Rolls Royce’s coupe de grace

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Could this be the next star car of ‘Entourage’? It’s the Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe and it debuts at the Geneva auto show on March 4. This two-door version has been tuned to provide a more exciting drive, yet still offer all the luxury expected of a Rolls-Royce.

By the numbers: Its 6.75-liter V-12 engine produces 453 horsepower and 531 pounds-feet of torque, whooshing this 5,798-pound package of selected wood veneers, 21-inch aluminum wheels and fine hand-tooled leather to 60 mph in a deceptively quick and effortless 5.6 seconds. Even at 100 mph, the engine is only using 10% of its muscle. Fuel capacity has been upped by 25% for a longer driving range.

Like its soft-top Drophead sibling, the Coupe’s doors are rear-hinged for a more elegant entry and exit -- and note the rakish slant of the radiator grille that signals a driving experience with a little more drama. The steering has been tuned to provide more feel, the chassis honed to provide a touch more poise. But R-R still claims the car to be virtually silent. Production of the Phantom Coupe begins this summer. And let’s not talk about anything as tacky as money. If one has to ask, one can’t afford it.
-- Colin Ryan