How did the car that became an absolute symbol of success
Now on the Russian streets it is quite difficult to meet a Rolls-Royce car - it has become an exotic toy for very, very rich people. But back in the twentieth century, everything was different - their " Rolls-Royce All the major leaders of that era, from Nicholas II to Lenin, had “s”; party officials traveled in these cars, and over time, when the cars wore out, they were transferred “to the people” - to the heads of collective farms or state farms.
The history of this brand is the story of an amazingly successful union of two businessmen, Charles Rolls and Henry Royce. One of them was a wealthy aristocrat, and the other grew up in poverty and spent only a year in school, but together they created a car that has become an absolute symbol of success.
We tell you how Rolls-Royce appeared, how it is connected with Russia, and what exactly helped the brand to go through bankruptcy, but survive.
Name Rolls Royce consists of two families. These are the names of the founding fathers of the company - Charles Rolls and Henry Royce. The history of their brand is a classic case of a successful business alliance between an investor and an inventor.
Rich man and poor man
An interesting fact: the names of a rich man and a poor man met in the name of the company. The first is the name of the rich man - Charles Rolls. He was born into a family of hereditary aristocrats from Wales, received two higher educations and was interested in cars from childhood - he even became the first student at Cambridge who had his own car. After graduation, he opened own firm, which was engaged in the import of cars, it was founded in 1902 and became C.S. Rolls & Co. But ordinary imports seemed to Rolls not enough, he dreamed of creating his own car.
The second surname in the brand name - Royce - belongs to Henry Royce, the founder and first engineer of the company. Unlike Rolls, Royce was born into a poor, practically impoverished family: from the age of ten he worked as a paperboy and postman. At the same time, Royce understood that without education he would not be able to achieve anything in life, so in his spare time he studied French and German, electrical engineering and mathematics. At the age of 16, despite the lack of a diploma (what diploma, if he graduated from only one class of school), Royce got a job in Maxim Hiram's company as an engineer. This work helped him to accumulate initial capital and set up his own business - a mechanical workshop Royce & Co. But just a workshop is not enough for Royce: like Rolls, he dreams of his own car.
Acquaintance
In 1904, Rolls Royce met. The year before, Royce's workshop produced three cars with a capacity of 10 Horse power. Nothing particularly new technical solutions the cars did not, but they looked good and were distinguished by excellent assembly and reliable details.
Cars made a splash in England - all local newspapers wrote about them, and a little later - the world ones. The fame was so great that an article about these cars even appeared in the Russian magazine Za Rulem. Charles Rolls also heard about these cars, who at that moment was just looking for an engineer who could help him develop his own car. On May 1, 1904, an agreement was signed between Rolls and Royce at the Midland Restaurant. This day is considered the official founding of Rolls-Royce.
Brand features and the first car
Distinctive Rolls-Royce features from the very beginning was the reliability of cars. First real model The company was shown at the international transport exhibition in 1906 - it was a car with a very powerful steel frame, a 7-liter engine and six cylinders arranged in a row.
At the same time, the power was not disclosed, and this gave rise to the tradition of indicating power as “sufficient” (the brand got rid of the tradition only in the last few decades). The car was called Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP and was positioned as "the most reliable car worldwide".
Logo and advertising
Initially, the founders of the company launched a logo in the form of large red letters RR, but pretty soon the color was changed to black to “emphasize prestige and luxury.” However, the symbol of the brand was not the letters RR, but the famous figurine on the hood called "The Spirit of Ecstasy".
The figurine appeared like this: in 1909, Lord Sir John Montagu bought one of the company's cars. To make his car different from others, he commissioned a mascot figurine from the sculptor Charles Sykes. The artist created the sculpture "The Spirit of Ecstasy" - a girl looking forward. Charles Rolls liked the figurine so much that he obtained permission to use it on all brand cars.
Rolls-Royce was positioned from the very beginning as "the best in the whole world", the most reliable cars. This was emphasized during advertising campaigns: no matter how much you use the car, you will not be able to break it. Such a case is known: businessman Claude Johnson, who doubted the veracity of advertising, went on a run in the first car of the brand. The run was organized specifically in order to identify the shortcomings of the car, but after 15 thousand miles (that's about 24 thousand kilometers) only one part broke - a fuel valve worth 2 pounds. At the same time, the businessman drove most of the way at a speed of 120 km / h.
