1926 Rolls-Royce Phantom I

The Silver Ghost was in production for two decades, from 1906 through 1926, with over 7,870 examples built. Over the years many aspects of the vehicle had been perfected until there was only one way to go - build a replacement. The New Phantom was introduced in 1925 and came with a larger '40/50' hp engine. It was built in both the Derby, England plant and the Springfield, Massachusetts division of Rolls-Royce Motors.

This was the company's second 40/50 hp model, and to differentiate between the two models, Rolls-Royce named the new model 'New Phantom.' When the Phantom II was introduced in 1929 (which introduced an entirely new frame), the New Phantom was renamed Phantom I.

Powering the Phantom I was a pushrod Overhead Valve straight-6 engine built as two groups of three cylinders with a single detachable head. The 7.7-liter engine was installed in the same frame as the Silver Ghost, with semi-elliptical springs suspending the front axle, and cantilever springs for the rear axle. Braking was handled by 4-wheel brakes with a servo-assistance system licensed from Hispano-Suiza, although some early United States examples were without front brakes. They had a disc-type clutch and adjustable radiator shutters.

Rolls-Royce produced the chassis and mechanical parts, while the body was built to owner's specifications. The list of coachbuilders including Mulliner, Park Ward, Thrupp & Maberly, and Hooper (among others). American Phantoms could be acquired with standardized bodies from Brewster & Co., which was owned by Rolls-Royce.

During the production life span, lasting from 1925 through 1931, a total of 2,269 examples were built in the U.K., and 1,240 were built in the United States. The Derby-built models ran parallel with the Springfield cars but ended in 1929, whereas the Americans continued until 1931.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2020