Timeless excellence: 120 years of Rolls-RoyceConcorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2024

Henry Royce, the engineer, had a desire for perfection and an innate work ethic, perfectly summarized in his famous maxims: “Strive for perfection in everything you do. Take the best that exists and make it better. When it does not exist, design it.” This would go on to become the central pillar of Rolls-Royce’s philosophy and continues to drive the marque’s success today. Charles Rolls, the salesman, was a well-connected aristocrat, an accomplished motorist and an experienced seller of imported foreign motor cars, with a desire for a domestic supplier that could fit the needs of his discerning clientele. Two men of vastly different backgrounds, united in their mission to build the best car in the world.

SIR HENRY ROYCE

THE HON. CHARLES STEWART ROLLS

We invite you to take a look back on some of the models that made the marque what it is today, as well as its more recent masterpieces.

Rolls-Royce 10 H.P.. (1904-1906)

The story began with Rolls-Royce 10 H.P., the inaugural model for the newly established marque. The 10 H.P. debuted at the 1904 Paris Salon, and as the name implies, it had a 1.8-litre, two-cylinder 10 horsepower engine – 10.1PS (7kW) to be precise. Henry Royce had finished his own Royce 10 H.P. a month prior to the famous meeting with Charles Rolls, which was the catalyst for the formation of Rolls-Royce ltd. Following numerous design and mechanical improvements, the Rolls-Royce 10 H.P. was born, and the world of motoring would never be the same again.

THE ROYCE 10 H.P. AND ROLLS-ROYCE 10 H.P. READY FOR PRESENTATION AT THE 1904 PARIS SALON (with thanks to The Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation)

Rolls-Royce 40/50 H.P. – ‘The Silver Ghost’. (1906)

Perhaps the most iconic of the early Rolls-Royce models was the original Silver Ghost. At its heart was a new six-cylinder, 7036cc engine (from 1909, the capacity was increased to 7428cc). Royce’s groundbreaking design effectively divided the engine into two units of three cylinders each; combined with a harmonic vibration damper on the crankshaft – a feature still used by modern manufacturers – he effectively eliminated the vibration problems that had bedevilled six-cylinder engines up to that point. The Silver Ghost was the pioneering motor car that dominated the great motor trials of the early 20th Century, particularly its victory in the 1913 Alpine Trials.

RADLEY’S ROLLS-ROYCE SILVER GHOST AWAITS SNOW CLEARANCE ON THE PORDOI PASS – EN ROUTE TO VIENNA AND THE START OF THE 1913 ALPENFHART

Rolls-Royce Wraith. (1938)

While it was boom time for Rolls-Royce aircraft engines in the late 1930s, the company’s motor division – small in size but exalted in terms of history – faced a fundamental threat. Cue the Rolls-Royce Wraith of 1938, which heralded a raft of striking new features designed to bring it into line with the zeitgeist. Today, the Wraith stands as a monument to progress and change.

ROLLS-ROYCE WRAITH (1938)

Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud. (1955)

The imposing Silver Cloud used a box-section chassis and had improved brakes and suspension. It even had electrically controlled damping, not to mention power steering and air conditioning available from late 1956. A four-speed automatic gearbox came as standard, and the car made use of a 4.9-litre straight-six with adequate power to reach more than 100mph.

ROLLS-ROYCE SILVER CLOUD (1955)

Rolls-Royce Phantom VI. (1968)

The Rolls-Royce Phantom VI appeared in 1968 with a traditional V8 and a displacement of 6.7 litres under the shortened bonnet. The vehicle was suitable for representative purposes like no other; it is therefore not surprising that Phantom VI served as the state coach of the Queen of England until 2002. This historic motor car was freely available for sale until the late 1980s, after which it could only be ordered on special request until the end of production in 1993.
Caption: The Phantom VI introduced in 1968 was similar to the Phantom V it replaced, but with a larger V8 engine. The transmission was changed to a three speed unit and hydraulically powered steering and brakes were fitted.

ROLLS-ROYCE PHANTOM VI (1968)

Rolls-Royce Corniche. (1971)

Available as a coupé or a convertible, the Corniche used a 6.75-litre V8 with around 240 PS (176 kW), with power going to the rear wheels via a three-speed automatic transmission from General Motors. It had disc brakes, ventilated from 1972, as well as independent suspension with hydraulic levelling.

ROLLS-ROYCE CORNICHE CONVERTIBLE (1971)

Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit. (1980)

The Silver Spirit, unveiled in 1980, was very much a product of its time, launched during an age that favoured distinctly linear styling and sharp edges. Nevertheless, in keeping with the tradition of the marque, the design was restrained. Inside the motor car, the experience was all about the delight of floating along almost silently on the hydropneumatic suspension, enjoying the comfort of probably the best air conditioning system in the world at the time and listening to a stereo comprising German Blaupunkt and Japanese Pioneer components.

ROLLS-ROYCE SILVER SPIRIT

Rolls-Royce Spectre. (2023)

The world’s first ultra-luxury electric super coupé: Spectre positions Rolls-Royce’s entrance into the electric world as a stamp of leadership — and the beginning of a bold new era. Its visionary design reinvents timeless iconography, setting a clear path toward the marque’s all-electric future. As Charles Rolls himself foresaw, it is the motor car Rolls-Royce has been driving towards since it was founded – an elevated expression of effortlessness, power and historical endurance. A Rolls-Royce first and an electric car second, Spectre has been boldly conceived, meticulously engineered, exhaustively tested and spectacularly realised.

ROLLS-ROYCE SPECTRE: DARK EMERALD

Rolls-Royce Ghost Prism. (2024)

Many Rolls-Royce clients are powerful and influential figures in the international fashion, design and super-luxury community. Based on the close relationship the marque’s designers have with these clients, they have anticipated demand for an emerging aesthetic movement and created Rolls-Royce Ghost Prism. Drawing inspiration from the world of contemporary design, Rolls-Royce Ghost Prism showcases flawlessly finished dark, neutral tones which are subtly accented with bold strokes of colour, creating a timeless statement. Just 120 examples of Ghost Prism are available globally, a subtle acknowledgement of 2024 being the 120th anniversary of the marque.

ROLLS-ROYCE GHOST PRISM: A TIMELESS STATEMENT OF SELF-EXPRESSION. GUNMETAL WITH PHOENIX RED