Successes and failures
For almost 50 years, until the end of the 1950s, the brand felt extremely confident - Rolls-Royce formed the image of a premium British car, which was driven by businessmen, celebrities and even representatives of the monarchy. So, on the fourth and fifth generation Phantom models, she moved The Royal Family, and it became a great advertisement and led to a sharp increase in sales that year.
The company prospered even during the Great Depression - sales in the 30s were so good that the company was even able to absorb Bentley, which was then its main competitor.
Everything changed in 1960: another crisis was raging in the world, but Rolls-Royce seemed such a stable brand that the administration decided not to rewrite the business strategy for the economic downturn. Moreover, the company began work on two large-scale projects at once - the release of a new car model and the creation of a jet engine. However, managers miscalculated: during the crisis, the number of buyers decreased, and new developments were unclaimed. As a result, the brand took loans from several banks and subsequently went bankrupt.
The rescue
In 1971, the company was officially declared insolvent. However, the British public could not allow the closure of Rolls-Royce - the brand was considered a symbol of the country and a national treasure. As a result, the state was forced to pay $250 million to repay the firm's loans.
From that moment, bidding for the company began. Bidders for the purchase were BMW, Volkswagen and Daimler-Benz. Bidding was incredibly tense, and the deal was canceled several times: first, Daimler-Benz left the struggle, which decided to develop its own Maybach brand. Then BMW and Volkswagen increased the amount of the deal several times in order to beat the competitor's price. After several months of negotiations, a compromise was reached: BMW bought the Rolls-Royce brand directly, and Volkswagen received the rights to Bentley.
Rolls Royce now
Rolls-Royce is now one of the most expensive cars in the world, which is bought not so much because of reliability, but to demonstrate status and social position. However, the efforts BMW brand overcame the crisis and became profitable again. The company sells several thousand cars annually, and in Russia last year they sold more than a hundred cars.
“For successful entrepreneurs in Russia, the Rolls-Royce brand remains the ultimate symbol of success,” said James Crichton, regional director of the brand.
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Henry Royce made his first car, the two-cylinder Royce 10 at his Manchester facility in 1904. He presented his product to the owner dealer company CS Rolls & Co. Fulham to Charles Rolls, who was impressed by the Royce 10. An agreement was made that CSRolls & Co. Will be engaged in the implementation of the entire product line of Royce. It included at that time four models.
All cars were branded Rolls Royce and sold exclusively by Rolls. The first Rolls Royce 10 hp was introduced in Paris in December 1904. Rolls-Royce Limited was formed on March 15, 1906, by which time it became obvious that new industrial premises. New factory was largely designed by Royce and production began in 1908.
In 1906, Royce developed an improved six-cylinder model called the 40/50 hp, which was the first product of the new company. This model was in demand and a total of more than 6,000 cars were sold. In 1925, 40/50 was renamed Silver Ghost. In 1921, the company opened a second plant in Springfield, Massachusetts.
After World War I, faced with declining sales of the Silver Ghost, the company introduced the cheaper Twenty in 1922. In 1931, Rolls-Royce acquires Bentley, which was unable to cope with the onset of the Great Depression. From then until 2002, Bentley and Rolls-Royce cars are often similar down to the grille and small details.
The production of Rolls Royce and Bentley cars moved to Crewe in 1946, where the company began to assemble cars completely. Previously, the company mainly produced only the chassis, leaving body production to other manufacturers. The company was so successful that by the 50s its products were used exclusively by the aristocracy and even the royal house.
The laid foundation lasted until the sixties, but the financial situation was getting worse, and by February 1971 the company went bankrupt. But the government saved the day because the Rolls-Royce was considered a national treasure. However, the company was divided into a division for the production of cars and components and aviation.
Another crisis happened in 1980 and this time the Vickers concern saved the day by buying Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited. Upgrading the equipment, Rolls-Royce released the Silver Seraph, which was designed using the latest technologies and saw the light in 1998. However, the reforms did not affect the manual assembly method inherent in Rolls-Royce and work exclusively on pre-orders.
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited was established as subsidiary BMW AG in 1998 after BMW purchased the license rights to the brand name, logo and branding from Rolls-Royce. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited manufactures branded cars Rolls-Royce since 2003.
Products
Phantom
Since 2003 4-door sedan. The car has a 6.75 liter V12 engine manufactured by BMW, installed only on this model. A rich leather interior, interior trim with precious woods is carried out at a new plant in Goodwood.
