sin46th magzus.org by Thomas Swift

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ROLLS-ROYCE

SILVER DAWN BY GHIA

& BENTLEY

BEHIND THE WHEEL OF A UNIQUE SALOON HAND-BUILT IN TURIN

COLLECTING

R&T BENTLEY CONTINENTAL ANATOMY OF A MODERN-CL ASSIC COUPÉ

ONE ENTHUSIAST’S PASSION FOR THE ARNAGE AND SILVER SERAPH

LATEST FLYING SPUR MEETS OUR TURBO R TWO V8-ENGINED BENTLEYS COME HEAD TO HEAD

AUSTRALIAN DISCOVERY SHADOW II BOUGHT AT AUCTION

PLUS: MARKET UPDATES ● MANUFACTURER NEWS ● READERS’ CARS ● CLUB REPORTS ● PERIOD ADS

MAY/JUNE 2022

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60 YEARS

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Hello…and welcome! Regular readers will know that Rolls-Royce & Bentley Driver’s previous Editor, Paul Guinness, signed off in our last issue and promised to leave the magazine in safe hands. Those hands are mine, and I’ll be doing my utmost to live up to Paul’s expectations. And more importantly, to yours. It’s been 20 years since I started working for classic car magazines and in that time, I’ve been asked one question pretty often: ‘you spend all day thinking about cars, so which is your favourite?’ The answer changes almost daily, but as the years have gone by, I’ve noticed a few themes: high-quality marques, often British, with a reputation for impressive engineering and innovation, sometimes with an aeronautical connection. Bristol, Lancia, Saab, Armstrong-Siddeley, Alvis and always RollsRoyce and Bentley. So when the chance came up to take over from Paul on Rolls-Royce & Bentley Driver, it felt too good to miss. And about the time this issue rolls off the press, I should be a Rolls-Royce owner – but more of that in the future. So what can we offer you in Issue 30? Quite a variety, I hope you’ll agree. We’ll meet a man with three cars from the Arnage / Seraph generation, each fulfilling a different role. We’ll encounter a one-off Silver Dawn with a body so advanced you wonder whether ideas from Ghia influenced the Silver Cloud. We’ll find cars as old as a 20hp Rolls-Royce and as young as the Bentley Flying Spur V8 from the current press fleet, and plenty more in between. I’d like to stretch the net as wide as possible for forthcoming issues, from the earliest days of either marque to the 21st century products that still set the standard of the world. Please get in touch to let me know what you like best – or dislike most – and between us we can keep Rolls-Royce & Bentley Driver ticking over faultlessly.

Nigel Boothman rrb.ed@kelsey.co.uk Part of the Classics World Family www.classicsworld.co.uk

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R R & B D M AY/ J U N E 2 0 2 2

Kelsey Media 2022 © all rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden except with permission in writing from the publishers. Note to contributors: articles submitted for consideration by the editor must be the original must be the original work of the author and not previously published. Where photographs are included, which are not the property of the contributor, permission to reproduce them must have been obtained from the owner of the copyright. The editor cannot guarantee a personal response to all letters and emails received. The views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the Editor or the Publisher. Kelsey Media accepts no liability for products and services offered by third parties. Kelsey Media uses a multi-layered privacy notice, giving you brief details about how we would like to use your personal information. For full details, visit www.kelsey.co.uk , or call 01959 543524. If you have any questions, please ask as submitting your details indicates your consent, until you choose otherwise, that we and our partners may contact you about products and services that will be of relevance to you via direct mail, phone, email or SMS. You can opt out at ANY time via email: data. controller@kelsey.co.uk or 01959 543524.

MAY / JUNE 2022

CONTENTS 38

52 COVER STORY

78 REGULARS 6

UP FRONT

All the latest Rolls-Royce and Bentley news

22 MARKET WATCH

Temptation in many price points – and conditions

36 READERS’ LETTERS

Your chance to have your say

66 FROM THE CLUBHOUSE

All the latest news from the RREC and BDC

88 FROM THE ARCHIVES 12 ARNAGE & SERAPH COLLECTION When you find a car you like, stick with it. Or buy another – and another – to discover how each one fills its own niche, like Philip Robinson did

An ‘album cover’ special and some classic ads

96 MOTOR FREE ADS

Rolls-Royce and Bentley classics for sale

98 THE FINAL PAGE

Our new editor recalls his first R-R & Bentley drives

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“This remarkable 1952 Silver Dawn was designed and built for the Italian Contessa Ida Matarazzo, and delivered from Rome through Rolls-Royce dealer Fernando Martorelli”

26 FEATURES 26 SILVER DAWN BY GHIA Can it really be from 1952? This sleek Italian body signalled the way ahead for Rolls-Royce

38 FLYING SPUR V8 vs TURBO R We compare the new Bentley Flying Spur V8, with its ancestor – our project Turbo R

44 A TALE OF TWO DEMONSTRATORS

54 MEET THE EXPERTS: RS&E A chat with the recently re-launched Ranmore Service & Engineering

58 ANATOMY OF THE CONTINENTAL R&T Bentley’s beautiful bruisers, in detail

70 AUSTRALIAN SHADOW From a customs lock-up to a happy home

78 PERSONAL CHOICE: TURBO R How a car changed one reader’s career

Magnificent ‘Twenty’ and Phantom V with royal histories, now owned by one discerning Indian collector

52 QUICK TEST: PHANTOM COUPE We try a 2010 example to discover if ‘Goodwood’ models share the old Rolls-Royce charm R R & B D M AY/ J U N E 2 0 2 2

SUBSCRIPTION

OFFERS PAGE 86

UP FRONT

NEWS AND VIEWS

THIRD TIME LUCKY Photography: Richard Holdsworth, Kaye Farrow

One Australian Rolls-Royce club finally celebrated its 2021 Concours in brilliant sunshine under a cloudless sky…in January 2022. RR&BD’s Australian correspondent Richard Holdsworth explained the delays endured by the Victorian Branch of the RollsRoyce Owners Club of Australia. ‘It’s quite understandable that the event might be postponed because of Covid-19, but it was scarcely creditable that the re-scheduled Rally and Concours could be abandoned

on account of a waterlogged venue! This is Australia, isn’t it?’ Nonetheless, both virus and weather intervened, and the entrants had to wait until earlier this year. Concours judging was carried out at the Club’s Technical Centre in Rowville – 12 judges covering every facet of the Rolls and Bentley cars – while the Rally and Presentation was held under the Melbourne sun at the beautiful Xavier College Grounds on a picnic Sunday with approaching 80 cars on display and more than 150 attending.

Concours judging used the International Chief Judge Advisory Group (ICJAG) format with the Club’s Neil Mathews officiating. Each car is automatically credited with maximum points, before points are deducted in each of the categories if the car does not meet the best standard. There are 20 sections – four each for coachwork exterior, coachwork interior and operation, while the chassis is divided into three sections and engine into five including engine presentation, oil, coolant and fuel lines, and carburettor.

A PHALANX OF PHANTOMS

More than 80 Rolls-Royce and Bentleys bathed under Melbourne’s sun at the Rally and Concours held in January this year. It was the third time lucky for the event that had to be re-scheduled twice in 2021.

All credit to Larry Picker for the dedication to restoring the 1978 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow ll and take the top award – the David Jones Trophy.

The Concours display on Sunday celebrated the model series Phantom from the very earliest to current production – a total of 13 Phantoms were assembled in a magnificent display. The 1927 RollsRoyce Phantom owned by Anthony James duly won the featured Class 2 for Phantom l and ll models. The overall Concours winner – and winner of the David Jones Trophy – was the wonderfully restored 1978 RollsRoyce Silver Shadow ll owned by Larry Picker. The car was originally ordered by Jack Barclay in 1978 on behalf of

Judging for the Victorian branch of the Rolls-Royce Owners’ Club of Australia Concours, taken seriously!

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a UK enthusiast. Larry understands the Silver Shadow lI was bought at auction in the UK by an Australian surgeon and shipped to Australia in 1980. The car had previously won the Australian Federal Rally Concours held at Wagga Wagga in New South Wales in 1993 but had suffered since. Larry Picker bought the car in 2004 and over the next 10 years set about bringing the car up to Concours condition. Even after such an effort, the owner was surprised and delighted to be adjudged winner of the keenly contested show. Other notable winners included Noel Baker’s 1928 entry for Class 3, 20hp models, while Class 5 for the Bentley 3½-litre went to Wayne Fitzgerald’s 1934 Drophead Coupé. Class 7 for Bentley Mark VIs was won by Gerald Swinnerton’s 1950 Australian-ordered standard saloon. Class 8 went to Ralph Plarre’s 1965 Bentley S3, while Class 9 for Rolls-Royce Silver Shadows was won by the 1973 car owned by Troy Sartori and Michael Daniel. The same two provided the winner of the V8 class. John O’Halloran’s wonderful 2008 coupé won the best in Class 12 for Rolls-Royce Phantom VIIs. Membership of the Victorian branch of the Australian Rolls-Royce Owners’ Club is open to all owners of RollsRoyce and Bentley cars and those with an interest in the two marques. State meetings are held monthly and – in true Aussie style – social events feature strongly. The 2022 Victorian Concours is set to be held over the weekend of 17th and 18th September once again on the splendid grounds of Xavier College…barring any unexpected delays!

The 1973 Silver Shadow owned jointly by Troy Sartori and Michael Daniel won Class 9 for Silver Shadows

Looking splendid in the Australian sunshine, Anthony James’ 1927 RollsRoyce Phantom I takes top honours in the Victorian Branch Concours

Wayne Fitzgerald took Class 5 honours for Bentley 3½-litre cars with his immaculate 1934 model.

Ralph Plarre and his magnificent Bentley S3 tops Class 8

YOUR ROLLS ROYCE & BENTLEY INSURANCE 01480 400 928 SHARING YOUR PASSION FOR OVER 35 YEARS

R R & B D M AY/ J U N E 2 0 2 2

UP FRONT NEWS AND VIEWS

SPIRIT OF ECSTASY REDESIGNED Rolls-Royce has reimagined the Spirit of Ecstasy figurine for its new allelectric car, the Spectre, 111 years after the Spirit of Ecstasy was first registered as intellectual property of Rolls-Royce on 6th February 1911. The figurine has been remodelled with a lower, more dynamic stance that brings her much closer to the drawings made by her original creator, the illustrator and sculptor Charles Sykes, in the early years of the 20th century. She is somewhat more diminutive – 82.73mm versus 100.01mm, says Rolls-Royce with reassuring precision. Her robes, which flow behind her in the slipstream – often but erroneously characterised as ‘wings’ – have been subtly reshaped to make them more aerodynamic and realistic. The most visible change is her stance. Previously, she has stood with her feet together, legs straight (except for the kneeling form available on various

The new form is smaller, lower, sleeker and more aerodynamic, says Rolls-Royce

models between 1934 and the mid1950s) and tilting at the waist. Now, she is braced for the wind, one leg forward, body tucked low, her eyes focused eagerly ahead. These changes have both practical and stylistic benefits, says Rolls-Royce, and even contribute to the Spectre’s aerodynamic properties. The earliest Spectre prototypes have a drag coefficient (cd) of just 0.26, making it the most aerodynamic Rolls-Royce ever created. While all figurines are made using lost wax casting, each is individually finished by hand, so will be minutely different from figurine to figurine. This continues a long Rolls-Royce tradition – until 1939, the mascots were made and polished by Charles Sykes himself. The new version created for Spectre will appear on all future models: the current design will still be used on Phantom, Ghost, Wraith, Dawn and Cullinan and their Black Badge alter egos where applicable.

The traditional lost-wax casting allows for fine detail to remain, even after plating

IS YOUR CAR THE BEST OF BRITISH? The organisers of the British Motor Show have been in touch with RollsRoyce & Bentley Driver to see if we can help assemble ten fabulous cars to be part of the Best of British display. The show will take place at Farnborough between the 18 and 21st August. The group of Bentleys and RollsRoyces can include cars of any age

and model, and will be part of a larger group of fifty cars to include other British classics, Jaguars and Aston Martins amongst them. The show mixes live action outdoors and an indoor Live Stage with static displays inside and out, hands-on fun for kids and younger drivers including go-karting and under-17s driving

lessons, plus a supercar paddock for the ten-year-old in all of us. Any participant able to bring a car for the weekend would receive two free tickets, worth £70. If you’re interested, please email rrb.ed@kelsey.co.uk. For more information on the show, see https://thebritishmotorshow.live/

Rolls-Royce and Bentley Drivers … Drive in with confidence where you see this sign.

The Rolls-Royce and Bentley Specialists Association Your guarantee of satisfaction Visit Established 1984

www.rrbsa.co.uk for details of member companies

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OFF ERE D F OR SAL E

SU P ER S PO R T S # 9

OFFE RS IN E XC ESS OF £1 .9 M

UP FRONT NEWS AND VIEWS

CHANGES AT COLBROOKS

Bentley’s futuristic rendering for their Crewe facility, post-investment

One of the best-known Rolls-Royce and Bentley specialists in the east of England is trading under a new name this year, after Colin and Sue Ayres retired at the end of 2021. The main technicians at Colbrook Specialists, Richard Meadows and Bradley Wright, have taken over the business having both started their careers at Colbrooks as apprentices. The firm has re-branded as Colbrooks R&B, for Richard and Bradley but also conveniently sharing the initials of our favourite marques. Other changes will be kept to a minimum, with the same high standards of service and repair from their base at 24 High Street, Stilton, near Peterborough. You can reach them on 01733 243737 or colbrookrandb@gmail.com.

FIVE ELECTRIC BENTLEYS IN FIVE YEARS Bentley Motors has announced an ambitious programme to be known as the Five-in-Five plan, which commits the marque to launching a new electric model each year, from 2025. Even more significant for the firm’s future, Bentley also revealed a £2.5 billion sustainable investment to realise this strategy, and confirmed that from 2025, the first Bentley electric vehicle will be designed, developed and produced at its headquarters in Crewe, England. The announcement is a major

The current set-up is hardly old-fashioned and is already turning out hybrid vehicles

boost to the team at Crewe, the region and the UK as a sustainable base for high-value manufacturing. The investment will also allow a fundamental reinvention of the Crewe manufacturing infrastructure and will help secure Bentley’s future at Crewe for the next generation of products – and employees. Among the latest initiatives will be an extension of on-site energy production at Crewe, aiming to increase the number of solar panels from 30,000 to 40,000 in the next two years. In addition, Bentley is investigating using sustainable biofuel in fleet cars, including Bentley’s Heritage Collection. On Bentley’s model range, the luxury marque will release the Flying Spur PHEV in 2022, as well as five additional derivatives, added to the current Bentayga PHEV to meet the diverse needs of Bentley’s customers. It is anticipated that more than 20 per cent of sales this year will come from Bentley’s hybrid cars – a figure that seems likely to rise ever more steeply, year on year.

LUXURIATE IN LAMBSWOOL The full colour palette for Flying Spares’ range of handcrafted lambswool rugs is now online. It extends over six pages with samples of greys, blacks, natural tones, reds, greens, blues and browns, all available in full 25mm pile. The drivers’ rugs come with a leather heel-pad and they feature a sound-deadening plush felt interlining. A Velcro closure to the backing helps to ensure easy cleaning. All are hand-made to order and have a lead time of approximately 3 weeks. Has there ever been a better excuse to travel barefoot? The price for a full Silver Shadow set will be around the £725 mark, including VAT, but many models across different eras are covered. For all the colour options, see https://mailchi.mp/flyingspares/ lambswoolrugs and click on ‘colour chart’.

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Sales & Marketing of Fine Motor Cars the World Over

1924 Bentley 3 litre Freestone & Webb Tourer £310,000.00

1931 Bentley 8 Litre Vandenplas Style Tourer £1,150,000.00

1938 Derby Bentley 4.25 MR Overdrive Series Hooper DHC £280,000.00

1913 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost Colonial Open Drive Landaulette by Barker. £685,000

1910 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost “Rois-Des-Belges” style tourer by Cadogan £750,000.00

1933 Rolls Royce 20/25 Hooper Sports Saloon £78,000.00

1925 Rolls-Royce Phantom 1 Hooper all weather cabriolet £150,000.00

1928 Rolls Royce Phantom 1 Hooper Sedanca £115,000.00

Attention to detail selling the world’s finest cars More quality consignments wanted

www.vandp.net

07967 260673

07793 049397

Viewings at our expanded Northampton showroom by appointment only

COVER STORY ARNAGE & SERAPH COLLECTION

PERFECTION IN THREE ACTS

When you know exactly what you want, even a Rolls-Royce sometimes isn’t enough. But a Rolls-Royce and two Bentleys might be…

WORDS: NIGEL BOOTHMAN

t’s a simple question: why have you got three of them? The answer, of course, is not simple. Although it hardly needs answering at all if you’re a proper car nut; we all know how these things can happen. You start with one, you find another, you can just about manage the storage

PHOTOS: GREGORY OWAIN

space and funds for a third, and it was such a good example it would have been a shame to miss it… Philip Robinson has applied a good deal more logic than that during the assembly of this trio. Before we get to his acquisition of these lovely cars, we need to step back a little

way. Right back to Zimbabwe, in fact, where Philip was born and where he lived until he was 13. We note down childhood memories of white cars, so popular in a country where the sun did its best to cook you alive and hardly anything came with air conditioning. After school in the UK, Philip M AY/ J U N E 2 0 2 2 R R & B D

remained here and at the age of 26 bought a black Silver Cloud III with a red interior. It was a striking car and started a life-long affinity with Rolls-Royce and Bentley, but it had to stay behind when Philip returned to Africa not long afterwards. It went into storage, but like many with roots in different places, Philip found that keeping a foot in two continents wasn’t really practical and the Cloud eventually went to auction. Philip came back to the UK in 1999 with his now-husband Stephen Want and endured a long wait before they could re-enter the world of RollsBentley motoring. Philip moved on a couple of generations, starting with a Turbo RT in 2015, then a 1968 Mulliner Park Ward drophead, the car we would know from 1971 as the Corniche. After this came a left-hand drive Silver Spur, bought with the idea of holidaying on the Continent, but somehow it never clicked and that one didn’t stay long. R R & B D M AY/ J U N E 2 0 2 2

Indeed, Philip wasn’t always at ease with the RT or the Shadow drophead coupé, either. He explains why. ‘I’m a “get in and drive” kind of guy, I’m not one for working on the cars at home and I don’t have that kind of workshop facility,’ he says. ‘With the older cars, I was finding they needed attention so often that it wasn’t only expensive, it was inconvenient – we wanted to be able to enjoy them and if one was away being fixed, it wasn’t available.’ The MPW drophead suffered a mishap that confirmed the issue for Philip with older cars. He and Stephen live in a pretty village just off the A1 and were returning home after a pleasant drive in the drophead, slowing from motorway speeds to peel off onto the slip road. All was well until they were about to turn into his own lane and the brakes failed. ‘We just carried on rolling forward

into a hedge, which reduced any real impact,’ says Philip, ‘but of course it could have been so much worse at 70mph on the A1. I had no warning of it and it shook my faith in older cars and gave a sour taste to ownership of that one, even though it was just a single mechanical failure.’ Understandable, though. It sent Philip’s ideas in a new direction, moving forward with the generations once again to the Bentley Arnage and what began as its sister car, the Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph (see box, page 15 to learn how these rivals shared a nest).

