Rolls-Royce Pre-War Cars - The Earliest RR Cars

Pre-War Era Rolls-Royce Cars

1904 - 1939

Rolls-Royce has a rich history that stretches back to the dawn of the automotive age. From its humble beginnings in a Manchester workshop to its rise as a global icon, the pre-war years (1904-1939) were a defining period for Rolls-Royce, laying the foundation for the legendary marque we know today. We delve into the fascinating early years of Rolls-Royce, exploring the visionary partnership of Charles Rolls and Henry Royce, their groundbreaking models, and the technological innovations that set them apart in a burgeoning industry. The "Best Car in the World" and the legacy of Rolls-Royce in its formative years.

Full Model List / Models In-Depth / Image Gallery

Rolls-Royce Models from 1904 - 1939

The first Rolls-Royce was a twin cylinder car of 10HP made from 1904 to 1906. This was shortly followed by a three-cylinder 15HP and a four-cylinder 20HP which came in both a heavy chassis form for carrying Limousine coachwork and light chassis form for a more sporting Tourer. There was also a V8 and the six-cylinder 30HP. From 1907 to 1923 Rolls-Royce had a one model policy, making what was known initially as the 40/50 and later as the Silver Ghost. The car was an immediate advance on its contemporaries with pressurized engine lubrication, dual ignition and advanced carburation giving the car both a very flexible and smooth power delivery, and great reliability and longevity.

A Phantom I is very similar to a later type Silver Ghost as the main change was to the engine, leaving the chassis, suspension, gearbox and braking just as they were on the later Ghosts. The Phantom I, or New Phantom as it was originally known, proved popular although it had quite a short production run from 1925 to 1929. Coachwork evolved in the 1920s from the rather upright style suitable for the wearing of top hats to something lower and more elegant by the end of the Twenties. The Phantom I benefited from this trend and often received very elegant coachwork from the best British coachbuilders.

The success of the Phantom I had given Henry Royce time to redesign completely the large horse-power car; so when the Phantom II was announced in 1929 the car made a tremendous impact. The whole appearance of the car was changed by redesigning entirely the chassis and springing. The Phantom II entered production in 1929 and the last unit was produced in 1935. The Wraith introduced in 1938 was the last model made by Rolls-Royce in the inter-war years. It received a significantly strengthened cross/braced chassis and independent front suspension.

Rolls-Royce 10 hp (1904 - 1906)
Rolls-Royce 15 hp (1905)
Rolls-Royce 20 hp (1905 - 1908)
Rolls-Royce 30 hp (1905 - 1907)
Rolls-Royce V-8 (1905 - 1906)

Rolls-Royce 40/50 Silver Ghost (1906 - 1925)
Rolls-Royce Twenty (1922 - 1929)
Rolls-Royce 40/50 Phantom (1925 - 1929)
Rolls-Royce 20/25 (1929 - 1936)

Rolls-Royce Phantom II (1929 - 1935)
Rolls-Royce 25/30 (1936 - 1938)
Rolls-Royce Phantom III (1936 - 1939)
Rolls-Royce Wraith (1938 - 1939)

Pre-War Era Rolls-Royce: In-Depth Guides

We dive into the details to learn more about some of the earliest Rolls-Royce cars ever made.

1904 Rolls-Royce 10 HP

1904 Rolls-Royce 10 HP The world’s oldest surviving Rolls-Royce, which dates from 1904, was sold today (3 December 2007) by Bonhams for 3,521,500 GBP breaking two world records. This is the highest price ever paid at auction for both a Rolls-Royce and a veteran car (pre-1905). Below is an excerpt...

1907 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Barker Roi de Belges

1907 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Barker Roi de Belges In its first few years of production, the Silver Ghost was the best touring car in the world. The very first example, #60551 bodied by Barker Roi de Belges, is the most valuable car in the world. Built in 1906 before regular...

