Grace driving: Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe

The company spokesperson's response deserves a place in Rolls-Royce folklore. "The Rolls-Royce engine is like being pushed along the road by the hand of an angel."

Yes, a Rolls-Royce will get you there every bit as fast, but it will be such an effortlessly calm experience that you'll hardly notice. And this is the case with the Phantom Coupé, a model designed with greater emphasis on the driving experience.

Although boasting the same engine and similar performance figures, the original Phantom in its saloon and long wheelbase form is a vehicle tailored more towards the chauffeured experience. In the Coupé, the driver's seat feels like home, not least because of the stately manor levels of room inside. A 2.5-tonne optical illusion, from the outside the Phantom Coupé's sleekly styled body hides the fact that it is more than 5.5 metres in length and just shy of two metres wide. Although not as tall as the saloon models, make no mistake, this is a giant.

The Phantom Coupé unsurprisingly dominates the scene as it straddles the width of the lanes on the highway. Yet in terms of its handling and performance it lives up to the sports intimations of the coupé name surprisingly well. Granted, the traction and stability control systems are key to the unnatural agility, but the aluminium chassis boasts firmer damping alongside its 130 metres of precision hand welding to offer a more dynamic feel.

Brake heavily from high speed and the Coupé hauls to a halt with minimum fuss, again discreetly aided by electrical governance. In terms of power delivery from the V12, sub-six second 0-100kph acceleration times do not lie.

Fortunately so, as the grace with which the Phantom Coupé whispers up to speed may catch out the inattentive. The V12 is barely audible at tick over, vibration through the cabin non-existent. It's the height of refinement. The huge steering wheel, slightly thicker in the Coupé for a sportier feel, would seem absurdly oversized if it wasn't for the Guild Hall proportions of the rest of the interior. As with the rest of the Phantom range, driving the Coupé does feel like being pushed along the road by an angel. Only in this more dynamic model, it's an angel that earned its wings behind the wheel.

Specs & Rating

Model Phantom Coupé
Engine 6.7-litre V12 Transmission Six-speed automatic
Max power 453bhp @ 5,350rpm
Max torque 720Nm @ 3,500rpm
Top speed 250kph
0-100kph 5.6sec
Price Dh1.8 million (UK)

Plus Great driving experience, precise handling, supreme comfort

Minus Still out of reach for most people