Since 2005 - The wheelbase of this car has become 250 mm longer than the standard Phantom. Since 2007 - Phantom Drophead Coupe (convertible). Since 2008 - Phantom Coupe.
Ghost
Since 2010 - a 4-door sedan, positioned below the Rolls Royce Phantom. On March 4, 2014, the new Ghost Series II was shown to the public at the Geneva Motor Show. It has significant changes in the internal and external design.
Since 2013 - Rolls-Royce Wraith Coupe - a luxurious coupe with a long hood and smooth body lines. It is essentially a two-seater version of the Ghost. Equipped with a V12 623 hp engine. with twin turbocharging, and 8-speed gearbox. This is the most powerful Rolls-Royce to date.
After the war, Rolls-Royce resumed car production and in 1921 opened its first factory in the United States. The "R" engine was designed for a seaplane entry in the Schneider Cup in Great Britain in 1929. Royce seemed to have sketched the design with a cane while walking on the sands of West Wittering. It was this engine, after refinement, that became the legendary Merlin, which was then installed on the allied Spitfire and Hurricane aircraft.
Production of the Rolls-Royce 20 HP, aptly named "Baby" Rolls-Royce, began in 1922. Designed for driver-owners, the car became very popular with the growing middle class - professional doctors, lawyers and businessmen. It was equipped with a 3127 cc inline six-cylinder engine. cm, which developed a maximum speed of 62 miles / h.
In 1925, the Silver Ghost model was replaced by the "New Phantom", which later became the famous Phantom I. armored vehicles Silver Ghost were assembled in 1927 for the Russian Trade Representation "Arkos". The Phantom was assembled both in the UK and at a new factory in Springfield, Massachusetts.
The 30s of the 20th century became the era of new records on land, at sea and in the air. Sir Malcolm Campbell set the land speed record at 272.46 mph in 1933 with his Bluebird. In 1937, George Aston, in his Rolls-Royce twin "R"-engined Thunderbolt, broke that record with a top speed of 312.2 mph. Sir Henry Seagrove broke the world sea speed record of 119 mph in a Miss England II with an "R" engine, but died almost immediately after hitting a flooded stump.
The chassis of the Phantom II has been substantially redesigned, making it perfect choice for those who left work on Friday evening and went to the south of France for the weekend. The most famous were the Barker hardtop convertible, the Park Ward Continental coupe and the Barker Torpedo Tourer. The Park Ward Continental reached 92.3 mph and accelerated from 0 to 60 in 19.4 seconds.
The Phantom III was the first Rolls-Royce with a V12 engine - with a 60-degree angle and a displacement of 7340 cc. see the most famous bodies were: the Park Ward limousine and the sedan de ville; saloon de ville hooper. Park Ward Limo: 91.84 mph and 0-60 in 16.8 seconds.
During the Second World War, at the request of the Air Ministry, all attention at the Derby Works and at the new plant in Crewe, which became the home of Rolls-Royce in 1946, switched to aircraft engines. The war changed the view of Rolls-Royce as a "brilliant fish in a sea of technology" to a contender for world leadership in the construction of aircraft engines. The Rolls-Royce Derwent V-powered Gloucester Meteor demonstrated this with a new world airspeed record of 606 mph.
All bodies for the Silver Wraith were made to order. The production of these cars continued until 1959, they were equipped with a 4887 cc engine. see, coping with such "heavyweights" as the sedan de ville H.J. Mulliner and Hooper Touring limousine.
Silver Dawn became the first stock car Rolls-Royce with standard steel body. All cars have been exported. Yet some of the bodywork was custom made, making these cars collector's gems. 4257 cc six-cylinder in-line engine cm in 1951 was modified to 4.5 liters, and in 1954 - to 4.9 liters.
In the second half of the 20th century, Rolls-Royce began its long-standing partnership with the royal family, replacing Daimler, the favored car supplier for monarchs.
In 1950, HRH Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh broke with longstanding royal tradition and boarded the first Phantom IV. All 18 car Phantom IV, created exclusively for royalty and heads of state, are still the most rare Rolls-Royce Motor Cars in the world.
1955 marks the first appearance of the Silver Cloud. Its 4887 cc engine, the same as the Dawn, allowed it to reach a top speed of 106 mph, and J.P. Blatchley.
At the end of the decade, the Phantom V replaced the Phantom IV. With a V8 engine and bespoke bodywork, it had far more fans than its predecessor.