RIDE A WHITE SWAN The first car Philip found was the white Arnage RL 250, the long-wheelbase version of the Arnage R, in 2016. This car is left-hand drive and was bought with a clear idea of European travel, as with the previous Spur. This time, »

COVER STORY ARNAGE & SERAPH COLLECTION

Arnage RL maintains composure through bends remarkably well

however, car and owner clicked. ‘We’ve had some great trips abroad,’ says Philip. ‘The one that sticks in my mind is a drive from Annecy through the Alps to Chamonix – not the sort of roads you might associate with a longwheelbase Bentley, but it was so surefooted and impressive around those hairpins. In fact, it was so enjoyable that when we arrived, I was tempted

to turn around and drive back again!’ Since then, Philip reckons he and Stephen have averaged about 2500 miles a year, almost all of which is done abroad. The vendor passed on the story of the car’s origins, which Philip can’t confirm but believes to be accurate. ‘I gather it was ordered in Paris by an Arab gentleman,’ says Philip. ‘He lived in London and bought this car so his chauffeur could drive him down to his house in Cannes. It was ordered with a rear sunroof, which is very unusual, and might be why the car was featured in Richard Vaughan’s book on the Azure, Seraph, Brooklands and Arnage.’ A friendly dealer later mentioned to Philip that he had a Turbo R on his premises that previously belonged to Prince Charles – and which also had a rear sunroof. Not one to miss a chance,

Philip brought the RL down to have its picture taken alongside the Turbo. But most of the fun has been had in France, with a memorable trip round the Burgundian villages revealing not only the Arnage’s impressive boot capacity but also the true value of that extra wheelbase that gives rearseat passengers increased legroom. ‘The distance from the rear seats to the front was perfect for two more cases of wine,’ says Philip with a smile. That’s with the luxury accoutrements folded away. If you were to slide yourself over the Linen hide and Cranberry piping, you would find in the back of the front passenger’s seat a pull-out panel housing two decanters and two glasses. The back of the driver’s seat (we’re LHD, remember) conceals a magazine rack. »

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SEPARATED AT BIRTH: THE CARS FROM A BROKEN HOME Rolls-Royce Motors was under the ownership of Vickers PLC when, in October 1990, design work began on the car that would eventually replace the SZ series of Rolls-Royce and Bentley models. Progress was painstakingly slow but 1998 finally saw the launch of the Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph and the Bentley Arnage. For the first time in Rolls-Royce history, the cars would be powered by non-Rolls-Royce engines: a BMW 5.4-litre V12 for the Silver Seraph and a BMW 4.4-litre twin turbo V8 for the Arnage. But something else happened in 1998 – Vickers decided to sell Rolls-Royce Motors. We’ve

touched on this tale before in RR&BD but it’s particularly relevant here. BMW were outbid by Volkswagen, who acquired everything bar the really important bits: the RollsRoyce brand name and logo. BMW scooped those for just £40m. So now VW owned the company that built cars using engines supplied by the rival who also owned the brand name…which they weren’t about to relinquish. With Rolls-Royce therefore effectively lost to BMW, VW had to concentrate on Bentley and while negotiations rumbled on, they hastily re-engineered the Arnage to take the old L-series

6.75-litre V8 engine, which VW did have the rights to build, calling it the Arnage Red Label. There was a PR message that the change came from customer demand (the reception for the BMW V8 Arnage wasn’t entirely favourable) but it’s best taken with a pinch of salt. Meanwhile, the Seraph remained in production with the BMW engine, though only long enough for BMW to replace it with their all-new Phantom VII in 2003. The Arnage soldiered on with the V8 until 2009, but ironically the old engine had been so well developed by then it could continue to serve in the new 505bhp Mulsanne.

Philip Robinson with his left-hand drive 'holiday car', preferred in cool white thanks to an African childhood. The carpet would hide drops of spilt burgundy rather nicely, wouldn't it?

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COVER STORY ARNAGE & SERAPH COLLECTION

The most sporting car in the collection, the Arnage R eats up A-roads

Both seats also offer a picnic table, of course. These features all score heavily in the ‘plus’ column for Philip, who confesses to a fondness for wood panelling and is very much of the ‘more is more’ school of thought with these cars, which is really where the love for long-wheelbase versions comes from – remember also his previous Turbo RT and Silver Spur, the LWB version of the Silver Spirit. ‘They are big cars and I think the bigger the better. I’ve always had a passion for long-wheelbase cars because I feel the longer they are, the better they epitomise the brand.’ Yet a 5.65m limousine with the steering wheel on the left is not perhaps as suited to regular use in little old England as it is to exploring Europe. No, what you need for that is something compact and bijou, like, er…a normal Arnage R.

CLOSE TO A DAILY? In 2017 Philip found this Peacock Blue Arnage R with Parchment hide. He is the fifth owner and the car is now showing 80,000 miles, though it’s a shock to see that figure on the odometer, such is the car’s condition. It wasn’t quite so nice when it arrived, as Philip explains. ‘The previous owner was a lawyer in the East Midlands and I think he used it more or less daily, so while it was probably only showing normal signs of use to other people it was a bit

scruffy and dirty by my standards.’ Yes, the more we talk to Philip the more we start to understand his views on how the cars should be looked after. He claims to limit the spend on their maintenance to a budget but in practice, we suspect the cars get anything they need – and Philip is not one to allow a new rattle or squeak to develop without investigation. So when the Arnage arrived, it went straight to Philip’s trusted specialists Colbrooks in Stilton, only a few miles from his home. ‘It got a new gearbox, brakes, brake discs, tyres and more – what I call a slaughter list! I think it came out at eight or nine thousand pounds. But I don’t mind doing that once, because

then I know for sure what I’ve got. I have an old L322 Range Rover and I’ve probably replaced almost every major item on the thing, but I will not replace that car because I know it.’ Yes, there are cars in Philip’s life that are neither Rolls-Royces nor Bentleys, and for this reason the Arnage never had to be a true daily driver. But it does get used, racking up 4000 miles a year with trips to Cornwall or other pleasure use, and unlike some of Philip’s previous cars it repays the attention and investment with excellent reliability. ‘It’s probably my slightly OCD nature,’ he says, ‘but it really matters to me. The Shadow drophead was beautiful but needy, and while I loved the SZ » M AY/ J U N E 2 0 2 2 R R & B D

1975

1953 Silver Dawn Automatic Four Door Sports Saloon Delivered new to Australia and hence structurally superb, very smartly re-finished in original Ivory & Black. Running & driving beautifully, enhanced by a recent set of radial tyres; £42,500 2 Bentley R-Types & 15 pre-war R-R - open/closed/cabriolet

1958 James Young Bentley S1 Four Door Sports Saloon A fabulous example of the B10 design finished in Black and Silver with superb Tan leather piped Blue. Chassis up restoration in the 1990’s. Power steering and driving beautifully! Choice of Bentley S1, S2, S3 & Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III

1937 Bentley 4¼ Thrupp & Maberly Sports saloon Fitted at some stage with a slightly earlier 3½ litre engine which is running well with lively performance. Very attractive with excellent Reddish Brown leather & nice registration! £55,000. Selection of eight interesting Derby Bentleys - open & closed Visit our eBay Real Car Co Parts shop –follow link on our website.

HANWELLS OF LONDON

2022

2014/14 Bentley Flying Spur W12 Mulliner.. Finished in special order Fountain Blue with 21 inch Mulliner alloy wheels and glass sunroof. The interior is in Linen leather, with French Navy secondary hide. This car is beautiful and has had only two owners from new. 57,000 miles with Full History. Immaculate .....£53,950

2012/12 Bentley Mulsanne. Finished in Beluga with a fine white coach line and 21 inch five spoke polished alloy wheels. Linen hide with Beluga secondary hide and Premier specification with picnic tables. Maintained by us for the last 6 years. Immaculate condition throughout, outstanding value ................ £72,950

2008/08 Bentley Continental GTC Mulliner. Finished in Beluga with a Black hood and 20 inch Mulliner alloys. The interior is in Beluga with contrast stitching in St James and Charcoal carpets with Piano Black veneers. Only 65,000 miles with Full Service History. Immaculate condition throughout, must be seen................only £41,750

2004/04 Bentley Arnage T Mulliner.. Finished in Beluga with 19 inch split rim alloys. Beluga interior with turned alloy dash and door cappings. Only 40,000 miles with full history, previously supplied by us 6 years ago. Four new tyres just fitted, immaculate condition throughout and outstanding value...only £33,650

2004/04 Bentley Continental GT. Finished in Sapphire Blue with 19 inch split rim alloys. The interior is in Portland with Nautic secondary hide and Granite carpets with Walnut veneers. Supplied by us 7 years ago and has been maintained regardless of cost. Immaculate condition throughout and value at...only £24,250

2002/02 Bentley Arnage T Mulliner. Finished in beautiful unmarked Verdant Green with 19 inch split rim alloys. The interior is Magnolia with picnic tables to the rear and Spruce Green carpets with Magnolia piping, all complemented with Walnut veneers. Only 2 owners, 71,000 miles with FSH. ................................only £26,750

1998 S Bentley Continental R Chatsworth Limited Edition. Number 7 of only 10 numbered models. This extremely rare car, with numerous Chatsworth features, is finished in Chatsworth Silver with Silverstone interior and Beluga secondary hide, with contrasting carpets. Only 53,000 miles with FSH ............................ £58,950

1997 P Bentley Brooklands Turbo. Finished in Silver Pearl with Turbo RT alloys, with Silverstone interior piped in French Navy and French Navy carpets with Silverstone piping and comfort seating design. Known to us for 9 years and maintained regardless of cost. Stunning and outstanding value.............................only £19,750

1990 H Rolls Royce Silver Spirit MK II Active Ride. Finished in Cobalt Blue with Cream coach lines on its unmarked bodywork. Magnolia interior with French Navy piping and French Navy carpets and picnic tables. Only 2 owners and only 79,000 miles with FSH. Immaculate throughout and must be seen .........only £19,950

1977 R Rolls Royce Corniche FHC 2 dr Coupe. Finished in Sand with a Walnut vinyl roof and white wall tyres. Cream interior with Cream carpets, with Walnut piping and Walnut veneers, all in perfect condition. Only 48,000 miles, known to ourselves for last 7 years. Lots of history, a superb investment................... £69,950

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COVER STORY ARNAGE & SERAPH COLLECTION

Pale dials and centre-console gearshift mark out Bentley interior

models their road manners lacked the togetherness of the Arnage. It does feel more powerful, better built and yes, more modern. It’s also a good deal bigger on the inside.’ Ah yes, the interior space of the SZ family never quite delivered what you might expect from the exterior dimensions. But if it’s space you’re after, follow us towards the most recent of Philip’s acquisitions.

A PARK WARD PARKS UP It was November 2019 when a RollsRoyce shimmered into view beside the two Bentleys. This one isn’t just any Silver Seraph, it’s a Park Ward version. That implies (you’ve guessed it!) a longer wheelbase and more interior delights, and also a good measure of rarity. Philip tells us it’s number four of only 27 right-hand drive examples made in 2001. But it’s an aesthetic

appreciation rather than a numbers game that drove this purchase. ‘I think the Seraph is the most beautiful design of its time,’ says Philip. ‘It is very stately indeed, both to look at and in its road manners. It wafts… every cliché about riding on a cushion of air seems to apply. The character of the engine is so different too.’ More of that in a moment, but first let’s take a look around this exquisite monster. Like the long Arnage, it’s almost 6m from end to end and probably over 2.5 tonnes in weight, though the size is very well managed by the styling, not least because the team involved extended both the front and rear doors from the standard model to ensure the proportions remained balanced. The Black Sapphire finish suits it very nicely, while inside you’ll find Magnolia hide and more of Philip’s favoured extras to play with in the back. Here we have four glasses and space

for four decanters hidden behind glossy veneered panels, with even the headrest TV screens nestling in walnut surrounds. Philip is only the second owner of this car, though the fourth or fifth on paper after the previous chap passed it between various company names. Astonishingly, it’s showing a higher mileage than either of the others with 90,000 rolling round just recently. It seems these Seraph and Arnage models that developed so differently still share an important feature: look after them properly, and they continue to behave like new cars. And Philip is nothing if not careful about that. ‘I’m afraid I don’t even like people touching my cars,’ he says, ‘I hired a chauffeur once and arranged for him to drive Stephen and I into London to celebrate a special anniversary at our favourite hotel, but I wasn’t very relaxed with someone else driving. It’s still the only time I’ve been in the back seat!’ M AY/ J U N E 2 0 2 2 R R & B D

Dignified rather than nimble: the Seraph's strengths lie in supreme comfort and space, shown below

DEFINING DIFFERENCES? So there we have it – one for foreign travel, one for pleasure trips in the UK and one for the most decadent wafting to RREC events. Philip is in a unique position to tell us what sets these cars apart, as you could look at them from the outside and assume they were much of a muchness. Not so. ‘The Seraph is by far the softest and smoothest,’ he says. ‘That V12 engine is incredibly silky and as I never use more than about 3000rpm, it’s silent. You wouldn’t charge through corners in this car, but for old-fashioned RollsRoyce luxury, I think it’s wonderful.’ To the Arnages then – does the extra 250mm of wheelbase between Arnage R and RL change the car’s character? The biggest difference they »

R R & B D M AY/ J U N E 2 0 2 2

COVER STORY ARNAGE & SERAPH COLLECTION

A nice problem to have which would you choose?

share over the Seraph is the venerable Rolls-Royce 6.75-litre V8 engine, each car equipped with twin turbos. That gives a significant increase in capacity, power and torque over the Seraph and the Arnage is set up to exploit it, whatever the wheelbase, says Philip. ‘The Arnages are more surefooted and sporting, there’s no doubt. They pick up quicker from a standstill and they feel more performance-orientated in the cabin, with the gearshift in the centre console. You’re more aware of undulations in the road surface in the RL than you are in the Seraph, but the RL’s steering is a bit more precise. Perhaps there’s not a huge difference in the way the Arnages behave but the Arnage R is probably the more composed, as you’d expect.’ It's been two and a half years since this little trio came together, which means it must be a happy gathering. Philip, like a lot of us, keeps a close eye on the small ads and auctions and knows what’s for sale. His choice, when it comes to buying, has almost always been a reputable specialist dealer and

he’s bought cars from Hanwells in London several times. Surely something else will take his fancy before long? ‘Well, I’ve looked at a long-wheelbase Shadow, or rather Wraith, but as I’ve said the experience of living with an older car doesn’t really fit. If money were no object there’s one older car I would make an exception for, though – there’s the most gorgeous RollsRoyce Phantom V with P&A Wood for £365,000. That’s got everything… luxury, grace, sheer size. It’s beautiful.’ Perhaps a closer match to Philip and

Stephen’s other cars are replacements he’s considered for the MPW drophead: an Azure, from the Arnage-based second generation, or the fixed-head version that Bentley marketed as the Brooklands Coupé from 2008 to 2011. But you see what talking to a man with two Arnages and a Seraph can do to you? Before we know it, we’re building a collection of our own, even if it’s only in our head. For Philip and Stephen, it’s real enough and it's been a delight to spend some time in an alternative reality we’d all like to sample. ■

Arnage R

Arnage RL250

Silver Seraph Park Ward

Length:

5390mm

5640mm

5639mm

Width:

1933mm

Weight:

2585kg

2655kg

c. 2500kg

Engine:

6.75-litre V8, twin turbo

5.4-litre V12, n/a

Power:

405bhp@4000rpm

400bhp@4100rpm

322bhp@5000rpm

Torque:

615lb ft@3250rpm

361lb ft@3900rpm

0-60mph:

6.2 seconds

6.5 seconds

7.5 seconds

Top Speed:

155mph

140mph

Cost new:

c. £164k (2002)

c.£240k (2006)

c. £200k (2001)

M AY/ J U N E 2 0 2 2 R R & B D

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MARKET WATCH BUYING AND SELLING

MARKET and report on others that have sold – covering everything from affordable modern classics through to the most premium-priced gems

CHEAPEST ROADWORTHY VINTAGE ROLLS? Finding a pre-war Rolls-Royce project isn’t difficult. Finding a useable car ready to use and enjoy while you improve it is less straightforward, especially if the price is south of £30,000. This 1928 Rolls-Royce 20hp Limousine may well be the most affordable roadworthy vintage RollsRoyce (in the proper sense of the ‘V’ word – 1919 to 1930) on the market. The car was bodied by Flewitt of Birmingham, who only bodied a few 20hp and 40-50hp Silver Ghost chassis in the 1920s, making this a rare survivor, though there was a time when its survival seemed unlikely. Owner Tom James recaps the history. ‘Sometime in the 1930s an owner decided to “modernise” the car by

changing the shape of the front wings and adding a swept down panel to the rear of the car. I think it later went to America for a time but was repatriated and turned up in sad condition around 2009, when it was delivered to Ben Smith, a marque specialist in Devon, for restoration. Much work was done but a dispute arose which resulted in Ben gaining ownership of the car. ‘When Ben sold it as a part-restored car through Brightwells in 2013, I bought it. Following much work at home, I asked Ben to complete the bodywork restoration by making two new rear wings and putting the front wings back to their original shape. Importantly, I also asked Ben to rebuild the engine which he did with great

effect. It’s also had a re-wire, new brake linings, new wheel bearings, rebuilt dynamo and starter and new tyres.’ With less than 500 miles on the fresh engine, the car is driving very nicely, steering and stopping as well as it goes. The body is sound but was brush-painted to get it ready for a family wedding, while the interior is a bit scruffy though basically intact apart from some missing parts to the division. Tom has suffered a bout of illhealth that includes a badly broken arm, leaving him unable to drive the car or to do much more to it, so the time has come for someone else to finish the job. The Twenty will be with The Real Car Company shortly, who will provide an accurate price. See www.realcar.co.uk M AY/ J U N E 2 0 2 2 R R & B D

R-TYPE CONTINENTAL’S RECORD PRICE The Amelia Island sale from Gooding & Co in early March saw a world-record price achieved for a Bentley R-type Continental: $ 2,975,000, or around £2,270,000. The car’s catalogue entry read like a tick-list of all the most desirable features for any American or European buyer – left-hand drive, manual transmission with a centre floor-change rather than a column shift, an exhaustive restoration by P&A Wood in the history folder and a First in Class at Pebble Beach. Still, the price was something of a shock, rising almost a full million dollars above low estimate. So does this mean every R-type owner should be re-insuring their car for chunky seven-figure sums? Not really, thinks Londonbased dealer Peter Bradfield. ‘That result is probably not indicative and should be seen as a bit of a blip,’ he says. ‘Something like that can happen when you have two very wealthy individuals who have always wanted one, in a room together, and when the R R & B D M AY/ J U N E 2 0 2 2

car checks every box like this one did.’ Of the 208 R-type Continentals, just 23 were built with the combination of LHD and a floor-shift manual. Many would feel that the spats and the colour combination, a very dark blue with wine-red hide to the interior, only made it more desirable still. Is the market for these rare cars splitting in two, between the USA and the rest of the world? ‘There’s always been a premium for left-hand drive examples,’ says Peter, ‘and then other details like spats, lightweight seats, the transmission you prefer, the colour, these have an effect too. The market for right-hand drive cars, which makes up more than three quarters of Continental production, is probably stable between a couple of extremes. The most I’ve seen paid for one, pre-Covid, pre-Brexit and pre-war in Ukraine, was around £1.1m, with the lowest down at £550,000 last year for a car with a non-original engine.’ Peter is handling the sale of 6 BMC, the car that starred in our previous

issue. Ian Owen, the car’s owner, has decided to pare down his collection and so the sleek sage-green Conti is on the market. With only six owners in 68 years, it’s more original than most, certainly inside, where the leather has survived with a soft patina that cannot be re-created. It also has lightweight seats and a manual gearbox. Peter reveals the asking price: £725,000, and while such numbers remain eye-watering to many of us, it looks attractive compared with the recent record. Now, where’s that lottery ticket?

6 BMC is now on the market

MARKET WATCH BUYING AND SELLING

ALTERNATIVE FLYING SPUR?

This unusual car is a Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III bodied by James Young in their SCV100 design, coachwork that’s probably closer to the Bentley S3 Continental Flying Spur than to the more stately standard Cloud III body. It’s one of 13, apparently, but good luck finding another. The James Young signature features are there, including those swooping, looped-out door handles and vestigial tail fins. ‘This one presents with flawless paint, incredibly good brightwork and an interior which shows that perfect patina,’ says Dan Powell of Yorkshire Classic & Sports Cars near Ripon. ‘The car

comes with a copy of the original build sheets and a comprehensive history folder to include a sales invoice to the previous owner from P&A Wood, along with vast expenditure over the years.’

The asking price is £169,000; a big step up from a Cloud III, but on a par with the Flying Spur…though with that added rarity. Contact Dan on 01765 609798 or see ycsc.co.uk.

