Rolls-based stunner opens up

The lid has been lifted on Pininfarina’s latest creation.

Feast your eyes on the Hyperion, a one-off luxury cruiser that made its world debut at this week’s Concours d’Elegance show in Pebble Beach, California.

Based on the Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé, the bespoke cruiser was created for an unnamed wealthy car collector, and will make its first appearance in Europe at the Paris Motor Show in October.

Pininfarina was asked to come up with a design that pays tribute to the great pre-war Rolls-Royces – and with its sleek lines, long bonnet and slung back cabin, the Hyperion does just that.

Modifications to the standard Phantom start with the removal of the rear seats, which has allowed the fronts to be shifted back by 400mm to give the impression of a much larger cabin.

The car is then loaded with expensive accessories, including a watch penned by exclusive manufacturer Girard Perregaux that can be removed from the dashboard and worn. Stranger still, a gun rack is mounted on the facia! Under the bonnet, the Drophead Coupé’s 453bhp 6.75-litre V12 remains unchanged – which means the custom cruiser can cover 0-62mph in 5.6 seconds, despite its considerable size.

The Hyperion – which takes its name from the Greek Titan god of light – is Pininfarina’s first coachbuilt special since the Ferrari Enzo-based P4/5 it created for collector James Glickenhaus in 2006.

Meanwhile, Rolls-Royce is busy working on a new car of its own: the RR4. This ‘baby Rolls’ is based on the BMW 7-Series, and will debut at next March’s Geneva Motor Show.