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DRIVEN IN 2008 – Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe

Looking back at my review of the first Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe to land in Australia. I was the first motoring journalist to review this car in Australia.

A sporting Rolls-Royce? Well the famous British marque is not the one you first think of when the idea of a sporting model comes to mind, especially if it has anything to do with the stately, if gargantuan Phantom.

But Rolls-Royce has been full of surprises since BMW took on the job of creating a new range for their prestige line.

When the Phantom was launched in 2003 it shocked people with its avant garde take on the traditional Rolls-Royce look. But the new style has been a runaway success in Rolls-Royce terms, with 1010 being built last year alone.

Then last year, the 2-door convertible Drophead Coupe was launched, and has been lapped up by buyers around the globe. It retained many of the unusual Phantom features, such as the rear-hinged doors and has items such as a polished teak rear deck and brushed stainless steel bonnet as options.

So now the company has launched the Phantom Coupe. While it shares many components with its siblings, the Coupe is not simply a Drophead with a tin top in place. Rolls-Royce has cleverly taken the opportunity to make it quite a different car, aimed at ensnaring a different clientele – though they understand that many will be sold to existing RR owners.

The front of the car is the same as the Drophead, which gives the car the look of being the number one choice of Darth Vader. Of course the roof is unique to the Coupe, but so too is the rear deck, back bumper and there’s a myriad of other detail differences.

The boot is unusual in having a drop-down section, capable of taking the weight of two people sitting on it – just the ticket for watching the races. The boot is a lot bigger than the Drophead’s and so is the fuel tank.

But the big difference that Rolls-Royce has made to the Coupe is the driving experience. Their people insist that the car is the most “driver focussed” Rolls-Royce of all time.

To achieve this, they’ve kept the body strengthening that was necessary for the roofless Drophead, which provides the Coupe with a very stiff structure. The handling characteristics have been further beefed-up with stiffer springs and thicker anti-roll bars.

The transmission has been tweaked to give later change-up points and quicker downshifts. More positive higher-geared steering, with a thicker, smaller diameter steering wheel are also included in the make-over.

So how do all the changes add up? Having the chance to drive the Coupe immediately after driving a 4-door Phantom immediately showed the differences are quite noticeable. While the bigger car needs a level of concentration and careful driver input to be able to waft around as it should, the Coupe is instantly easier to drive.

Somehow it is much more like a ‘normal’ big car to drive. There’s plenty of power (and importantly, torque) from the big V12 under the bonnet for when you want to hustle the Coupe along, with creamy smooth and seemingly limitless acceleration on tap. And the car is quite agile, given its bulk. Pretty soon a driver can confidently push the car around.

It’s not a sports car, and nobody should pretend it is, however the Coupe can certainly hold its head high and wouldn’t have trouble keeping up with most large performance cars.

Older Rolls-Royces are completely unsporting in their driving characteristics, but with the Coupe the engineers have managed to successfully change the personality of the car.

The luxury is of course part of the appeal of a Rolls-Royce. From the moment you open the rear-hinged door (with umbrella in it’s home in the door cavity), and slip easily into the sumptuous seat, reach out and tap the button which draws the door closed for you, you can tell just sitting in the car will be a special experience.

The supreme quality of the fittings and finish spell out that this is indeed the best made car in the world. Perfectly polished woodwork, supple leather, exacting fit and incredible attention to detail are hallmarks of this car. The silently multi-adjustable interior is very hard to criticise.

Our test car was fitted with the dubious option of the Starlight roof-lining – consisting of 1600 fibre-optic lights which emulate a start lit night – adjustable for brightness, of course. Maybe with Chinese or the Middle Eastern buyers in mind…

A little bit of BMW creeps in with the operation of the driver’s controls – the gearshift, I-drive controller and indicator operations – but not the actual buttons and levers.

When you’re ready to order your Phantom Coupe, there’s plenty to consider. Rolls-Royce proudly offers almost unlimited options, for example 44,000 exterior colours are available… “All manner of other technical, structural or aesthetic detailing is possible, to meet the precise requirements of customers”, states the company.

Article by Paul Blank – 2008

1990 Mercedes-Benz 500SL – $17,500

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The R129 series of Mercedes-Benz SL brought with it modern technology and items such as a power roof (for the first time) and a pop-up roll-over bar. The top model at launch was the 500SL with its quad-cam, fuel-injected, 5-litre V8 engine.