The dashing sixties turned Rolls-Royce to face a new "breed" of owners. Actors, pop stars and heroes of their time increasingly began to choose cars of this brand. So Rolls-Royce is not the first time he became a movie star.
In 1965, the yellow-bodied Barker Phantom II shared the spotlight with Omar Sharif, Ingrid Bergman and Rex Harrison in the Yellow Rolls-Royce. In the same year, John Lennon purchased the Phantom V. And although the car was originally white color, Lennon repainted it matte black. When new color he got bored, Lennon painted it psychedelically, and this Rolls-Royce is one of the most prized heirlooms of pop stars to this day.
Introduced in 1965, the Silver Shadow I was the first Rolls-Royce with load-bearing body. 220 HP under its hood at 4500 rpm they accelerated it to top speed 118 mph
The 1970s proved to be a difficult decade for Rolls-Royce. The company had to be divided into two independent enterprises - Rolls-Royce Limited, which specialized in aircraft engines, renamed Rolls-Royce PLC in 1985, and Rolls-Royce Motors Limited, which produces cars. But despite this, these years were marked by the release of many famous models.
The stylish two-door bespoke Corniche was based on the Silver Shadow but hand-built by Mulliner Park Ward. The Corniche was produced in two versions - hard top and convertible top. Over the entire history, 1306 such cars have been created.
For the Mulliner Park Ward on the Silver Shadow platform, the Pininfarina team also created a bespoke Camargue body. It was the first Rolls-Royce built in the metric system and offered some of the most exclusive innovations at the time, such as automatic stratified air conditioning. It was replaced by Silver Shadow II, the changes affected not only its appearance - a curved black bumper and lower spoiler appeared - its handling characteristics also improved.
In 1980, the British defense company Vickers bought Rolls-Royce Motors Limited and continued to manufacture Rolls-Royce and Bentley cars. In 1985, the company was renamed Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited and listed on the stock exchange.
In 1983, the power of Rolls-Royce cars set a new speed record. Driven by Richard Noble Thrust 2, equipped with jet engine Rolls-Royce Avon 302 reached 633.468 mph.
The Silver Spirit retained the lower body of the Silver Shadow, but the upper body was more modern and elegant.
The Corniche model has many common features with Silver Seraph, but it was equipped with a regular V8. with its superb torque, the V8 was a perfect fit for the fast-moving Corniche.
Today, Rolls-Royce's headquarters and assembly plant sit among the Sussex hills in Goodwood, UK. The beauty of the surrounding nature inspires not only the world-famous architect Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, but also all those who make history every day. legendary brand car.
The creation of the first new Rolls-Royce car of the 21st century began with the challenge of creating best car in the world. The solution was Phantom. it was followed by the longer-wheelbase Phantom Extended Wheelbase, the looser Drophead Coupé and the subtly seductive Phantom Coupé. Inspired by the inspirational words of its founder, in 2012 the Rolls-Royce team set themselves the task of creating the most advanced cars in the world. And her solution was the Phantom Series II.
The launch of Ghost and Ghost Extended Wheelbase with an extended wheelbase marked the next stage in the development of the brand. This led Rolls-Royce to create two exclusive families, each with a distinct personality, but united to embody the full power of Rolls-Royce. To design and build the most technically advanced vehicles, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars requires significant investment in human resources and the Goodwood assembly plant.
On a May evening back in 1904, in the center of busy Manchester, the Midland restaurant was buzzing with loud conversations of guests, the clinking of glasses and the rattling of doors. Dressed in a gray tweed jacket, leaning on a cane, a forty-year-old gentleman entered the spacious hall. Before he had time to greet the waiter, he noticed that someone was waving his hand in a haze gray smoke cigars. He moved quickly to a table hidden behind a curtain and finally got a good look at the person he had made an appointment for that evening. It turned out to be a dapper young man who, at the sight of a stranger, left a glass of unfinished whiskey and jumped up from his chair.
« Frederick Henry Royce"- The gentleman who had just entered held out his hand for a shake. " Charles Steward Rolle', the young man introduced himself. Thus began the history of Rolls-Royce.
A self-taught mechanic and talented entrepreneur at the helm of a large company, Royce Ltd., Henry Royce and a graduate of the prestigious Trinity College Cambridge, the owner of a million fortune, fanatically passionate about cars and airplanes, Charles Rolle, years later will remember their meeting as incredibly lucky coincidence circumstances.
