Rolls-Royce: The Iconic Richmobile

Founded: Manchester, England 1904

Founder: Henry Royce and Charles Rolls

Historical Notes

1904: Charles Rolls and Henry Royce met at the Midland Hotel on May 4. Rolls owned a car dealership, C.S. Rolls and Company in Fulham. He was impressed with the Royce 10. That same year, he agreed to sell all the cars Royce could make. All four models would be exclusives for the Rolls dealership and be named Rolls-Royce.

1904 Paris Salon: The Rolls-Royce 10 hp was introduced.

1906: Charles Steward Rolls and Sir Frederick Henry Royce founded a Rolls-Royce Limited, based on the partnership they formed in 1904. A new, improved 6-cylinder model that had more power than the Rolls-Royce 30 hp. This created a new line and the earlier models were discontinued.

1908: Grand opening of the new manufacturing plant and over 6,000 of the “Silver Ghost” models were built and sold.

1921: Second factory was opened in Springfield, Massachusetts and another 1,700 Ghosts were made. The factory stayed alive for ten years but closed in 1931. The chassis were used as the base for the first British armored car that was used in both world wars.

1922: The smaller, cheaper Twenty model was introduced to help dropping sales.

1931: Rolls-Royce acquired the failing Bentley to keep some of its parts alive. Afterwards, the Bentley and the Rolls were using the radiator grilled and other identical parts.

1933: Rolls-Royce radiator monogram was changed from red to black to it didn’t clash with the coachwork colors.

1946: Production moved to Crewe where they assembled complete cars. Bodies were produced by the Pressed Steel Company – the new standard at the time

Spirit of Ecstasy

The Spirit of Ecstasy is a well-known hood ornament on Rolls-Royce cars. It has also been referred to as the “Silver Lady” or “Flying Lady” and was designed by English sculptor, Charles Robinson Sykes. The story behind it is the love story between the then editor of The Car Illustrated magazine, John Walter Edward Douglas-Scott-Montagu, and the woman who modeled for this iconic figurine, Eleanor Velasco Thornton, who was John Walter’s secretary.

Aero Engines

In 1907, Charles Rolls had turned his attention toward aviation and although he wanted to steer the company in that direction, Royce was not interested. World War I took the company by surprise and they realized that luxury cars would not be selling. After much deliberation, the company began making aero engines to serve the War Office’s request and manufactured 50 air-cooled V8 engines under the Renault license.

The Royal Aircraft Factory then asked Rolls-Royce to design a new 200 hp engine. So in 1915, the company built a 12-cylinder aero engine named Eagle, followed by the smaller 6-cylinder Hawk, the Falcon and the the 675 hp Condor. The company had a difficult time keeping up with the demand, but was reluctant to outsource to anyone but Brazil Straker in Bristol.

About half of the aircraft engines used by the Allies in WW1 were made by Rolls-Royce. In 1933, Royce developed the Merlin aero engine, before he died and was finally used in 1935. The Merlin engine was a V12 engine and was then used in many WW2 aircrafts. Over 160,000 of these engines were produced, including 30,000 by the Ford Motor Company in Manchester.

To this day, Rolls-Royce engines are used in airplanes and yachts all over the world.

Most Popular Rolls-Royce Models

Silver Shadow

The Silver Shadow was made in different versions during 1965 through 1980. The Shadow has been produced more than any other Roll’s Royce model and could be because it’s the company’s first auto to use a monocoque chassis (the latest in automotive technology at the time). Offered in both 2- and 4- door saloon models as well as a 2-door cabriolet. The luxurious Rolls introduced disc brakes versus drum and independent rear suspension, rather than the previous axle design . Ultimately, the Shadow included 189 hp with a V8 engine and a high-pressure hydraulic system licensed from Citroen.

Silver Seraph

The Silver Seraph was made from 1998 to 2002 and was introduced at the 1998 Geneva Motor Show. The Seraph were all hand-built at the Rolls-Royce factory in Crewe, England and were the last to be made at that location. Powered by a 5-speed automatic transmission, the Seraph was the first 12-cylinder Rolls  to be made since the late 1930s (Phantom III).

Phantom

The Phantom family is comprised of four models, and all are popular: The Phantom – basic, the Phantom Extended Wheelbase, the Phantom Drophead Coupe and the Phantom Coupe. It takes 60 people to hand-build each and every Phantom. There are designers, seamstresses, hand polishers, finish technicians and more – all necessary to create the finished luxury auto for its new owner.

Wraith

The high-end Wraith coupe is in a class of its own down to the finest of luxury details. It dazzling and with its squared-off headlights, two-tone color options and the exterior’s elegant lines, it makes for proud owners. It handles so beautifully passengers feel they are going 60 mpg when actually accelerating up to 90 mph. It’s so smooth, no one would guess it’s packing a 624 horsepower.

Bentley

In 1931 Rolls-Royce acquired Bentley Motors as it was struggling financially. The Bentley and Rolls-Royce began sharing some of its parts, which have become signature parts – such as the front grill shape. The Mulsanne is one of the most popular models, yet the upcoming SUV is expected to take the luxury world by storm. The Volkswagen Group has had a big part in reviving both the Bentley and the Rolls-Royce brands.

EDITOR’S NOTES:

Rolls-Royce is known for its beautiful automobiles and also world-wide for its state-of-the-art engines. The team is always on the leading edge and has continued to be a innovative force during the last century. The company’s vision has always been to create better power for the aerospace and marine industries and currently makes  top quality engines for use on land, sea and air. We’re thrilled to see the company continue to gain worldwide momentum. With customers in 120 countries, 380 airlines, 160 armed forced, 4,000 marine customers, 1,600 energy and nuclear customers, Rolls-Royce is destined to be around for another 100 years.