Charles Rolls studied mechanical engineering at Cambridge. The first undergraduate to own a car, he soon began racing. To fund his passion he set up a dealership, selling mostly foreign cars. His search for a supplier of reliable English cars led to his introduction to Henry Royce.
The first aviator to complete a double-crossing of the English Channel, he was killed in a crash at an air show in July 1910.
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Known for his attention to detail and pursuit of perfection, Henry Royce registered his first patent (the bayonet lamp socket) in 1887. His company produced dynamos, electrical motors and cranes.
Dissatisfied with his Decauville, Royce decided to improve on it and turned his attention to building the best cars in the world. By 1903 he had designed and built his first engine. His first prototypes took to the road in 1904.

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Rolls and Royce were in fact two people before the history of Rolls-Royce as a company ever began.
 Frederick Royce was a British electrical equipment manufacturer who built the first Royce cars in 1904. Frederick Royce was an entrepreneur living in England during the 19th century. He dabbled in a series of manufacturing fields, and in 1903, Royce made enough money to buy his first car. He chose a second-hand model produced by French car maker Decauville. Though Decauville was considered a quality brand at this time, Royce found himself unsatisfied with the car. Being an entrepreneur, he decided to use the Decauville as a base to design his own car.
By 1904, Royce had created three two-cylinder, 10-hp cars. He called the design the "Royce 10." His friend, who worked for a local car dealership called C.S. Rolls and Company, frequently used one of Royce's cars to travel to work. He mentioned to his boss, Charles Rolls, a longtime car enthusiast from way back in 1894 and son of a baron, how much he liked the car. Rolls was intrigued enough to set up a meeting with Royce. On May 4, 1904, Rolls and Royce met for the first time at the Midland Hotel, where Rolls agreed to add Royce's cars to his inventory.
The three cars he built attracted the attention of Charles Rolls. He was so taken with the engineering that he partnered with the car's creator. Royce would build the cars, and Rolls would sell them.

2. The Company Takes Off
Rolls signed Royce to an exclusive sales agreement, which stipulated that all vehicles produced would be called "Rolls-Royces." The company introduced its first cars to society at the Paris Salon of 1904. Four different models of the Royce 10 were presented, each with a different sized engine. Interest in the company was piqued, and sales began to take off. In 1907, Rolls-Royce released its legendary Silver Ghost model. This car was unprecedented in quality and reliability for the time, and helped the company grow dramatically.

Every Rolls-Royce motor car is built by hand at our state-of-the-art head quarters and manufacturing facility at the Home of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars at Goodwood. Designed by architect Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, the building was designed to have minimal impact on the environment.

60 pairs of hands: each Rolls- Royce motor car passes through 60 pairs of highly-skilled hands before it reaches its owner.

“Rolls-Royce has been a motoring icon for over 100 years”-CEO of Rolls-Royce

Since 1904 Rolls-Royce has created instantly recognizable motor cars that have made the mark an enduring icon all over the world. Inspired by some of the most evocative cars ever built, we have the great privilege of taking this legacy into the future.
Phantom redefined the mark for the 21st century - a fitting celebration of the principles of Sir Henry Royce. This continuing pursuit of innovation, realized in our EX program and the models it has produced, has created new benchmarks for the industry. The launch of Ghost marks the next stage in the evolution of the mark. To develop and build the most technologically advanced car of its kind we have invested heavily in our people and our facilities at Goodwood. This investment will help us develop new models that will let us continue to grow the company's reputation.

“Few things stimulate all of our senses at once to awaken that indescribable sixth sense experienced in a Rolls-Royce.”Kris Sukhu- Designer

3. Racing for Recognition:
Rolls-Royce is one of the world's leading producers of high-end luxury cars. Cars produced by Rolls-Royce are of such high quality that an early "Silver Ghost" model produced in 1907 is still in working condition. It is owned by the company, and is used in charity drives and other special events. Many will be surprised to find that the history and development of this company are as intriguing as the cars themselves.

Like many manufacturers of the day, Rolls entered the first Rolls-Royces in races in order to promote them. These cars were similar to the first one built by Royce. Real fame came with the first introduction of a 6-cylinder engine inside a silver-painted four-passenger chassis dubbed "The Silver Ghost." This car was driven 15,000 continuous miles with little wear, cementing the R-R reputation for reliability. Unfortunately, Rolls' passion for excitement ended in 1910, when his biplane (based on the Wright brothers' flyer) crashed and killed him almost instantly.

The ensuing series of two, three, four and six cylinder cars broke the mould for engineering and craftsmanship. The Silver Ghost, launched in 1907, was a car of legendary smoothness that completed a 14,371 mile virtually non-stop run, creating 'the best car in the world' legend.

Introduced in 1907, the 40/50 HP or Silver Ghost remained in production until 1925. Originally powered by a 7,036cc six-cylinder engine, this was increased to 7,428cc in 1909.

Best-known body styles included the Barker Tourer and the Barker enclosed cabriolet. First built in Royce's Cooke Street factory in Manchester, following its success the company moved to a custom-built factory in Nightingale Road, Derby, U.K. The Silver Ghost chassis, built in this period was toughened with armor so it could serve as a combat car in Flanders, Africa, Egypt, and with Lawrence of Arabia during WWI. In the Jazz Age that came after the war, people had money to spend on these reliable Rollers.

 In 1921, Rolls-Royce added a factory in Springfield, Massachusetts, which catered to the large U.S. market. There were also Silver Ghosts built in Springfield, Mass., from 1920-1924, and a smaller 20-hp "Baby Roller" was introduced. Big cars were still popular, though, with the Phantoms I, II, and II all appearing in the 1920s. During WWII, the company built Rolls-Royce Merlin airplane engines in a facility in Crewe, U.K., rather than cars.

