Concept Car: Rolls-Royce 100EX

This is a seriously large convertible, albeit not quite as vast as the Phantom saloon whose platform it shares. Under its machined-from-solid aluminium bonnet lies an engine whose beautiful black and polished-aluminium finish recalls Rolls-Royce's first V8s - except that this one is a V16, made by joining two BMW V8s together. That gives it 64 valves, a capacity of 9.0 litres and presumably the power and pace of something like a Saturn Five. The figures aren't disclosed, of course, because this is not a production car and Rolls-Royce has never liked quoting such figures if it can avoid it. We can assume the motor car's power is 'adequate', and then some.

What are we to make of the grille? It's smaller than normal, and slightly played down in the way it's convex, backward-sloping and recessed, but look at what it's recessed into. A frame of machined aluminium which flows into that polished bonnet, whose underside shows strengthening ribs all machined into the metal. Such a bonnet would be unfeasibly expensive in production, and it would be cast instead, but it looks fabulous. The aluminium vista is made the more obvious by the tiny headlights, and it flares ultimately into a one-piece aluminium scuttke and screen surround which incorporates fixed quarterlights.

Which leads to the next design twist, albeit one not unexpected given the design of the Phantom saloon's rear doors. Yes, the 100EX's two doors are hinged on their rear edges, just like front doors of old. They make for easier ingress and egress, and allow the front pillars to be moved back (hence the fixed quarterlights) to the great benefit of an open car's strength. Such doors are allowed again today because carmakers have perfected automatic locking systems that prevent the doors being opened on the move and scooping up pedestrians.

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