Rolls-Royce, one of the world’s most famous luxury car makers, turns 115 this year. Over that time, it has created some of the most iconic vehicles of all time and all have featured the same attention to detail and all-British craftsmanship.
It was in 1904 that Charles Rolls and Henry Royce met up in Manchester and agreed to form an all-new car manufacturer. 115 years on, it’s one of the top luxury car makers in the world.
But which are the best cars it has created? We’ve picked out seven of the best from Rolls-Royce.
Phantom VII
It would be hard to make this list without mentioning the Phantom. Often seen as the first in a new wave of Rolls-Royce cars, the Phantom was the opening offering from the company after being purchased by BMW.
It featured next-level degrees of luxury, and it was powerful, too. Though many gawked at the prospect of a BMW-owned Rolls-Royce, the partnership revealed that it could be a fruitful one.
Silver Shadow
The Silver Shadow is undeniably Rolls-Royce. Big, wafty and hard to miss, it looks luxurious even by today’s standards. Back in the 1960s it was like nothing else, and that’s one of the reasons why it proved quite so popular.
Beloved by movie stars and musicians, the Silver Shadow was available with one of two V8 engine choices – producing up to 189bhp. Not much power in modern times, but more than enough for the sixties.
Silver Wraith
The Silver Wraith was the first car to come out of Rolls-Royce after the Second World War. It was designed to replace the Wraith as the smaller car in the firm’s range, because post-war austerity might see a big, luxurious car frowned upon.
Naturally, this being a Rolls-Royce, small and austere are relative terms. Under the bonnet sat a 4.2-litre straight-six cylinder engine that had been destined for the Bentley Mark V, a project that was cancelled when war broke out.
It was one of the last Rolls-Royces to be offered in chassis-only form.
Corniche
The classy Corniche had a troubled start to life, again caused by the Second World War. The name was first applied to a prototype based on the Bentley Mark V, and undertook extensive testing before being blown up at the onset of war while waiting at Dieppe docks to return to England.
The name was eventually revived in 1971, and was applied to an elegant two-door coupe and convertible. The long bonnet wasn’t just a design feature but a requirement to hold Rolls’ standard 6.75-litre V8. Just 1,306 were made at the company’s London factory, Mulliner Park Ward.
Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe
If the Phantom is the formal Rolls for being chauffeured between business meetings, the Drophead Coupe is designed for the casual weekend away. Designed to feel much more informal, and to be the kind of car you want to drive rather than be driven in, the drop-top is the perfect companion for a relaxed countryside drive in summer.
While Rolls-Royces are better known for silently cruising across town, with the roof down you get a better hint of the massive 6.75-litre V12 engine, which has a refined yet angry note that hints at the 435bhp it can deploy.
Rolls-Royce Cullinan
Some might call it sacrilege, but for Rolls-Royce the Cullinan is a money-spinning no-brainer. The brand’s first SUV has received mixed review for its styling, but there’s no denying that it’s worthy of the Spirit of Ecstasy badging once you’re inside.
Plenty of space, lots of performance on tap, and the kind of sumptuously smooth ride you expect from the world’s leading luxury marque. The fact you can also recline on some of the finest leather out there, and even sip champagne that’s been chilled in a fridge in the back, is just the icing on the cake.
Dawn Black Badge
Rolls-Royce customers have a reputation for preferring to let someone else do the driving, but in the Black Badge models, Goodwood’s finest have created something that’s catered to those who want to drive.
Chief among the changes is a tidy power hike that gives the Dawn 593bhp, which is supercar performance in something that’s more like the drawing room of an exclusive country club than a car. There are also black details throughout, including the Spirit of Ecstasy on the bonnet.
Rolls-Royce Sweptail
In recent years, Rolls-Royce has upped its personalisation game, and now its bespoke, one-off models capture the imagination. If you have enough money, almost any idea is fair game, as evidenced by the Sweptail model revealed in 2017.
Based on the Phantom, it was commissioned by an unnamed person who worked directly with the design team over four years. The front looks very similar to the standard Phantom, but the rear has an elegant sweeping design inspired by 1930s Rolls-Royces. A neat touch inside is an automated system that deploys a bottle of champagne at the touch of a button.