Ghost…

“Ghost is seductively simple yet incredibly advanced.”-Andres Thurner, Exterior Designer

The principle of delivering simplicity out of complexity runs throughout Ghost and Ghost Extended Wheelbase. Everything is designed, engineered and crafted to be so invitingly approachable, so simple, it encourages you to regard either car as appropriate for any occasion. Inside it's like being cocooned in your own convivial private sanctuary that leaves you relaxed and unruffled after the longest journey.

Ghost is the essence of Rolls-Royce in its simplest, purest form. Advanced engineering combined with a host of hidden technology creates a dynamic yet comfortable drive.

Ghost

Nothing should distract from the pleasure of driving Ghost. Nothing does.

Ghost Extended Wheelbase

The perfect Rolls-Royce experience for both driver and passengers.

   The six senses

The essence of Ghost

Ghost's designers were inspired by this photograph of Don Carlos de Salamanca at the 1913 Spanish Grand Prix. His serene expression after winning the gruelling 190-mile race in his Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost suggested the simple and effortless driving experience they re-created for the 21stCentury Ghost.

By the 1930's, the Great Depression had driven Rolls-Royce's biggest competitor, Bentley, to bankruptcy. Rolls-Royce purchased Bentley in 1931, and from that point, each manufacturer's car models were nearly identical, except for small differences in the grills.

(What about Bentley?
Rolls-Royce acquired Bentley in 1931, when W.O. Bentley's company was facing an uncertain financial future. Rolls-Royce and Bentley parted ways in 2002. Volkswagen at this point owned Rolls-Royce, who owned Bentley. BMW came in and bought the Rolls-Royce name, freeing VW to develop Bentleys independent of Rolls, which it was happy to do. Bentley aficionados refer to these six decades as "the blackest of all.")

4. Post-War Rollers:
After the war in Europe had ended and Rolls could go back to building automobiles, they brought out the 1946 Silver Wraith. Sweeping coachwork for the car came from famed designers like Mulliner, Park Ward, and others. The 1950s saw the very long-wheelbase of the      Phantom IV and the rounded shape of the Silver Cloud on the roads.
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 Phantom IV

“It is a timeless interpretation of the modern luxury motor car.” Ian Cameron, chief dsigner

Combining state-of-the-art technology and engineering with timeless contemporary design, the latest expression of Phantom is, once again, redefining the luxury car market.
In a rapidly changing world the power of technology to drive progress is, we believe, essential in creating the best. Embracing technology and blending it with the traditional skills of master craftsmen allows us to produce timeless motor cars that are perfectly in tune with our times.
Each member of the family displays a unique personality of its own but all continue to share the powerful presence for which Phantom is renowned.

The Phantom Family- A New World.

Designed without compromise, the Phantom family is the result of complete creative and engineering freedom. Created with the desire to build the best car in the world, Phantom combines compelling charisma with design cues that are unmistakably Rolls-Royce.

Phantom
Discover the genuine authority and rare sense of scale and occasion that mark Phantom out as a modern interpretation of the luxury motor car.

Phantom Extended Wheelbase
Its longer wheelbase imbues Phantom Extended Wheelbase with a remarkable presence and sense of inner space.

Phantom Drophead Coupé
Inspired by the J-class yachts of the 1930s, Phantom Drophead Coupé continues the long tradition of two-door, four-seat Rolls-Royce convertibles.

Phantom Coupé
The most driver-orientated Phantom, the Coupé offers a sleek combination of classic proportions, presence and breathtaking detailing.

The essence of Phantom

Every Phantom is hand-built at the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood in England. From seamstresses to surface finish technicians and French polishers, it takes 60 pairs of hands to design, craft and construct a Rolls-Royce before it's ready for its owner.

The Silver Cloud II had the company's first V8 engine, and the updated Silver Cloud III appeared in the '60s. The Phantoms V (for the American market) and VI (for Europe) were also sold in the '60s. The all-new, slab-sided, V8 Silver Shadow debuted in 1965.

5. Those Slippery Seventies:
It seems most exotic car makers hit a rough patch in the 1970s, Rolls-Royce included. Due to expensive aircraft engines, the company sought assistance from the British government, who took over the airplane engine division. Rolls-Royce Motors at Crewe divorced from Rolls-Royce Limited at Derby. (Anyone who's Googled "Rolls-Royce" has likely found the wrong web site at least once.) The revived company rallied with the Corniche, the Camargue, the Silver Shadow II, and the Silver Wraith II, all of which hit the market by 1979.

 Corniche                                      Silver Wraith II

6. Big Hair and Big Cars:
Rolls-Royce entered the Me Decade with the Silver Spirit and Silver Spur, both of which were massive, squared-off, ultra-luxury automobiles that dripped wealth in the '80s. As I'm sure you've guessed by now, Silver Spirits II and III and Silver Spurs II and III appeared in the '80s and '90s. In 1998, the all-new Silver Seraph was launched, with a V12 engine under its long nose.

  Silver Spirit                               Silver Spur

7. Happy 100th Birthday! (And Many More):
Rolls-Royce celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2004, and the centenary of its most famous car, the Silver Ghost, in 2007. In 2003, after ending its partnership with Bentley, the company produced an all-new Phantom, available as a sedan, coupe, or convertible. A limited-edition Phantom Silver was issued in 2004 to mark the company's uninterrupted 100-year run. Cars come include the new, smaller RR4, a "Baby Roller" in the tradition of the 20HP of the 1920s. And to set the record straight: the red enamel radiator badge was changed to black during the Phantom II period, before the death of Henry Royce.

Post: Tram Nguyen