1965 Rolls-Royce Phantom V Limousine de Ville

This bespoke Rolls-Royce Phantom VI has limousine coachwork by James Young. They would produce eleven 'open-drive' sedanca de ville bodies for the Phantom V chassis, with most of those to the coachbuilder's PV22 or PV23 touring limousine designs. This particular example is the only one built to the Sedanca de Ville version of design number PV15. It has a formal roofline, seven-passenger seating, dual front and rear air conditioning systems, and a leather-upholstered rear compartment with a power-adjustable seat, facing a lighted bar, Mazal clock, and Motorola tape deck. It has an early body (number 9053) mounted on a later Phantom V chassis, which indicates it may have begun life as a standard limousine before it was converted to its current James Young coachwork.

The exterior is finished in ivory white and royal blue with panels of 'sham cane.' It was shown at the Earls Court Motor Show in 1965 where it was awarded a bronze medal. After the show, it was delivered to the original owner B.P. Jenks, of Astbury Hall in Bridgnorth, Shropshire. It may have been exported to the United States early in its life; in July 1972 it was advertised for sale in the New York Times. A short time later it entered the custodianship of Dr. Erle M. Heath of Pittsburgh, who later sold it to Dr. Samuel Scher, who advertised it for sale in 1981. In 1987 it was acquired by the Behring Collection, and several years later was acquired by its current caretaker.

By Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2022