PEACOCK-BLUE PERFECTION For anyone tempted by the Anatomy of the Continental R & T (see page 58) there’s a spectacular example waiting in Surrey. This 1997 Continental R has had around £50,000 spent on it by the current owner to bring it up to a sky-high standard, including new engine and gearbox ECUs to T-specification, bringing 420bhp. ‘The owner is very particular but having spent so much on this one, he has now bought a left-hand drive Continental R Mulliner to keep at his place in France,’ says Stuart Worthington of Phantom Motor Cars Ltd, ‘so this one is surplus to requirements. It’ll be the

next owner who reaps the benefit!’ With an asking price of £69,950, it’s less than either a T or a wide-

bodied R, but with all of the ‘go’. For more information, call Stuart on 01252 850231 or see pmcuk.com.

M AY/ J U N E 2 0 2 2 R R & B D

PETER BRADFIELD LTD

1954 BENTLEY R TYPE CONTINENTAL

The R Type Continental was conceived by Rolls-Royce to be the best car in the world and they were all hand built by our nation’s finest craftsmen. Chassis BC 61 C is exceptional: it has matching numbers, is fitted with the desirable manual gearbox, the sought after lightweight seats and has its original registration. The interior retains the original leather and instrumentation including an altimeter by Negretti & Zambra. The paintwork and carpets have been renewed. It is a delight on the road and is accompanied by its tools, handbook and a significant history file.

See the March issue of ‘Rolls-Royce and Bentley Driver’ for a 9-page feature on the car. See website for more details 8 REECE MEWS KENSINGTON LONDON SW7 3HE

peter@bradfieldcars.com

www.bradfieldcars.com

T 01765 609798

E sales@ycsc.co.uk

Tel: 020 7589 8787

W ycsc.co.uk

1965 ROLLS ROYCE SILVER CLOUD 111 BY JAMES YOUNG IMMACULATE CONDITION ONE OF 13 SCV100 BODIED CARS OTHER INVENTORY INCLUDES RILEY 12/4 SPECIAL · RELIANT SCIMITAR · JAGUAR E-TYPE S1 OBL TRIUMPH TR3A · FERRARI 456 · FERRARI 575M · FORD MUSTANG GT J-CODE · RANGE ROVER LSE · CITROEN DS 23 SAFARI

FEATURE CAR ROLLS-ROYCE SILVER DAWN BY GHIA

A NEW DAY?

This 1952 Silver Dawn wears advanced Italian coachwork that could have signalled a new style for Rolls-Royce’s standard bodies, but instead it remains a glorious one-off. WORDS AND PICTURES: MARINUS RIJKERS

M AY/ J U N E 2 0 2 2 R R & B D

any illustrious coachbuilders have their roots in Italy – think of Pininfarina, Bertone, Giugiaro, Zagato and many others. Another name that belongs in this list is Ghia. Carrozzeria Ghia was founded in Turin by Giacinto Ghia in 1916 and when the founder died in 1944, his wife offered the company to his colleagues Mario Felice Boano and Giorgio Alberti, R R & B D M AY/ J U N E 2 0 2 2

on the condition that her husband's name would be preserved. It was. In the early years, Ghia designed special models for marques such as Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Volvo, RollsRoyce and Ferrari, and produced car bodies on a small scale. In total, only two Rolls-Royces were fitted with Ghia bodywork: a Silver Wraith from 1951 (LWOF48) and a Silver Dawn from 1952 (LSHD22). It is this unique Silver Dawn with a Ghia four-door,

six-light saloon body that RR&BD has been lucky enough to drive.

TAKING A SEAT Before we set off, we have to make room behind the wheel. Most of the classic Rolls-Royces from the first 50 years of production contain front seats with only a small gap between the steering wheel and the squab. This Ghia, however, has the option to slide »

FEATURE CAR ROLLS-ROYCE SILVER DAWN BY GHIA

A standard Silver Dawn has a wooden dashboard with dials and gauges gathered in the centre. Ghia chose a more modern layout made in aluminium, with a painted woodgrain finish .

Above: The rear door is rear-hinged, the front door is front-hinged. The wind-down window in each door is frameless. To make it work, the B pillar needs to be a remarkable shape.

the front bench and to adjust the space for the front passengers. For that, both front passengers first have to get out. The seat squab can then be removed from the frame and on both sides a latch must be pressed out of lugs, and the frame can be pushed backwards. Coordinated action on both sides increases the chances of success, because the frame doesn't lend itself well to shifting first on one side and then the other. Since this is not an everyday operation and the frame is difficult to move, it takes a lot of strength to slide it only one inch. Later I learned from the owner that the frame has holes through which cables are now installed, so the bench can now be unlocked with a lever and the cushion

can remain in place during adjustment. Once inside, I’m struck by the width of the car. The standard Bentley Mk VI and Silver Dawn retained the classic torpedo nose that was a feature of almost all pre-war cars. Such a car has a wide rear compartment, but the driver has significantly less space in the front, because the body tapers in a straight line from the front compartment to the grille. Not this Ghia. This car has sides that run parallel from back to front. The front seat is therefore almost as wide as the rear seat. Since the steering wheel and pedals are arranged as on the standard Silver Dawn with the tapered nose, the driver has to slide a little towards the middle of the M AY/ J U N E 2 0 2 2 R R & B D

seat to sit in line with the steering wheel. That is nice and spacious, but also a bit strange because the driver sits relatively far from the door.

STROLLING AWAY To start the car, you must begin by turning the key to its correct position, after which the key does no more. The next step is to turn two switches, one for the contact, the other for the ignition. Then you push the starter button. When starting from cold, an automatic choke kicks in and the engine has to run for a few minutes before the revolutions die back to a normal idle speed. We’ll wait a moment, as with a cold engine it is slightly more difficult to run the car smoothly. Readers used to right-hand drive Rolls-Royce and Bentley cars of this era may not realise that the gear lever of a manual left-hand drive Silver Dawn is on the right-hand side of the steering column, not down by your knee. The lever follows a normal H pattern, with first gear towards you and up, second straight down from there and so on. Reverse gear requires a button to be pressed at the head of the lever before the lever R R & B D M AY/ J U N E 2 0 2 2

can be pulled further towards the steering wheel and moved upwards. There is no synchromesh on first gear and reverse, so the car must be absolutely stationary before these gears can be engaged. In practice, this (and the engine’s excellent torque) discourages use of first gear. Even when the car has only a little momentum, in second gear it picks up without a murmur and drives off as if it were an automatic. This makes it possible to drive the car in a relaxed

and lazy manner; once in top gear, the speed has to fall very low before downshifting is necessary. It gets up to speed quickly and nimbly, and it ambles along the highway at 100 km/h (60 mph) with no protest. Just a little gas is needed for an effortless overtaking manoeuvre and the car accelerates to 120 km/h (70mph) with modern convenience. The Ghia’s flexibility across all normal speeds is amazing. The car has four drum brakes, but power assistance is only applied to the »

DAWN OF HISTORY The Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn came on the market in 1949 and was derived from the Bentley Mk VI. America, especially, was quite interested in a Rolls-Royce version of the Bentley Mk VI and from 1949 left-hand drive Silver Dawns were produced for the American market. These were almost identical to the Bentley Mk VI in both design and technology and were completely assembled by the factory, in standard form. In 1951 the six-cylinder engine

was bored out from 4257cc to 4566cc. This more powerful engine became known as the ‘big bore’ in the Mk VI. In 1952 the Mk VI was succeeded by the Bentley R-Type which differed essentially from the Mk VI by a significantly modified rear. The Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn did not change its name and piggybacked on the upgrades of the Bentley. The car on these pages, being a 1952 chassis, is based on the Mk VI ‘big bore’ specification.

FEATURE CAR ROLLS-ROYCE SILVER DAWN BY GHIA front wheels. In traffic, the car brakes in a modern, predictable way. The pedal is light to operate and this large saloon stops eagerly and progressively. In 1952 power steering was not yet available to Rolls-Royces. Because the steering wheel was large and the tires were relatively narrow, you only felt the weight of the steering at low speed. This is also the case with this Silver Dawn. At parking speed a little force is needed, but once the car is at bicycle speed, you definitely don't miss the power steering. Perhaps the relatively

“The Silver Dawn by Ghia may seem relatively inconspicuous, but on the road you can tell people know it’s something special.” low weight plays a role here, as it may do with the car’s flexible performance. Where no less than 1900 kg has to be lashed around the corner in a standard Silver Dawn, the Ghia weighs only 1735 kg and is a lightweight for the Silver

Dawn family. Yet on a sloping road surface some attention is needed to stay neatly in the right track, though large corrections are not necessary. All in all, the feedback from the pedals, gear lever and steering wheel barely suggests a 70 year-old classic car. Everything works very predictably and lightly. The Silver Dawn moves smoothly with the traffic, it brakes and steers neatly and is a user-friendly machine.

LA CONTESSA This remarkable Silver Dawn was designed and built for an Italian Countess, Contessa Ida Matarazzo, and delivered from Rome through the dealer Fernando Martorelli. It is not clear from the documentation whether the specifications were devised by the Countess, the dealer, or Ghia. In any case, the Silver Dawn chassis arrived at Martorelli on February 14th, 1952 and went straight to Ghia in Turin. In just two months, Ghia constructed the body, getting it ready just in time to exhibit the car at the Turin Motor Show from April 23rd to May 4th 1952. At least, that's what older written sources suggest. Others claim that it was not the Silver Dawn but the Silver Wraith that was on display, and the most recent sources point to this second scenario. »

OWNER HISTORY 1952 – 1973 Contessa Ida Matarazzo, Rome, Italy

THE ROLLS-ROYCE SILVER DAWN GHIA LIMOUSINE IN NUMBERS Chassis number

LSHD22

Year

1952

Length, width, height

5072, 1985, 1590mm (determined by measuring)

1980 – 1983 K.H. Eikholt, President of the German section of the RREC, Munich, Germany

Wheelbase

Standard saloon: 120 inch = ca. 3048 mm

Track

Standard saloon: front 56,5 inch = 1435 mm; rear 58,5 inch = 1486 mm

1983 – 1989 Thomas T. Solley, Indiana, USA

Turning circle

Standard saloon: 41 ft 2 inch = 494 inch = ca. 12,5 m

1989 – 2019 Jan de Boer, the Netherlands

Curb Weight

1735 kg (determined by weighing)

Top speed

Standard saloon: 144 km/h

Engine

4566 cc 6-cylinder inline engine (big bore engine)

Power

150 pk (148 bhp)

Gear box

Manual 4-speed gear box; 2nd, 3rd and 4th gear synchronised

1973 – 1976 Sr. Pantanella, Italy 1976 – 1980 Tony Frey collection, Luzern, Switzerland

2019 – 2021 Gallery Aaldering, the Netherlands 2021 – PRESENT Peter van den Brandt, the Netherlands

M AY/ J U N E 2 0 2 2 R R & B D

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FEATURE CAR ROLLS-ROYCE SILVER DAWN BY GHIA What’s certain is that Ghia designed a body that in no way resembled the standard Silver Dawn. On the contrary, the shape already had many features of the later Silver Cloud. Notable in the design of this car are the noseline, lower by three-quarters of an inch, the grille placed 6 inches further forward with a filler piece to bridge

the distance between the grille and the radiator, and the one-piece bonnet that opens at the front. More generally, it’s also set apart by the rounded, convex body lines, the trunk space that continues in one flowing line, the third side window and the pillarless doors. In its original form, however, it wasn’t quite to the Countess’s taste.

Sometime before the mid-Eighties restoration, these large air-slots were fitted. They were removed during refurbishment. (Source picture unknown; the picture has been printed in several books)

Before taking delivery on June 7th, 1952, the Countess commissioned Ghia to reshape the car at the front. Large P100 headlights and a central fog lamp were changed to the current standard Silver Dawn lighting. Immediately after this renovation, the car won the prestigious Grand Prix d'Honneur at Villa Borghese in Rome. Later, around 1960, the Countess also ordered the rear to be modified. The trunk space was extended by approximately 20cm and the rear lights were reshaped. It didn't stop there. Sometime later, it was fitted with large air slots in the front mudguards, but in 1983 the Silver Dawn was sent to Zurich for a major restoration and the air slots were removed. Furthermore, a metal sunroof was installed. The Silver Dawn underwent a bare metal respray in which the colour scheme was changed from Tudor Grey over Shell Grey to Black Pearl over Shell Grey. When new, the Silver Dawn was delivered with black leather upholstery in the front and fawn cloth in the rear. Various sources claim that initially

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a division was built in, but evidence for this was never found. During the restoration in Zurich, the entire interior was reupholstered with black leather.

A WEALTH OF DETAILS The Silver Dawn Ghia is full of unique details. Not only to look at, but also to use. Seventy years ago, all RollsRoyces and Bentleys had a right-hand bonnet and a left-hand bonnet, both of which could be unlocked at the side and then carefully folded up. This Ghia opens at the front and the huge panel is then kept at a height via an ingenious mechanism, without having to hook an iron bar underneath to prevent it from collapsing. Looking at the engine bay, there is significantly more space around the engine than on a standard Silver Dawn saloon, with the tapering nose mentioned previously. There is also no shortage of space in the trunk. The boot lid has two locks, forcing the owner always to use two hands to open it. After opening, the boot lid can be supported on the right side with a rod, with the result that the left side hangs a bit lower. Curiously, the door windows in both the front and rear have no pillars. When the windows are wound down, the doors seem to have been taken from a sports car. It becomes even weirder when you realize that the rear doors hinge at the rear. The doors therefore open in the same way as those of the recent Phantom VIII and Ghost. With the windows down, that's a somewhat unusual sight. However, when all windows are lowered, the front doors retain small side windows or quarterlights that

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can be opened over an imaginary vertical axis. There is a much larger quarterlight behind each rear door; these can be opened on a hinge. All in all, the car has a lot of glass area and the view of the traffic is exceptionally good for a Rolls-Royce. That's nice, because the mirrors are no better than those of other RollsRoyces from that time, and that's not spectacular. Due to the high placement of the rear window, the rear of the car cannot be seen from behind the wheel and the length of the wings at the front is also difficult to estimate, so care is needed when manoeuvring. The doors are a remarkable design but the rear section of the car also attracts attention. The rear overhang (the bodywork behind the rear axle) is

Above: The bonnet consists of one large panel and remains open at the front without additional supports.

- compared to the overall proportions remarkably large. This makes it look like the rear axle is too far forward, but the position of the rear axle is normal for the standard Silver Dawn chassis. The rear window is strongly reminiscent of that of a Mercedes-Benz ‘Ponton’ from a year or so later. The overall appearance of the back is therefore somewhat anonymous and to my eyes, a bit strange. In the 1980s, a metal sunroof was fitted to the car. It can easily be cranked open and provides striking light for a classic of this age. The interior sports more unique details. The dashboard appears to »

FEATURE CAR ROLLS-ROYCE SILVER DAWN BY GHIA

have been made of wood, but it’s not. It is aluminium and the wood grain has been painted on. The effect is so realistic you’d probably never notice unless someone pointed it out. Also the rather large steel bezels around the instruments do not have a standard Rolls-Royce shape. In short, Ghia has succeeded well in building in its very own instrument panel. Generally speaking, apart from the kneeling lady on the grille, hardly anything of this car reminds us of the original Silver Dawn.

RIDING IN THE REAR Getting into the back seats of the standard saloon Bentley Mk VI and Silver Dawn is a tricky movement. The armrests of the rear seats protrude far forward so that the passenger has to make a weird twist to move in without hitting them. In this Ghia too, the armrests protrude forward, but less emphatically than in the standard saloon. Yet, the passenger must enter with care, because Ghia has decided to build in fragile cigar lighters on the end of the armrests. If the entry is perhaps a bit awkward, the seating in the back is generous and comfortable. Beautifully braided

cords have been applied to the rear of the front seat to make it easier to get in. But despite the fact that the car was initially called a limousine, the rear passengers have no special pleasures at their disposal such as a drinks cabinet or their own radio. On the move, small irregularities are neatly absorbed and there is a high degree of comfort, up to the standards expected of the Rolls-Royce name. But whether it is due to the large overhang or the Silver Dawn’s rather old-fashioned construction, the rear bounces higher than you would expect when rebounding from bumps. The driver (or chauffeur) can do something about this, though. On the right side of the steering wheel boss there is a control to adjust the rear shock absorbers, marked RIDING. When this is adjusted from NORMAL to HARD, your concerns about rebounding off the bumps are over.

IN SHORT The Silver Dawn by Ghia may seem relatively inconspicuous, but on the road you can tell people know it’s something special. The admiring glances and thumbs-up signals are numerous. The car is superbly

comfortable to sit in and to drive, it can withstand the busy traffic of 2022 and is not too heavy to operate. When driving, it feels more like a young-timer than a 70-year-old classic. Indeed, you could almost use it for daily transport. What would prevent me from doing so is the lack of safety features such as seat belts, airbags, head restraints, ABS and the presence of elderly features such as an outdated starting procedure, two unsynchronized gears, a rotary knob positioned on the dashboard for the indicators, and the like. It offers a lot of space, a lot of comfort, mechanical excellence and the unique appeal of that one-off body. It is above all a car that can easily and frequently be used for pleasure rides and long European classic tours. n

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Marinus Rijkers runs two of the most useful and informative websites for enthusiasts of all SY- and SZ-series models. You can find them at RRSilverShadow.com and RRSilverSpirit.com. He has also written a couple of books, which can be found at RRBspecialist.com.

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YOUR SHOUT READERS’ LETTERS

YOUR SHOUT Got something to say about anything Rolls-Royce or Bentley related? Then we want to hear it! Send an email to rrb.ed@kelsey.co.uk or write to: The Editor, Rolls-Royce & Bentley Driver, Kelsey Publishing Ltd, The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Kent, ME18 6AL

TO A GENEROUS OWNER I am compelled to write about my experiences with a pre-war RollsRoyce in Southport. My daughters and I had attended a regional classic car show last summer, where it was soon apparent that the majority of car owners had no intention of talking to us about their cars or letting us near enough to look into them. As we were about to leave, we saw a very attractive RollsRoyce with landaulette bodywork. Being an Armstrong-Siddeley man I was drawn towards its high-quality coachbuilding. Our day was very much recovered when not only the owner of the vehicle in question happily spoke at length, and in detail about the car but also let us sit inside and experience his West of England cloth for ourselves. So I would firstly like to thank whoever it was and secondly ask who the likely coachbuilder may have been, for I would very much like a similar car. Geoffrey Arbuthnot Lytham St Annes Quite a number of firms bodied Rolls-Royces in the 1920s and ‘30s, some offering landaulettes to those who favoured a convertible rear compartment. Top of the list would be Barker, Hooper, Thrupp & Maberley, perhaps Park Ward. To the owner - were you that man? It sounds a beautiful car. If you still have it, please get in touch, as we’d love to picture it in the magazine - Ed

ROCK STAR ROLLS-ROYCE? As l have been a chauffeur for the rich and famous for 31 years, I thought it was time I bought a Rolls myself. I have recently bought a Shadow I from a well-known record producer, and he showed me this photo of an interesting project that was done for the cover of an Oasis album back in 1997. It reminded me of the RollsRoyce used on the cover of the Screaming Lord Sutch album that featured in From the Archives in

your last issue, so I thought I’d send it along. I don’t know what happened what to the Rolls in the pool, but I thought your readers might find it interesting. Paul Sutton Fricker Bath, Somerset Thanks Paul. In fact, your email got me started on a bit of a quest, which led me to the man who took the original photos. See page 88 for the whole story - Ed

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UNBORN BENTLEYS & R-Rs I wonder if fellow readers of RollsRoyce & Bentley Driver ever indulge in a game of ‘what if?’ The car that got me thinking about this was a Vanden-Plas 4-litre R, that Farinastyled saloon that amounted to a luxury version of an Austin A99 Westminster, but with a RollsRoyce six-cylinder engine. I’d never realised the rear was so similar to the contemporary Mercedes saloon, complete with horizontal lights and small fins. I know RollsRoyce were contemplating their own version of the Vanden Plas, or indeed other smaller saloons and coupés badged as Bentleys, none of which came about. So the game goes like this: what if they had? I can see two possible outcomes, one pessimistic and one optimistic. The pessimistic view is that both the Rolls-Royce and Bentley names would

have been cheapened by smaller models, especially those based on BMC cars such as the Austin A99 or the Austin 3-litre, which was another idea. A closer relationship with BMC may have led to Rolls-Royce becoming a part of British Leyland when the car-making and aeroengine businesses were split in 1971, and after that, anything could have happened – including the demise of the brands altogether, or their re-emergence as Chinese-built massmarket SUVs, like the current MG. The optimistic view is more attractive, but probably less realistic. Rolls-Royce could have used the Bentley brand to offer a saloon-car niche below R-R’s previous output, competing with Jaguar and Daimler and giving the buyer of a Rover 3500 something to aspire to. With the right car, Britain could have led the

way in the executive express market rather than ceding it to Mercedes, BMW and eventually Audi. Estate cars and coupés or GT models on the same platforms could have increased sales still further, feeding profit back into Rolls-Royce Motors and making the eventual split and consequent sale of the two brands to BMW and VW unnecessary. It's a lot to invent from one glance at the back of a VandenPlas ‘R’, but what better subject to daydream about than RollsRoyces and Bentleys? Julian Ridge Lucca, Italy We’d welcome readers' views on the above! Is it time for a feature on the Rolls-Royce and Bentley models that never made it to market? - Ed

OUT OF GUINNESS Sorry to learn Paul Guinness has moved on to another title. Four years of his stewardship of the magazine has been a happy and successful time, increasing subscriptions and interest in the magazine. He and the team, despite a difficult two years, have maintained the excellent quality of the magazine, in terms of production, but also the wonderful range of articles. I send his successor good wishes in maintaining this. Good luck, and I look forward to a continuing

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range of entertaining and interesting articles. Stephen Williams Croydon, Surrey Thanks very much for your letter, Stephen. I will try my best to hit the same standards and I’m lucky to have Paul only a phone call away. He still cares about the magazine a great deal and has done everything to help me into the role – Ed.

