| Rolls Royce is a name synonymous with style | | | | coachwork was built externally for many years |
| and elegance; the cars made by this company | | | | but Rolls Royce changed this in 1959 with the |
| are renowned for their luxurious nature as | | | | release of the Phantom mark IV. |
| well as the quality of their design and | | | | |
| manufacture. | | | | Apart from making cars, Rolls Royce has a |
| | | | history of supplying vast numbers of |
| Dating back over one hundred years the car | | | | aeronautical engines for the British |
| company has made models for the rich and | | | | military. At times, especially during the |
| famous and today, to own a Rolls Royce can be | | | | twenties, the aeronautical industry formed |
| seen as marker of success, wealth and | | | | most of the business for the company. Royce, |
| opulence. The company started from modest | | | | going back to his mechanical background |
| beginnings and has etched a niche in the | | | | enjoyed engine design; the last engine he was |
| luxury car market and created one of the | | | | able to design was the Merlin, an engine that |
| recognisable and well known brands globally. | | | | powered many of Britain's World War Two |
| | | | planes. |
| Rolls Royce traces its history back to 1884 | | | | |
| when Frederick Henry Royce started a | | | | The planes that used this fantastic engine |
| mechanical and electric engineering business. | | | | were diverse and carried out many different |
| Based in Manchester the first car, simply | | | | roles for the allied war effort. The hero of |
| labelled 'The Royce' rolled of the production | | | | British bombing, the Avro Lancaster used four |
| line in 1904. During this year he was | | | | of them to get into the air while Wellingtons |
| introduced to a man that would help him start | | | | and Mosquitoes also employed the Rolls Royce |
| one of the most prestigious car manufacturers | | | | Merlin. Most famously was the use of the |
| the world has ever seen; that man was Charles | | | | Merlin in the fighters of the day, two heroes |
| Stewart Rolls. A deal was broken between the | | | | of the Battle of Britain, the Hawker |
| two men that Royce would manufacture cars | | | | Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire were both |
| while Rolls would sell them. | | | | powered by a Rolls Royce engine while the |
| | | | American P-51 Mustang, arguably the best |
| The manufacturing plant moved to Derby in | | | | fighter of its day also used the Merlin |
| 1908 and Rolls Royce as a company was | | | | engine. |
| officially born. The first model produced by | | | | |
| the company was the Silver Ghost and only six | | | | As well as many military uses the engines |
| thousand of the models were built in Derby (a | | | | built by Rolls Royce have powered some of the |
| further seventeen hundred were built in | | | | most recognisable engineering efforts of the |
| Springfield, Massachusetts to cope with | | | | twentieth century. Powering the cross channel |
| American demand). | | | | hovercraft to this day as well as the |
| | | | legendary Concorde, the contribution made by |
| The company then made a move to purchase | | | | Rolls Royce engines to the modern world is |
| rival Bentley in 1931 as Bentley had been | | | | hard to dispute. |
| struggling through the great depression. Up | | | | |
| until fairly recently, 2002 to be precise, | | | | The aircraft company endured financial |
| Bentley and Rolls Royce cars were almost | | | | difficulties during the seventies leading to |
| identical in many respects, minor aesthetic | | | | the company being nationalised for almost |
| differences were evident however. | | | | twenty years. The car company however avoided |
| | | | nationalisation and remains a separate entity |
| Two years later the company changed the | | | | to this day. Still a marker of wealth and |
| colour of its radiator badges from red to | | | | status the cars Rolls Royce produce are |
| black. For a long time this was considered a | | | | considered the ultimate in motor design. Used |
| mark of respect to the recently passed Royce | | | | by royalty and the super rich to this day the |
| but this however is a misconception; the | | | | company continues to go from strength to |
| reason for the change was that black clashed | | | | strength. |
| less with the colour of the coachwork. The | | | | |