118 years of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

Over a century ago on the 4th of May 1904, the fateful meeting between motoring and aviation pioneer, The Honourable Charles Stewart Rolls, and British engineer Sir Henry Royce happened at the Midland Hotel in Manchester. Soon after, the partnership between the two led to the formation of a new marque, Rolls-Royce Limited.

In a time when luxury automobile manufacturers produced only mechanical components and left the bodies to be constructed by coachbuilders, design and engineering improvements in the car’s platform and running gear were crucial in ensuring a car’s reliability and performance in several respects. Reliability, ease of control, hill-climbing abilities and ride quality attributes.

Through the two men’s combined talents in engineering and promotion, the they sought out to perfect their craft, creating a rolling chassis that was heralded by many as “the best car in the world”. A title that Rolls-Royce retains to this very day.

And the car that started it all was the 1925 Rolls-Royce Phantom I. With its cutting-edge technology, massive low-end torque and ‘Magic Carpet Ride’ technology, the car that quickly established itself as the leading luxury automobile that established the brand’s definitive traits.

Generations later, Rolls-Royce’s pursuit of perfection continues. The brand’s pinnacle product, the Phantom VIII, is a testament to Rolls-Royce’s esteemed origins of excellence.

“As we reflect on Phantom’s remarkable heritage, I am struck by the unique place it occupies in the hearts and minds of our most demanding Rolls-Royce clients,” said Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

“Phantom is the beneficiary of the most ambitious forms of Rolls-Royce Bespoke, transforming into whatever our clients want it to be. Indeed, Phantom is not only the ‘best car in the world’, but the best car for them in their world.” 

PHOTOS Rolls-Royce Motor Cars (Asia Pacific)