ROAD TEST 2022 BENTLEY FLYING SPUR V8…AND 1990 TURBO R

RAPID PROGRESS We spent a few days with Bentley’s current generation Flying Spur to see if the V8 model delivers the ultimate blend of driver focused appeal and rear-seat luxury WORDS: PHIL WEEDEN

t’s hard to imagine that it’s 40 years since Bentley first strapped a turbocharger to its luxury saloon to create the Mulsanne Turbo. It’s been over 20 years since Bentley became part of the VW family and it’s 16 years since the Flying Spur was introduced, back in 2006. Here we are about to sample the new V8-powered, third generation Flying

PHOTOS: GREGORY OWAIN

Spur, a sporting prestige saloon that moves the game on even further. While change can often be unsettling, there is no question the evolution at Crewe has been steady, logical and utterly effective. At £160,000, the Flying Spur is not cheap (our example actually topped out at £201,300 with optional extras) but then you wouldn’t expect it to be. Luxury comes at a price.

The aim of the new 4.0-litre twin turbo V8 Flying Spur is to create a more driver focused package than the W12 model; to build a sporting saloon with a hybrid personality; a car that can hustle a B-road and glide effortlessly along a motorway; entertaining yet refined whether you’re in the driver’s seat, or safely cocooned in the luxuriously appointed rear cabin. To achieve such

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Flying Spur's twin-turbo'd 3996cc V8 makes an amazing 135.5bhp per litre

a diverse set of objectives, you really need substance, and happily the Flying Spur packs plenty of that. We were fortunate enough to borrow an example for a few days to see if it delivered.

ENGINE The 4.0-litre twin turbo is a masterclass of modern engineering. Boasting over 540bhp and nearly 570 lb ft of torque, performance is not wanting despite its 2330kg kerb weight (it is in fact 100kg lighter than the W12 model). It will despatch 60mph in a mere four seconds and almost hit 200mph: be under no illusion that this is a supercar cloaked in a stylish saloon body. The turbos are located inside the ‘V’ of the engine, minimising the distance the exhaust gases travel from the engine to the turbochargers, said to promote rapid response and greater R R & B D M AY/ J U N E 2 0 2 2

efficiency. The turbochargers store up boost pressure on light throttle openings, comparable to a dam and reservoir, so boost pressure is instantly available again when the throttle is opened wide, significantly improving throttle response and engine flexibility. To withstand higher stress and bore wear, the cylinder bores have an iron coating that’s just 150 microns thick. It has cylinder deactivation, shutting down four of its eight cylinders on light load, which occurs faster than the blink of an eye, to optimise running efficiency. A combined fuel economy figure of 22mpg and 268g/ km CO2 emissions make it more efficient than the W12 model, and with a theoretical driving range of 441 miles from its 90-litre tank. In practice, this equates to an engine that has a menacing growl on start-up that quickly settles to

an effortlessly smooth idle. On light throttle loads it is the epitome of refinement. One can amble along serenely without feeling like the car is fighting you. Yet if provoked with kickdown, the V8 will erupt, deploying its power through all four wheels with devastating efficiency. The eightspeed ZF auto is utterly smooth, the perfect match to the awesome V8.

DYNAMICS With aluminium double wishbones up front and aluminium multi-link suspension at the rear, the Flying Spur has the dynamic credentials to complement the powertrain. One is under no illusion of the car’s sheer bulk, yet it is still surprising just how capable it is through the corners. It feels stable, flat and planted through any corner. Utterly composed with seeming »

ROAD TEST 2022 BENTLEY FLYING SPUR V8…AND 1990 TURBO R

Mulliner Driving Specification adds diamondquilted features while high-gloss carbon-fibre 'technical finish' keeps dash clean and current

inexhaustible levels of grip, my bravery and talent ran out well before the capabilities of the car. As the driver, you are further flattered by the reassurance of all-wheel drive, torque vectoring by braking and what Bentley called Drive Dynamic Control. Customers can also add electric active roll technology and all-wheel steering, an option that will set you back almost £6000. The ride from the adaptive air suspension is impressive. I’ve known air sprung cars in the past to have compromised low speed ride as a trade-off to a more composed ride at high speeds. The Flying Spur manages to smother most imperfections

with ease, while remaining taut at motorway speeds. I never got to enjoy travelling in the rear of the car, but my fiercest critics, i.e. my young daughters, seemed to thoroughly enjoy the supreme comfort and refinement from the back cabin. Vented discs all round and antilock brakes ensure the Flying Spur can stop as well as it goes. The front rotors are 420mm while the rears are 380mm. The electronic power-assisted steering is well judged. It’s weighty enough to give one confidence at any speed, yet it’s effortless when parking. A trip to our nearby town had me performing some frenzied

twirling in a tight car park, yet I had no bother manoeuvring its 5.3 metre length and 2.2 metre width.

STYLING AND INTERIOR Whether you love or loathe the styling, this latest generation Flying Spur is certainly imposing. Personally, I love the confidence that exudes from every angle of this car. It’s so clear about its identity. It’s bold without being too glitzy, and the proportions are pretty much perfect, set off on our example with 22-inch, black alloys. This is a big car, and there is no disguising that. Yet the exterior panels, made » M AY/ J U N E 2 0 2 2 R R & B D

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ROAD TEST 2022 BENTLEY FLYING SPUR V8…AND 1990 TURBO R of aluminium (save the composite bootlid), seem to be almost pulled tight like cling film over the steelaluminium chassis. The bold grille gives this Bentley a definitive face, crowned perfectly with the jewel effect headlights and the electrical pop-up mascot as its ultimate party trick. The interior is even more praiseworthy. It is opulence redefined.

Having visited the factory, I can whole heartedly attest to the quality and level of detail that goes into creating the interior. The quality of the leather, the range of interior finishes available and the craftmanship that goes into making every cabin is everything you would expect from a Bentley. Crown Cut Walnut is offered as standard, but there are a further

seven veneers to choose from, plus a High Gloss Carbon Fibre technical finish, as featured in our test car. Dual veneer finish can also be specified in all veneer types to add an even more bespoke feel to the cabin. From the driver’s perspective you are equipped with electronic gauges up front with different display modes and another party trick exists in the

slug of a thing, with more roll than roar. However, the Turbo R surprises by just how different it is to the Silver Spirit on which it’s based. Thanks to that brutal Garrett turbocharger and stiffened suspension, it packs a mighty punch. Sure, it’s still a behemoth, but one that surprises you when you hustle it along. Confidence is the key; you need to trust that this mighty saloon can handle a more aggressive driving style. This does not mean driving in

a reckless or menacing fashion. One cannot deny the laws of physics, and a 2400kg, rear-drive saloon will still bite if provoked. But drive with balance and precision, and it’s surprising how competent this 30-year-old saloon is. Everyone who’s driven it is surprised at its blend of performance and prestige. It's that automotive cocktail that Bentley’s been refining ever since, and the latest generation Flying Spur just builds on that tradition. And it does it

FLYING SPUR VS TURBO R Our brief tenure of the latest generation Flying Spur coincided with our Turbo R project car, which we acquired at the start of 2021. The project initially ran in sister publication Classics Monthly and has also starred in countless videos on the Classics World TV channel (visit youtube.com/ClassicsWorldUK). For someone less accustomed to Bentleys, the Turbo R was a revelation to me. You see its stately home styling and assume it’s going to be a cumbersome

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form of the rotating centre console display: it can switch from a plain veneer finish to three traditional gauges or a state-of-the-art 12.3inch touch screen. The fascia is laden with the latest technology yet still manages to look stylish and sophisticated. A perfect blend of the Savoy and the Starship Enterprise. Our example was a four-seater model, with a pair of dedicated seats at the rear for ultimate comfort. There is a refrigerated bottle cooler between the rear seats behind the centre armrest. With two levels of cooling from +6°C to -6°C and the ability to accommodate six 330ml soft drinks, four 500ml bottles or two full sized (750ml) champagne bottles, the cooler can be stocked to suit any journey. Electric stowable picnic tables, and sublimely comfortable leather chairs mean the rear compartment is a rather special place to be. If there is a criticism it is merely that the cabin still feels rather snug

better, as you’d expect, but still in a way that’s faithful to that original concept. It still boasts the imposing styling, the traditional interior with its coach-built qualities, the barnstorming performance and imperious refinement. The Flying Spur’s V8 engine has more power and torque from a smaller displacement, achieving better acceleration and speed while also emitting less CO2 and sipping fuel in a more sedate manner. It's also interesting to note that the list prices of the two aren’t far apart. The Flying Spur is technically cheaper in standard trim, but they’re pretty much identical in today’s money when the optional extras fitted to our Flying Spur are taken into account. It’s clear from looking at the comments on the video channel that the modern car divides opinion. It’s easy to look at the Turbo R through rose tinted glasses and assume that it alone is the real deal. But one cannot deny the Turbo R’s ageing underpinnings, even in 1990. Fast forward 30 years and the 1960s architecture definitely feels oldfashioned compared with the very latest 21st century Flying Spur. Some people may not like the mod-cons of the Flying Spur, or its homage styling. But you cannot deny the depth of quality and

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“...with seeming inexhaustible levels of grip, my bravery and talent ran out well before the capabilities of the car.” despite its gargantuan proportions. Thanks to the Cumbrian Green leather with Portland contrasting stitching, the cabin wasn’t dark or oppressive, but nor did it feel spacious. The boot is 420 litres, which also doesn’t feel massive. A Skoda Octavia’s boot is 590-litres by way of comparison.

generation Flying Spur is. What strikes me about it is just how authentic it is, how deserved it is of the Bentley badge on its nose and boot. As you’ll see below, we’ve had a 1990 Turbo R on the fleet for the past year, and in many ways that model reflects the rebirth of Bentley over 30 years ago, when the brand reasserted itself after years in the (silver) shadow of its Rolls Royce stablemate. In the 21st century and as an independent carmaker, Bentley has such a clear sense of self. The Flying Spur is the ultimate statement of intent. A modern, sporting saloon that manages to combine the latest technology, traditional craftsmanship, refinement and dynamic prowess. n

CONCLUSION We only had the Flying Spur for a few days, and it was last October when the UK was running out of fuel, so hardly the optimum testing conditions for a V8-powered saloon that weighs over two tonnes. Yet in that time, I appreciated how good the third

Turbo R

Flying Spur

Engine

6.75 V8

4.0 V8

Power

320bhp

542bhp

Torque

455lb ft / 616Nm

568lb ft / 770Nm

Top Speed

137mph

198mph

0-60mph

7.0 seconds

4.0 seconds

Length

5300mm

5316mm

Width

1500mm

2220mm

Weight

2410kg

2330kg

Cost new

£100,000

£160,200

Cost new in today's money

£202,000

Cost now

£16,000 (est)

engineering that goes into the modern car. I think it thoroughly deserves its Bentley wings. Furthermore, it gives me hope and confidence for the future of

the Crewe car maker. Having celebrated its centenary a year or so ago, one can’t help but feel both proud and optimistic for the next 100 years.

FEATURE CAR SPECIAL ROYAL ROLLS-ROYCES: 20HP AND PHANTOM VI

A TALE OF TWO DEMONSTRATORS

Collector cars and concours consultant Mohammed Luqman Ali Khan narrates the histories of two demonstrators from a famous Indian car collection, one pre-war and one post-war, but both with a royal past WORDS AND PICTURES: MOHAMMED LUQMAN ALI KHAN

he role of the Rolls-Royce ‘demonstrator’ back in the day, much like today’s demo cars, was to impress the prospective customer. Factory demonstrators or ‘propaganda cars’ were expected to woo the would-be buyers and help generate sales. They exhibited the brand’s mechanical prowess and offered a taste and experience of a vehicle’s performance with the aid of test-drives, often chauffeured of

course. They reflected the auto-maker’s ethos, its capabilities and the special features of that particular automobile, so features-laden demonstrators were constructed by the company to showcase what was possible. They were displayed at motor shows and were entered in reliability trials, rallies, hill climbs and endurance races. The majority of Rolls-Royce’s demonstrators have managed to survive in good hands and some have ended up with

royalty. Even the most valuable and historic Rolls-Royce in the world started life as a demonstrator: AX 201, the original Silver Ghost from 1906. In India, demonstrators wore registration numbers starting with ‘T’ denoting a Trials car. Capitalizing on an unprecedented marketing opportunity, Rolls-Royce cleverly pressed into service about half a dozen demonstrators at the 1911 Delhi Durbar. The great Imperial Durbars were a mass

Once owned by the Nawab of Sachin and now beautifully restored, GRJ 1 is a 1927 20hp Barker Tourer

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assembly organized by the British to mark the succession of an Emperor or Empress, in this case for the coronation of George V. This move paid huge dividends as it gave the marque the visibility it desired. With the entire ruling class in attendance, the Rajas, Maharajas, Nawabs and the Nizam took note of these mechanical marvels. A fascination for the marque was born which lasted till India’s independence. If Austria’s Alpine Trial gave RollsRoyce the coveted title of ‘Best Car in the World’, then India gave it the hallowed reputation of the ‘car for the royals’ thanks largely to the fixation of the Maharajas with the marque.

GRJ 1 at the Nawab of Sachin’s palace, note the prancing horse hood ornament

The Nawab of Sachin can seen in regal splendor, alongside GRJ 1

HISTORY OF ‘GRJ 1’ In 1927 Rolls-Royce England sent out this handsome car to Rolls-Royce India. As per build sheets and factory records, it was designated ‘Indian Trials’ and ‘Indian Demonstration’. In 1931 it was sold to the the Nawab of Sachin (Gujarat), HH Haidar Muhammad Yakut Khan (1909 – 1970), who was a descendant of the Siddi dynasty which was of Abyssinian origin. Sachin was a princely state almost the size of Scotland, and its rulers were granted the right of an 11-gun salute. This elegant four-door tourer by Barker was used for state ceremonial and touring purposes. Unique to this car is that its steering wheel, steering controls, dash controls, knobs for the brake lever, gear lever and Barker headlamp dipping lever are all painted in an ivory colour. Other features include Stephen Grebel hunting lights, dual windshield with twin aprons, the Sachin State flag carrying the Coat of Arms mounted on the radiator, ‘Sachin State No 1’ red enamelled identification plates in cast aluminium,

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the Nawab’s personal monogram handpainted on the doors, nickel-plated instrument dials, black lettering and an unusual set of three spare wheels. While examining its period photographs, I discovered that when in use of the Nawab of Sachin, the car sported a prancing horse as the radiator mascot, which had replaced

the Spirit of Ecstasy. This car features in an interesting anecdote in the book ‘The Rolls-Royce Twenty’ by marque historian John Fasal (see next page). In recent times the car was comprehensively rebuilt to original specifications by renowned restorer and Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance judge, Prince Manvendra Singh »

FEATURE CAR SPECIAL ROYAL ROLLS-ROYCES: 20HP AND PHANTOM VI

Note the sturdy mount for the Stephen Grebel hunting spotlamp!

Barwani. After the restoration was completed, GRJ 1 was shown at the 2019 Cartier Concours d’Elegance in Jaipur. A year later it was displayed at the 21 Gun Salute Vintage Car Rally & Concours Show in Delhi in 2020. In 2021 it participated at the Salon Privé Concours d’Elegance in the UK, held at the Blenheim Palace where it won the ‘Most Exceptional Coachwork’ award. In May 2022 it will be shown in Italy at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. This exquisite car now resides in the famed Yohan Poonawalla Collection

EARLIER ADVENTURES OF THE TWENTY Considering its glamorous origins and status as a concours-winning royal Rolls-Royce, GRJ 1 has been through some colourful times in its long life. The story told in John Fasal’s definitive book ‘The RollsRoyce Twenty’, runs as follows: ‘One of the foremost orchid growers in India has carried a variety of objects in his 1927 GRJ 1 Barker tourer. These included 36 hens and a live deer from Mahableshwar to

Bombay, a distance of 200 miles. One 6½ ft rat snake was normally kept in the car to discourage mice from appreciating the leather upholstery, and was unfortunate enough to find its way beneath a loose floorboard during a journey, becoming coiled up around the revolving propshaft – certainly an unusual cause of propshaft vibration or of a snake suffering from a splitting headache!’

which is soon to be converted into a museum – a labour of love of the Poonawallas – Yohan, Michelle, Tania and Zayan (see box on page 50).

THE ROLLS-ROYCE 20HP, OR ‘TWENTY’ Buoyed by the success of the sensational Silver Ghost, in 1922 Rolls-Royce introduced the ‘Twenty’. The 20hp was the smaller variant and was soon nicknamed the ‘Baby Rolls’, or just the ‘small Rolls-Royce’. The model was aimed at ownerdrivers, typically professionals such as doctors or lawyers. It offered sound performance with a 3.1-litre overhead-valve, straight-six engine and represented the first departure from the company’s one-model policy. Its senior sibling was usually chauffeurdriven: the 40/50hp or Silver Ghost had a much larger engine and a longer wheelbase, as did the New Phantom (later known as the Phantom 1) that replaced it from 1925. Production of the ‘Twenty’ ran from 1922 – 1929, during which period around 2885 were made. With a shorter wheelbase and less mass, it was easier to handle » M AY/ J U N E 2 0 2 2 R R & B D

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FEATURE CAR SPECIAL ROYAL ROLLS-ROYCES: 20HP AND PHANTOM VI than a Ghost and brought Rolls-Royce motoring to a wider audience. Styled with horizontal radiator shutters, the family resemblance was unmistakable. This new offering became an instant hit and several Twenties were sold to discerning Indian royalty. These are

fascinating cars; often bespoke and tailored to the different needs of the Maharajas, ranging from hunting tigers to open touring. Various coachbuilders competed fiercely with each other to build all sorts of attractive bodies. Owners of this model included HRH

The special number plate HMQ 001 in use for the royal car in Sweden

The June/July 1986 issue of VOICE by Rolls-Royce Motors, announces on its cover that PGH116 scoops the top award, a Gold certificate for most elegant & pleasing production car in all classes, at Ragley Hall, Alcester.

The royal standard on the flag poles indicating the presence of the Queen

Prince of Wales, Lord Mountbatten, HM the Queen of Siam, Captain Malcolm Campbell, several Maharajas and Nawabs – the ruling elite of India.

