You don’t have to go to uni to recognize the old automation they call it the Spirit of Ecstacy. In 1904 engineer Henry Royce met businessman slash car enthusiast Charlie Rolls in a quaint Manchester hotel for a spot of tea and to talk about Rolls-Royce’s first car.

How Rolls Royce was born

The Royce 10 was powered by 2 2-cylinder gasoline engine with U gasped with 10 Shetlands. Driving was more of an obsession for the upper class than an actual mode of transportation. But Royce’s car was nothing like their competition. 

That's because they were built under his strict code, “strive for perfection in everything you do and make it better”. Charles Royce was a cylinder snob, who preferred four or six-cylinder cars.  But he couldn't believe how remarkably smooth and quiet Royce’s car was. Rolls set aside and told Royce “If you build them then I'll sell them I’ll sell them” Thus Rolls-Royce was born.

Rolls-Royce's first car

In 1906 Rolls-Royce debuted their foremost major car design named the 40/50 because that was the car taxable hrprs. The 7-liter 6-cylinder engine was way ahead of its time relying on pressurized engine lubrication dual ignition and advanced carburization to give the cars both a smoothed and flexible power delivery. 

The car was released in 1907 and to prove how trustworthy it was, Claude Johnson the commercial and managing director of Rolls-Royce ordered one of the cars to be built with silver plated fitting. It was nicknamed Silver Ghost.

Silver Ghost

The Silver Ghost was driven 15,000 miles and never broke down. Even the people at Mercedes-Benz were like oh my God. Because it was so unbelievable they forgot what holy crap was in German. The 40/50 became the panicle of Automotive reliability. Wealthy people from all over the world lined up to pay the weeping unheard-of $4000 for the car. 

In today's money to be fair, that is a life of $105000. And that was only for Rolls chassis. You then had to take the car to Coachbuilder and drop another $50000 on the doors seeds and body panels. The rich didn't care and Henry Royce said, “The quality will remain long after the price is forgotten”.

In 1913 the 45/50 finished in the grueling 1820 miles really known as Alpenfarht, and by 1914 even the British military was buying them because they were literally built like tanks. after being crowned the Emperor of safety Rolls-Royce set its sights on becoming the king of power and speed.

R Engine( Fastest Machine)

In late 1920, the design for the legendary R engine was originally made for air racing purposes. It's tough showing a 37 liter V12 2800 HP engine under the hood of a car, but in a plane, the submarine as point S.6B prop plane becomes the fastest machine on earth. 

When it flew 407.5 mph that's the jet’s proportion speed. Also, why it is named a plane that is named after a submarine but also equally as awesome?

Fastest car

Car enthusiast Sir Malcolm Campbell took notice of the airplane's accomplishment and he thought maybe he could show the Roll Royce engine in a car. So then he decided to put the R-engine which was initially for aircraft engines, in the car. And named the car BlueBird.

In 1935, it became the first car to go over 300 miles per hour. On the first gear, the bluebird was capable of going hundred 110 miles per hour. On second gear, she can do just over 205 miles per hour. That is faster than any modern car like Ferrari, McLaren, or even Koenigsegg. 

Seeing the scenario of the automobile industry now, what are we doing for the past  80 years? Freaking Bluebird went over 300 mph did it even have seat belts? probably not. 

R-Engine was tested in water

With Rolls-Royce powering the fastest thing on land and in the air all that was left was to conquer the sea. In 1938 they completed the trifecta, by setting the water speed record of 103.91 mph in a hydroplaning power board named the Bluebird K3. Because I guess they ran out of names. 

After Rolls-Royce had proven it could be the most reliable and the most powerful engine, they set their sights on building the most luxurious cars. The only problem was that up until they had only made engines and chassis. They didn’t make the bodies.

Started building the whole car

So in late 1930, they started bringing luxury coachwork companies like Park Ward Limited in-house. The infamous Rolls Royce Wraith was a thing of magnificence that was still been produced by different coach Builders. In 1949 the Rolls-Royce silver Don became the first model to be offered with an actual Rolls-Royce board on earth it was a thing of elegance and beauty and its inline-six could get up to 94 miles in an hour.

The Beginning of Spirit of Ecstasy

The Silver Don was followed by the Silver Cloud in 1955 and marked the beginning of a consistent aesthetic design that included the giant Parthenon grill and spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament. With body and manufacturing sorted out Rolls-Royce started adding Prosperous and luxurious components to their cars things as electric razors and cigar humidors. 