At that time, Henry Royce, having managed to build a business in the construction of electrical appliances and cranes, was looking for a talented and ambitious partner with whom he could start a new business and realize his lifelong dream: the production of first-class cars. Quite by accident, having learned about the rich Charles Rolls, who was able to successfully trade in the UK without the slightest experience French cars, Henry decided that this was the one he had been looking for for so long. Despite the difference in age, origin and social status, one thing united them - a burning, furious perfectionism, without discounts and concessions both to themselves and to others. engineering genius Royce and Rolls' ability to create an attractive selling proposition in the market - it turned out that this was quite enough for the success of their business alliance.
And it all started a year earlier, when Henry Royce bought a car french brand Decauville and, finally disappointed in quality, began to hatch the idea of creating his own car, which would fully correspond to his exacting taste. He shared his idea with Charles during their first meeting at the Midland Restaurant. In May, the respectable gentlemen signed a partnership agreement, and already in December of the same year, in Paris Motor Show presented the first car of the new Rolls-Royce brands- 10 hp for £395.
The car was based on the French Decauville which disappointed Royce. The partners managed to make the car engine much quieter and install original engine with improved crankshaft. The company did not supply the bodies, giving the buyer the opportunity to choose the most suitable option. By the way, you can still drive the very first Rolls-Royce car, the car is in the possession of a private collector who had to pay more than 3 million pounds for it at auction.
The first "simple and quiet Rolls-Royces", as their advertising slogan stated, quickly gained popularity thanks to victories in the famous rally in Monte Carlo and the USA.
Henry and Charles devoted two years to the creation of a completely new car, which determined the ideology and fate of Rolls-Royce for several decades to come.
In 1906, Silver Ghost appeared, and after a few months the creators began to talk about him as "the best in the world." The model owes its unusual, mystical name to silver-plated exterior details and a quiet engine. The chassis cost about £985, about the same cost to the owners of the body, produced by the best workshops in the UK. "Silver Spirit" could reach speeds of up to 150 km / h - in those days, no one could boast of such a record sport car. The car's slogan sounded meaningful: " Rolls-Royces don't break, they fail».
All cars that appeared after the Silver Ghost - Phantom, Silver Shadow, Silver Cloud, in addition to mystical names, retained the recognizable handwriting of Henry and Charles striving for the absolute ideal: powerful engine, exclusively manual assembly of each car and amazing noiselessness of the motor. They dreamed of achieving such sound insulation that, while in the cabin, one could hear the ticking of their own wrist watch. And they got it!
Rolls' former companion and secretary of the Royal Automobile Club, Claude Johnson, doubted the superior performance of the Silver Spirit and set out on a long and extreme run, preparing a notebook to record the breakdowns of the new car. What was his surprise when, having traveled two thousand miles, he could not find a single error in the operation of the machine. Then he decided to increase the distance to 15 thousand miles, which is equal to 24 thousand kilometers. And when his grueling journey came to an end, there was only one failure in the logbook - a fuel valve worth £2.
After the successful launch of the Silver Spirit, the company moved from Manchester to Derby, opened a station Maintenance and a driver training school. It was at this time that the emblem of the brand, recognizable all over the world today, appeared - two intertwined letters R in red. The emblem was painted black after the death of Henry Royce in 1933.
For a long time, Rolls-Royce produced only one model, only improving it year after year and raising prices exponentially. Paradoxically, the high cost of the new brand of cars aroused incredible consumer interest far beyond the UK, and soon the first Rolls-Royce plant was opened in Springfield, USA.
In 1909, he acquired his Rolls-Royce for a long time Sir John Montagu, Lord Belew, who headed the British Royal Automobile Club. To make his car stand out from the rest, he commissioned a nose sculpture in the form of a "flying girl". The graceful distinctive sign was called "", which pleased not only John Montagu, but also the rest of the owners of Rolls-Royce. Since 1911, the company began to install a sculpture on the hood of each car, casting a figure from precious metals at the request of customers. By the way, in modern Rolls-Royce, when there is a threat of a collision, a system is triggered that instantly opens a protective hatch and hides the legendary symbol from damage.
In 1913, Rolls-Royce cars were first presented in Russia at the International car exhibition in the Mikhailovsky Manege of St. Petersburg. The event was actively supported by Nicholas II, who immediately after its completion ordered a personal Rolls-Royce for the celebrations on the occasion of the 300th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty. The interior of the imperial car was trimmed with silk and velvet, and gold inlays were used for the exterior decor.