HISTORY OF ‘PGH116’ Now we move on to a very different and much younger car. This particular Phantom VI, chassis PGH 116, bearing Body no. 20453, was built in 1979 to promote the then latest Phantom, which remains the company’s flagship nameplate to this day. It represented the best Rolls-Royce had to offer. As a factory demonstrator it was constructed to be the showpiece of the demonstration fleet and was also the publicity and press car. It also aimed to ‘promote those extras that MPW were keen to sell’, says the history file. PGH 116 was owned by Rolls-Royce Motors and subsequently by Bentley Motors Ltd. Built to royal specifications, PGH 116 was used by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and other members of the royal household. Photographs show this car in use by Her Majesty on her state visit to Sweden in 1983 where the royal standard was seen on the flag posts, along with unique number plates that were fitted which denoted ‘Her Majesty the Queen 1’ (HMQ 001). The car wore several interesting registration numbers in its life such as 1200 TU, 1900 TU and RRM 1, at least one of which may

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The Phantom V returned to the UK in 2021 for appearances at Hampton Court and Salon Privé, where it won an award

be familiar to readers as a Rolls-Royce press fleet number, often seen on cars used in road tests and magazine articles. When the car arrived with its current owner, flags of several countries which were found in the boot, indicating the number of state visits undertaken

R R & B D M AY/ J U N E 2 0 2 2

by this car. Indeed, this majestic Phantom VI had travelled across the world from America to Japan. It was also reportedly used by HRH Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales. Bodied by Mulliner Park Ward, PGH 116 was built to the highest

possible specifications which included flag masts to both front wings, cocktail cabinet in division, clock to division rail, curtains and cushions in red velvet, carpet in cherry red, head rests, electrically operated rear seats, reading lights, vanity mirrors, air conditioner and heater, and an alluring black over burgundy colour. Immaculately maintained and as perfectly preserved as any Phantom VI in the world, it is now part of the famous Yohan Poonawalla Collection, home to India’s finest assemblage of historically significant and bespoke Rolls-Royce cars. In 1986, in a contest organized in England by the Worshipful Company of Coach Makers and Coach Harness Makers, PGH 116 won the top prize, and was also displayed alongside motor cars of Her Majesty from the royal mews. It has featured in documentaries and magazines, and it also participated in ‘Motor 100’ held at Silverstone in May 1985 to celebrate the centenary of motoring. In 2021 it was shown at the Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court to mark the 95th Birthday of Her Majesty the Queen, having been her official transport in the past. It was also shown at Salon »

FEATURE CAR SPECIAL ROYAL ROLLS-ROYCES: 20HP AND PHANTOM VI Privé the same year, where it won an award in its class. It will be wonderful to see PGH116 exhibited at various shows in the UK in 2022, to mark the platinum jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen, in the 70th year of her reign. Nigel Matthews, Chairman of the International Chief Judge Advisory Group and Hagerty’s global brand ambassador recalled how he ‘witnessed this car being hand-built at Crewe by employing the age-old and traditional ways of coach-building’. The car was, for a time, part of the heritage fleet of Bentley Motors. During the pandemic, while browsing the internet at his London home, the present owner saw an advert showing PGH 116 coming up for sale. He immediately asked me to keep an eye on this car as it was due to appear at a Bonhams auction, but much to our surprise it was sold privately prior to the auction date. Given his interest in this particular car, I pursued it and approached the then new owner, and a deal was eventually struck. PGH 116 was finally acquired and added to the Yohan Poonawalla Collection. PGH 116 was built to highest possible specifications. Like every Phantom VI, it was intended to become a palace on wheels, exemplifying luxury and comfort in motion. Yet it remains a stately car without an over-the-top flamboyant or ostentatious look – truly an appropriate choice for royalty.

THE ROLLS-ROYCE PHANTOM VI ABOUT THE YOHAN POONAWALLA COLLECTION Yohan Poonawalla is one of India’s leading car collectors, known for his special liking for Rolls-Royces, Bentleys and Ferraris. The billionaire industrialist is the number one collector of Rolls-Royce cars in India. His expansive Rolls-Royce collection includes an eclectic mix of vintage, classic and modern bespoke models, regularly shown at concours events. The Yohan Poonawalla Collection, built passionately by him over many years, is due to take shape as a museum soon and will house some of the most historically significant motor

cars in the world, showcasing various marques from all eras. With a keen interest in provenance and pedigree he continues to assemble historically significant motor cars owned and used by a ‘Who’s Who’ from around the world, which includes cars of the Nizams, Maharajas, Nawabs, Sheikhs, Presidents and even the Pope. His wife Michelle Poonawalla is an acclaimed artist, philanthropist & businesswoman. The couple lives in Pune with their children Tania and Zayan who have taken up motoring at an early age.

The Phantom VI was the last model introduced by Rolls-Royce before receivership in 1971. Powered by a 6.75 litre V8 engine, it was the last RollsRoyce built with a separate chassis, and between 1968 -1991, only 374 units were produced. It initially offered a 6.2 litre V8 engine with a fourspeed automatic gearbox, changing later to a 6.75-litre engine with a three-speed transmission. Employing traditional coachbuilding methods, lavish bodies were mounted in the form of limousines and landaulettes, and many were sold to heads of states for use as state motor cars. Famous owners of this model included Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Shah of Iran Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Sultan of Brunei and rulers of the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, plus many celebrities and business tycoons. n M AY/ J U N E 2 0 2 2 R R & B D

Jonathan P. Nolan Classic Car Consultant

RREC MEMBER OF THE INTERNATIONAL CLUB FOR

SPECIALISTS IN ROLLS-ROYCE, BENTLEY & PORSCHE

ROLLS-ROYCE & BENTLEY ENTHUSIASTS I’m Jonathan a semi-retired motor trader, RREC member and have been involved in classic cars and everyday cars for over 43 years. With my love of the Rolls Royce and Bentley marque I am offering my services to Rolls Royce/Bentley and classic car owners. I can assist in looking after your cars, servicing, storage, collection and delivery throughout the UK and Europe.

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WWW.CLARKANDCARTER.CO.UK Shardloes Workshops, Church Road, Cressing, Braintree, Essex. CM77 8PN Telephone: 01376 584 392 • email: info@clarkandcarter.com

I can arrange export of cars, chauffeur and joint wedding services. I also act as an agent for selling and sourcing cars on a commission basis, this cuts out any hassle and time wasting that effects your busy lives. References available. I live in the Hampshire area of the UK. With these uncertain times due to Covid 19, I will help anybody with their cars if you feel you can’t or don’t want to go until this period is over. PLEASE EMAIL OR PHONE FOR FURTHER DETAILS: Email: fearless@jonnolan.co.uk Tel: 07836 769152 / 02380 760897

STEWART WALKER Ltd

Sales, Service & Restorations by Independent Specialists in Rolls-Royce, Bentley & Prestige Automobiles For the very finest in service, restoration and all aspects relating to the marque, with ‘that personal touch’. Rolls-Royce factory trained, with over 40 years experience. All servicing and repairs carried out to the highest standards and fully guaranteed.

2014MY Bentley Continental GTC W12 6.0L Mulliner. Neck Warmers, 22,000miles, 2 Owners, Registered 5th December 2013, Special Order Glazier White with Magnolia Hide, Beluga Secondary Cross Stitching with Emblems, ordered with 14 Cost options, Bright Chrome Grills, Piano Black Wood, Cooled and heated massage seats, Cross Stitching also on Heated Steering Wheel, Coming Home Controls, 21” Alloys, Bluetooth, Touch Screen TV Tuner with Freeview, GPS Sat Nav, GPS Tracker, Rear Camera with PDC, Space Saver Spare Wheel, Full Bentley Service History, stunning Gen2 GTC in lovely condition is the peak of the models and tells in the driving experience. What a Car with great cost options and wind deflector £68,995

2015MY Bentley Continental GT Speed W12 6.0L. 8 speed Transmission, Only 27,000miles, 2 Previous Owners, Special Order Sequin Blue with Imperial Blue Hide Breeze Secondary Hide Contrast Stitching with Speed Emblems in Breeze, Dark Tint Chrome Grills, Piano Black Wood, Red Brake Callipers, Cooled and heated massage seats, Dark Tint 21” Speed Alloys, Bluetooth, GPRS Sat Nav,GPS Tracker, Rear Camera with PDC, Full Bentley Service History, This Stunning Gen2 Speed in Lovely Condition is the Peak of the Models and being 2015 Model Year it gets the 8 Speed Transmission which tells in the driving experience and fuel economy What a Car! £66,995

2016 Maserati Granturismo Sport Auto 4.7 V8. 2 Owners. Only 21000 miles Presented in Nero Carbonio with Nero Hide, Red Stiching Carbon Fibre Roof, Carbon Fibre Boot Lip Spoiler, Carbon Fibre Side Skirts, Carbon Fibre Front Splitter, Carbon Fibre Wing Mirror Caps, Carbon Fibre Door Handles. 20” Gloss Black Alloys. Leather Multi-Function Steering Wheel, BOSE Audio, Dual Zone Climate Control, Adaptable Drive Modes, Electric Heated Seats. £52,995

2008 Bentley Continental GT 6.0L W12. 68,000miles. Facelift Model. Presented in Granite with Magnolia Hide with Porpoise Secondary Hide. 3 Spoke Dual Tone Steering Wheel, Burr Walnut dashboard veneers with extended doors and rear quarter inserts. Deep pile Overmats, Bluetooth Phone. Soft Close Doors, Power Open and Close Boot, 10 speaker digital sound package, CD changer. Electronic Stabilization Program, Xenons, Power Folding Mirrors, Front and Rear Park Control with rear Camera, Alarm Immobiliser, GPS Sat Nav, Keyless Go 2 keys, Spare Wheel. Full Bentley Specialist Service History. Just serviced, Recent Tyres new Mot, A stunning car in superb condition with lovely cost options from new £29,995

Telephone: 01635 866833 • Mobile: 07831 800727 Website: www.stewartwalkerltd.co.uk • Email: info@stewartwalkerltd.co.uk Unit 1Q, Faraday Road, Newbury, Berkshire RT14 2AD

QUICK TEST ROLLS-ROYCE PHANTOM COUPE

WORTHY SUCCESSOR? With nearly 20 years of production behind them, can the ‘Goodwood’ Rolls-Royce models live up to the classic status of the older models? We tried a 2010 Phantom coupé to find out WORDS: NIGEL BOOTHMAN

t seems hard to believe that next year will mark two decades since the arrival of the Phantom VII, the first Rolls-Royce developed under BMW ownership and produced at the Goodwood facility. The styling was startling to lots of us, especially those with a fondness for the softer outlines of older Rolls-Royces, but as so many other cars grew larger and ever more over-styled in recent years I confess it’s grown on me a great deal. And with so little change for the eighth-generation Phantom in 2017, you can’t argue against its longevity. The Phantom VII ceased being a one-model range in 2007 when first the Phantom Drophead Coupé arrived, and then the Phantom Coupé a year later. The styling originated as the 100EX concept car in 2004 while the underpinnings and drivetrain are closely related to those of the four-

PHOTOS: LEWIS HOUGHTON

door sibling. The big difference, then, is in the cabin – still with rear-hinged ‘suicide doors’, one on each side, and with a cosier, close-coupled feel inside. It’s still a true four-seater but those in the back lack the same luxury of space. This example is a 2010 model showing less than 40,000 miles. With a full Rolls-Royce history and a pampered existence, it’s hard to differentiate it from a new car. We took it for a prowl around Edinburgh’s mixture of gracious residential streets, cavernous potholes and tight corners, keen to see what modern Rolls-Royce motoring is all about. This isn’t just a large car in width or length but also in height; you have almost SUV-like point of view. Then there’s the door. It’s a colossal sweep of sculpted metal, opening wide enough to admit a wardrobe, never mind a driver. You discover straight away why

Rolls-Royce added one of the car’s most extraordinary features: a button on the top right corner of the dash to power the door closed. Without it, you’d need arms like a gibbon to pull it shut. Push the starter and 6.75 litres of V12 comes to life with all the commotion of a feather landing on a pond. Is it running? Yes, it must be – the dial marked POWER RESERVE % has swung round from 0 to 100. Blip the throttle and it dips…all the way to 98%. The column gear shift is really an electronic switch for moving between R, N and D – your only three choices. P for Park comes up automatically when you halt and turn the engine off. Everything is beautifully weighted. You can control the throttle and steering inputs to a very fine degree, which contributes to the overall serenity of your progress – it never feels awkward or alarming to pilot such a M AY/ J U N E 2 0 2 2 R R & B D

The 'picnic' boot offers somewhere to perch, above. Inside, there are real dials, leather and wood, rather than one giant touchscreen.

large car round busy streets, even with the restricted rear view through that small rear window. The engine is present but only in the way a butler might have been, unnoticed in the corner of the room. Unlike a butler, it has power in reserve to fling you down the road at indecent speed when called upon. Your foot goes down, there’s a distant whooshing noise and the scenery starts to blur as you sink deeper into the seat. The numbers – 0-60 in 5.8 seconds, 454bhp, top speed limited to 155mph – are rather meaningless in such a well isolated cabin; the impression you’re left with is that the Phantom Coupé would feel identical at 40mph and 140mph. So it’s near-silent, it rides so well you fail to notice the condition of the tarmac and it’s faster than it will ever need to be. That seems very much on-message for Rolls-Royce, but what about the fit and finish? It is exceptionally good, and perhaps it should be with 21st century technology and immense investment, but it’s still R R & B D M AY/ J U N E 2 0 2 2

leagues ahead of what can be expected in 98% of brand new cars. There are obvious nods to R-R tradition such as the lashings of figured timber and the beautiful, rather simple dials but it’s more than skin deep. Tiny things stick in your mind, like the way you can steer the car on full lock when escaping a parking space and those vast 21-inch tyres never scrub in the slightest. Engineering credibility is intact and any whinges are more from an aesthetic point of view – I think the join from the windscreen frame to the roof looks like a hangover from the Drophead, and the chunky front quarterlight slightly spoils the pillarless side profile. On the same day, I drove a 1939 Wraith and a 1964 Bentley S3 Continental (both coming soon in RR&BD), both in excellent condition and well able to represent their kind. Sure enough, there was a common thread – that sensation of everything working to allow the driver to relax and conduct the journey with a minimum of effort.

Headaches dissipate, blood pressure drops, worries seem less worrisome… perhaps that sense of peace is what Rolls-Royce motoring is all about. Ownership of a Phantom VII saloon now begins around the £50,000 mark, but the two-door cars are younger, less often for sale and much more valuable. They were around £310,000 when new and examples of this age are trading between £175,000 and £200,000, which is both a big discount for a car that still feels new but also less than 50% depreciation for a car that’s 12 years old. They seem likely to step straight from ‘nearly new’ to ‘modern classic’. But do they and their saloon or drophead siblings belong in the same world as classic Rolls-Royce and Bentley models? Let us know if you’d like to see more 21st-century cars in RR&BD. For those who want to see more of this one, it’s with Derek C. Mowat in Edinburgh, at a fiver under £180,000 – check www.derekcmowat. co.uk or call 07837 740333. n

INTERVIEW JONATHAN TAIT AND PAUL BRIGHTMAN

M E E T

T H E

E X P E R T S

RANMORE SERVICE AND ENGINEERING Nearly 40 years after founding Royce Service and Engineering with Patrick Lloyd-Jacob, Paul Brightman passes the torch to Jonathan Tait, as Royce becomes Ranmore and the business lives on P H OTO G R A P H Y: L AU R I E G R I F F I T H S

Let’s begin with the latest news – Jonathan, can you tell us about the re-launch of the business and how you became involved? JT: I live locally to RS&E and I was looking for somewhere to store my Bristol, which I ended up doing with them. While I was there I noticed a really exceptional Bentley Turbo RT for sale with only 5000 miles on the clock. My business partner Humaid Masaood had been looking for one so I told him

Jonathan Tait (left) looks forward to building on all that Paul Brightman (right) has created at RS&E

about it. Soon after, I saw they had an Arnage that I liked, so I bought that too. Through all this, I got to know Paul and Patrick and felt they were honest and open, and I eventually learned they’d got to the stage in life where they would like to ease themselves out of the business over a few years. Humaid and I looked at the very loyal team of staff and the equally loyal customer base, and in February this year we bought the company. It’s re-launched

as Ranmore Service and Engineering, so we keep the same initials: RS&E. Paul Brightman and Patrick Lloyd-Jacob aren’t disappearing quite yet, I hear. What kind of changes can customers expect? JT: That’s right, Paul and Patrick will remain for a year or two to ease the transition and make sure customers know the same standards of service are going to continue. We don’t want to change the business very much; the core of what RS&E does is in the workshop and it’ll remain that way, with some investment to come that should add some more technical staff and equipment. We will do some more car sales too, and we may bring in a separate sales manager, but the quality has to be right – we’re only happy to sell the cars we can stand behind. So it’ll still be a technology and engineering-led business. Going back to the early days, can you tell us how it all got started, Paul? PB: Patrick and I met in 1979 at Jack Barclay Ltd. They were taking on 16 apprentices from about 300 applicants and we both got onto that apprenticeship, which lasted while we went through a 3-year college course. When that came to an end we carried on at Jack Barclay but felt that the standard of care for the customer wasn’t always what it should have been in those days, and we wanted to start a business that could do that side of things better. Around that time there was a strike in the workshop, which was heavily

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unionized at the time, and quite a few guys with families to feed couldn’t stay out with no pay, and left. Patrick and I thought maybe this was our get-out, though we couldn’t get started straight away. I went to work for Stratstones for a year, fixing Jags, but then we found some premises in Ashtead in Surrey and tried to get it going. I remember our first visit to a bank with a business plan – they asked why we only wanted a £3000 overdraft and fifteen quid a week wages, and we said we didn’t need more because we were still living at home with our parents. Even with £1500 in savings each, they rejected us! We eventually got accepted by Barclays when my dad R R & B D M AY/ J U N E 2 0 2 2

offered to back us up, and we were in business…though customers would quite often see a young lad in his early twenties and ask to speak to the boss! I know you eventually moved to the current site in Betchworth around 19 years ago, but how has the business grown and changed over the years? Rolls-Royce and Bentley have introduced a lot of new models since you started… PB: We’ve taken on the newer cars as they’ve developed, really. Most of the business was SY and the new SZ cars when we started, as the Bentley Turbos came along, then the Continental Ts and so on, then the Arnage and Silver

Seraph family. When the VW-era Continentals started appearing we did take on a lot of Continental GT work, investing in special tools and diagnostics. But our staff didn’t really gel with the cars or indeed some of the customers, who tended to use their cars as daily drivers and treat them as such. So we moved back to the work we enjoyed, which is where our strength is – roughly 1945 up to the end of the Arnage. Does that reflect the cars you both have a personal preference for? JT: Yes, very much so. I suppose I enjoy cars from the late 1950s right through to the early 2000s. »

INTERVIEW JONATHAN TAIT AND PAUL BRIGHTMAN

I’ve had other classics before but my first foray into Rolls-Royce or Bentley was the Arnage, and since I’ve started driving older models like Shadows, I see the appeal there too. PB: I like Shadows, particularly either early or late Shadow Is. They’re nice to work on; when you look under the bonnet of a later Turbo R it can be a bit daunting if you’re not used to it. There’s a lot going on and much of it is hidden under plastic covers. But I love driving them, and the same goes for Continental Rs. If you can handle driving and maintaining a Turbo R you can look after a Continental R too. They’re great cars. As well as offering cars from stock, will you take cars to sell on commission?

PB: If the relationship with the customer is right, and the car is right, then yes. We’re always open to the idea but we prefer to know the car, because some cars will need money spending on them before they’re in a condition we’d be happy to offer. JT: We’re certainly happy to do a test and report on a car first, so the customer can make an informed decision about the best way forward. We’ll find cars for customers too, if there’s something they want but aren’t seeing the right examples in the small ads. How does the future go for RS&E from here? JT: There won’t be any radical changes. Humaid and I want to build on the

reputation the business has already earned, hence Paul and Patrick’s extended stay as we try to ensure it becomes evolution and not revolution. After all, it’s the same team in the workshop. We think there’s room for expansion, for instance into more nutand-bolt restorations, as the demand is there, but the basic elements of what we do will remain: mechanical repairs and servicing, our bodyshop, sales, storage and parts supply. PB: Patrick and I have always been very proud and enthusiastic to work on such wonderful motor cars, and that remains. We both look forward to seeing the continuation of what we started, moving from strength to strength in the hands of two very passionate car enthusiasts. RS&E lives on. ■

THANK YOU We’re grateful to Jonathan, Paul, Patrick and the team at RS&E for their help with this interview. To find out more, visit rsande.co.uk or call +44 (0)1737 844999.

