Racing for Recognition:
Like
many manufacturers of the day, Rolls entered the first Rolls-Royces in
races in order to promote them. These cars were similar to the first one
built by Royce. Real fame came with the 1907 introduction of a
6-cylinder engine inside a silver-painted four-passenger chassis dubbed
"The Silver Ghost." This car was driven 15,000 continuous miles with
little wear, cementing the R-R reputation for reliability.
Unfortunately, Rolls' passion for excitement ended in 1910, when his
biplane (based on the Wright brothers' flyer) crashed and killed him
almost instantly.
War and Peace and War Again:
The
Silver Ghost chassis, built in Derby, U.K., was toughened with armor so
it could serve as a combat car in Flanders, Africa, Egypt, and with
Lawrence of Arabia during WWI. In the Jazz Age that came after the war,
people had money to spend on these reliable Rollers. There were Silver
Ghosts built in Springfield, Mass., from 1920-1924, and a smaller 20-hp
"Baby Roller" was introduced. Big cars were still popular, though, with
the Phantoms I, II, and II all appearing in the 1920s. During WWII, the
company built Rolls-Royce Merlin airplane engines in a facility in
Crewe, U.K., rather than cars.
Post-War Rollers:
After the war in Europe
had ended and Rolls could go back to building automobiles, they brought
out the 1946 Silver Wraith. Sweeping coachwork for the car came from
famed designers like Mulliner, Park Ward, and others. The 1950s saw the
very long-wheelbase of the Phantom IV and the rounded shape of the
Silver Cloud on the roads. The Silver Cloud II had the company's first
V8 engine, and the updated Silver Cloud III appeared in the '60s. The
Phantoms V (for the American market) and VI (for Europe) were also sold
in the '60s. The all-new, slab-sided, V8 Silver Shadow debuted in 1965.
Those Slippery Seventies:
It
seems most exotic car makers hit a rough patch in the 1970s,
Rolls-Royce included. Due to expensive aircraft engines, the company
sought assistance from the British government, who took over the
airplane engine division. Rolls-Royce Motors at Crewe divorced from
Rolls-Royce Limited at Derby. (Anyone who's Googled "Rolls-Royce" has
likely found the wrong web site at least once.) The revived company
rallied with the Corniche, the Camargue, the Silver Shadow II, and the
Silver Wraith II, all of which hit the market by 1979.
Big Hair and Big Cars:
Rolls-Royce
entered the Me Decade with the Silver Spirit and Silver Spur, both of
which were massive, squared-off, ultra-luxury automobiles that dripped
wealth in the '80s. As I'm sure you've guessed by now, Silver Spirits II
and III and Silver Spurs II and III appeared in the '80s and '90s. In
1998, the all-new Silver Seraph was launched, with a V12 engine under
its long nose.
Happy 100th Birthday! (And Many More):
Rolls-Royce
celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2004, and the centenary of its most
famous car, the Silver Ghost, in 2007. In 2003, after ending its
partnership with Bentley, the company produced an all-new Phantom,
available as a sedan, coupe, or convertible. A limited-edition Phantom
Silver was issued in 2004 to mark the company's uninterrupted 100-year
run. Cars to come include the new, smaller RR4, a "Baby Roller" in the
tradition of the 20HP of the 1920s. And to set the record straight: the
red enamel radiator badge was changed to black during the Phantom II
period, before the death of Henry Royce.
What About Bentley?:
Rolls-Royce acquired Bentley in 1931, when Bentley
was facing an uncertain financial future. Rolls-Royce and Bentley
parted ways in 2002. Volkswagen at this point owned Rolls-Royce, who
owned Bentley. BMW came in and bought the Rolls-Royce name, freeing VW
to develop Bentleys independent of Rolls, which it was happy to do.
Bentley aficionados refer to these six decades as "the blackest of all."
ROLLS ROYCE OFFICIAL SITE
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