Rolls Royce Cars
Pictures of Rolls Royce cars from car shows, car museums and classic car auctions across the U.S.
1966 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III Mulliner Park Ward Drophead Coupe
Rolls Royce Pages
Rolls-Royce Automobiles By Year
Rolls-Royce Automobiles By Model
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Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost - 1906 to 1926 Rolls-Royce Phantom I - 1925 to 1931 Rolls-Royce Phantom II - 1929 to 1936 Rolls-Royce 20/25 - 1929 to 1936 Rolls-Royce 25/30 Rolls-Royce Phantom III - 1936 to 1939 Rolls-Royce Wraith - 1938 to 1939 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith - 1946 to 1959 Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn - 1949 to 1955 Rolls-Royce Phantom IV - 1950 to 1956 |
Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud - 1955 to 1966 Rolls-Royce Phantom V - 1959 to 1968 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow - 1965 to 1980 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI - 1968 to 1991 Rolls-Royce Corniche - 1971 to 1996 Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit - 1980 to 1989 Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph - 1998 to 2002 Rolls-Royce Silver Spur Rolls-Royce Phantom - 2003 to Present |
Rolls Royce Pictures
 1933 Rolls Royce 20/25 Sportsman Coupe | 1933 Rolls Royce 20/25 Sportsman Coupe 1933 Rolls Royce 20/25 Sportsman Coupe Photo By: Douglas Wilkinson Location: The Meadow Brook Concours d'Elegance in Rochester, Michigan, August 7, 2005. by Douglas |
 1950 Rolls Royce Silver Wraith WME 85 | 1950 Rolls Royce Silver Wraith WME 85 1950 Rolls Royce Silver Wraith WME 85 Photo By: Douglas Wilkinson Location: The Meadow Brook Concours d'Elegance in Rochester, Michigan, August 7, 2005. by Douglas |
 1961 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud II Drophead Coupe | 1961 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud II Drophead Coupe 1961 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud II Drophead Coupe Photo By: Douglas Wilkinson Location: The Meadow Brook Concours d'Elegance in Rochester, Michigan, August 7, 2005. by Douglas |
 1932 Rolls-Royce 20/25 HP Saloon by Thrupp & Maberly | 1932 Rolls-Royce 20/25 HP Saloon by Thrupp & Maberly 55,000.00 USD 1932 Rolls-Royce 20/25 HP Saloon by Thrupp & Maberly RM Auctions Automobiles of Amelia Island Collector Car Auction Amelia Island, Florida March 13, 2009 AUCTION RESULTS: Lot 152 - Sold at a price of $55,000 3,680 cc inline six-cylinder overhead valve engine, dual ignition via coil and magneto, four-speed manual transmission, semi-elliptic springs all around with centralized chassis lubrication and four-wheel servo-assisted mechanical drum brakes. Wheelbase: 129" In keeping with the Rolls-Royce tradition of a two-model policy, the 20/25 hp was engineered to be the smaller sibling to Rolls-Royce's larger Phantom II. Like all Rolls models, the 20/25 hp was a careful, strategic evolution of the previous 20 hp model. Thanks to the increased engine output, such coachbuilders as Vanden Plas, Freestone and Webb, Park Ward, Brewster, Gurney Nutting, Coachcraft and Thrupp & Maberly could offer more lavish coachwork without the hazard of reducing satisfactory performance. Almost 4,000 20/25 hp chassis were manufactured and sold between 1929 and 1936, making it one of Rolls-Royce's best selling contemporary models. The Rolls-Royce 20/25 Saloon with coachwork by Thrupp & Maberly offered here was formerly owned by Hollywood actor and noted car collector Edward Herrmann and his wife Star. In preparation for its showing at Pebble Beach in 2004, it received a complete ground-up professional restoration with a particular focus on aesthetics. Needless to say, this Rolls-Royce looks superb with excellent paint, chrome, interior, engine bay and undercarriage. As the restoration was conducted to the highest standards, it has held up very well and shows a condition usually reserved for the larger Rolls-Royce of the period. As such, this might be one of the best looking 20/25s in the world and is certainly one of the best we have had the pleasure of offering. by Douglas |
 1959 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud I James Young Drophead Coupe | 1959 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud I James Young Drophead Coupe 1959 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud I James Young Drophead Coupe Photo By: Douglas Wilkinson Date: March 14, 2010 Location: Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance, Amelia Island, Florida This Silver Cloud I convertible has coachwork by James Young. It was the second of two such aluminum-bodied cars and was delivered to Alfred Hart of Bel Air, California, finished in Dark Grey with red hides. It was supplied with a power operated convertible top, front door windows (unlike the first one) and antenna. The car was restored in 2007. At that time period-correct air conditioning was added and the coachwork was refinished in Oxford Blue with Saddle Tan top and interior. by Douglas |
