1914 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost

Sold for $2,205,000 at 2020 Gooding & Company : Amelia Island.
This sporty Silver Ghost proudly wears the original Torpedo Phaeton coachwork that was built for it by Kellner of Paris. The car was ordered through Rolls-Royce of France for a Portuguese customer named M.M. Castanheira, Lima & Rugeroni Ltd. and it remained in Portugal for most of its life. While in Portugal the body was separated from the chassis, and when the car returned to England in the 1970s it was in rather sorry condition; it was just the chassis and engine with two crudely built seats. Its current owner bought the chassis in 2009, and in 2012, much to his relief, the original Kellner body was discovered in The Netherlands, and the chassis and body were reunited. The car was then shipped to Ohio to be fully restored. Many of its original French accessories are still intact, including a cocktail cabinet and other traveling accoutrements in the heavily ornamented, burled walnut rear passenger compartment.

The coachbuilding Georges Kellner firm of Paris was established in the 19th century as a manufacturer of carriages. Kellner's son Georges Jr. facilitated its transition to motorcars. Kellner, with assistance by designer J. Frank de Causse, is credited with the creation of the torpedo body style.

It is believed that Kellner bodied a total of 26 examples of the 1914 Silver Ghost with 10 being open body styles, including this example which wears body number 4472. After the current owner was able to locate the original Kellner body in 2012, its placement on its original chassis was completed in just four hours, requiring no modifications, with all holes, fittings, and contact points aligning perfectly.

This Rolls-Royce is finished in black and has matching leather and canvas top, and black-painted Dunlop wire wheels. There are correct French Bleriot lights with full electric systems, and twin horns, one of which is a six-tube Le Testophone. There is a rare Quadruple Elliott speedometer, tachometer and altimeter, dual side-mounted spares, and running board-mounted tool chest.

The interior accommodates two passengers in both its front and rear compartments. The driver and front passenger seats are positioned within view of the full complement of gauges used to monitor all mechanical systems. The rear occupants are surrounded by cabinetry filled with extensive vanities, travel accessories, and drinking accouterments.

In 2017, this Rolls-Royce earned a class win and the Chairman's Trophy at the Concours d'Elegance of America, the Francis Eden-Little Trophy for Best Silver Ghost at the 2018 Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts' Club's Rally & Concours d'Elegance, and the Most Elegant Rolls-Royce Trophy at the 2019 Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este.

In 2019 it was certified by FIVA.

Modern amenities to make it more suitable to modern driving include turn signals, brake lights, and a self-starter.