This car was delivered new by Diesel Motors at a cost of over $256,000 – a staggering amount at that time.

In 2013 it was purchased by an enthusiast who kept it until he passed away in 2025. Ownership of the car passed to his cousin, also a car enthusiast, however he has too many cars and has decided to move the 500SL on.

A brand new soft top with roof lining is included, not yet installed.

A few items need attention. One of the roof’s hydraulic rams leaks. The ram was checked, refilled and the roof operated as it should, however fluid has since leaked out again. The driver’s door pocket lid has come adrift and the front bumper has been scraped on one corner. The height adjustment for the front suspension is not working.

The car has recorded 158,000km. It drives very nicely, with good power from the engine and nice smooth gearchanges.

The hardtop is with the car, as is the correct Becker Mexico sound system.

The bodywork is straight and dent-free.

The owner understands that the car requires some attention and thus has priced it taking the items requiring attention into account.

This gives a buyer the opportunity to get a desirable Australian-delivered 500SL, which drives very nicely, at a very accessible price point.

Request more details and photos by email from paul@classicrally.com.au

1ALO 099 Paul Blank Classic Car Broker MD28143

Whilst every effort to ensure accuracy is made when preparing the description of a car, much of the information is provided by the owner and cannot be guaranteed to be accurate and complete.

Some errors and omissions occur occasionally and we cannot be held liable for any loss or damage arising from incorrect or incomplete information or any reliance which might be placed on information provided.

Any potential purchaser is advised to make his or her own independent investigations or inspections to determine title and whether a vehicle is suitable for purchase.

1993 MG RV8 – $36,900

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This car was the first RV8 to arrive in Australia. When the car was 4 months old, a WA buyer purchased it in the UK, kept it there for the requisite 3 months then shipped it. All up, this was a very expensive exercise, costing in excess of $100,000.

He has kept – and enjoyed – the car ever since, 31 years.

The RV8 was captured the classic MG spirit in a modern high performance sports car. Fitted out luxuriously, the RV8 retained the look of the classic MGB, with beefed up styling and a 3.9-litre V8 engine to suit.

Just under two thousand RV8s were produced and 80% were exported to Japan. Australia was not one of the markets where the car was offered.

It is evident from the extensive servicing paperwork, that the car has always been thoroughly well maintained, by respected specialists, with no corners cut. The owner remarks that the car has always been exceptionally reliable and has never needed major work. The car has never been in an accident.

The result of such regular maintenance and care is a car that drives exceptionally well. A muffler delete gives the car a rorty V8 soundtrack, which suits it very well. The car accelerates strongly, handles and brakes well. It’s certainly an impressive car to drive.

The speedometer was changed over to a kilometre unit for licensing here. The odometer shows the car has covered 108,000km, in addition to the original 5600 miles.

The car presents well, with its correct, attractive alloy wheels suiting its style. The soft top is in good condition, with a clear rear window.

Included are both styles of tonneau covers, all the original books in their MG leather compendium and a set of workshop manual and parts manual.

This car has been cherished by its owner for over three decades now, always looked after to the highest standard and is a real joy to drive, but with downsizing in mind, it’s time for the next owner to take it over.

The car is very realistically priced and ready to provide many years more enjoyment.

For more details and photos, please request an email from paul@classicrally.com.au

9MG003 Paul Blank Classic Car Broker MD28143

Whilst every effort to ensure accuracy is made when preparing the description of a car, much of the information is provided by the owner and cannot be guaranteed to be accurate and complete.

Any potential purchaser is advised to make his or her own independent investigations or inspections to determine title and whether a vehicle is suitable for purchase.

1974 Fiat 124 Sport CC – $23,500

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Fiat 124 Sport was very well received in Australia. It boasted excellent specifications for the era – a twin-cam engine, 5-speed gearbox, disc brakes and very attractive styling to go with excellent performance and handling.

The final iteration, such as this car, had the largest engine, an 1800cc version of the Lampredi twin-cam. The styling was updated and many minor items improved.

This car was sold by WA State Distributor, Premier Motors on 1 November 1974, registered XGP 321 (plates which it still wears today). The car has remained in the same ownership ever since.

The lady owner used it regularly until about 15 years ago. While the car did the occasional country run, most of its driving has been city use and the documentation with the car verifies the mileage of 104,000km.

The owner advises that the car has never been in an accident and has proven to be extremely reliable in 52 years of ownership.