 1910 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Landaulette by Brainsby | 1910 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Landaulette by Brainsby 539,000.00 USD 1910 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Landaulette by Brainsby RM Auctions Automobiles of Amelia Island Collector Car Auction Amelia Island, Florida March 13, 2010 AUCTION RESULTS: Lot 194 - Sold at a price of $539,000 7,248 cc side valve six-cylinder engine cast in pairs, three-speed manual gearbox, front semi-elliptic leaf spring and rear three-quarter elliptic leaf spring, rear-wheel drum brakes. In 1904, an inspired partnership between an adventurer and an engineer gave birth to the most enduring automotive legacy: the Rolls-Royce. Just two years later, they created what many agree was the most influential automobile in the early decades of motoring: the legendary Silver Ghost. In the context of its day, a Silver Ghost was an awe inspiring sight. At a time when many had not seen – let alone owned – an automobile, here was a truly majestic creation. Most automobiles on the road then were light one- and two-cylinder machines whose wooden chassis, wagon wheels and tiller steering clearly attested to their roots as horseless carriages. Frederick Henry Royce was an incomparable engineer; the Silver Ghost offered the power and refinement of a six from the very beginning. More than that, its abundant torque and virtually silent operation astounded anyone fortunate enough to drive one. This was the first true luxury automobile, capable of carrying the most elegant bespoke coachwork and able to accelerate almost from rest in top gear. If the performance of the Silver Ghost was startling, it was the legendary quality of the Rolls-Royce that made its owners happy – and kept them coming back. Royce was a man who referred to the assembly of his cars as a careful sewing together of precision parts; it was a radical concept at a time when other cars' construction had more in common with the blacksmith's methods. The Silver Ghost presented here, chassis no. 1204, was delivered in January 1910 to Mr. Andrew T. Reid, Esq. of Auchterarder, Scotland. Research indicates Mr. Reid to have been the son of Sir Hugh Reid, who was the Chairman of the North British Locomotive Co., Ltd. The younger Reid was the Managing Director and, like his father, also greatly interested in artwork. Born in 1863, he had a sizable collection of his own, some of which was later sold at auction following his passing in 1941. Correspondence between the vendor and Andrew Reid's nephew indicates his will decreed that all of his possessions be sold after his passing. In fact, this car, chassis 1204, was stored at Auchterarder House during World War II and was sold by Andrew Reid's brother, along with two other Rolls-Royces that were in storage, shortly after the war. In the late 1950s, the car was acquired by the Neal brothers, well known Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost restorers. Correspondence between the present owner and Mr. M.R. Grist provides additional insight into the car's coachwork and how it found its way to the Neal brothers. The lovely landaulette body was built by Brainsby, purportedly for a 1908 Minerva owned by a judge. It was removed in the 1920s as the Minerva was rebodied. Thereafter, the body remained in storage until it was purchased by Mr. Grist in 1958 from an individual in Plymouth for just £15. The body was collected on a trailer supplied by Cecil Bendall, as evidenced by a black and white photograph obtained by the vendor. Mr. Bendall of course was an important car collector in his own right and founding member of the Veteran Car Club of Great Britain. The body was then purchased by John Birchell, who it is believed sold it to the Neal brothers, who in turn married the body with chassis 1204. So, although the Brainsby coachwork is of the period and contemporary to chassis 1204, it is not known which coachbuilder originally supplied the body on this Silver Ghost. Nevertheless, an inventory and valuation of Andrew Reid's property in 1912 includes, among many other items, a "Rolls-Royce Landaulette," which supports the theory that chassis 1204 was sold new with landaulette coachwork. It should be noted that Thomas Brainsby & Sons was founded in 1905 in Peterborough, building bodies for such cars