Rolls-Royce which once was synonymous with reliability, where power was now thought of as primarily the fanciest vehicle on the road. And anything associated with the car is also considered fancy be it a celebrity or business person.

From 1955 through 1970 Rolls-Royce made bespoke versions of exclusive cars with relatively few aesthetic changes. Rolls-Royce has its own aesthetic. 

Fall of Rolls Royce

But by 1980, dropping Global markets and shrinking sales turned the once-great automaker into a tragic tale. Rolls Royce was sold and isolated and was again sold and again isolated. 

Over the next two decades, nobody really knew what to do with this brand. If you are only selling to a few people how you do float.

Finally, in 1998 BMW took over Rolls-Royce minus the Spirit of Ecstasy mascot. They could only borrow that which did for $40 million. And in 2003, Rolls-Royce opened its brand new Goodwood plant in Sussex, England, and totally redeemed itself.

Rise of Rolls-Royce

The new Rolls-Royce was like if you want to buy a fancy car you can go buy a Cadillac, a Lexus, or a Mercedes but if you want to drop a doublet in the executive bathroom you can buy a Rolls. In 2003 they demonstrated recommitment to giving their cars more power. 

They launched the Ultra Luxury Rolls-Royce Phantom VII in 2003. The car was a marvel of modern engineering just like George Luca’s Phantom Menace. The Phantom VII was a game-changer for Rolls-Royce with its 6.8-liter V12 engine launching the nearly 3-ton vehicle from 0 to 60 in under 6 seconds.

But it was the highly customizable aspects of the car that made it stand out it marked the merging of Rolls-Royce making the greatest luxurious car in the world pedigree with their make most powerful car engine origins.

Rolls-Royce started making Exclusive cars

Rolls-Royce realized that their exclusive clients wanted exclusive cars because nothing worse than spending half a million bucks on a car and then seeing a dozen of the same exact cars in a parking lot. So Rolls was like, “We give all of our customers 44000 Paints to choose from”. For the cushioning standard leather comes exclusively for Simmental bulls raised in moist regions with rich grasses to graze on so their hides don't dry out. And the interior team doesn't limit the color to a measly 44000 colors. 

They will let you pick any color you want even made-up colors like James Pumpernickel Brown and if you don't like bull hide, you can choose from lots of other materials like an ostrich, alligator even rodent pelts. For trim pieces, there are hundreds of wood and synthetic trims to choose from. If you want something super Omega top Toblerone fancy. You can have literal diamonds inlaid into the trim. You can choose the color of your $700 door umbrella and of course, the spirit of Ecstasy comes in your choice of metals or illuminated crystals but while opulent all these customized looks don't really change the car.

In 2014 Rolls-Royce decided to show the world that could make cars that could handle them and they unveiled the reimagined Wraith. These entry-level Rolls start at just a dollar 317000 and squeeze 624 HP from their V12. It’s purposefully lighter and more nimble. Yes, it's an enormous Rolls-Royce but its more compact wheelbase and sportier suspension mean you are going to want to take it to anyone instead of your chauffeur.

Most Expensive Rolls-Royce car

In 2017, Rolls unveiled the most expensive new car in the history of new cars up until this year the Rolls-Royce Sweptail. They used the privately commissioned 13 million dollar car as a conceptual launching point for the newest bespoke option known as a coachbuilder. Their coach-build service offers customers who are unrestrained by time or money the opportunity to design and build their own custom Rolls. The ever-present Phantom now makes 563 HP from a Twin-Turbo V12.

The Ghost II is soldering on and figures as classical new as it did when it came out first. The Wraith is still kicking through corners and it's been joined by its convertible cousin the Dawn. Nice name Nicer the looks. They also have a Black Badge edition Wraith that makes 40 more HP. 

Rolls-Royce's SUV named after the largest Diamond 

They even have an SUV now, the Cullinan is everything Rolls-Royce has ever been more and more. It’s named after the largest diamond ever found and before you get upset that it's not named after a Ghost and like others. The Diamond is named after Thomas Cullinan and the Cullinan is unique among Royces because of its rear liftgate and all-wheel drive.

The new ghost isn't out yet but even in its camo covering it looks linear and more aggressive than its earlier brethren and that’s saying a lot.

Rolls Royce’s aren't for everybody that obvious. But even if you are rolling in some other $50000 car and if one pulls up next to you you'll feel like a sting of envy, wishing you were driving that Rolls Royce.

 Strive for Perfection in everything you do. Take the best that exists and make it better. When it does not exits, Design it

- Sir Henry Royce, English Engineer, and car designer