Rolls-Royce to build new Phantom cabriolet in UK

Rolls-Royce confirmed yesterday that it is to build a convertible version of its new luxury saloon, the Phantom. The car will go on sale in 2007 and is expected to carry a price tag of about £300,000.

Rolls-Royce confirmed yesterday that it is to build a convertible version of its new luxury saloon, the Phantom. The car will go on sale in 2007 and is expected to carry a price tag of about £300,000.

Based on the 100EX, a concept car unveiled this year at the Geneva Motor Show (pictured), the new two-door, four-seater convertible will share the Phantom's 6.75 litre, V12 engine and its aluminium space-frame chassis but it will be slightly smaller and heavier.

The car will be built at Rolls' Goodwood facility near Chichester on the south coast and could mean an increase in jobs at the site. A spokesman said it was a further sign of confidence in the plant from Rolls' German owners, BMW.

The Goodwood plant employs 500 people, many of them craftsmen recruited from the local boat building industry.

Production of the Phantom is running at five cars a day. However, sales this year will fall well short of the 1,000 that Rolls had hoped to achieve.