Rolls Royce 40/50 Phantom II P2 Series Continental Sports Coupe by Freestone & Webb
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Automobilhersteller : |
Rolls Royce |
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Modell: |
40/50 Phantom II P2 Series Continental Sports Coupe by Freestone & Webb |
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Jahr: |
1931-1936 |
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Art: |
Coupe |
Royce had body designer Ivan Evernden build him a one-off short-wheelbase Phantom. Designated 26EX, the car had a tuned engine, five-leaf springs that were stiffer than standard and a Barker four-seat lightweight close-coupled saloon body painted with an artificial pearl lacquer made from ground herring scales. The sales department initially showed no interest in 26EX but, when Evernden returned to the office from the 1930 Biarritz Grand Concours d'Elegance, where 26EX had won the Grand Prix d'Honneur, he found that the sales department had already announced the new "Phantom II Continental Saloon", prepared a brochure for it, and costed it.
According to Evernden, neither he, Royce, nor the Rolls-Royce sales department had written specifications for the "Continental" model, although he and Royce had a clear specification in mind. Based on Evernden's writings and examination of company records, historian Ray Gentile determined that the common specifications of the Continental chassis were the short wheelbase and stiffer, five-leaf springs. By this definition, two hundred and eighty-one Continental Phantom II's were produced, including 125 left-hand drive versions.
Regarded as the two most important P-II Continentals are 20MS and 2SK, the only two P-II Continental Roadsters ever built. 20MS has been in a private Mid-Atlantic collection since 1989, 2SK, the Thrupp and Maberly Roadster once owned by Tyrone Power, was sold at auction in 2010.
The Carlton Carriage Company originated from a group of coachbuilding companies. The name of the original firm was Motor Car Industries; one partner began trading as the Kelvin Carriage Company in 1924 and changed its name to Carlton in 1926. The firm started displaying at the Olympia Motor Show in 1927 and moved from more conventional coachwork to the more sporting drophead and coupé de ville coachwork, for which it became known, with approximately 50 bodies mounted to Rolls-Royce chassis between 1927 and 1939. The Carlton drophead body was so successful that it was used on nine Phantom II chassis, with this being the only Continental. Other chassis adorned with the Carlton drophead included Bugatti and the Hispano-Suiza J-12, with many more coachbuilders “borrowing” Carlton’s design cues.
Hooper & Co. of London was established in 1807 in Haymarket. By 1904 they had opened their famous showrooms at 54 St. James Street, Piccadilly in London’s fashionable west end.
The firm was unique in that they held Royal Warrants from approximately 1920 until the firm closed its doors in the 1950s – indelibly associating Hooper coachwork with England’s Royal Family by providing bespoke automobiles through nine reigns of Kings & Queens of England. At one time or another, Hooper & Co. have had Royal Warrants granted by virtually every one of the crowned heads of Europe.
