1937 Rolls-Royce 25/30HP Wingham Cabriolet

The Rolls-Royce Company has a tradition of offering two models to its clients. The first is a large, stately vehicle intended mainly to be driven by chauffeur. The second model is a smaller 'owner-driven' model that has been engineered with the same silent smoothness. During the era of the Phantom III, between 1935 and 1938, the owner-driven model was the 25/30.

The Rolls-Royce 25/30 was powered by an enlarged, more powerful version of the inline six-cylinder engine that had been used previously in 20/25. The engine offered approximately 115 brake horsepower at 4,500 RPM and had a top speed in the neighborhood of 80 mph.

Building elegant coachwork on shorter chassis was very difficult and many examples were often high-roofed exercises that were rather unappealing. This Wingham Four-Door Cabriolet, fitted to the short chassis, is rather elegant. The work was performed by Martin Walter Ltd., of Folkestone, Surrey.

The convertible top design was used with permission from German coachbuilder Glaser. This car features the convertible top, four doors, and front quarter windows.

This bodystyle was not solely reserved for the 25/30 chassis, and was used by Martin Walter on a variety of chassis. It is believed to have been used on three Rolls-Royce 25/30s, of which this car, chassis number GLP 10, was one. It is believed that the car was commissioned by the Rootes Group for one of their directors and was acquired in the early 1970s by collector Don Criteser. Mr. Criteser would keep the car for 30 years. During that time, the car was treated to a restoration.

The car has 55,436 recorded miles and is finished in a combination of silver and maroon, with a new maroon canvas top and wool carpets.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2014