After the tragic death of Charles Rolls in a plane crash in 1910, in memory of his deceased companion, passionate about piloting and aviation, Henry Royce opened an aviation division, starting to produce aircraft engines at the plant. First, government orders during the First World War helped the company survive, and after that the fame of excellent engines spread around the world and marked the beginning of a new chapter in the history of Rolls-Royce. In 1919, an aircraft powered by a Rolls-Royce Eagle crossed the Atlantic Ocean for the first time. Winston Churchill then said: I don't know what we should admire more: their courage, their skills, their scientific knowledge, their Rolls-Royce engines, or just their extraordinary luck.».
The post-war period did not contribute to the huge demand for expensive Rolls-Royces; many potential buyers were also put off by the outdated three-speed gearbox, which was installed on all cars. In 1925, the world saw the legendary Phantom I - an aristocratic, imposing and very expensive car. Due to its old-fashioned design and lack of precision in control, the car went unnoticed, and in 1929 it was replaced by the modern and imposing Phantom II, and in 1936 by the Phantom III.
During the years of the Great Depression, when many British enterprises were victims of the financial crisis, Rolls-Royce, on the contrary, was doing well. In 1931, Rolls-Royce acquired Bentley, its only competitor that could not withstand the ravages of the war, and has retained the brand to this day.
With the death of the last of the founders of the brand, Henry Royce, as well as with the outbreak of World War II, Rolls-Royce significantly slowed down the pace of production of new models. Only in 1949 did the world see the Silver Dawn, which was intended exclusively for export, and a year later another one appeared. new model— Silver Cloud.
Despite the decline in sales, the prestige of Rolls-Royce was so great that from 1950 the company became official supplier cars for the British Royal House and other ruling and aristocratic families of the world. From that moment, the production of Phantom IV began, which seemed to have been created for the first persons of the state. Thanks to a carefully designed engine cooling system, this car, which reaches speeds of up to 160 km / h, during official ceremonies could drive for a long time at walking speed without overheating. It was this model with a body made by Mulliner-Park-Ward that Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh had.
Nine years later, an even more advanced Phantom V appeared with increased space for high-ranking passengers and reduced space for the driver, and in 1968, the silent, without unnecessary advertising campaigns, the birth of the Phantom VI, capable of accelerating to 180 km / h and produced exclusively with bodies of the type limousine and landole, it would seem, removed all questions about the future of the brand.
The quality of Rolls-Royce cars and the level of service were legendary. The company claimed that it was ready to fulfill absolutely any whim of the client, from upholstery in the skin of exotic animals to an exclusive body design. So, at the request of the Indian Maharaja Nabi, English engineers turned the body of his Silver Ghost into ... a swan, carving a figure from a massive wooden bar; painted John Lennon's Rolls-Royce with psychedelic vignettes. brag about your unique car Rolls-Royce could also be Vladimir Lenin, for whom the Continental model was converted into a real autosleigh with a trolley instead of a rear axle and rubber skis on the front wheels.
After the company was declared bankrupt in 1971, several attempts to sell it followed. automotive division, keeping the most valuable production for the UK - aviation - inviolable.
Today, Rolls-Royce is owned by BMW, under whose leadership it has once again become profitable, but its golden years are long gone.
Nevertheless, Rolls-Royce continues to surprise its customers with first-class service and amazing reliability of its cars, each of which, like a century ago, during the life of the founders of the company, is made by hand, tested at a special test site, and then taken apart again for preventive inspection, and only after that it is assembled into the final version of the configuration.
Until now, contrary to modernity, door handles are made protruding for the convenience of the porter, the body polishing solution is kept in the strictest confidence, and the master working on final assembly machines, leaves on windshield your seal. But most of all, modern owners are attracted by a profitable investment, because any Rolls-Royce car is only getting more expensive every year. Why? - you ask. Luxury, precision and exclusivity are all taught by Charles Rolle and Henry Royce.
A suite that has its roots in ancient times in the history of England. The concern for its production is owned by BMW. The Rolls Royce Phantom is expensive. But for true connoisseurs of elegance and unique British gloss, characteristic of this model, this is nothing. They are willing to pay a high price to become the owner of this car.