The original books are with the car and a few invoices from specialists in the ensuing years on file.

Of note, the car was repainted externally in 2013 and small areas of rust repaired at that time. Since then, some rust has become evident on the passenger door lower edge and the rear side window ledge. The rest of the bodywork looks fine. However, both front footwell sections of the floor have rust which need attention.

Some other maintenance items – such as small leaks, worn bushes and the like – have been identified and would bring the car up to top notch.

The car wears the optional Cromodora alloy wheels which suit it very nicely.

The car starts instantly and is sweet to drive – as the 124 Sport is famous for. It’s never been modified, always garaged and never damaged.

The fact that some work is required has been taken into consideration in the pricing of the car.

This is a rare example which has been very much cherished for 52 years, ready for a new enthusiast to take over care of it.

Request an email with full details and more photos from paul@classicrally.com.au

Paul Blank Classic Car Broker MD28143

Whilst every effort to ensure accuracy is made when preparing the description of a car, much of the information is provided by the owner and cannot be guaranteed to be accurate and complete.

Any potential purchaser is advised to make his or her own independent investigations or inspections to determine title and whether a vehicle is suitable for purchase.

New car review – Leapmotor C10

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We’re being bombarded by many new Chinese brands, vying for buyers’ attention. Most are relatively new names from the hundreds of start-ups supported by the Chinese government.

Lots of new Australian companies have been set up to distribute new Chinese brands, some with little experience, tantalized by how cheaply they can buy these vehicles…

The majority of Australian buyers have an approximate type of vehicle in mind – these days usually a 4-wheel-drive 4-door ute or an SUV… There’s plenty to choose from. An over-riding purchasing factor is price.

Long warranties sweeten the deals – to give buyers confidence. If you’re buying a Xpeng, Zeekr, Jaecoo, Skyworth, Farizon, GAC, or Leapmotor you want to know it’s more than the shape you had in mind and cheap. All cars have lots of tech these days to meet the ANCAP safety requirements, so if your last car was a few years old, any new car seems high tech. Don’t fall for the trap of buying the first new car you drive because “it’s got everything in it” – they all have.

Online ‘research’ will tell you any new car is “the best car I’ve ever owned”, often from a low bar.

But what happens as the market develops? Not every company importing new brands will succeed. Every month a new brand arrives. Discounting and even longer warranties get offered. Then other incentives and ultimately a discounting war… Not all importers have the experience, backing or product to survive.

If an importer fails, what happens with the cars they sold? The long warranty will be useless. Parts availability will dry up (and often was poor anyway). Values plummet. The cars head to the grave and the owner regrets the purchase.

The Leapmotor I tested for a week is from a brand half-owned by Stellantis (makers of Chrysler, Jeep, Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Opel, Peugeot and more). In Australia the Fiat Chrysler distribution company handles the brand. Neither are fly-by-nighters likely to leave Leapmotor buyers high and dry.

So it deserves attention. How good is the C10? It looks pretty good, not aggressively ugly like so many of its competitors. Inside is sparse in a modern way and impressively spacious, with excellent back seat room. The test car was fully electric, with decent performance, handling and braking. The calibration of the electronic driving aids is pretty well-resolved. So far, so good.

On the downside, an ex-BMW engineer obviously designed the counter-intuitive indicator stalk. It’s an almost button-free car. You need to explore screens to make simple adjustments such as the external mirrors and direction of vent airflow. To get in, you tap a credit card size key on the driver’s mirror (only) and the car unlocks and awakens. Unless there’s rain on the mirror which you need to wipe off… Place the card flat in the centre console and it’s ready to go upon gear selection. When you leave the car, it’s all active until you tap the mirror. Trying to be a bit too clever hasn’t really worked.

The seats initially feel plush, but offer little support and all too quickly lead to a numb bum. I liked the huge panoramic glass roof.

At $45,888 for the fully electric and $49,888 for a more sensible hybrid, the pricing is competitive. However, to boost sales, lower pricing in drive-away deals for old stock are being offered.

For the money you could get a worse design, a worse driving car, one from a dodgy importer or a manufacturer which ultimately may not support the brand. Yes, you could do a lot worse – and there’s plenty worse out there.

1983 Mercedes-Benz 380SL – $36,000

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The R107 series of Mercedes Sports was the company’s longest ever running series. The 380SL had standard fitment of both hardtop and soft top, leather upholstery, polished woodwork inside, a new design of alloy wheels and more – the new 3.8-litre aluminium V8 engine produced 145kW (195hp) – which was similar to the old larger-engined 450SL.