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Independent Masters OF ROLLS -ROYCE & BENTLEY MOTOR CARS SINCE 1983

SALES R E S TO R AT I O N MAINTENANCE

FO R M E R LY K N OW N A S R OYC E S E R V I C E A N D E N G I N E E R I N G SAME SERVICE DIFFERENT NAME

01737 844999 S U R R E Y, U K R S A N D E .C O.U K

MARQUE HISTORY CLASSIC CORNICHE

AN ANATOMY OF THE…

THE BENTLEY CONTINENTAL R AND T Bentley’s late 20th century rebirth may have started with turbocharging, but it took an even more significant step forward with the distinctive-looking Continental R and T models WORDS: RICHARD GUNN

P H OTO G R A P H Y: K E L S E Y A RC H I V E /R I C H A R D G U N N

hroughout the 1980s the Bentley marque, for so long overshadowed by its RollsRoyce parent, enjoyed an unprecedented revival. While Crewe had at least kept the name alive, the Bentley T-series cars of 1965 to 1980 were little more than rebadged Silver Shadows, with virtually nothing to make them distinctive. By 1981, despite the launch of the Silver Spirit and its Bentley Mulsanne equivalent, interest in the Winged B – heirs of the cars that had once been champions at Le Mans – had fallen so low that they represented just five per

cent of factory output. A mere 151 Bentleys were sold that year as opposed to 3014 Rolls-Royces. It was woeful figures like this that made Rolls-Royce sit up and realise that something had to change. Traditionally, Bentley had been about performance, Rolls-Royce the provider of sumptuous luxury. Would re-injecting Bentley with a sense of sportiness be enough to kick-start the brand’s renaissance? Thankfully for all those who loved

Bentley, it was. The introduction of turbocharging, coupled with styling tweaks that helped make the SZ generation Bentleys look a little different from their Rolls-Royce counterparts, raised both interest and sales. By 1986, the sales ratio of Bentleys to Rolls-Royces was 40:60; by 1991, the two marques were level-pegging. It was quite an achievement in just a decade. The year 1991 was significant for something else too, for it marked

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www.introcar.co.uk

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1985 Project 90 concept

the debut of the Continental R. This was much more than just the reintroduction of a great name from the past, conjuring up visions of the R-type Continental of the 1950s. It was also the first Bentley in over a quarter of a century to have its own distinctive body, one that wasn’t shared with any Rolls-Royce. There was already a Bentley Continental model available before the R joined the party. This was the rebadged Rolls-Royce Corniche which adopted the Continental name when in Bentley form, from 1985 to 1995. It, however, had little to mark it out from its Spirit of Ecstasy-adorned sister. It was company marketing director Peter Ward - later to become managing director - who was the main driving force for the Continental R to be something that both looked and felt different. Work began on the realisation of a two-door coupe during the mid-1980s, to capitalise on Bentley’s ascendancy. Thanks to the styling efforts of Graham Hull, John Hefferman and Ken Greenly (see Behind The Body, page 60), the glass-fibre non-functional Project 90 concept of 1985 had progressed to a production model by 1991, under the codename Nepal. In March of that year, it received a surprise unveiling at the Geneva Motor Show, to great public and media acclaim. The debut of the Continental R in 1991 has become the stuff of legend. Previous launches by the company were usually quite understated affairs, but this wasn’t the case with the Continental R. For the March 1991 Geneva Motor Show, a Nepal pre-production vehicle was whisked away to Switzerland in great secrecy. Nobody was predicting anything

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Nepal Prototype, 1990

fresh from Rolls-Royce or Bentley at the event; even those in the know didn’t expect anything to break cover before 1992. So when a Vermilion Red example of the previously unseen Continental R was driven out from behind a wall onto the Rolls-Royce stand, it was quite a revelation. The accompanying music was Zadok the Priest, an anthem originally written for the coronation of King George II in 1727 by George Frideric Handel, meaning that the new Bentley emerged into the world enveloped by pomp and circumstance. MercedesBenz must have been very upset; its new W140 S-Class had been expected to be the star of the show, but the German marque found itself completely shaded by its British rival, with a car that hadn’t even been on the radar before the start of the Geneva show. One of the many impressed by the new Continental R

in Switzerland was serial Rolls-Royce and Bentley purchaser, the Sultan of Brunei. As one of Crewe’s most favoured customers though, he had a little more clout than most other showgoers and promptly purchased the display car, reputedly at a cost of over £2 million. The second, fifth and 17th Continentals built also went to Brunei, as did 22 of the 1992 cars and 12 of the 1993 ones. Handel must have had quite the effect.

FAMILIAR UNDER THE SKIN The arrival of the first ‘new’ Bentley since the 1960s was big news. Yet underneath the elegant though purposeful skin, the architecture was still very familiar. Essentially, the Continental R was a rebodied Turbo R, with the 325bhp 6.75-litre turbocharged V8 carried over from »

MARQUE HISTORY CLASSIC CORNICHE

that model - not that the actual power output was revealed of course, Bentley preferring to regard it as ‘sufficient’. Feeding the V8 was MK-Motronic digital fuel injection with a mapped ignition control system. One significant upgrade compared to previous SZ models was the fitment of a new GM 4L80E four-speed electronic automatic transmission, albeit modified by Rolls-Royce over a million miles of testing so it was rather more refined and sophisticated than the version that also found itself in the Hummer H1 and assorted General Motors’ vans and trucks. The automatic gearbox was coupled

to the gear selector in the centre console rather than mounted on the steering column, as had been the case with all previous self-shifting Rolls-Royces and Bentleys. This incorporated a Sport button which altered the characteristics of the transmission and also stiffened up the adaptive self-levelling hydraulic suspension for a more performanceorientated ride. However, one thing that Continental buyers didn’t get was the traditional chrome strip down the centre of the bonnet; the R was the first Bentley for many years not to have this, although it soon became the standard look for the marque. At £168,294 when launched,

the Continental R was not just the priciest Bentley available, it was the most expensive production car in the world - although still some way off whatever the Sultan of Brunei had paid to get his hands on the very first one at Geneva. Top speed was 145mph and the R could sprint from zero to 60mph in just 6.6 seconds, which also made it the fastest Bentley ever. During the first year of production, 70 cars were built. This grew to 146 in 1992, 285 in 1993 and 251 in 1994, numbers that equated to around six cars per week. While this may seem a tiny fraction of what a mainstream manufacturer might

BEHIND THE BODY The three men mainly responsible for crafting the Continental R’s styling were Graham Hull, John Hefferman and Ken Greenley. Hull joined Rolls-Royce as a stylist in 1971 aged 24 and by 1984 had become the company’s styling manager. In 1990, he was appointed chief stylist. Hefferman and Greenley were freelance designers who had run the Automotive Design School at London’s Royal College of Art and were also part of the International Automotive Design consultancy. They would become most renowned for penning 1988’s

Aston Martin Virage. But before that, Rolls-Royce approached the pair to design the Project 90 concept in 1985, as a mock-up of a possible future Bentley two-door coupe. Hull then refined this design, which had been well-received at the Geneva Motor Show, adapting it to the SZ platform while continuing to collaborate with Hefferman and Greenley on the overall shape. The stylish interior, however, was just the work of Hull and his team at Crewe. Although the appearance was clearly derived from the Silver Spirit/Mulsanne, it was less

angular and blocky and somehow looked more compact, even if it actually wasn’t. The curved roof definitely added a more sporting profile. There were echoes of past Continentals in the way the rear wings swept slightly upwards and the tail was sloping rather than abruptly vertical. Also apparent were some stylistic similarities with that other great Hefferman and Greenley creation, the Virage. Both had looks that were imposing but aerodynamic, dramatic yet dignified. The sleek Continental R was one very handsome beast.

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hope for, it was a healthy enough tally for Crewe and was in addition to all the other Bentleys being sold. In 1994 the price increased to £180,120, but the power rose in sympathy, with Cosworth being brought in to work its tuning magic on the cylinder heads, resulting in a boost to 360bhp. The alloy wheels also increased in size from 16 to 17 inches. Still, if 360bhp wasn’t quite enough, there was the Bentley Continental S, produced for just two years from 1994 to 1995. Thanks to its liquid-cooled chargecooler, it boasted 385bhp and a 0-60mph time of 6.1 seconds. The bad news was that it was only available to very selected customers, and there were very few of them; a mere 39 of these limited edition Bentleys found homes. Still, for those who missed out on the S, there was some solace offered by Rolls-Royce’s personal commissioning department, which began offering bespoke customisation for Continentals. A certain Sultan was a major customer (see The Brunei Connection p.63). The liquid-cooled chargecooler became standard on 1996 Continental Rs, by which time the price had gone up to £187,354. For the extra £7000 plus, customers also got a more responsive and economical engine management system, plus a real break with the past from Rolls-Royce: an actual quoted power output. Instead

“Would re-injecting Bentley with a sense of sportiness again be enough to kickstart the brand’s renaissance? Thankfully for all those who loved Bentley, it was” of ‘sufficient’ or ‘adequate’, the Continental R of ‘96 was pinned down to 385bhp (along with a staggering, transmission-crunching 550lb ft of torque) - which was no doubt much more than adequate or sufficient for most. Top speed was now cited as 155mph, while 60mph was attainable from rest in less than six seconds. The alloy wheels were also revamped again - although their size remained the same at 17 inches - and memory steering wheel adjustment made an appearance, as did electronic traction assistance, albeit just as an option.

The R also gained a new sister in 1996, in the lithe form of the Continental T. This had four inches chopped out of its wheelbase, wider wheel arches and bumpers, plus enhanced brakes. The latter were necessary to cope with its 400bhp engine, which gave a top speed of 170mph. The interior also received special attention too. With the T clearly regarded as even more performance-focused than the R, the usual wood was replaced by turned metal, with chrome-finished gauges and polished aluminium trim. There »

PRODUCTION FIGURES Continental R (1991-2002) 1292 Continental S (1994-1995) 39 Continental R California Edition (1998) 6 Continental R Millennium Edition (2000) 10 Continental R Mulliner (1999-2003) 131 Continental R 420 (2000-2003) 38 Continental R Le Mans (2001) 46 Continental R Final Series (2003) 11 Continental T (1996-2002) 321 Continental T Mulliner (1999) 23 Continental T Le Mans (2001) 5 Continental SC (1999) 73 Continental SC Mulliner (1999) 6 Azure Convertible (1995-2003) 1087

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MARQUE HISTORY CLASSIC CORNICHE

Muscular 2001 Continental Wide Body, and below, Continental T and its distinctive dash

was also that most overtly sporty of additions, a separate starter button.

BIGGER, BETTER, WIDER Two years later, traction control became standard on the Continentals and there were some cosmetic changes inside and out, such as retrimmed seats with integrated seatbelts, vents beneath the headlamps, a mesh grille, reprofiled bumpers and, naturally, yet another design of alloy wheels. Some of the features of the T also became available on the R, with the bigger wheel arches from the shortened model creating the ‘Wide Body’ Continental R. The first six of these were Continental R California Editions bound for well-heeled customers in the USA. Also known as the Beverly Hills - which gives away exactly the sort of clientèle the model was aimed at - this sextet had 18-inch alloys, the bumpers and arches from the T, a polished stainless steel radiator grille and exhaust finisher, and ruched seats and door panels. The turbo boost gauge also graduated to the centre instrument panel. The seventh Wide Body of 1998 wasn’t a California Edition but did become the first Continental R to receive the 420bhp engine that was fitted to Continental Ts from 1998. More would soon follow, including the five Continental R Jack Barclay dealership specials later in

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THE BRUNEI CONNECTION The Sultan of Brunei’s love affair with the Continental R began with the very first Nepal prototype unveiled to the public at the 1991 Geneva Motor Show. Over the next 12 years, he acquired many, many more, snapping up multiple examples of mainstream and limited-edition models. However, with a vast fortune which peaked at $20 billion and a collection of cars that once numbered over 2500, Rolls-Royce and Bentley were very happy to supply cars that went far beyond the norm. The vehicles created for the Sultan, and a few others of similar status and wealth, were codenamed ‘Blackpool cars’. The Sultan’s bespoke Continentals began in 1994 with his 14 Sufacon

the year, which didn’t feature Wide Body revisions, but did have other modifications such as 18in wheels, a starter button, ruched leather, Holly Green paint and suspension lowered by 5mm. Following on from this came the more ‘mainstream’ Wide Body Mulliners, with 148 put together from 1999 to 2003. In total, it’s believed 194 Continental Rs received a 420bhp steroid injection between 1999 and the end of production in 2003. Other 420bhp Rs included the Le Mans of 2001, which commemorated Bentley’s return to Le Mans with Wide Body wheel arches and bumpers, quad exhaust pipes, front wing intakes, red brake calipers and special Le Mans badges. Inside, the Le Mans had straight grain walnut facings, Winged B motifs set into the seat headrests, a chrome and leather gearknob, drilled pedals and treadplate plaques. The exclusive colours were Silver Storm, Black Oriole and, naturally, Le Mans Racing Green. The 46 Continental R Le Mans were accompanied by just five T variants. Two offshoots of the Continental debuted in 1995 and ‘99. With the Corniche-based convertible Continentals departing in ‘95, a fully convertible Continental R called the Azure replaced it, while the Continental Sedanca Coupe (SC) arrived four years later with

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cars, the abbreviation standing for ‘SUper FAst CONtinental’. The Sufacons featured revised bumpers and vented bonnets, with P300 L410M300 engines generating a whopping 527bhp lurking under those louvred lids. These special Continentals opened the floodgates for the some even more extravagant exclusives, such as 19 four-door cars, 20 long-wheelbase models (with an extra four inches added) and four limousines, which were stretched by an additional 17 inches. It seems that the ruler of Brunei wanted to explore all possible configurations because he also commissioned 30 Sports Estates (some of which had armour plating), 12 Convertibles and a single 542bhp Supershort, with four inches

removed from its wheelbase. This was later complemented by two very similar cars, known as Camelots. He also indulged in reskins such as the 13 convertible B2s and 13 B3 coupes and then went even further with complete restyles - of varying styles and levels of outlandishness - such as the twoseater Grand Prix and Silverstones, convertible Monte Carlos, Imperials, Spectres and Phoenixes and grand tourer Highlanders and Buccaneers and Pegasuses. In total, the Sultan ordered 202 specialbodied Bentley Continentals just between 1994 and 1996, spending tens of millions of pounds and seriously depleting his country’s Royal coffers in the process.

“...the German marque found itself completely shaded by its British rival, with a car that hadn’t even been on the radar” removable roof panels. Pininfarina was involved with the design, and despite the apparent simplicity of just cutting out a section of the top, development cost around £12 million. Still, with 79 of these £245,000 T-based models built, and six of those receiving extra cost bespoke Mulliner enhancements such as modified

shock absorbers and stiffer torsion bars for even better handling, Bentley no doubt recouped its investment. The passing of the 20th century was marked with 10 420bhp Continental R Millennium editions in 2000. Among their features were a green start button, the usual Wide Body modifications, a laser-cut »

From the back: Continental R, T, SC and Azure convertible

MARQUE HISTORY CLASSIC CORNICHE

stainless steel matrix grille, 18-inch chrome wheels and numbered treadplates. Three years after this, it was time to say goodbye to the Continental R and T as Bentley, now owned by Volkswagen, progressed to its all-new Continental GT. The last remaining SZ platform vehicles bowed out in 2003 with a limited edition run of 11 Final Series cars. Among their special features were the usual Mulliner and Wide Body tweaks as well as five-spoke alloy wheels, Bentley-branded calipers, the now expected starter button (this time in red), chromed bezels, winged Bentley motifs on the waist rails, diamond-quilted sports seats

THE

VIEW John Tupper, managing director of IntroCar, says: Not for nothing is this sub-range of Bentley models captured under the "Continental" sobriquet. Manufactured in small volumes and stylistically distinct from the standard four-door range, these hark straight back to the coachbuilt R-Type and S-Type Continentals of the 1950's and 1960's. They are considerably rarer and more sought after, therefore, than their four-door siblings. An owner of

“...despite the apparent simplicity of just cutting out a section of the top, development cost around £12 million” and door cards, and dark-stained walnut or black lacquer finishing on the fascia and door cappings. And with those cars, the old Continentals R and Ts were gone, to make way for the new breed of GTs. The Continental R and T models were significant in Bentley’s late 20th century hierarchy. They played a major role in the

marque’s continuing renaissance as it emerged from underneath Rolls-Royce’s umbrella, and they injected a much-needed dose of individualism into the brand. They were the final SZ platform survivors, lasting into the 21st century and the era of Volkswagen-engineered Bentleys. Old school in many ways, but new wave in so many others. ■

one can probably be forgiven for feeling a little smug! The style is now beginning to look a trifle angular and dated. The long boot pushes the cabin a long way forward to the eye, for example. However, I expect this to soon be seen as a feature rather than a bug as these take their inevitable place in the pantheon of true classics. Mechanically, anyone who is comfortable dealing with other Rolls-Royce and Bentley models of the same era will be on safe ground: they are more-or-less identical save some upgrades to performance and suspension. Continental-series cars tend to be equipped with stronger anti-roll bars and later models had their own front dampers. Engine management systems were tuned to provide a little more output. Maintaining these models from a mechanical perspective should be straightforward enough. Bodywork

is a touch trickier, as many of the parts are becoming hard to find manufactured as they were in small volumes. When buying, look for missing, damaged, or aging trim as sourcing replacements may call for more creativity than one would like. Values for these models have begun to leave their lowest point behind, but they are still remarkable value for money. For sure, they will be three to four times the cost of an equivalent "standard" model, but prices are almost certain to head north in the coming years. The convertible Azure and Continental SC (short for Sedanca Coupe) are more desirable still. Good examples do not spend long on the forecourt. I do not usually use the word "fun" in the context of Bentley models, but it is hard to imagine failing to smile when your garage door opens to reveal one of these!

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THE CLUB HOUSE BENTLEY DRIVERS CLUB

WORDS: STUART NEWMAN

CLIVE DOUBLES UP

Clive Morley picked up the BDC’s Racing Driver of the Year award for 2021 at the Club’s Competitions Day, becoming the first driver to win the accolade twice

live Morley has deservedly, for the second season in succession, earned the hard-fought BDC Racing Driver of the Year accolade – the first driver to win two crowns since the award was introduced in 2016. Evergreen Clive, who also won the coveted Frank Clement Memorial Trophy for 2020, enjoyed another highly competitive and successful season at the wheel of his pair of trusty Morley family 3/4½ Litres, driving either GSU 757 or NN 9488. Presenting him with his award at the Club’s annual Competitions Day, Club President Duncan Wiltshire said: “Clive has done more towards campaigning Bentleys than anyone else and is still extremely active.” After receiving his coveted prize, a delighted Clive said: “It’s something I really wasn’t expecting having won it last year. It was a really good season and I enjoyed driving as hard as I did. I enjoy it too much to give up, and my boys (fellow racers Stuart and James) keep me on my toes.” Aside from finishing a close third overall in the Times Challenge Trophy, and winning Group B, at BDC Silverstone last August, Clive’s campaign was distinguished by a brace of podium finishes, against the cream of the historic racing scene. Arguably his most outstanding performance came at the Silverstone Classic in July when he finished a magnificent third in the Motor Racing Legends Pre-War BRDC 500. An encouraging gathering of around 60 competitors, marshals, officials and friends attended the Clubhouse at Wroxton for Competitions Day at the end of February. Ben Eastick, who won the Times Challenge Trophy race at BDC Silverstone last season, was unveiled by the President as the next Competitions Captain, taking over from Sebastian Welch who has held the role on an interim basis since Mike Haig stepped down last year. And Adam Stacy-Marks, a former Competitions Captain, Simon Worthington and Paul

Ben Eastick (far left) will succeed Sebastian Welch (second left) as the new BDC Competitions Captain

Clive Morley – BDC Racing Driver of the Year 2021

Don’t forg Forty have all been added to the Club’s th et ree-day the Competitions Committee Summer Co ncours & P arty at Cubberle in various fields of expertise. y House ne ar R o ss-on-Wye Mike was presented with a from 17-19 J u ne and BDC special award in recognition Silverstone on 13 Augu st. The Club of his six years’ service as AGM will b e held Competitions Captain from on 23 April. 2015-2021, while Andrew Brown was named as the BDC Marshal of the Year, winning the Stan Terry Memorial Trophy. The BDC’s nominated hill climb event for the 2022 season will be the BARC Classic & Vintage hill climb at Harewood on 4 June. It has also been confirmed that no BDC sprint meeting would be held this year, although the Club would support the AMOC sprint at Curborough on 18 September. ■ www.bdcl.org

Former Competitions Captain Mike Haig (right) was presented with a special award by President Duncan Wiltshire

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ADVERTORIAL

Bentley DRIVERS CLUB

ounded by enthusiasts for enthusiasts. The Bentley Drivers Club is proud of its ethos: a club of friends who share a love of all things Bentley. It’s also the only club directly affiliated with Bentley Motors. While some follow in the tyre tracks of the iconic ‘Bentley Boys’, competing in races and rallies, others take pleasure watching their modern-day counterparts in the latest GT3 race cars. Off track, some simply enjoy driving their Bentley on the road, frequently in the company of other enthusiasts. No matter what your inspiration, the BDC can help enhance your Bentley ownership and take your appreciation of this classic marque even deeper. A great feature of our club is the excellent events we hold, both at home and abroad. These include our annual long-established Concours d’Elegance and Silverstone race meeting plus numerous tours and social occasions organised by our ever active Regions worldwide. So, with lots of activities to look forward to in the future, what better time is there to join us?

