Rolls-Royce

Rolls-Royce gallery

This is the famous silver lady that sits on top of the radiator grille. The inspiration for the legndary mascot was designed by the artist Charles Sykes. His muse was Eleanor Thornton, who was the wife of the second Lord Montagu of Bealieu.

While not the first ever Rolls, the Silver Ghost is arguably the most famous. Originally called the 40/50bhp, it earned its name after a car finished in aluminium paint completed an epic 7,000 mile publicity marathon in 1907.

The original Phantom replaced the Silver Ghost. Powered by a mighty 7.7-litre straight-six motor it proved to be an effortless cruiser. Built on both sides of the Atlantic, with US specification cars coming from Springfield, Massachusetts.

Rolls-Royce didn't just build cars. In the early Thirties it designed a 36.7-litre V12 aero engine called the R. Fitted in the Supermarine S6 it produced 2,500bhp, broke the airspeed record and won the prestigious Schenider Trophy air race.

Speed king Sir Malcolm Campbell used the mighty R engine in his record breaking Bluebird car. In September 1935 he clocked over 300mph on the Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah. The motor was also adapted for water, appearing in the famous 'Miss England' powerboats of the same decade.

Introduced in 1955, the Silver Cloud was a radical departure from previous Rolls-Royce designs. Underneath, though, it was a simple, but strong and over engineered car. A multi-coloured example was famously owned by Beatle John Lennon.

When it was launched in 1965 the Shadow was the first Rolls to feature a monocoque chassis. Further technological developments included a modified version of Citroen's advanced oleo-pneumatic suspension. Under the bonnet was a 6.75-litre V8 that still stars in the Bentley Arnage.

The Pininfarina styled Camargue is one of the most exclusive Rolls every made. In an production run that spanned between 1975 and 1986 just 530 were built. It was the first car to feature dual-zone climate control, which apparently took engineers 8 years to develop.

In 1980 the squared off Silver Spirit hit the road. Based on the old Shadow, it introduced Rolls-Royce owners to the benefits of fuel injection, ABS brakes and airbags. Also formed the basis for the rapid 150mph Bentley Turbo R.

In 1998 BMW bought the Rolls-Royce car making operation. The Seraph was launched in the same year and used a 5.4-litre V12 borrowed from its German parent. Unusually for a Rolls its production life was just four years. However, the shape still survives today as the Bentley Arnage.

The immense 5.8 metre long Phantom was the first Rolls to be developed under BMW ownership. It features suicide rear doors, a 453bhp 6.75-litre V12 and £250,000 price tag. It was also the first model to be built at the hi-tech Goodwood facility and not the old Crewe factory.

The stylish Drophead was launched last year and is a development of the 100EX concept car. Underneath it features Phantom mechanicals. Despite weighing well over two tons it will still sprint from stanstill to 60mph in 5.6 seconds. It is set to be joined next year by a fixed head coupe version.