This car was sold new by WA dealer Melville Star. The service book is stamped showing all the early servicing. In 1998 the car was sold by to an owner who kept the car until 2003 when purchased by the current owner. The car’s history file has all invoices for servicing and maintenance done through to today.

The owner advises that after 23 years of enjoying the car, as much as she’s always cherished the 380SL, it must go.

The soft top shows some splits in the side sections, but operates well. The windows are clear and the stowage cavity and frame are clean and tidy.

The car drives nicely, with smooth gearchanges and the nice torquey V8 providing good performance.

The bodywork is straight and tidy with no scratches. Inside, the car presents very nicely. As a late model, it has the full wood trim, not just the console. The lower section around the gear selector the woodwork would benefit from being re-polished. There are a few small splits in the dash top. The carpets are in good condition and the air conditioning works effectively.

The car has its original tool roll, books and a history file. The odometer shows just over 188,000km.

Built to Mercedes-Benz’s high quality, well equipped and very attractive, the formula was just right. This car is very realistically priced, and with good history, is sure to provide its next owner with much pleasure.

Please request an email with more details and photos from paul@classicrally.com.au

Paul Blank Classic Car Broker MD28143 1AGP570

Whilst every effort to ensure accuracy is made when preparing the description of a car, much of the information is provided by the owner and cannot be guaranteed to be accurate and complete.

Any potential purchaser is advised to make his or her own independent investigations or inspections to determine title and whether a vehicle is suitable for purchase.

1982 Morgan 4/4 Roadster – $59,000

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Here’s a Morgan with a wonderful story. When the owner was a boy his interest in Morgans became a passion and when he got his first job at age 18, he put a deposit down to get his name on the waiting list for a new Morgan. At that time, the Morgan factory quoted a ten year waiting list for delivery of a new car. The 4/4 was the purest of Morgan designs, it had a modern Ford 1600cc engine and 5-speed gearbox, but retained the classic design.

Delivered in a striking shade of blue with alloy wheels it most certainly would have been a car to be extremely proud of. The car has several factory options.

The owner emigrated to Western Australia and imported the car 37 years ago.

Back in 2018 the engine was running rough, so a Morgan specialist undertook doing a few recommended upgrades (easier steering and bigger brakes) while at it. The owner then decided to give his beloved Morgan a major overhaul – what started with an engine rebuild ended up being an extensive series of upgrades and restoration, including new leather interior and seats and a bare-metal respray in the original colour. New wiring, EFI, lighting and many other minor items renewed in this lengthy process. The last item has been new tyres, fitted this year. The result is s spectacularly good Morgan.

However, for all this care and attention lavished on his car, the owner has some health issues which are now making it difficult to drive the car he first put a deposit on over 50 years ago…

So the car is to be sold and even though there’s been a tremendous amount of attention lavished on the care, the owner is realistic about the car and it is priced accordingly.

If sold to a Western Australian buyer the numberplates MOG 004 can go with the car.

Chances of finding a car with better history and in better condition would be most unlikely.

Please request an email with more details and photos from paul@classicrally.com.au

Paul Blank Classic Car Broker MD28143

Whilst every effort to ensure accuracy is made when preparing the description of a car, much of the information is provided by the owner and cannot be guaranteed to be accurate and complete.

Any potential purchaser is advised to make his or her own independent investigations or inspections to determine title and whether a vehicle is suitable for purchase.

2014 Fiat 500 Abarth Essesse Manual – SOLD

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One owner from new
Full service history
Low 37,000km

One of the most characterful cars of recent times is the reborn Fiat 500, which captured the character of the original 1950s model but utilizing modern day technology. Its great style was added to when the performance version, the Abarth was added.

While based on the popular 500, the Abarth Essesse has a multitude of upgrades to make it a car with very different character. Strong acceleration from the turbocharged motor, tremendous handling with upgraded suspension, uprated brakes, wheels, exhaust and more go hand-in-hand with a more aggressive body kit, sportier interior and a higher equipment level.

This Perth delivered car was mainly used around town enjoying “an easy life” and made the occasional trip to Margaret River. Being one of several cars in the family, it has only notched up a mileage of 37,000km in ten years of one-owner use.

