of backpacks and laptops, and there was room to spare.

It’s a convertible, though, so what’s it like when it comes to the rough stuff? Well, on the GOR, there’s plenty of that. Having cliffs on one side and temperamental coastline on the other means fallout from crumbling walls tends to litter the road along the way. Hit that in a sports car and you’ll know all about it. Hit it in the Phantom Drophead Coupe, however, and it’s a whole different story.

Normally, convertibles exhibit scuttle shake, the manifestation of the body wobbling as it flexes over bumps. It’s a by-product of the strength that normally comes from the roof being absent – flex a shoebox with the lid on and then off and you’ll see what I’m on about.

This Rolls-Royce has none of that. None. Its stiffness is immense, and with a side-one view showing how braced the windscreen is, you can see why you don’t get any wobble from the windscreen, steering column, seats – nothing. It gives you the confidence to press on when the road gets tighter and more demanding, knowing the car won’t collapse around you. And it’s in those demanding conditions that the Phantom Drophead Coupe starts to shine.

Okay, sure, it’s no 911, but considering its size (5.6m long and nearly 2m wide) and weight, it handles way better than it has a right to. There’s a progressive feel to its ride which means it soaks up those smaller imperfections, yet leaned into a corner it firms up and hangs on with surprising results. In fact, I found that the quicker you went, the better it responded, though backing off mid-corner saw the ESC light flicking madly as it dealt with the weight transfer.

The steering is also surprising. Yes, it’s light, no getting around that. But the feedback is still pure and despite the steering wheel’s size it’s actually quite easy to thread through the twisty sections of the GOR. A smaller, thicker rim would be nicer, but for its intended customer base (most of them wouldn’t be testing it as dynamically as we did) it is nice to hold and turns in with surprising response.

Approaching the 90km point of the Great Ocean Road, we came across Apollo Bay, a small town nestled on the fringe of where the road turns inland and eschews tempestuous waves for calming forest. It’s the last major town for quite a while and one that echoes the sand-and-surf lifestyle of the GOR. Time for a meal of fish and chips, then.

After dosing up on greasy batter, we were ready to head inland. The tourists are no less annoying, but a slab of bright-chrome and a 2-metre wide car with evil robot-like eyes certainly do their part to encourage them to move out of the way…quickly.

The road gets better and better with every turn revealing more mountainous terrain and the smell of the plant life and fresh air are appealing, to say the least. With a bit of cloud dancing across the treetops, the contrast from the first half of the road is quite apparent.

The road then opens up to straighter, flatter areas as it passes through green pasturage and cattle grazing land. It’s here that I wind up the big beast to triple digits, which even with the roof down, it does without hesitation. Other cars must wonder what the epically quiet monster is which passes them like they’re going backwards.

When you do put the roof up, there are five layers of insulation to keep the noise down – and it works. Both wind noise and external noise are impressively suppressed. Just a word of caution: you have to be completely stopped to put the roof up, and when you do it takes a while. The roof mechanism is silent, so it works in a very relaxed and Rolls-Royce-like manner.

It’s after the farmland that we approach what is arguably the Great Ocean Road’s biggest drawcard – the 12 Apostles.

Formed through the weathering of sandstone, the 12 Apostles jut out of the water creating massive pillars that catch the eye. They make for a spectacular coastline and one that is a tourist Mecca. Teamspeed caught a chopper to check out the 12 Apostles and the Bay of Isles – it’s a much better way to catch a glimpse of this natural wonderland, and it helps to get away from the humdrum of tourists and their incessant camera clicks.

It’s only up there, suspended above this awe-inspiring sight, that you realize how close the GOR comes to the cliffs. It truly is a once-in-a-lifetime experience and one that we’re eternally grateful we were offered the opportunity.

For a traveling companion on this road, one could not ask for a more perfect car than the Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe. It’s a car that can only be described as a five-senses automobile: You can see the beauty of the landscape. You can feel the quality of the car. You can hear the wind in your ears, or indeed the silence when stopped. You can taste the salty ocean air. You can smell the landscape and flora.

If you want to put a great road on your bucket list, then ensure the Great Ocean Road is right near the top. Just ensure you take the car to match.

 

Sick pics.
Those must cost $1M + in Australia

 

Karl those are amazing images! What camera are you shooting with?

 

damn what a scenery! and a wonderful car of course!

 

Thanks guys.

SirSpeedy, I'm using (don't laugh, now) a Canon EOS 400D.

And yes, the car costs $1.35m in Australia.

 

^

That's slightly more than the price of an Enzo here. What's the tax rate on cars in Australia?

 

There's a five percent import tarriff, plus 33 percent luxury car tax, then 10 percent goods and services tax and stamp duty, licence and registration costs.

We get taxed on taxes. Insane, yes, but it's to protect Holden and Ford, the local manufacturers.

 

Amazing scenery wish we have roads like that over here

 

what an experience. great stuff mate.

 

Beautiful scenery!