RR Cabriolet.

Rolls-Royce has given the green light to the handsome 100EX concept. The four-seater cabriolet will be launched in 2007 and will be built alongside the Phantom at the Goodwood factory.

The production version of the 100EX will use an aluminium spaceframe chassis but will be smaller than the rather substantial original concept. It will also use the same 6.75-litre V12 engine as the Phantom and it’s likely to cost over £300k. However, deposits rolled in within hours of the announcement.

It’s also possible that the 100EX’s stylish nose will be retro-fitted to the Phantom, which is struggling to achieve its sales targets this year. Engineering a smaller spaceframe for the 100EX could also hint at a smaller Rolls saloon. Rolls has just lost its second chairman – Karl-Heinz Kalbfell, who left for Alfa Romeo – in a matter of months.