Engine: SOHC V8, 6750cc
Fuel system: Twin SU Carbs
Power output: adequate
Max speed: 120mph
Acceleration 0-60 mph: 10.2 sec
Weight: 2600 Kg

The Hon Charles Rolls was born into a wealthy family in 1877, and after schooling at Eton and Cambridge started to take an interest in the new-fangled machines that were starting to be the playthings of the rich – in 1896 he went to France and purchased the first car ever to live in Cambridge. 1898 he made his first balloon flight. After successfully entering into time trials, in 1903 he established a new world Land Speed Record in a 30hp Mors of 93mph, and he became the importer of this brand.

Henry (later Sir Henry) Royce had an altogether different childhood. Some 14 years Rolls’ senior, his father died in his infancy and aged 9 Royce worked for WH Smith delivering newspapers. Later an aunt paid for him to have an apprenticeship at the GNR railway works. From there he became a tool maker, and took evening classes to learn about the new science of electricity, and in 1885 he set up his own company F H Royce and Co, electrical engineers in Manchester. This was successful and grew rapidly, becoming a limited company in 1894, expanding further in 1899 to make all sorts of electrical applicances, including electric cranes! In 1902 Royce bought his first car, a Decauville. Dissatisfied with the build quality and reliability of it, he set about making his own, better, car. This persuaded him to add cars to his burgeoning business empire. Opposite his factory was another factory, a director of which was an acquaintance of Rolls. At the time, Rolls was selling Minerva and Panhard cars, but wanted a good British car to sell alongside them. This acquaintance was impressed with Royce’s car, and arranged for Rolls and Royce to meet.

They duly met in 1904 and Royce produced a range of 4 cars for Rolls, which were well received earning the soubriquet ‘the best cars in the world’ In 1906 Rolls-Royce Limited was formed. Increasing demand led to a relocation of the works to Derby in 1907, and the company continued to see success. Charles Sykes was the principle illustrator for The Car Illustrated, and in 1910 the manager of RR commissioned him to produce a Rolls-Royce mascot. Some of those mascots in use at this time were not deemed to reflect suitable taste for the Best Car In The World. The Spirit of Ecstasy represented speed with silence, absence of vibration and the mysterious harnessing of great energy. "This spirit had selected road travel as her supreme delight and had alighted on the prow of a Rolls-Royce car to revel in the freshness of the air and the musical sound of her fluttering draperies.” However, all was soon to change for RR. In 1910 Charles Rolls had bought a Wright flyer airplane, and a month after becoming the first person to doubly cross the channel, his plane broke up mid air, and he died. Shortly after Royce collapsed due to overwork, and went to the coast to convalesce. From then till his death in 1933, he rarely visited the factory but was still at the heart of all the engineering and design.

Up till 1965 all RR cars were built with a chassis only, making it easy for specialist coachbuilders to add their own body to a customers taste. Most famous of these were HJ Mulliner and Park Ward. RR acquired Park Ward just before WW2, and Mulliner in the late 50’s and merged them to become Mulliner Park Ward, or MPW. However, when the all-new silver shadow was launched in 1965 although it represented a massive leap forward for Rolls-Royce., it was the beginning of the end for many coachbuilders. The new car had an all new, modern monocoque bodyshell, hydraulic self levelling suspension and all round split circuit disc brakes. The bodyshell meant that it couldn’t be built as a chassis only. However, there still was the desire for more exclusive RR cars, so built Shadows were given to MPW who rebuilt them as 2 door coupes. Originally known as Silver Shadow MPW 2-door Saloon, in 1971 this became the Corniche. In it’s day it was the most expensive car that money could buy. 20x the cost of a mini, 3x the cost of a Ferrari Dino, 2x the cost of a Lamborghini Countach or a standard RR Shadow this was a truly exclusive car for the ultra rich only. Join the club and you can drive this without being ultra rich!

Weekday points: 7; Weekend day points: 14.