Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead news - Detroit show: Rolls-Royce Drophead - 2007

Amid the old-school US chargers and über-technical Japanese metal, Rolls-Royce's Drophead provided a welcome beacon of decadent British bling in the Detroit halls.

Essentially a soft-top version of Roller's opulent Phantom, the Drophead has as much in common with a luxury yacht as just about anything on show in Detroit.

That's not just a turn of phrase, either - Roller's development team visited Southampton to gain inspiration from J-class yachts, an influence seen in the teak-decked hood cover.

That hood is a five-layer fabric contraption lined with cashmere, which Rolls describes as being 'like a bespoke suit'.

The Drophead's interior is certainly plush enough to impress any visiting dignitary - which is just as well, because you'll need friends in high places to afford the £260,000 asking price.

The Drophead gets the same 6.75L V12 as the Phantom. With 453bhp and 513lb ft of torque on tap, it'll dispatch 60mph in a touch under six seconds.

Not that you'd ever want to shift it that quick. It's just not cricket.