1913 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Tourer

One of the most severe tests for motor cars before World War I was the Austrian Alpine Trails. The extremely steep grades of the mountain passes were guaranteed to take their roll on both the cars and their drivers. In the 1912 Trials, a Silver Ghost driven by James Radley failed the demand of an incline and only when the passengers had left the car and helped by pushing it, did the car get underway again. Rolls-Royce was shocked and immediately set out to identify the reasons for the car's failure, since Silver Ghosts had been tested on equally steep inclines in Scotland. Rolls-Royce had not taken into account the lower atmospheric density of the high Alps. The solution to these challenges was known as the 'Continental' model, which had a taller radiator for better cooling, a larger carburetor and the addition of a lower ratio fourth gear for better hill climbing. On their return in 1913, Radley and his Rolls dominated the rally with a top speed of 80 mph. This car has the 'Continental' modifications. It is fitted with a recreation of its original Portholme Tourister body, and has toured over 25,000 miles since restoration in the late 1990s.