Rolls-Royce Phantom news - Curtain up on Rolls-Royce - 2007

Not content with taking over British football teams, the Russian millionaires are out to snag our finest cars, too.

Rolls-Royce has just opened a shiny new showroom in St Petersburg to cater to all the newly made Russian millionaires with roubles burning holes in their pockets.

"There are lots of entrepreneurs in Russia who've made their fortunes under the new regime, and they like to celebrate their success by enjoying the best things in life," said Graham Biggs of Rolls-Royce.

A blatant plug, yes, but having recently driven the Rolls Drophead Coupe we're in no position to argue.

However, with Rolls producing its car masterpieces (carsterpieces? No?) in such small scale, are we Brits - well, those with 300-odd grand to spare - going to miss out? 

"Plenty of Russians have already put in an order for the Drophead," said Biggs. "But the number of cars we're expecting to sell from St Petersburg is only in the tens each year."

And if it wasn't enough that some Russian oligarch might gazump you on your Roller, beware the Chinese too. 

Biggs reckons demand for Rolls-Royces in China is second only to the US, with the company opening showrooms in the People's Republic about as quickly as, well, they build cars.

So if you're in the market for a new Roller, good luck to you. It might be easier to buy yourself a football team.