as Crossley, Fiat, Hotchkiss and occasionally even Rolls-Royce. The company seems to have faded away in the 1920s, around the time that Brainsby-Woolard arose, a supplier of coachbuilt bodies which were contracted out to such houses as Lancefield or John Charles. According to British coachwork expert Nick Walker, "it seems likely that the firm was a partnership between the original Brainsby and a salesman by the name of Charles Harry Woolard." This company ceased operation in 1936. The age of the body on 1204 and plate on the door sill both indicate the coachwork on this car to have been done by Thomas Brainsby & Sons. Mr. George Hardwick of West Ewell, London purchased 1204 in about 1964 and kept it for over two decades, during which time he participated with the car in the 1977 Royal Jubilee. A copy of a period photograph shows him in this parade, driving past H.M. Queen Elizabeth II. The present owner acquired the car in 1988 and has maintained it in his collection of veteran cars ever since. It has been driven rather sparingly and received cosmetic and mechanical work over the years, only as needed. It is finished in maroon with an intriguing, unidentified coat of arms on the doors, which has been on the body since at least the late 1950s when it was acquired by Mr. Grist. The front seats are upholstered in black leather, and the passenger seats are worsted wool with tapestry window pulls. Various period features included extensive brass trim and lamps, which included opera lamps, as well as a talk tube, allowing passengers to communicate from the rear with the chauffeur in front. It is reported to run and drive well and is well suited for participation in any Silver Ghost tour. Even today, a Silver Ghost is remarkably refined, outperforming cars a dozen or more years newer. The steering is refreshingly light and responsive, and the action of the clutch and transmission is that of a much newer car. It is difficult to imagine a more usable and comfortable steed for brass era tours – and certainly none with the elegance and style of the incomparable Silver Ghost. Moreover, as a very early 1909/1910 Silver Ghost, this car benefits from exceptional rarity. The current USA Rolls-Royce Owners Registry only lists five pre-1911 cars that are known to exist. As the U.S. accounts for a significant portion of early Rolls-Royce ownership, the offering of this Silver Ghost is an opportunity not to be missed by Rolls-Royce enthusiasts and serious collectors. by Douglas |
 1914 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost | 1914 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost 1914 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost Photo By: Douglas Wilkinson Date: March 14, 2010 Location: Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance, Amelia Island, Florida Chassis Number: 1EB Coachwork: Mann Egerton & Co., Ltd The early history of this Silver Ghost is not known but it was found in the 1950s in a derelict state. The present owners purchased the car in 2003 and had it shipped to Littins Vintage & Auto Restorations where it underwent a three-year total rebuild. Following restoration, this early Rolls-Royce has done 9,000 miles on three major tours, the last being the 2009 Wholly Ghost Tour of South Africa covering the 3,000 miles and running flawlessly. by Douglas |
 1913 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost | 1913 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost 1913 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost Photo By: Douglas Wilkinson Date: March 14, 2010 Location: Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance, Amelia Island, Florida This Silver Ghost is equipped with the "Continental" modifications developed for the Austrian Alpine Trials. The coachwork is a re-creation of its original Portholme Tourister body. The car has toured over 25,000 miles since restoration in the late 1990s. by Douglas |
 1929 Rolls Royce Phantom I York Roadster | 1929 Rolls Royce Phantom I York Roadster 1929 Rolls Royce Phantom I York Roadster Photo By: Douglas Wilkinson Location: The Meadow Brook Concours d'Elegance in Rochester, Michigan, August 7, 2005. by Douglas |
 2010 Rolls-Royce Drophead Coupe | 2010 Rolls-Royce Drophead Coupe 2010 Rolls-Royce Drophead Coupe Photo By: Douglas Wilkinson Date: March 14, 2010 Location: Ritz Carlton Hotle, Amelia Island, Florida by Douglas |
Brief Rolls Royce History
Frederick Henry Royce was an engineer trained in the British electric power industry. He began tinkering with motor cars in 1902 and soon decided he could build a better car himself. By April 1, 1904, he had a running twin-cylinder car on the road and began production on a modest scale.
