2008 Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé

Finished in Woodland Green Metallic with a matching dark green hide interior, this Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé comes to market with a service history that includes a new engine in March 2025.

Which cost more than £42,000 by the time it was fitted.

There’s more good news with the fact the seller splashed out more than £2,000 in May 2024 on a few bits and bobs including a new umbrella (£480.30), four valve caps (£98.83), an ashtray (£686.74), and a trickle charger (£611.64) – and no, those are not typos.

And these don’t even scratch the surface; we’re used to seeing big bills, but the scale of this recent investment left even us feeling dry mouthed.

He’s had a great time with it though, attending a couple of Rolls-Royce Enthusiast Club events and taking his granddaughter to her prom night.

But all good things must come to an end, and he’s decided that now is the time to sell so he can fulfil another of his automotive dreams.

Your quarter-of-a-million pounds got you an awful lot of coachwork, all of it perfectly formed and all still perfectly aligned; say what you like about the car’s showroom price, but it’s easy to see where a big chunk of your money went.

It’s clearly been very well looked after over the years being almost completely free of dents and dinks. It’s also got a very good lustre to the delicate green paintwork.

And Woodland Green Metallic is a great colour; subtle and understated, it also helps hide the Phantom’s considerable dimensions, allowing you to appreciate some of its details like the wrapped bonnet, the distinctive headlamps, and the radiator grille that manages to be both contemporary and iconic. 

The doors hinge from the rear, allowing an unusually graceful entry and exit, while the green fabric roof rises with predictable elegance. That roof is in great shape too with no rips, tears, or other damage. It also seals extraordinarily well, ensuring the car is as quiet with it raised as you’d expect. 

The wheels, which are a suitably vast 21-inches in diameter, are free of scuffs, scrapes, and other kerbing damage. The paint finish is in good shape too, and the tyres are an imposing 255/50R21 on the front and 285/45R21 on the rear. 

They are matching Continental Conti Sport Contact 5s too, and all have decent tread. However, you might like to think about replacing them as they were made back in 2016 and 2017.

Nevertheless, we will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. 

The lamp lenses, badges, and side and rear windows are all above reproach. 

Nonetheless, there are a few minor cosmetic issues. The windscreen and front end have stonechips, with a couple having hit the metalwork with sufficient force to put a dink in the panel next to the nearside headlamp and on the radiator grille surround.

The nearside door has a loose striker, both doors have chips along their opening edge, the nearside headlamp washer is missing, the base of the offside door mirror is bubbling and the rubber seal has perished, the nearside door mirror has some flaking paint, the offside rubber door seal is a little frayed at its base, the fuel filler flap is chipped, and some of the centre caps are starting to show their age.

Paint is also peeling on the just above the offside door handle and near the fuel filler cap on the offside rear wing.

Say what you like about Rolls-Royce’s reliance on BMW parts, but what’s not to like when the result is a sublime blend of improved reliability and flawless ergonomics alongside the finest automotive craftsmanship in the world: The Phantom’s interior is as exquisite in its execution as it is its design.

The green hide is such a dark hue as to look almost black in some lights; in stark contrast to some examples you see wafting around London, this one has been impeccably specified. 

Admire too the ‘Power Reserve’ dial, the chrome starter button, and the analogue clock – not forgetting the umbrellas that are so elegant, and elegantly stored, that you’ll be praying for rain. We did note the airbag light is showing on the dashboard.

The front seats, which are heated and electrically adjustable, are sublimely comfortable – and the buttons and chromed joystick that adjust them are all hidden under the central armrest for an even cleaner look.

There are buttons to pop the boot and lower the Spirit of Ecstasy. More to raise and lower the roof, and even the telephone controls on the steering wheel are made of chromed metal. 

Speaking of which, like the radiator grille we mentioned earlier, the steering wheel manages to be Bauhaus-sleek while still acknowledging those that have gone before; step out of any 20th century Rolls-Royce and it would be familiar. 