Stages of development
The Rolls Royce Phantom, like other cars of this brand, is manufactured by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Ltd. She began her activity in 1904, thanks to the efforts of the merchant Charles Rolls and the engineer Frederick Royce.
The logo was 2 letters R, written in an academic font and interconnected. Until 1933, the letters were written on a red background, but then, when the last founder of the company died, the background was changed to black.
The first car was produced in 1904 in Manchester. It is now fully assembled and owned by the Love family. The owners of the company sought to buy this piece of their history, but could not. One can only guess at the amount they offered for the car.
During the first few years, a series was released small cars: 12PS, 15PS, 20PS, 30PS.
Rolls-Royces took part in motor racing and often returned from there with a victory. Largely due to this, they gained popularity very quickly. For the first time, a car won a victory on the track of the Tourist Trophy rally in 1906. The 20PS model with 4 cylinders and 20 hp participated in the race. This was followed by a series of victories in various competitions and several records. All cars participating in the races were developed on the basis of the Rolls-Royce Prototype.
But the real success of the company was due to the release of the Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP chassis in 1906. The serial number was already 60551 at that time. This model was later called the "Silver Spirit".
successor to this legendary model became the lesser-known Rolls Royce Phantom 1, which was released in 1925. He was not popular due to handling problems and old-fashioned design. Nevertheless this model More than 2,000 pieces were produced. In 1929, the second generation of the Rolls-Royce Phantom went on sale.
The year 1931 is characterized for the company by the purchase of the rival company Bentley, known for its reliable, expensive cars. But the Bentley brand was preserved and exists to this day.
Rolls-Royces of the luxury class after 1949 seemed to be returning to the past. It can be seen from the titles: Silver Ghost”, “Silver Dawn”, “Silver Cloud”. In addition to them, in 1965, " silver shadow". The 4th and 5th generations of the Rolls Royce Phantom were produced on the same chassis as the Silver Cloud.
In the 50s, the prestige of the company reached incredible heights. Even the royal family used their cars. Owned as many as five models:
- "Rolls-Royce-Phantom 4" (1955);
- Rolls Royce Phantom 5 (1960);
- "Rolls-Royce-Phantom 5" (1961);
- "Rolls-Royce-Phantom 6" (1978) - 2 pcs.
Merger with other companies
The popularity of the products did not save the company from collapse. In 1971, the concern was declared bankrupt. He was saved by the government, investing about a quarter of a million dollars. The production of the car of this brand continued.
In 1998, the BMW concern became the head of the company. During the struggle for Rolls-Royce, the German company Volkswagen received car factories that produce Bentley models and those located in Crewe. And since 2003, the BMW concern has completely taken over the Rolls-Royce brand.
Main characteristics
The first Rolls-Royces produced before 1906 had two, three or four cylinders. There were even six-cylinder models that were split into two separate blocks. One contained 2 cylinders, and the other 4. Even the Rolls-Royce-Legallimit was released, which consisted of 8 cylinders.
Rolls-Royce Phantom cars of the 5th generation and above have a spar frame, power steering, hydromechanical box gear shifting.
Rolls Royce Phantom today
Currently, the cars of this brand are still popular with lovers of the classics. Therefore, manufacturers continue to produce a car. "Rolls-Royce-Phantom" today can be purchased in several modifications, differing for the most part in the body.
Since 2003, the Rolls Royce Phantom has been produced, the characteristics of which are as follows: a sedan body, 4 doors, an engine capacity of 6.7 liters. and power 460 hp
Since 2006, the production of a four-door sedan begins Rolls-Royce Phantom extended. Gas engine 6.7 l. allows you to reach a power of 460 hp. Up to 100 km / h accelerates in 6.1 s. Six-speed automatic transmission. Rear drive.
Since 2007, the production of a two-door convertible began, and since 2008 - a coupe.
Price
The cost of Rolls Royce Phantom varies depending on the year of production and many other characteristics. The average price for a Rolls-Royce in Russia is as follows:
- 2003 onwards - more than 6 million rubles.
- 2009 onwards - more than 13 million rubles.
- 2011 onwards - 22.5 million rubles.
- 2012 onwards - 28.7 million rubles.
- 2013 onwards - 25 million rubles.
The price is for cars with basic equipment.
Whatever the cost of Rolls-Royce cars, there will always be those who want to buy them. After all, they are characterized by comfort and aristocracy, reliability and durability. And such things are valued at all times.