Charles Stewart Rolls, 14 years his junior, was born to Lord and Lady Llangattock and was educated at Cambridge University. He became fond of bicycle racing and took to motor racing in 1899 with a de Dion-Bouton tricycle. In 1902, with his father's backing, he began importing French cars to London and selling them. In the course of his business, he tested a Royce car; his friend Henry Edmunds, a pioneer motorist and founder of the Royal Automobile Club, arranged for him to meet Henry Royce over lunch in May 1904.
The two men hit it off very well, and Rolls took on the selling of Royce's entire output. The first Rolls-Royce car was shown at the Paris Salon in December 1904, and by 1905, both three- and four-cylinder cars were in production. In 1906, Rolls canceled all his other franchise arrangements and devoted himself entirely to the sales of Rolls-Royce cars. It was at this time that the two men's businesses were merged as Rolls-Royce, Ltd.
The Rolls-Royce radiator mascot, "The Spirit of Ecstacy", was designed by illustrator/sculptor Charles Sykes and debuted in 1911. The Rolls-Royce grille and mascot are covered by Britian's Protection of Monuments Act.
1912-1913 - Alpine Trials helped find weak spots in the engineering allowing "the best car in the world" to be even better.
1916 - A report in The Times told of the perfect reliability of the armoured car service in the Egyptian desert, where the cars, all Rolls-Royces, moved to timetable and engine breakdowns were unknown. "The cars have run over thousands of miles of the roughest desert, and the complete absence of engine trouble is a triumph for British workmanship."
1965 - Siver Shadow introduced. If the box type form was something of a shock to Rolls-Royce traditionalist after the smooth lines of the Cloud, there were much more radical changes under the skin: all independent self levelling suspension, disk brakes and a monocoque structure. In one fell swoop Rolls-Royce had entered the modern era.
In 1971, Rolls-Royce Ltd., was nationalized by the British Government because of the pending financial collapse of Rolls-Royce, due mostly to the money spent on the development of the RB211 jet aircraft engine. In 1973, the government sold off the motor car business by forming Rolls-Royce Motors and Rolls-Royce Plc to concentrate on the aero industry. In this reorganization, Rolls-Royce Plc maintained ownership of the trademarks of the Rolls-Royce name, logos, mascot, and grille shape.
Vickers purchased the Rolls-Royce Motors company in 1980 which they operated using the Rolls-Royce name, logo, mascot and grille shape under a license agreement with Rolls-Royce, Plc, the aircraft-engine manufacturer. In 1998 Vickers put the company up for sale.
Volkswagen out-bid BMW for the Rolls-Royce Motors assets but, in an odd twist, Rolls-Royce Plc decided to sell the license for the use of the Rolls-Royce name to BMW. Volkswagen had purchased the rights to use the "Spirit of Ecstacy" mascot and grille shape and the Bentley name and logos, but not the right to use the Rolls-Royce name. VW claimed it was only interested in the Bentley which was outselling Rolls-Royce by almost double.
Volkswagen and BMW came to an agreement whereby Volkswagen would purchase engines from BMW and rights to use the Rolls-Royce name and logo until the end of 2002. Volkswagen built its last Rolls-Royce in August 2002, ending nearly sixty years of Rolls-Royce manufacturing tradition at the Crewe, England facility.
