Topless Rolls Bathes In Applause

Sir Henry Royce once said: “The quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten.”

I am not quite sure I could just forget spending R12.5m on the Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead coupe, but money is relative. The price of the car created a great deal of debate in the office, matched only by the great deal of attention. I have driven many exotic vehicles, but this was the first one I have driven where a delivery guy in a Nissan 1400 bakkie pulled over onto the side of the road and applauded me as I drove past.

Worth R12.5m? Possibly. I had four guys in an old Beemer applaud too and two RAM delivery guys practically fell over themselves to have their picture taken with it. It’s funny, because this statement of wealth, opulence and success annoyed no-one. In fact it was the exact opposite as people smiled, waved, applauded and took pics. Another gent driving a Toyota Corolla beside me in traffic wound down his window and asked if he could be my driver!

It seems that a Roller commands the ultimate respect. It is also a rare sight of course: Toyota makes more cars in a week than Rolls-Royce has made in its entire history. I was chatting to businessman James Caan of Dragon’s Den fame this week and he owns a Phantom sedan. He described it as the “black tie” of cars and he uses it to attend evening functions. He said it has “presence” and, after my experience with the Drophead, I agree.

Driving it around Joburg I forgot all about the numerous undulations in our new highways or the potholes on the back roads. None of this exists beneath the massive wheels of the Roller as it soaks up everything as though you are on a magic carpet. It could be the best car for Africa’s roads although I would hate to think of the cost of replacing a wheel if it did find a pothole it could not float over.

The massive 6.75l V12 sits beneath that long bonnet looking like it has been lifted directly from an aircraft. It has similar power too with 338kW and 720Nm of torque, but this power is merely to get you to an elegant cruising speed. Sitting behind a huge yacht-like steering wheel, I never had the slightest inclination to explore what Rolls calls the “Power Reserve” available.

Instead it was all about dropping the hood and floating around Joburg resisting the urge to wave like the Queen. I even took it to Summer Place in Sandton when I attended the auction of the Kyalami racetrack. It fitted right in among people willing to spend hundreds of millions on this piece of South African history. Those are the people who appreciate the history, the craftsmanship and the respect of a Rolls. Again, the price tag rears its head but if you have a hundred thousand in the bank then you appreciate the cost of a BMW. If you have a billion in the bank then the price of the Rolls is comparative. It is, as I say, all relative.

Last year someone spent $52m on an original Ferrari 250 GTO. That person probably has a driver who uses a Phantom Drophead to ferry the kids to school. It is the epitome of quirk and craftsmanship — it has the doors that open the wrong way and, despite their weight, can be closed at the touch of a button. It has no rev counter but a “Power Reserve” gauge and it has an extending boot lid so you can sit on it and drink the finest champagne while watching polo. The seats are large and supremely comfortable, covered in the world’s best leather. In fact everything is the world’s best. There is no compromise, except perhaps for the BMW iDrive infotainment system which can disappear into the dashboard at the touch of a button to be replaced by an elegant clock.

The gears are engaged using a lever on the side of the steering wheel in a real old school way, although it will also appeal to the popular American market where Warren Buffett once said: “Wall Street is the only place that people ride to in a Rolls-Royce to get advice from those who take the subway.” It is a bit of a dilemma when it comes to deciding whether you should buy one or not.

You could have three Bentleys for the price, or a couple of Ferraris and a Bentley or try to take on Avis with a fleet of 60 Volkswagen Polos. Of course, you could also have a Rolls-Royce Ghost for those black tie functions, a Ferrari for the weekend and a Mercedes S-Class to be driven to work during the week. However, when the Spirit of Ecstasy rises from the grille and leads you through the busy streets, any thought of the cost of the vehicle becomes simply crass. You have made it and, incredibly, complete strangers will applaud your success.

[specs]

-Mark Smyth

[wzslider autoplay="true"]