Members enjoy a range of benefits with the BDC:

• Bi-monthly Review and monthly Advertiser & Diary publications plus frequent e-newsletters • Access to comprehensive archives through the club’s association with the WO Bentley Memorial Foundation, providing a deep insight into the marque’s history • Access to the spares schemes, covering the three key eras of Bentley production • Favourable insurance rates and service plus undisputed valuations (for insurance purposes) • Club forum offering the chance to discuss all things Bentley.

Driving adventures... Driving exhilaration... Driving friendships

We look forward to welcoming all Bentley enthusiasts to the Bentley Drivers Club E-MEMBERSHIP NOW AVAILABLE!

TO FIND OUT MORE, PLEASE CONTACT US AT INFO@BDCL.ORG OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.BDCL.ORG

THE CLUB HOUSE ROLLS-ROYCE ENTHUSIASTS’ CLUB

WORDS: AILSA PLAIN

BACK IN THE SWING

The expert-led Technical Seminars have long been a feature of the RREC, and after a two-year Covid hiatus, they began once again in March

Silver Spirit and their SZ relatives were the subject of the latest Technical Seminar

he beginning of March saw the long-awaited return of our fantastic Technical Seminars at The Hunt House. The subject matter was Rolls-Royce Silver Spirits and their derivatives, including Bentley Turbo Rs and the Mulsanne – expertly lead by specialists Ray Hillier and Nigel Sandell. Some 25 members made their way to The Hunt House in Paulerspury to learn more about their treasured motor cars. They were given the opportunity to put their cars on the ramps in our extensive workshop facility to troubleshoot issues with the instructors, and gain knowledge through learning of other owners’ experiences.

Book now for Burleigh House, the first weekend in July

Our May Technical Seminars will cover the Rolls-Royce small horsepower and the Silver Cloud & S-Series motor cars. Early booking is essential to avoid disappointment. As well as providing technical support by way of seminars and Model Registers for motor cars from the early Silver Ghosts up to the SZs of the mid 1990s, we have now launched three new Model Registers within the Club to further enhance our offering to those who own these newer models. Following feedback from members, our new Registers include the Arnage & Seraph Register (Bentley Arnage 1998-2009, RollsRoyce Silver Seraph 1998-2001),

The seminar was expertly led by Nigel Sandell and Ray Hillier

Bentley GT Register (Continental GT 2003-present, Flying Spur 2005-present, Mulsanne 2010-end of production, Bentayga 2016-present), and, in anticipation of electric vehicles arriving on the market from RollsRoyce and Bentley, an Electric Register for these new motor cars. Our Sections and Registers continue to organise a fantastic array of events up and down the country as well as on the continent. With everything from pub lunches to picnics, long distance driving days and weekends away, there really is something to suit everyone. Our Silver Ghost Register team are making great headway in their plans to re-enact the 1913 Alpenfahrt in 2023, and we cannot wait to see all their hard work come to fruition. The backbone of the RREC is undoubtedly the volunteer members, whether on Section committees or waving flags marshalling cars in at events. They work tirelessly, and enthusiastically to make these fantastic opportunities possible, and we are extremely grateful to them all. Bookings are now being taken for the return of our Annual Rally & Concours d’Elegance at Burghley House – members and non-members alike are welcome to join in the festivities. We will be celebrating the centenary of the Rolls-Royce 20hp, as well as welcoming the Gay Classic Car Group to the event on Saturday 2 July. Members have been sent a direct link to book via our website, and non-members can access tickets via scanning the QR code on the next page. ■ M AY/ J U N E 2 0 2 2 R R & B D

THE RREC WELCOMES ALL ROLLS-ROYCE AND BENTLEY ENTHUSIASTS TO THE

Annual Rally & Concours d’Elegance Burghley House, Stamford, Lincolnshire 1 - 3 July 2022

Scan the QR code for further info and to book your ticket!* *RREC members please book via The Hunt House as usual.

Why not visit one of our regional rallies this year? South of England Rally Sunday 29 May 2022 Stansted Park, Hampshire

North of England Rally Sunday 7 August 2022 Harewood House, Leeds

FEATURE CAR ROLLS-ROYCE SILVER SHADOW II

A SLICE OF OLD ENGLAND…

DOWN UNDER G

raham Phillips wanted a slice of Old England. Being an Aussie with an English mother and an engineer father, Graham searched for and found the very best on four wheels. As a result, a pristine 1977 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow II now sits on his drive. This drive – and beautiful home – is at Mount Macedon, some 50 miles north of Melbourne in the State of Victoria. And it is here that my wife and I are enjoying Graham’s hospitality with the mountainous scenery as a backdrop. But good as this is, the gleaming Rolls in Nutmeg Brown is giving the Aussie scenery a run for its money. The Rolls looks a million dollars! Graham is telling us the history of how he found the car and it seems the car itself has something of a tale to tell too. How many cars – never mind a beautiful Rolls-Royce – have spent five years behind bars as guests of the Australian Customs? Nothing to do with Graham Phillips, I must quickly add! This history begins in early 1977. A Silver Shadow II has been ordered by a Mr G A Richards; the order reference number is R 8038, the engine number 31171, and the specification check list (dated 14 April 1977) gives a rather modest description of the car as simply a Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow fourdoor saloon. This is just the tip of the iceberg, as the subsequent pages of the specification go into the real detail. Steering right-hand, hide beige, headlining beige Ambla, carpet Cumberland Stone 44 – and more detail in the ‘Fine Lines’, which will be gold, both above and below side chrome mouldings and double gold on hub caps (referred to as discs by Rolls-Royce). RR motifs were to be fitted to each rear quarter, as in longwheelbase cars. The instrument roll for the under-dashboard trim and radio

surround were to be trimmed in beige hide, reference number 3234, not the customary black Ambla. And the radio, a Pye auto-reverse stereo cassette, was to be provided by Mr Richards. Such was the detail of cars built by Rolls-Royce at that time, this information is not to be found until one gets to page 17. Two sheets are dedicated to the engine assembly alone and the specification includes not just engine and gearbox numbers but numbers for each cylinder head, the distributor, the coil type and even the spark plug reference numbers. Details of the alternator, oil pump, P.A.S. pump, front and rear brake accumulator and the carburettors follow on and in case anyone needed to know, the A/C’s fridge unit is given as 08661. Those who know the meticulous attention to detail at the Crewe plant will not be surprised to learn that the build detail of the car was then followed by an exhaustive series of checks before Rolls-Royce would allow the car to leave the factory gate. Graham Phillips is showing us two sheets with no less than 64 checks that the car had to undergo on its final road test. Such items as ‘Wind noise A-post…’ ‘Rattle in door when shut…’ ‘Check rear squab headrest, nearside, offside…’ ‘Check A/C on de-frost…’ Pretty thorough! This was followed by a second paint inspection, carried out in No 16 Shop. Then came a safety check covering everything from the welds in the seat frames right down to the torque setting for the interior rear-view mirror stem to body fixing. Then, and only then, did Graham’s car pass for its Final Inspection report and move on to the ‘Final Road Test – Body Performance’. When it passed, the car was then ready for delivery to P J Evans Ltd, the local Rolls-Royce dealer (today absorbed within Evans » M AY/ J U N E 2 0 2 2 R R & B D

After a 10,000-mile journey and a chequered history including five years locked away by the customs people, this lovely Shadow II found a caring Australian home WO R D S: R I C H A R D H O L D S WO R T H . P H OTO G R A P H Y: R I C H A R D H O L D S WO R T H , G R A H A M P H I L L I P S .

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FEATURE CAR ROLLS-ROYCE SILVER SHADOW II Halshaw), and for handover to Mr Richards. The list price was £19,881.

NEW HOME IN MOUNT MACEDON Graham Phillips is the ninth owner of the car, tenth if you include the Customs authorities in South Australia who purloined the Rolls when it was imported in 1981. The Shadow was imported to Australia by its first owner, Mr Richards, but for reasons I cannot discover - and which the Customs authorities will not discuss - it remained impounded for five years. This came to an end with an auction sale in 1986 at which Mr Eric Essex of Smithfield Trucks, South Australia, caught the auctioneer’s attention with his bid of AUD$46,500, or around

Rubber bumpers with alloy strips mark out the Shadow II, and this car is from the first year of Shadow II production

Original Pye radio-cassette now replaced by an older Blaupunkt radio unit and a modern CD unit in the lower slot

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£25,500 in today’s money. Despite some Sherlock Holmes work and an attempt to track down Mr Essex (whose name survives in the history folder) I can reveal nothing more about this unconventional change of ownership. There were two more South Australian keepers before the Silver Shadow II moved more than 1,350 miles north-east to Queensland with Tony Lee of Nambour, a town on the Sunshine Coast approximately 75 miles north of Brisbane. The Silver Shadow continued to bask in the tropical sun with its next owner, Alan Anderson, a Gold Coast resident who paid AUD$33,000 for the car. It had covered 87,333 miles by this stage. Glamour came into the life of Graham’s Silver Shadow when it graced the drive of an Australian actor, »

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Sheepskin seat covers protect the beige hide and probably add still further to the legendary Silver Shadow comfort

FEATURE CAR ROLLS-ROYCE SILVER SHADOW II Thomas Benditz, who appeared in the Australian TV series, ‘Neighbours’. It was then that Graham Phillips came on the scene. With Graham’s family background, the name RollsRoyce in the Phillips household was a byword for perfection. Graham watched videos of the various Rolls models, how they were built, how they performed and the devotion that owners showed them. Graham

searched online through many listings until one stood out: a 1977 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow II in apparently perfect condition. The mileage of 108,000 was nothing for a car carrying the Rolls-Royce badge. The price that Thomas Benditz was asking was more than Graham wanted to spend but the owner held the door slightly ajar. ‘It seems that he was more interested in finding a good home for

the Silver Shadow than in the price the buyer would pay,’ says Graham. Graham confirms he paid a ballpark figure of around AUD$28,000 which, at AUD$1.80 to the pound, equates to approximately £15,500. Negotiations were conducted at a distance. By now Graham felt he knew the car and its vendor knew Graham. ‘We got to know the Silver Shadow as Camilla and eventually

You can’t tell from here, but rack and pinion steering and front suspension changes improved handling for the Shadow II

Victoria’s Club Permit Scheme allows older vehicles to be registered on a pro-rata system of 45 or 90 days for cost-effective road use

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a price was agreed, and Camilla was part of the Phillips family!’ The next problem was distance, with Camilla being more than 650 miles away in Sydney. Graham’s sister was enlisted to help bring the Silver Shadow back to Mount Macedon but it was not just the distance that came into the reckoning. I’ll let Graham explain. ‘My sister has a painful back and driving for more than an hour obliges

“How many cars – never mind a beautiful Rolls-Royce – have spent five years behind bars as guests of the Australian Customs?” her to stop, get out of her car and walk around for a while… I expected to be behind the wheel of my new purchase before we reached the next town,’ Graham smiles, ‘but a Rolls-Royce is built for driver comfort and getting the keys from my sister was nigh-on impossible.’ He quotes the Hollywood actor, Charlton Heston, who at the time was President of the Nation Rifle Association of America. ‘He is reported to have raised a musket over his head and uttered those immortal words, “From my cold dead hands!” That was what I faced trying to get the keys from my sister! I didn’t get a look in.’ Having had the pleasure of being passenger with Graham driving, I can wholeheartedly confirm I would want to take the wheel too. The expression is a cliché – but I can only say it rides like a dream! Back home, Graham took stock of the 42-year-old car that now had almost 110,000 miles on the clock. ‘I am not an engineer myself, but my father was the chief ground staff engineer for Qantas when he emigrated to Australia from the UK. He had moved with his family from India to the UK after Partition and joined the RAF. That is where he got his training in engineering. My father taught me

how to work on cars, how to take them apart and, more importantly, put them back together again.’ Graham had the service and repair record for his new acquisition, as found in the glovebox. It did not cover the car’s whole life but it did represent the work ordered on the Silver Shadow by owners number five through to Thomas Benditz. This represented 24 years of the car’s existence and 63,310 miles covered.

KNOWING YOUR MUSTARD Graham Phillips claims not to be accomplished in engineering, but he is in the transport division of Australian Post and knows his mustard (An Australian expression? Must be similar to ‘knows his onions’ for UK readers! - Ed.). Armed with a lot of detail on the maintenance and repair work performed over the previous quartercentury, Graham went through the car, piece by piece, item by item. ‘The first thing I did was replace the spark plugs, distributor cap and rotor button. I had the brakes serviced, a few leaks sorted, replaced the air filter as someone from the past had fitted a non-standard filter and it was »

With more than 100,000 miles under its belt, the Shadow’s 6.75-litre V8 is still in excellent health

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FEATURE CAR ROLLS-ROYCE SILVER SHADOW II

Mount Macedon is a leafy town named after the 3,200ft mountain that overlooks it – a lovely spot for some Rolls-Royce motoring

rubbish. I have given the car a new set of Avon Turbosteel tyres. Then I replaced the fuel filters and ignition leads. It seemed that the fuel sender unit was faulty, and I fitted a new unit. But it turned out the float was holed so I am keeping the original sender and will solder the hole in the copper float, and I'll then have a spare.’ Inside the Silver Shadow, Graham took saddle soap and elbow grease to the leather upholstery. ‘It made a huge difference!’ Out on the road, he found there was an intermittent knocking from the rear left-hand side of the car and Graham traced the noise to the tip of an exhaust pipe striking the rear quarter. ‘I found that the rivets attaching the rear exhaust hanger had sheared off – I replaced these with bolts so the exhaust was restrained as RollsRoyce intended,’ he says. Next in line, Graham intends to replace the boot seal rubber which he says is worn and is sure it will soon invite leaks. Graham is a member of the Victoria branch of the Rolls-Royce and Bentley Owners Club of Australia and it was through the Club that he found Tony Sammut of UK Motors at Airport West, north-west of Melbourne. ‘Tony is not my nearest service centre

“It seems that he was more interested in finding a good home for the Silver Shadow than in the price the buyer would pay.” but he has many years’ experience with Rolls and Bentleys,’ says Graham, ‘and I took the car to him for fitting new front brake pads. While the car was on his hoist, he cleaned the hydraulic fluid tank and flushed the hydraulic system and filled with new fluid. Rear brake pads still have life in them, but Tony will replace them at the next service.’ Another task was the fitting of a front air dam which had been lost somewhere in the life of the car. Then came the alternator saga… Graham had driven the Shadow to work and on the way home, noted a grinding noise from the engine compartment. He lifted the bonnet and discovered the culprit to be the alternator – it wasn’t charging and the noise told him the unit had seen its last days. ‘My mother’s 80th birthday was coming up and I wanted to present the Rolls to her… she is staunchly British; she would appreciate what it

represented, it was essential that the Silver Shadow was roadworthy and I could get it to her,’ says Graham. Added to the problem was the start of the COVID-19 lockdown and travel from one area to another in Victoria was regulated. You had to have a good reason, and whether giving your mother a ride in a Rolls on her 80th birthday was good enough was never questioned, thankfully. ‘My journey to UK Motors was uneventful and Tony Sammut went straight to work,’ says Graham. ‘At such short notice he had to fit his workshop’s test-bed unit on the car to get it back on the road. The smile on my mother’s face was worth all the effort. It couldn’t have been a better birthday present.’ We know that kind of smile. Mount Macedon in the Australian autumn was a delight, but it couldn’t compete with the look on Graham’s face as he proudly showed off his stunning Silver Shadow. One very happy man! ■ M AY/ J U N E 2 0 2 2 R R & B D

CATCH-UP TIME! If you’ve missed out on some of the previous issues of Rolls-Royce & Bentley Driver, don’t worry. It couldn’t be easier to grab some of our great back issues! We even offer free postage to UK residents and reduced shipping overseas. Check out the sample list below and then head online to:

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MARCH/ APRIL 2022 ●

Silver Spirit II: first-time buyer ● R-type Continental ● Anatomy of the Corniche ● Bentley Motors Tour ● AX 201 Facts and Figures ● 1951 Silver Dawn

JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 2022

NOVEMBER/ DECEMBER 2021

SEPTEMBER/ OCTOBER 2021

1972 Corniche Fixed-Head Bentley Arnage Anatomy ● Silver Cloud: Classic Test ● Owning a GT Supersports ● Turbo RT Experiences ● Bentley’s Roaring Twenties

Owning a 2001 Corniche V Turbo R meets Daimler V8 ● Cloud & S-series Anatomy ● Continental R – 30 Years On ● 1933 Rolls-Royce 20/25 ● Experiencing a Phantom VI

Bargain-Buy Silver Shadow Continental GT Ownership ● Tribute to the Silver Ghost ● Bentley’s Turbo Revolution ● Shadow & T-series Anatomy ● Specialists: Vintage Bentley

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Bentley ‘Blower’ Upgrade Restored Silver Shadow II ● Bentley S1 Mulliner Fastback ● Developing the SZ Series ● Bentley MkVI Classic Test ● Australian Family Collection

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MARCH/ APRIL 2021 Corniche FHC Restoration Owning a Silver Spirit & Spur ● Early Bentley Arnage Tested ● Rolls-Royce Armoured Cars ● R-Type Continental Driven ● Silver Cloud Remembered ●

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PERSONAL CHOICE BENTLEY TURBO R

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‘IF YOU LOOK AFTER THEM, THEY LOOK AFTER YOU' Lots of us enjoy and admire our cars, but Joschka Röben from near Hannover in Germany can say that a 1993 Turbo R changed his life. Here’s Joschka’s story. WORDS: JOSCHKA RÖBEN PI C T U R E S: D E N N I S F R E I TAG

ow do you get excited by a car like this as a Nineties kid? Well, as a little boy, I would always see cars with four round headlights and find them somehow attractive. At the time, the car I wanted was a Jaguar XJ from the mid-90s...and when I was older, and in a position to buy something, I initially wanted to find one of those. But when the time finally came, these cars from Crewe took centre stage of my attention. So why not aim for the very best? The only challenge was which Crewe car? To answer that question, I attended the 2018 RREC Annual Rally to gain an impression of the various models produced over the long lifespan of Rolls-Royce and Bentley. After one drive in a Turbo R, the die was cast! Before I get into the history of the car I finally bought, here's an anecdote. A good friend said in 2019, ‘If you buy a car like this, we'll go to Blenheim Palace in England to celebrate 100 years of Bentley Motors.’ Well, it happened, and my car was parked there with 1,320 other Bentleys in front of the birthplace of Winston Churchill. The hundreds of Aston Martins, Porsches and McLarens, »

R R & B D M AY/ J U N E 2 0 2 2

PERSONAL CHOICE BENTLEY TURBO R

Joschka at the wheel

Green badges unique to this year go perfectly with Racing Green paint

which were also there as part of their clubs, were discreetly put in their place. It just didn't make it into the Guinness Book of Records because someone was probably too lazy to count!