The car has a full service history with the bulk of servicing carried out by Barbagallo Fiat. It’s proved exceptionally reliable, with the only issue being the brake module needing replacing – a job just completed in November 2025.

The car has never been in an accident and it very original throughout.

These cars are a ball of fun to drive – the turbocharged engine packs a punch – yet they’re economical and easy to use. No longer available, there is good demand for low mileage, well-kept examples – and this car fits the bill better than most.

Please request an email with full description and more photos from paul@classicrally.com.au

Paul Blank Classic Car Broker MD28143

1ITJ 410 Whilst every effort to ensure accuracy is made when preparing the description of a car, much of the information is provided by the owner and cannot be guaranteed to be accurate and complete.

Any potential purchaser is advised to make his or her own independent investigations or inspections to determine title and whether a vehicle is suitable for purchase.

1985 Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit – $24,900

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The Silver Spirit model brought Rolls-Royce into the 1980s with its smooth 6750cc V8 engine, a very high level of engineering and Rolls-Royce’s famous build quality.

Luxury and comfort were the hallmarks of these cars. Beautifully finished, the interiors had lovely polished woodwork, comfortable, electrically-adjustable leather seats and plush carpet. The climate control system could be controlled by zone. Of course there were power windows, central locking, rear make-up mirrors and other comfort features.

This car was delivered new in Adelaide, finished in metallic Cotswald Beige. It moved to Melbourne and later the Gold Coast. The car can be traced by details in its service booklet – stamped through to when it moved to Perth.

Sadly about a year and a half ago the owner passed away. His family held on to the car, but it was not being used, so the decision has been made to sell. In preparation for sale quite a bit of work has been done on the car.

The car drives particularly well and exhibits notably good acceleration and smooth gearchanges. It starts immediately from cold.

A few items could be attended to, such as the air conditioning not working and some of the chromework on the car has deteriorated which would benefit from being refinished.

Inside the car presents very well, with good leather and hardware. The woodwork is in fine shape.

This Silver Spirit is not a car show queen, but a decent, Australian-delivered car with fine driving characteristics. Its realistic price takes into account some work a new owner may wish to do.

Please request an email with full description and more photos from paul@classicrally.com.au

Paul Blank Classic Car Broker MD28143

1GGN242. Whilst every effort to ensure accuracy is made when preparing the description of a car, much of the information is provided by the owner and cannot be guaranteed to be accurate and complete.

Any potential purchaser is advised to make his or her own independent investigations or inspections to determine title and whether a vehicle is suitable for purchase.

1968 Mercedes-Benz 280SL – $169,000

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Acknowledged as one of the great designs of its era, the Pagoda SL has a rare combination of style and substance.

This car has the rare, optional single, sideways facing seat, which allowed for the soft top and hardtop. This car is also fitted with automatic transmission and power steering.

It has been with the present owner for 38 years – a remarkable period. He purchased the car while he was living in England for a period, then shipped it out when he moved back to Australia.

The owner is especially proud of the car’s reliability over such a long period. Prior to his ownership, in the 1980s the previous owner had the engine replaced with a new unit from Mercedes-Benz. The car was repainted in the same colour some twenty years ago. More recent work has included rust repairs to inner and outer sills and floor sections with over $20,000 was spent on this thorough work.

The car has been regularly serviced and well maintained. A new set of tyres has just been fitted.

This car stands out in its bright Signal Red paintwork. The colour absolutely pops in the sunlight. There are a few small items, generally cosmetic, which could be attended to. Generally though, as you can see in the photos, it’s a good looking car. Inside, black leather upholstery has been protected for many years by lambswool seat covers.

In the correct triple layer Mercedes-Benz hood cloth material the soft top operates with ease.

The car starts easily and the engine runs smoothly. Under acceleration there’s that typical 280SL exhaust note. The automatic transmission changes gear smoothly.

These are wonderful cars, always in demand, for good reason. This example is not a restored trailer queen, and is priced realistically. It is a decent, good specification, factory RHD Pagoda SL of the desirable final model. It has a good service history and comes from very long term, enthusiastic ownership.

Please request an email with full description and more photos from paul@classicrally.com.au

Paul Blank Classic Car Broker MD28143

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Whilst every effort to ensure accuracy is made when preparing the description of a car, much of the information is provided by the owner and cannot be guaranteed to be accurate and complete.

Any potential purchaser is advised to make his or her own independent investigations or inspections to determine title and whether a vehicle is suitable for purchase.