1914 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Labourdette Skiff

1914 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Labourdette Skiff Only five Skiff bodies were ever applied to the legendary Silver Ghost chassis. Henri Labourdette was responsible for the coachwork which embodied rich mahogany affixed to an ash framework. Previous to this design, Labourdette had also done two superb Skiff coachworks on 1913 Panhard...

1919 – 1926 Rolls-Royce Springfield Silver Ghost

1919→1926 Rolls-Royce Springfield Silver Ghost In 1919 Rolls-Royce purchased a factory in Springfield, Massachusetts for the production of an American Silver Ghost. Initially, the car was produced as a copy of the British design, but eventually the model received more American components over the years. Many eastern coachbuilers such as...

1924 Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP – Ghost Story

In anyone’s language the 1924 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost of Rex Vincent is an imposing motor car. Yes, at over 17-feet it’s quite large, and there is plenty of brass along with many other fittings to admire, but when it’s all together the car just commands attention through its stature. It’s...

1925 – 1931 Rolls-Royce Phantom I

1925→1931 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Called the New Phantom or 40/50HP Phantom on it’s release, this model replaced the Silver Ghost with updates to the chassis and running gear. It was Roll-Royce’s flagship model until the Phantom II was released in 1929. Compared to the Silver Ghost, the single biggest upgrade...

1929 – 1936 Rolls-Royce 20/25

1929→1936 Rolls-Royce 20/25 The 20/25 was sold alongside the Phantom II and was offered to drivers as smaller alternative. It was the successor to the Rolls-Royce Twenty and in many respects the 20 and 20/25 were identical except for the larger 3699 engine. It was the successor to the Rolls-Royce...

1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom II

1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Produced from 1929 to 1935, the Phantom II was a large improvement over the previous Phantom I. Both cars shared much the same chassis design with the Phantom II having a lower ride height and improved semi-elliptic springs. The large Inline-6 powerplant featured an aluminum head...

1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom III

1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom III In Detail submitted by Richard Owen type Series Production Car built at England engine Alloy 60 Degree V12 position Front Longitudinal aspiration Natural valvetrain OHV, 2 Valves per Cyl fuel feed Downdraft Twin-Choke Carburetor displacement 7338 cc / 447.8 in³ bore 82.5 mm / 3.25 in...

1931 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental

1931 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental With a shorter 144 inch wheelbase, the Phantom II Continental was envisioned for a sporting customer that would be more interested in driving themselves than being chauffeured in a limosine. It built upon already outstanding Phantom II platform but offered a higher level of driving...

1931 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Merlin

1931 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Merlin Over the years, Rolls-Royce´s revered Merlin engines have found various uses not limited to marine and aeronautical applications. While several attempts have been made to combine Rolls-Royce’s greatest road-going and air-going achievements, few have proved to be as attractive and well-executed as this astonishing Phantom...

1934 Rolls-Royce Phantom II ‘Star of India’

1934 Rolls-Royce Phantom II ‘Star of India’ From the early days of motoring, Rolls-Royce cars were favourites of the Maharajahs of India. The rulers of the pre-independence princely states had considerable wealth and were inclined to spend it, on clothes, jewellery, royal palaces and fine motor cars. And so it...

1935 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Jonckheere Coupe

1935 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Jonckheere Coupe There are few cars that are as dramatic as the Jonckheere Coupe. Its imposing length, menacing curves and oversize grill make most other pre-war cars look boring. And it certainly makes most other Rolls-Royces look staid by comparison. Furthermore, the benchmarks of size, stature,...

1937 Rolls-Royce 25/30

1937 Rolls-Royce 25/30 In 1937 Rolls-Royce released the 25/30 to deal with the increased demand of larger coachwork and competition from Europe and abroad. The larger 4257cc engine produced 115 bhp at 4,500 rpm In Detail type Series Production Car built at England price Â£/td> Â£1,100 predeccesor 1936 Rolls-Royce 20/25...