MODEL HISTORY

First introduced in late 1906, the Rolls-Royce 40/50hp was the model that established the marque's reputation as the builder of 'the best car in the world'. It went into production in 1907 and lasted until 1926, and was made in both the UK and the USA - the latter at Rolls-Royce's factory in Springfield, Massachusetts.

The 40/50hp was originally fitted with a 7-litre straight-six engine, which featured a seven-bearing crankshaft and pressurised lubrication system, and the model was soon proving itself via its impressive performance in reliability trials. In 1907, one car covered 15,000 miles under official RAC observation - a total that including taking part in the Scottish Reliability Trial - and its only involuntary stop during that period was when a petrol tap shook itself closed on rough roads.

Registered AX 201, that particular car was called 'the Silver Ghost', a name that would retrospectively be applied to the entire 40/50hp range after it had been replaced by the Phantom.

The engine was enlarged to 7.5 litres from 1910, and the following year a 40/50hp famously drove from London to Edinburgh and back using only top gear - a remarkable demonstration of the car's flexibility. Early reports mentioned not only that, but also the model's overall quality, smoothness and refinement.

Taking part in such trials generated invaluable publicity, but also helped to improve the model throughout its production life. After a disappointing showing in the 1912 Alpine Trial, for example, Rolls-Royce returned the following year with cars featuring a four-speed gearbox in place of the old three-speed unit, improved cooling and bigger brakes. At the time, the brakes operated on the rear wheels only. Not until the early 1920s did front brakes - complete with servo assistance - become available.

The modifications made to the successful 1913 Alpine Trial cars were then carried over to the production cars in the shape of the sporting Alpine Eagle Speed Model, and a total of nearly 8000 Silver Ghosts were built during the course of its life. As the car that established the foundation upon which the Rolls-Royce legend was built, it is still revered more than a century later.

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