THE VEHICLE ITSELF In the summer of 2019, I found the one for me. PCX46761 is a standard Turbo R with the shorter wheelbase,

Racing Green on the outside and beautiful Magnolia on the inside. The carpets are Portland Stone while the contrast piping for the seats and the dashboard cover is Spruce Green. Small etymological digression: The word spruce comes from ‘z Prus’, which means ‘from Prussia’ (a former German state until 1947) in Polish and then found its way into the English language as ‘spruce’ via the Hanseatic League.

...but back to the car! It was equipped with a factory-installed telephone (‘RT-Kit’) which was removed by the previous owner; an Alpine 7618 head unit (their high-end tape deck back in the day) and separate 4x25W Alpine 3501 audio amplifier with a 5952Z CD changer in the trunk. It was also uprated with the factory-offered ‘Transient Boost Kit’ (RH20033 / RH3136), which increases the engine

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output from 328 to 360 hp and thus to the level of the 1994/’95 models. The FM radio as well as the CD changer and the cassette deck are used regularly in alternating order – and music will soon be available through a custom-made Bluetooth adapter to the CD-changer port. There is no reason to install a new, optically unsuitable radio in there! I personally like the combination of automatic selector lever in the centre console with driver airbag and no front passenger airbag, but a massive glove compartment door instead. In addition, we have the decorative chrome stripe on the bonnet (no longer there from ‘94) and the green emblems, which is unique for this model year. To be honest, I've never entirely made friends with the red badges…! This car was one of only 13 shortwheelbase cars delivered to Germany in the 1993 model year, while only four long-wheelbase examples came here (credits to Marinus Rijkers – see rrsilverspirit.com). A total of 141 Turbo Rs with a short wheelbase and 62 with a long wheelbase were built worldwide for that model year, making the production total one of the lowest during the lifespan of the SZ-cars.

FORENSIC SCIENCE I took a deep dive into the history of this particular Turbo R. The first sign of life is a ‘New Car Order Fax’, dated April 15, 1993. This was sent by a dealer called Auto-König in Munich, Germany and received by Rolls-Royce at 12:43:57am (How’s that for detail? -Ed). According R R & B D M AY/ J U N E 2 0 2 2

to the guarantee card, the car was ordered by the Warning company from Dreieich, near Frankfurt am Main, which still exists today under new management at a different address. On 31st May 1993, Rolls-Royce Motors Cars International SA then sent an invoice from Switzerland to the dealership: 252,477 Deutschmarks (£100,990) before taxes for this new ‘Crewe's Missile’. The next document is a ‘computer message’ on 22nd June 1993 at 3:52pm, wherein Rolls-Royce International SA confirmed the receipt of payment to the factory and asked for the vehicle to be released as soon as possible. In a Delivery and Advice Note dated 28th June 1993, the ordering retailer was then informed that the car would be delivered by 30th June – pretty quick work. The works documents now show that the ashtray got ‘lost’ on the way from England to the south of Germany. It seems that somebody took a souvenir while they transported the car... luckily, with a few hectic internal faxes between people called Johann, Richard, Marie-Rose and Graham at RollsRoyce HQ, the problem was resolved, and a new ashtray was on the way. At Auto-König, the car went to its first custodian: the owners of the Warning company. The price of DM 252,477 then became DM 348,418, as the 20% Auto-König margin and 15% VAT had to be included. That was £139,367 back then, and adjusted for inflation, that’s €281,708 or £236,661 in today’s money! After delivery to the owners of the

Warning company (to Mr. Werner and Christa Warning), the car was driven enthusiastically for a number of years. Mr Warning was a big Anglophile and bought the car because his then-new Aston Martin Lagonda was plaguing him with that model’s well-known problems and he wanted something more reliable. Unfortunately, »

Rüdiger Czakert, owner of Auto-König from 1975-2009 in the company's showrooms from 2003.

SUPPLYING DEALER Auto-König was a supplier of luxury automobiles in Munich from 1934 to 2009 and one of the last independent dealers in Germany. In 2009 the company had to file for bankruptcy in the wake of the financial crisis. The successor company of the former owners operates today under the name ‘C&C Premiumcars’. The company Schuttenbach Automobile, which was later taken over by Bernd Pischetsrieder (CEO of BMW 1993-1999 and VW 2002-2006), now resides in the former premises of Auto-König.

PERSONAL CHOICE BENTLEY TURBO R

Joschka managed to capture the moment his car completed its first 100,000km

Joschka was lucky to find the overmats as they had to be a) in Portland Stone, b) for a Bentley, c) for SWB cars and d) for left-hand drive

Splendid original stereo head unit now running with all pixels

Mr. Warning died unexpectedly in 1996, which is why his wife Christa gave the car to a Frankfurt dealership called Saturski. Sadly, the Saturski dealership no longer has any documentation of where and to whom they sold the car. From 1996 to the next trace in 2008, I’m still in the dark about the car’s story, and my research continues. The biggest problem at this point is human frailty: everyone involved in the sale or early maintenance of the car has already passed away. The next documented record does not appear until 27th May 2008. At this point Bentley Düsseldorf accepted the car with a mileage of 48,437 km for a service. After that, the car was sold by them to a new owner in Spain. Unfortunately, for reasons of privacy, the dealer did not wish to disclose more history. However, thanks to the hard work of a later owner (and a friendly employee in an embassy!), a Spanish registration of the car from Barcelona dated 30th July 2008 was found. The owner at the time was a real estate developer of Russian origin residing in Barcelona. He bought the car that same year and sold it a year later, as he

Gear selector had moved to the centre console by 1993

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was presented with a rather high bill from Bentley Barcelona regarding the repair of the windshield-wiper linkage. Furthermore, he wasn’t pleased with the ride of the car, so he decided to let it go. Tom Witzel of Tom’s Club Garage in Limburg, near Frankfurt am Main, then transferred the car from Spain to Germany and sold it to the next owner, a doctor from Düsseldorf, who took over on 8th July 2009. After three years the car changed hands again on 24th October 2012. The mileage of the car at this point was 64,220km. The 4th and 5th owners were two brothers in Koblenz and after changing ownership from one brother to the other in 2015 and now at 73,251km, the car passed over to the 6th and current owner near Hannover (my humble self!) - on 11th August 2019. Incidentally, as of today, the car has now exceeded 100,000km...

OWNERSHIP EXPERIENCE & MAINTENANCE The general reception of the German public is quite positive – never have

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I received a negative comment. But strangely they either think it’s a Rolls-Royce (because there’s a hood ornament) or a Jaguar (because of the green paint). The biggest impact seems to come from the magnolia interior and the walnut veneer, which can rarely be found in our Teutonic

competitors, and easily draws attention from people walking by. Of course, such cars also require maintenance. However, in addition to the usual service, the work I had to do was limited to new woofers in the four doors (the surrounds had crumbled) with additional sound »

PERSONAL CHOICE BENTLEY TURBO R

There's the reproduction cap (Part UR 71751) that started Joschka's business

deadening, plus an overhaul of the radio to correct a display with dead pixels. The rebuild of the fuel distributor’s ruptured membrane and the mixture control unit’s faulty potentiometer were done directly at Bosch. The car has been serviced by Tom's Club for the last ten years, but is now mostly serviced by myself. More often than not, my curiosity as an engineer is getting the upper hand!

FOUNDING A COMPANY Now we come to the part where the car’s influence on my life becomes apparent. You may have been asking yourself why all this is so important to me…well, it’s like this. As a proud new owner, I visited the previous keeper of the car in autumn 2019 and after a pleasant meal, he pointed out to me that a wheel lock cover had been lost on one hub cap. Well, my 3D printer was waiting for new ideas at home. Winter was coming

Joschka with a 3D printer and a likely customer

“...strangely they either think it’s a Rolls-Royce (because there’s a hood ornament) or a Jaguar (because of the green paint).” and the rims were supposed to be re-done as part of various painting work anyway, so the idea of simply recreating this one missing part (UR71751) came about. Young as I am, this was naturally shared on social media – and caught the attention of IntroCar, Flying Spares and Park Ward Motors. From then on, this product was included in their range and every buyer of the caps (and the other shaped ones) now drives around with the same silver shade, which finishes the wheels on my car perfectly. The story could have ended here, but it doesn't. In July 2020, in the middle of the COVID crisis, my employer went bankrupt and ceased operations. In such situations, most people go

looking for a job, but I decided to do the opposite: to become self-employed and to found my own company. So I now produce spare parts for historic and modern cars (and, in the meantime, yachts!) with the help of 3D modelling, 3D scanning and 3D printing. I hope I can tell you more about this and what has happened since summer 2020 in a future issue, but for now, I’m enjoying life not only as a Bentley owner but also as part of the industry – and all thanks to my Turbo R. ■ THANKS TO: Joschka wishes to credit IntroCar’s Annika Impallomeni for checking his written English. Thanks Annika!

SHOW US YOUR PRIDE AND JOY If you fancy seeing your own Rolls-Royce or Bentley within these pages, it couldn’t be easier! We’re interested in any model of any age – and even its condition isn’t important, as we’re just as keen to see ongoing projects as we are potential prize-winners. All you need to do is email us a small selection of

good quality jpeg images – and we’ll do the rest. Within your email, don’t forget to tell us a bit of history about your car, details of any work carried out, or perhaps your future plans for it. The more information, the better! Email us at rrb.ed@kelsey.co.uk – and don’t forget to send your photographs full-

size. The higher the resolution, the larger we can use your images. If you’d prefer to send non-digital photographs by post, that’s also no problem. Simply write to: The Editor, Rolls-Royce & Bentley Driver, Kelsey Publishing Ltd, The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Kent ME18 6AL.

M AY/ J U N E 2 0 2 2 R R & B D

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FROM THE ARCHIVES SPECIAL INTERVIEW

WHEN OASIS DROWNED A SHADOW We speak to the man who put a Rolls-Royce in a swimming pool for the cover of the Oasis album, Be Here Now. How was it really done? WORDS: NIGEL BOOTHMAN

t’s been 25 years since Oasis released their third album, Be Here Now. Just as they had for their previous albums, the band engaged the services of photographer Michael Spencer Jones to create the image for the cover. This was to be more involved than a shot of the band together in someone’s flat or walking down a street, with an elaborate visual composition planned around a striking rock n’ roll centrepiece…a Rolls-Royce in a swimming pool. Yes, they really did it, and no, it

PHOTOS: MICHAEL SPENCER JONES

wasn’t Photoshop. Before you fling the magazine across the room in disgust, we should explain that the car in question was an engineless hulk bound for the scrapyard, purchased for the shoot at a cost of only £1000. What’s more, the car’s starring role on the album sleeve may have led to its survival… but more of that later. We wanted to know the practical side of how a photographer arranges to dip a luxury car into someone’s swimming pool. First, find the right location. The site was Stocks House in Hertfordshire,

once owned by Victor Lownes, the proprietor of the Playboy Clubs in the UK, and a giver of somewhat hedonistic parties. The pool was directly in front of the house, and as Michael says, suited the shoot very well. ‘The view was ideal. The white Rolls-Royce arrived at Stocks the day before the shoot, albeit without an engine. The pool was empty and we planned to crane it in, position it as we wanted, then fill up the pool.’ Much more sensible than the approach taken by The Who’s drummer

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Keith Moon, who on his 21st birthday reputedly drove a Lincoln Continental into the swimming pool of the Holiday Inn at Flint, Michigan. But suggesting Liam Gallagher follow his example was not going to work for Michael’s photo. So up went the Shadow on the crane, and down into the empty pool to be held up with scaffold props so the nose would protrude from the surface. But first, one change. ‘It needed a more interesting registration number,’ explains Michael, ‘and it was suggested that it should be replaced with the number plate 28 IF, as seen on the VW car on the cover of The Beatles’ album Abbey Road. This was too obvious, so I decided it would be better to have the plate from the black police van on that sleeve, which was SYO 724F.’ Once the car was set to Michael’s satisfaction, the local fire brigade helped to refill the pool. Job done? Not quite. ‘The oil and dirt from the underside of the Rolls washed off in the water, creating a scummy mess on the surface,’ says Michael. ‘With the band's arrival imminent, I began to imagine their reaction. Luckily oil and water don’t mix, so with the aid of a rowing paddle, the top layer of oil and scum was carefully removed from the surface.’ With other props and the band in place, Michael began shooting, though his original idea – a night shoot – didn’t come off thanks to a generator failure and insufficient lighting. But one of the frames from the daytime session did the job, and on the back of Oasis’s vast wave of popularity, Be Here Now became the fastest-selling album in British history.

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“...a Rolls-Royce in a swimming pool. Yes, they really did it, and no, it wasn’t Photoshop.” But what of the car? We assumed that after an immersion and the loss of its engine, it would proceed directly to the crusher. Michael thinks not. ‘It was sold to an Oasis collector a year or so after the shoot and I doubt very much it has been scrapped, although you would need a large garage to keep such a car and I think a point may come when ownership may be a burden rather than a pleasure. So I think it’s definitely out there. The reason why

I mention this is because I would like to acquire it, if possible, and exhibit it.’ You can see the kind of work Michael’s produced, including the Oasis shoots, at www.spellboundgalleries. com. Now, a plea – MDH 119K hasn’t been taxed or MoT’d since 1993 and may have lost its plate, but if anyone has knowledge of what happened to the white Silver Shadow with the missing engine and the damp interior, please contact the magazine. ■

FROM THE ARCHIVES AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY

FROM THE ARCHIVES We take a look at the way any association with Rolls-Royce was used by suppliers to add value to their own image, and the products they sold WORDS: NIGEL BOOTHMAN

QUALITY BY ASSOCIATION All the advertisements in these pages were placed in a single issue of a car magazine back in 1970, in which a special feature was made of Rolls-Royce’s history and its then-current models. The advertising sales team must have had a field day, for here was a chance many companies would jump at: tell the world you

supply components for these wonderful cars. And while you’re at it, why not take a full page? Our first example concerns tyres, with both Avon and Dunlop claiming the status of supplier to the famous name. Avon goes with the undignified Shadow suspended on its factory jack, something that owners with rusty sills would never

dare try. What’s more, they mention Bentley, Aston Martin, Bristol and Rover in the same breath. Dunlop, on the other hand, emphasise history with the one marque that matters, even if they include this grudging acknowledgement: ‘Let’s admit it. We don’t supply all the tyres that Rolls-Royce use. But we do supply most of them.’ So there!

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EVERYTHING HAS ITS PRICE? Not for sale then, but the famous RR 1 – first issued in 1925 – did later change hands, setting records more than once. Indeed, H.R. Owen paid a world record £4800 for it in 1968, two years before running this advert. It sold most recently at the Bonhams Goodwood Revival sale in 2018, fetching a huge £460,000.

STOP IT! Girling did indeed supply a great deal for the Silver Shadow’s braking and suspension systems, which perhaps persuaded them to take an expensive colour-logo slot inside the back cover. Hopefully someone will recognise those palatial gates, with what looks like a crown or a ducal coronet on top. If so, please tell rrb.ed@kelsey.co.uk. Right: Ferodo’s claim – ‘Every Rolls-Royce model has been stopped by Ferodo’ sounds impressive until you remember that Ferodo had a near monopoly on brake linings for many years, and at some point, no doubt every model of car on sale in the UK had some of their linings on shoes or pads. Still, having one of the press fleet Shadows pouncing out of the page like that was a good reminder that brakes matter in large, fast cars.

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FROM THE ARCHIVES AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY

ANY OTHER BUSINESS? Though we didn’t quite find adverts from headlamp bulb suppliers or the people who made the windscreen wiper blades, a name like Connolly Leather was bound to feature. In a way it seems superfluous – were there any other hide specialists you thought of first? But when you’re at the top of the tree, it does no harm to remind everyone.

Much less well-known than Connolly Leather were the Hepolite pistons fitted to every Rolls-Royce (and Bentley) engine of the period. Hepworth and Grandage had been making pistons, piston rings, gudgeon pins and cylinder liners since 1907, and a descendent, P.H. Components Ltd (from Peter Hepworth) still supplies small volume, high quality parts to the automotive industry. It’s nice to think of van-loads of Hepolite pistons trundling down from Bradford to Crewe, isn’t it?

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REGIONAL REPRESENTATION Rolls-Royce was going through rather a grim time in 1970, as covered before in RR&BD. Losses incurred in the development of the RB211 jet engine were going to force liquidation the following year, when the car-making side of

R R & B D M AY/ J U N E 2 0 2 2

the business would be separated forever from the aerospace side. In the meantime, uneasy dealers jumped at the chance to remind anyone with the means to own a Rolls-Royce exactly where they should spend their money. After all,

just one order placed – or even one used example sold – would more than cover any advertising costs. Our favourite is Mann Egerton, encouraging the people of London, Norwich, Derby and Leicester into a chauffeur-driven drophead coupé.

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THE FINAL PAGE

NIGEL BOOTHMAN

RR&BD’s new editor remembers his first exposure to two great marques and examines their intertwined past. Are they really so different?

uring my 20 years as a classic car journalist, I’ve driven lots of Rolls-Royce and Bentley models of all ages, but it’s the first experience that sticks in your mind, isn’t it? I’m willing to bet that even those readers with many decades of Rolls-Royce or Bentley motoring behind them still recall their first drive in such a car, and with some clarity. My first Rolls-Royce was a beautiful two-door Silver Shadow by Mulliner Park Ward. It seemed exceptionally smooth, quiet and comfortable, just as I’d expected, but it also seemed to demand something of me: drive me neatly and calmly, with a bit of respect and composure. Perhaps this was emphasised by the owner remarking that he drove as though trying not to spill an imaginary glass of madeira resting on top of the dashboard. My first Bentley, by way of contrast, was a Turbo R. It belonged to a chap who was determined to show what it could do, and then when it was my turn, urged me to wring its neck so I could find out for myself. Exhilarating, and a very different experience. But mostly down to the difference in the owners, to be honest: either car could charge across continents at 100mph

“This history between two such famous names: partial rivalry, then sisterhood, then divergence and finally rivalry once more, is unique.” if asked; either car could whisper over city streets in limo-like comfort, too. Back when Rolls-Royce and Bentley were entirely separate and in competition for some niches in the market, it was obviously a different story. We had a Rolls-Royce 20hp saloon in the family for a while and it was a decorous old thing. Not fast or exciting but refined and relaxing, quite easy to drive, happiest at 40 or 50mph on its way to Sunday lunch. I had a chance to compare it to William Medcalf’s 3-litre Bentley with a rare, original saloon body. The Bentley was a very different animal, more demanding to drive and with an energy that suggested there was a sporting car underneath, trying to shake off the encumbering bodywork. Even after the acquisition of Bentley by Rolls-Royce in 1931, there was considerable effort made to keep the products distinct. That rather evaporated in the 1940s and 50s

(barring Bentley’s dashing Continentals) and it was only with the arrival of turbocharged Bentleys in the 1980s that we began to see the old sporting flavour re-assert itself. Since the two marques were separated in 1998, each has gone its own way once more. This history between two such famous brands: partial rivalry, then sisterhood, then divergence and finally rivalry once more, is unique. It’s left us with many fascinating cars, some separated by no more than a badge, some with a story all their own. But even when building very different cars, both marques did so with such a focus on quality that they feel close in spirit. So however you see yourself – sporting driver, connoisseur, or just someone who enjoys nice engineering – there’s a Rolls-Royce or Bentley that fits. Then, when you try a few others, you discover how much appeal these noble old names often share. ■

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Articles inside

AUSTRALIAN SHADOW

A TALE OF TWO DEMONSTRATORS

ANATOMY OF THE CONTINENTAL R&T

MEET THE EXPERTS: RS&E

ARNAGE & SERAPH COLLECTION

READERS’ LETTERS

FLYING SPUR V8 vs TURBO R

QUICK TEST: PHANTOM COUPE

SILVER DAWN BY GHIA