Peter Nunn, Tokyo correspondent
A well-heeled Japanese buyer has defied the doomsters and taken delivery of Asia's first 338kW Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe.
Times might be tough but in Japan, but clearly the well-heeled still know how to live. Case in point: Japan has become the first nation in Asia to take delivery of Rolls-Royce's magnificent Phantom Coupe.
Just in case you were wondering, in Rolls-Royce speak, "Asia" includes Japan, Korea, Greater China, Australasia, India, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, all locations where Rolls has customers.
Rolls's local arm tells that a buyer in Osaka was the first in this part of the world to get the 6.75-litre V12 Phantom Coupe, ordered through Cornes and Company, the official Rolls importing arm (which also handles Ferrari and Maserati). But Australia, surely, cannot be far behind.
The Phantom Coupe first came out at this year's Geneva Show and the order book in Japan opened up this July.
They say if you have to ask the price with Rolls, you can't afford it but just for the record, the Phantom Coupe kicks off in Japan for ¥49.98 million (call it A$800,000 or so), making it something of a bargain against the possibly even more desirable and wickedly politically incorrect DropHead Coupe ($852,000).
That's before taxes, note, so a lot more folding stuff will be required to get the two-door, four-seat 338kW Coupe licensed and on the road. And once you get into Rolls' Bespoke order program, of course, the sky's the limit...
Oh, and isn't it remarkable how good the Coupe looks against the "normal" Phantom sedan?
A well-heeled Japanese buyer has defied the doomsters and taken delivery of Asia's first 338kW Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe.
Times might be tough but in Japan, but clearly the well-heeled still know how to live. Case in point: Japan has become the first nation in Asia to take delivery of Rolls-Royce's magnificent Phantom Coupe.
Just in case you were wondering, in Rolls-Royce speak, "Asia" includes Japan, Korea, Greater China, Australasia, India, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, all locations where Rolls has customers.
Rolls's local arm tells that a buyer in Osaka was the first in this part of the world to get the 6.75-litre V12 Phantom Coupe, ordered through Cornes and Company, the official Rolls importing arm (which also handles Ferrari and Maserati). But Australia, surely, cannot be far behind.
The Phantom Coupe first came out at this year's Geneva Show and the order book in Japan opened up this July.
They say if you have to ask the price with Rolls, you can't afford it but just for the record, the Phantom Coupe kicks off in Japan for ¥49.98 million (call it A$800,000 or so), making it something of a bargain against the possibly even more desirable and wickedly politically incorrect DropHead Coupe ($852,000).
That's before taxes, note, so a lot more folding stuff will be required to get the two-door, four-seat 338kW Coupe licensed and on the road. And once you get into Rolls' Bespoke order program, of course, the sky's the limit...
Oh, and isn't it remarkable how good the Coupe looks against the "normal" Phantom sedan?
