This massive 1971 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI Frua All-Weather Cabriolet was the first true convertible Crossover
One of the featured classes last weekend 2024 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance To be Italian carriage manufacturer FruaThere’s a Frua class dedicated to Maserati, as Maserati is celebrating its 110th anniversary this year, and a class dedicated to Frua designs from other brands. My favorite of the bunch (and certainly the greatest), is this one. Rolls-Royce Phantom VI Frua All-Weather Cabriolet 1971seems to be the first real Convertible Crossover.
Only two Phantom VI chassis were built using Frua bodywork, the other being a less interesting but stunning two-door traditional Drophead convertible. This one was first delivered to Frua in 1971, but it wasn’t completed until 1993, ten years after Pietro Frua’s death. It was originally developed for British property developer Robert “Bobby” Buchanan-Michaelson, but was sold in 1977 to American collector James Leake, who continued the work.
The car was introduced at the 1993 Geneva Motor Show when it was finally completed. According to RM Sotheby’s, Who sold this car in Monterey in 2017? Priced at $385,000, the story of how the car came to be “…is full of fascinating characters and drama, much of it having to do with the fact that Frua didn’t speak English, and no one at Rolls-Royce spoke Italian, and no one bothered to hire an interpreter.”
Compared to the classic styling of the regular Phantom VI, the Frua All-Weather Cabriolet is a complete change of tone. It’s super long and tall and boxand as the name suggests, it’s very SUV-like. Walk around it on the grass in Montereylooks like this thing can handle any weather. Damn, at 21 feet long, it’s over two feet long. The current generation Phantom EWB is huge. The convertible can be designed as a sedanca de ville with a covered rear passenger compartment, a landaulet with an open rear but a covered cockpit, or it can be a complete convertible.
Impressive interior wood mosaicwith an intricate flower pot design on the rear folding table. Rear passengers also have a full drinks cabinet, a removable silk-lined dressing table, a Davidoff cigar humidor, and slide-out controls for the Blaupunkt stereo, television, and VCR. In terms of powertrain, the All-Weather Cabriolet is powered by a 6.2-liter V8 engine that sends 217 horsepower through a four-speed automatic transmission and features four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes, independent front suspension, and a semi-floating rear axle.
Sadly, the All-Weather Cabriolet did not win a medal in the Frua class at this year’s Concours. First place went to the 1973 Momo Mirage Frua Coupe, while second and third places went to the 1953 Nardi 750 Frua Barchetta and the 1946 Fiat 1100 C Frua Barchetta. All are worthy cars, but this wild Rolls-Royce is my favorite.
