Rolls-Royce Phantom IV

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Rolls Royce
Rolls-Royce Phantom IV (formerly 'Abd al-Ilah, Prince Regent of Iraq), chassis no. 4BP3 (1953)
Rolls-Royce Phantom IV (formerly 'Abd al-Ilah, Prince Regent of Iraq), chassis no. 4BP3 (1953)
Phantom IV
Production period: 1950-1956
Class : Upper class
Body versions : Limousine , pickup , Pullman limousine , convertible , landaulet
Engines: Otto engine :
5.7 liters (121 kW)
Length: 5766-5817 mm
Width: 1956 mm
Height:
Wheelbase : 3683 mm
Empty weight : Chassis: 1336 kg
Previous model Rolls-Royce Phantom III
successor Rolls-Royce Phantom V

The Rolls-Royce Phantom IV was the most exclusive car Rolls-Royce ever made. Only 18 copies were made in the years 1950–1956 exclusively for crowned heads and presidents. 16 of them still exist today.

description

After the Second World War, Rolls-Royce did not actually want to revive the series of the “big” Phantom, but then decided to produce a few more vehicles for special customers.

The chassis was developed from that of the actual Phantom successor Silver Wraith , whereby it was significantly lengthened and strengthened. The wheelbase grew to 3.68 m, the vehicle length to 5.82 m. The Phantom IV was the only Rolls-Royce car to be equipped with an inline eight-cylinder engine.

The eight-cylinder in-line engine was particularly suitable for representation cars, as it could move the car for long distances at low speed. On the other hand, it was so strong that the car's acceleration could keep up with that of contemporary sports cars. It had a displacement of 5675 cm³ and developed an output of 164 bhp (121 kW). It was connected to a manual four-speed gearbox, from 1954 with a four-speed automatic. The top speed was 163 km / h.

All specimens of this particular model were bodyworked by independent wheelwrighters .

history

Rolls Royce Phantom IV (YOC 1954) from Princess Margaret

There are a number of theories about the origin of the Phantom IV, but most experts agree that the idea goes back to Prince Philip , who had a particular interest in owning a show car that was larger and heavier than the contemporary Silver Wraith.

In 1949, Rolls-Royce received an order from Princess Elisabeth and Prince Philip for a large limousine. Until then, the royal family preferred Daimler cars . A successor to the larger Phantom III had been postponed due to the poor economic climate after the World War, but was activated by the order. The production of the new car did not start at the company's headquarters in Crewe , but in the experimental “Clan Foundry” in Belper , where car production was located after the World War II.

The car was delivered in 1950 under the project name "Nahba". Initially painted in Valentine Green , it was later given a wine red / black paintwork.

The first Phantom IV, of the coronation of Princess Elizabeth the Queen in 1952 as the official state coach of the United Kingdom was still standing today in the royal garages and is sometimes used to members of the royal family and their friends to the royal races in Ascot to bring. This was the first of two Phantom IVs that Elizabeth II ordered. In 1954, another of these cars with a landaulet body was delivered to the royal vehicle fleet.

Other customers were the sister of Elizabeth II, Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon and the former Spanish dictator General Franco , whose three Phantom IVs (two limousines and a convertible) were specially made for him as state coaches in the service of King Juan Carlos .

List of the 18 copies made

chassis First owner Wheelwright Body type Body number / construction Original exterior color pad delivery date useful information
4AF2 Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh HJ Mulliner Sedan, 7 seats 5034/7162 First “Valentine Green” and then wine red / black Front: blue leather, back: gray fabric July 6, 1950 Hood ornament: St. George with the dragon, designed by the artist Edward Seago , made of silver; can be placed on the radiators of various vehicles. Equipped with a special driver's seat in case the Duke of Edinburgh wanted to drive himself. In it the Queen drove to the inaugural session of Parliament in 1954.
4AF4 Rolls Royce Park Ward Pick up ~ Gray ~ October 1, 1950 Test vehicle for the factory. It was dismantled in 1963.
4AF6 Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Shah of Persia HJ Mulliner Cabriolet 2 doors 5077/7205 blue / silver White 3rd December 1951 Scrapped in 1959.
4AF8 Abdullah III Al-Salim Al-Sabah, Emir of Kuwait HJ Mulliner Limousine 6 seats 5153/7206 beige / royal blue biscuit colors July 1951 ~
4AF10 Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester Hooper limousine 9663/8292 black fawn September 1, 1951 Can be seen in the film Arabesque (1966).
4AF12 Ernest Hives , Director of Rolls-Royce, then Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark, Duchess of Kent Hooper Sedan 7 seats 9719/8307 blue beige July 1, 1951 ~
4AF14 General Francisco Franco, President of Spain HJ Mulliner Sedan 5 seats 5035/7181 black beige June 13, 1952 Armored version (rear part)
4AF16 General Francisco Franco, President of Spain HJ Mulliner Sedan 7 seats 5036/7181 black beige 4th July 1952 Armored version (rear part)
4AF18 General Francisco Franco, President of Spain HJ Mulliner Cabriolet 4 doors 4945/7183 black green leather March 28, 1952 This car was officially used for the first time on July 18, 1952 for a victory parade. Armored version (rear part)
4AF20 Aga Khan III., Sultan Mohammed Shah Hooper Sedanca de Ville 9750/8293 dark green red leather May 1952 The sales contract contained a clause prohibiting resale. After Aga Khan's death, however, his widow sold the car to the Mayfair Lennox Hotel in Missouri , where it was used to transport guests to and from the airport. Because of its insufficient trunk volume, it was resold in 1962. At times the car was painted red metallic, recently its current owner had it repainted in the original green color.

