The Phantom Index For 2009

Phantom costs less in Dubai.

By Gunnar Heinrich | IMG via madwhips.com

TIPPING our hat -or perhaps our hand- to the Economist‘s fabled “Big Mac Index”, each year Automobiles De Luxe publishes The Phantom Index  – a currency comparison table that determines the real cost of a standard wheelbase Phantoms worldwide, less applicable tariffs and fees.

The following  prices are courtesy Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

PRICES FOR MODEL YEAR 2009 ROLLS-ROYCE PHANTOM (rounded US dollar conversions in parenthesis)

• UK | £233,000 ($332,000)

• Eurozone |  €345,700 ($455,000)

• Japan | ¥44,500,000 ($466,000)

• USA, Mexico, Russia | $380,000

• Near East | SR 1,420,000 ($381,000)

• Canada | C$527,000 ($418,000)

• Asia Pacific | A$554,000 ($377,500)

Old Blighty wins! At least before H.M. government demands its fair pound of flesh.

In previous years, America has sold ‘em cheapest – thanks to an anemic Greenback – undercutting the Japanese base price by as much as 9% and the Eurozone by a cool hundred large.

But the currency markets are always changing which has led to this year’s upset.

And given that sterling has faltered in recent months, that the UK’s price is the cheapest isn’t surprising per se. Were the pound at its strength a year ago, the dollar-cost of a new Rolls would’ve been twice that. In fact, it was.

Interestingly, Rolls-Royce listed prices for Phantoms for sale in Mexico, Canada, Russia, Asia Pacific, and the Near East all in USD (foreign conversion rates calculated via Google on 3/31/09). It makes sense for Russia and Mexico, but why Canada?

And speaking of the Loonie’s conspicuous absence, judging from the discrepancy between Canadian and American prices, the articles of NAFTA clearly haven’t weighed on Rolls prices north of the border.

Not that well healed Canadians should feel the weight of heavier price tags alone, the base price for a Phantom sold in America has risen since 2007 by roughly the price of a new Porsche Boxster.