Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost

Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost — The Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost (1922; Great Britain) was one of the most successful models of this famous luxury automobile

The Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost refers both to a car model and to one specific car from that series. Originally named the “40/50 h.p.” the chassis was produced at Royce’s Manchester and later Derby and Springfield, Massachusetts factories. Chassis no. 60551, registered AX 201, was the car that was originally given the name “Silver Ghost.” Other 40/50 hp cars were also given names but the Silver Ghost title was taken up by the press and soon all 40/50s were called by the name, a fact not officially recognised by Rolls-Royce until 1925 when the Phantom range was launched. The Silver Ghost was the origin of Rolls-Royce’s claim of making the “Best car in the world” – a phrase coined not by themselves, but by the prestigious publication Autocar in 1907.

History

In 1906, Rolls-Royce produced four chassis to be shown at the Olympia car show, two existing models, a four cylinder 20hp and a six cylinder 30hp, and two examples of a new car designated the 40/50 hp. The 40/50 hp was so new that the show cars were not fully finished and examples were not provided to the press for testing until March 1907.

The car at first had a new side-valve, six-cylinder, 7036 cc engine (7428 cc from 1910) and a three speed transmission. Four speed units were fitted from 1913. The seven-bearing crankshaft had full pressure lubrication and the centre main bearing was made specially large to remove vibration, essentially splitting the engine into two three cylinder units. Two spark plugs were fitted to each cylinder with, from 1921, a choice of magneto or coil ignition. The earliest cars had used a trembler coil to produce the spark with a magneto as an optional extra which soon becoming standard – the instruction was to start the engine on the trembler/battery and then switch to magneto. Continuous development allowed power output to be increased from 48 bhp at 1,250 rpm to 80 bhp at 2,250 rpm. Electric starting was fitted from 1919 along with electric lights to replace the older acetylene and paraffin ones.

The substantial chassis had rigid front and rear axles and leaf springs all round. Early cars only had brakes on the rear wheels, but from 1923, four-wheel, servo-assisted brakes became optional.The success of the model led to the company’s dropping the previous range of cars and following a one-model policy until the launch of the 20hp in 1922. In all, a total of 8416 Silver Ghost cars were produced from 1907 to 1926 including 1703 from the American Springfield factory, many of them still running to this day.After the introduction of the Phantom I in 1925, older 40/50 models were called Silver Ghosts to avoid confusion, but there was only one car given the name “Silver Ghost” – 60551, registered AX-201. The name referred to the car’s ghost-like quietness. For many years after, Rolls-Royce continued with the paranormal theme of naming cars, and the Ghosts remain one of the most evocative symbols of their time.

The Silver Ghost

The Commercial Managing Director, Mr Claude Johnson (often described as the hyphen in “Rolls-Royce“), ordered a car painted in aluminium paint and the fittings silver-plated. It was the 12th 40/50 hp to be made. A plaque with the words “Silver Ghost” adorned the bulkhead. An open-top body by coachbuilder Barker was fitted, and the car readied for the Scottish reliability trials of 1907 and, immediately afterwards, another 15,000-mile test which included driving between London and Glasgow 27 times.

The aim was to raise public awareness of the new company and to show the reliability and quietness of their new car. This was a risky idea: cars of this time were notoriously unreliable, and roads of the day could be horrendous. Nevertheless, the car set off on trials, and with press aboard, broke record upon record. Even after 7,000 miles (11,000 km), the cost to service the car was a negligible £2 2s 7d. (£2.13). The reputation of Rolls-Royce was set, and the 40/50 very successful.

AX201 was sold in 1908 to a private customer and recovered by the company in 1948. Since then, it has been used as a publicity car and travelled worldwide. In 1989, the car was restored by SC Gordon Coachbuilders Luton, and P&A Wood, London, UK. It is now owned by cLtd. In 1984, the car was photographed in great detail whilst in storage in Luton by precision model makers Franklin Mint. This went on to become one of their best selling products. The Silver Ghost is considered the most valuable car in the world; in 2005 its insured value was placed at USD$35 million.