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Frua-Bodied 1971 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI Heads to Auction After Pebble Beach Outing
A one-of-two Frua-bodied 1971 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI All-Weather Cabriolet, completed in 1993 and shown at Pebble Beach in 2024, is offered for sale in California with just 292 miles.
By Charlotte Redford · 4 min read
A 1971 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI with unique all-weather cabriolet coachwork by Pietro Frua is being offered for sale on dealer consignment in California, following an appearance at the 2024 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. The car, chassis PRH4643, is one of only two Phantom VI examples bodied by the Turin coachbuilder and is described as the final Phantom VI delivered to a customer.
Construction began in 1971 but was not completed until 1993, when David A.C. Royle and Co Ltd of Durham, England, finished the build. The car was subsequently displayed at that year's Geneva Motor Show. It was purchased by its current owner in 2017 and has covered just 292 miles from new. It is now offered with a clean Oregon title.
The Phantom VI debuted in 1968, and 374 examples were built before production ended in 1990. Only two were sent to Frua. The first, a drophead coupé, was completed in 1973. This second car was originally designed as a Sedanca de Ville before being revised as an all-weather cabriolet. It was commissioned by British real estate developer Robert «Bobby» Buchanan-Michaelson, who sold the in-progress build to collector James Leake in 1977. After Pietro Frua died in 1983, Leake sold the project to its next owner, who commissioned Royle to complete it. The 22-year build concluded with the Geneva debut, three years after the last Phantom VI chassis was built.
The car is finished in Claret with cream pinstriping and measures approximately 21 feet long. Its colour-matched three-position soft top can be configured in sedanca de ville, landaulet or convertible settings, and stows beneath a tan leather boot. Exterior details include quad headlights, a polished grille with a Spirit of Ecstasy mascot, a centrally hinged hood, a Creazione Frua fender badge, retractable B-pillars and rear fog lights. Steel wheels with chrome covers and body-colour accents are mounted with 8.90–15-inch Firestone bias-ply tires installed in 2026. A spare Dunlop wheel sits beneath the carpeted trunk floor.
Power comes from a 6.2-litre V8 with an aluminium block, cast-iron cylinder liners and twin SU carburettors, mated to a four-speed automatic transmission driving the rear wheels. The car rides on a coil-sprung independent front suspension and a live rear axle with leather-wrapped leaf springs, with power steering and four-wheel drum brakes. Service in April 2026 included a replacement battery, new tires, a rebuilt brake master cylinder and brake and transmission fluid services.
The left-hand-drive cockpit features a split bench seat with four fold-down armrests trimmed in champagne Connolly leather, matching the cabin divider and door panels. Claret carpets line the floors. Dual-grain burl walnut with sterling silver inlays tops the dashboard, doors and centre console. Amenities include dual-zone climate control, power windows and a Blaupunkt Paris cassette stereo. The rear cabin is separated by a partition with a power-operated window and features a wood-veneered console housing writing trays, flip-up vanity mirrors, a crystal decanter and glass set, and a television with VCR. Jump seats, an in-car intercom, passenger-side climate controls, cigar lighters and a silk-lined lady's vanity complete the specification.
The car was previously listed by the selling dealer in May 2026 and is now offered again. With its combination of royal chassis, Italian coachwork and a 22-year gestation, it represents a rare footnote in post-war British luxury car history.
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