Classified of the week: the one-off Rolls-Royce Hyperion

Here’s something of a unicorn in the depths of the world’s supercar classified adverts: a genuine one-off. This Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead isn’t simply a special colour or ex-ownership of a footballing prodigy either. It’s a proper coachbuilt one-of-one. Allow us to refresh your memory…

In 2008, Rolls-Royce let Pininfarina have its way with a single soft-top Phantom. From the front, you’d be forgiven for thinking that this merely involved swapping out blocky headlights for LED-festooned units that appear to have been nicked from a Bangle-era BMW 5 Series. 

But take a look at the side profile and you’ll see that what became known as the Hyperion is quite different. A chopped, two-seater Phantom with all-new rear bodywork and a part-Morgan, part Lancia-like posterior. And a bespoke roof, of course.

Oh, and lots of teak. There’s teak ahead of the windscreen, teak behind the passenger compartment, and enough wood in the cabin to make a raft to tow behind your land yacht. Perhaps the car’s original owner was a varnish enthusiast. Or Pinocchio. 

The 1930s-inspired Hyperion, named after a Greek god, naturally, uses the same engine as the regular Phantom: a 6.75-litre, 435bhp V12 that’s adequately endowed to shift 2.6-tonnes of British ultra-luxury. Or half-British, half Italian, in this case.

Want it? Well, it’s been up for sale for over a year now, and no-one’s yet stumped up the ¢1,550,000 (£1.3m) to call it their very own. So make a crazy offer over at Al Ain Class Motors in Dubai, and you never know. Maybe there’ll be a January sale....