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1927 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Landaulette de Ville / Limousine
The Silver Ghost (1906) cemented Rolls-Royce’s reputation as the manufacturer of “the best car in the world,” thanks to its cutting-edge engineering and the continuous improvements applied to each unit. However, by 1921, Henry Royce recognized that the Silver Ghost’s design had reached its evolutionary limit without compromising its hallmark smoothness and reliability—two essential qualities of the brand. This realization led to the development of its successor: the Phantom I.
In 1925, Rolls-Royce officially announced the New Phantom. To avoid confusion, the company established that the previous model would henceforth be officially named Silver Ghost, while the new chassis would carry the name New Phantom.
The Phantom I retained Rolls-Royce’s legendary smooth ride and, like its predecessor, was sold exclusively as a rolling chassis. This allowed customers to commission bespoke bodywork from the finest independent coachbuilders. It was available in two versions: long wheelbase, ideal for limousines and formal saloons, and short wheelbase, better suited for sportier configurations and owner-driven cars.
This limousine, part of our collection since 1993, was owned by Lady Anna Allegra Newman, born Hakim in Egypt and widow of the German diamond magnate Sigismund Neumann. The figure of Lady Newman is immortalized in three portraits displayed at the National Portrait Gallery in London.
The bodywork was crafted by the renowned Hooper company of Westminster, which from 1805 to 1959 supplied luxurious carriages and engines to a select and royal clientele, specializing more in limousines than in sports models. After manufacturing aircraft engines during the war and overcoming the Great Depression, they acquired the bankrupt rival company Barker in 1938.
The limousine’s style is known as the “sedancalelette”, with an open space for the driver and a convertible rear area over the luggage trunk. Both sections are separated by a fixed glass partition in the central part of the cabin, which features folding seats, a cushioned sofa, and wool carpeting. A trumpet horn communicates with the leather-upholstered driver’s seat. The windshield is foldable, and the wheels are covered by hubcaps. The high roof and three rows of windows recall those of the earlier Silver Ghost model.
Rolls-Royce had no doubt about the quality of Hooper’s finishes and the excellence of their work, offering buyers a three-year warranty on their models.
- Chasis: 81NC
- Carrocería: Hooper & Co
- Motor: L6 / 7.668 cc / 120 cv
- Producción: 2.212 uds (UK)
- Período: 1925-1931