As would the dashboard and controls, which balance modernity and tradition with impeccable good taste. They operate with a satisfying tactility too, and even adjusting things like the door mirrors brings a small thrill.

The carpets are in good order too with no holes, tears, or other damage. They are, of course, protected by a set of deep-pile lambswool overmats. 

The boot is vast and as beautifully trimmed as everywhere else; rest assured, your Louis Vuitton luggage has never been in safer hands.

Lifting the false floor reveals what appears to be unused tool and first aid kits, plus that £600-battery charger.

As for flaws, the leather covering the dashboard has started to bubble and lift on both corners, the leather covering the base of the driver’s seat has loosened just a little, the dashboard information screen has gone hazy, and the nearside rear headlining has a small tear in it. 

That’s about all there is to worry about, especially as everything we tested – which took a while given how much there is – worked as it should.

But then the Phantom’s service history is comprehensive:

• 07.01.2010 and 7,118 miles – service by P&A Wood
• 08.09.2011 and 17,410 miles – service by Sytner
• 07.12.2011 and 21,432 miles – service by Sytner
• 31.05.2012 and 26,059 miles – service by Sytner
• 24.07.2014 and 53,299 miles – service by Sytner
• 02.04.2015 and 61,464 miles – service by Sytner
• 09.09.2015 and 71,931 miles – service by Sytner
• 13.07.2016 and 81,483 miles – service by Sytner
• 18.10.2017 and 98,281 miles – service by Sytner
• 05.10.2018 and 101,242 miles – service by Silver Lady
• 12.12.2019 and 104,522 miles – service by Silver Lady
• 16.06.2023 and 112,386 miles – service by Silver Lady including recharging the air-conditioning
• 11.10.2024 and 114,595 miles – service by Rolls-Royce Birmingham at a cost of £6,273

The most recent service was by Curtis Johnson, who ran up a bill for £13,254 for the second part of the engine installation as well as servicing the gearbox, and fitting some new suspension and transmission bushes.

The eagle-eyed among you will have noticed that the same firm supplied an invoice for more than £42,000 for the purchase of that replacement engine only a month earlier; it’s clear that the seller was only too happy to pay for whatever the Phantom needed.

As you’d expect given the scale of the recent investment, the V12 engine fires into life with little more than a murmur. The idle is silky-smooth, even at higher revs, and pressing the throttle evokes little more than a distant roar.

The engine bay is very nicely presented with clean metal surfaces and no obvious problems like leaks or even rusty fasteners. The fastidious among you might like to refasten the underbonnet soundproofing mat but that’s about the only issue we spotted.

Moving underneath, the metalwork is in a very good condition; certainly, no MoT tester has ever had cause to mention rust or structural corrosion. 

There is a spiderweb crack around the nearside exhaust tailpipes, and both front and rear valances are missing a fastener. The former could be safely ignored as it’s only really visible from underneath, while the latter could be resolved with the expenditure of a few pence and five minutes of your time.

It’s little surprise then that the Phantom’s MoT certificate, which is valid until March 2027, was issued without any advisories, something it’s made a bit of a habit of over the years. In fact, we had to go all the way back to 2017 to find any.  

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear, and the history file is stuffed with paperwork to support the stamped service history booklet.

The recent bills may scare you off – and yet, their very size and scope should mean the Phantom is fully sorted now and, with a following wind, you should be able to get by with nothing more than routine servicing for a while.

(Find a good independent specialist and they should be able to slash some of those costs, too.)

As for EU57 AYN’s value, we suspect the virtual hammer will fall somewhere between £85,000 and £95,000 but, to entice your further, the seller is happy to offer it with no reserve, so it’ll be going to a new home no matter what.

So, while you might need to pop a couple of brave pills before bidding, there’s a chance, albeit a small one, that you could walk away with an absolute bargain.

Time to cut bait or fish, as our American friends used to say when they were still talking to us. 

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at THE MARKET HQ in South Oxfordshire. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays (apart from Bank Holidays) between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.