SimplyAbuDhabi XII

inmatte black to perfectly complement the Gunmetal paint and continue the competition looks. Body coloured wheels, perfectly matching the main exterior paint finish, were also specified to add to the car’s dramatic appearance. It’s the first time such a feature has graced a contemporary Rolls Royce, yet the result seems to capture a classic era of racing on a thoroughly modern vehicle. Under the bonnet, the Phantom’s 6.75-litre V12 engine makes a mighty 453bhp and a not-insubstantial 531lb ft of torque, driving through a six- speed automatic transmission. Obviously, that makes for impressive performance on the road but here, in this car’s racing guise, it’s just magnificent on the track. In fact, it’s on the track that the Chicane Coupé’s superb handling is brought to light. With broader rear tyres (and narrower front ones), stiffer rear dampers and springs and a thicker rear anti-roll bar, the Coupé is noticeably sharper than its saloon and convertible relatives, even though the latter shares with the Coupé a wheelbase 200mm shorter than the saloon's. The Coupé might weigh around 2.7 tonnes, but that mass is perfectly balanced front to rear. This means that beyond a barely noticeable amount of initial roll it can take the bends with remarkable poise. The tighter body control of the Phantom Coupé means you can really power through a corner without fear of any unseemly lurches. This car is fabulously comfortable and luxurious, but still rewarding and involving to drive round the track. Of course the improved steering really helps – at 3.3 turns it still requires an involving degree of twirling –but with added feel and a thicker wheel to grasp it’s possible to place this mighty car with uncanny accuracy. And doing so is deeply satisfying. Obviously, to provide this improved handling, the suspension has had to be stiffened a little in comparison with the Phantom saloon, but by anyone’s standards the Coupé still rides incredibly well. The only difference is that, where a Phantom saloon’s passengers wouldn’t notice the slightest movement, the Coupé’s driver stays in touch with the contours of the road surface. However, even at high speeds and through the most demanding routes the Coupé simply soaks up the bumps and lumps in one fluid, controlled movement, the long body remaining remarkably level. Although blessed with its own character, the Coupé remains true to the PhantomDNA, incredible poise andmatchless luxury but still rewarding and involving to drive, without becoming intrusive. Throughout the car, painstakingly hand-crafted details allude to the car’s historic motor racing theme, with chequered flag motif stitching to the seats echoed on the exterior with a matching Bespoke coachline. This elegant yet powerful tribute is completed with a metal plaque marked bearing the car’s name and a representation of Goodwood’s famous track layout located discreetly in the glove compartment. It’s a fantastic finishing touch in a stunning car. This isn’t the first time an unexpected spark of inspiration has taken a Rolls Royce customer. Other commissions have included an exterior paint colour perfectly matched to a favourite eye shadow and a wood- veneer for the interior sourced from a tree on a customer’s estate. The Bespoke team is used to handling requests like this and treats each challenge with the same kind of commitment. “Customers often task us with designing cars themed around a particular passion or interest. The customer leads the creative process, working in collaboration with us to create a highly personal, one-off masterpiece. As Bespoke designers we take great satisfaction in turning these dreams into reality,” said Gavin Hartley, Bespoke Design Manager. It’s an attitude that completely sums up the team’s approach to their work. An attitude that sees them turning a customer’s wildest dreams into reality and creating cars like this incredible coupé. 3 2 6 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I