Instead of the usual hood ornament, this car had a Lalique crystal figure in the shape of a bird of prey.

4AF22 Prince Talal of Saudi Arabia Franay (France) Cabriolet 4 doors - / 7183 cream white / green green leather June 1952 The only Phantom IV with a French body. This car was listed as Sedanca de Ville in the job description, but ultimately a 4-door convertible was built.
4BP1 King Faisal II of Iraq Hooper limousine 9890/8361 black red leather March 26, 1953 Specially made for the coronation ceremony.
4BP3 'Abd al-Ilah, Prince Regent of Iraq Hooper Touring sedan 7 seats 9891/8370 black light blue leather March 26, 1953 Specially made for the coronation ceremony of the nephew, King Faisal II. Years later, all members of the Royal Family were killed during the 1958 coup. At the time, the car was due for an inspection at Hooper in London and was preserved.
4BP5 Elizabeth II, Queen of Great Britain Hooper Landaulet 9941/8399 black / brown Front: blue leather, back: gray fabric May 1, 1954 Rolls-Royce kept this car especially for the British Queen. She finally bought it in 1959 and it was used by the Royal Family until the late 1980s.
4BP7 Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon HJ Mulliner Sedan 7 seats 5686/7368 black beige fabric July 16, 1954 The carriage was bought by Princess Margaret and she chose the Pegasus, designed by Edward Seago and manufactured by Louis Lejeune Ltd. was made in London as a hood ornament. The car was supplied with an adjustable driver's seat in case the princess wanted to drive herself.
4CS2 Abdullah III Al-Salim Al-Sabah, Emir of Kuwait HJ Mulliner Sedan 6 seats 5724/7376 Two-tone paint, green olive green leather February 1, 1955 ~
4CS4 Abdullah III. Al-Salim Al-Sabah, Emir of Kuwait HJ Mulliner limousine 5725/7376 golden copper and silver beige August 1955 ~
4CS6 Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Shah of Persia Hooper limousine 10177/8425 black, later repainted in burgundy gray leather October 1956 In 1977 the car was in London for “major repairs and new fittings”. After three years and repairs allegedly worth US $ 25,000, the car still remained in England. There were discussions about who the car ultimately belonged to, the deposed Shah or representatives of the Iranian embassy, ​​who said the car belonged to their country. Eventually the exiled Pahlavi family lost ownership of the property in a UK court. The car is currently on display in the National Car Museum of Iran .

literature

  • David Culshaw, Peter Horrobin: The Complete Catalog of British Cars 1895-1975. Veloce Publishing plc., Dorchester 1997, ISBN 1-874105-93-6 .

Web links

Commons : Rolls-Royce Phantom IV  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Rolls Royce Phantom IV , Rolls-Royce and Bentley, photos, reports and books from the archives of KJ Roßfeldt (English)
  2. ↑ a b c Darkforce: Rolls Royce Phantom IV (English)
  3. ↑ Bigott, Peter. Royal Transport: An Inside Look at the History of Royal Travel (English)
  4. ↑ Buckley, Martin: Cars of the Super Rich (English) ( Memento of the original from February 12, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / books.google.es
  5. ↑ Internet Movie Cars Database: 1951 Rolls-Royce Phantom IV Limousine Hooper (4AF10) (English)
  6. ^ Rolls-Royce Phantom IV , New York Magazine, March 17, 1980