View source for Rolls-Royce Phantom I

{{short description|Ultra-luxury flagship automobile in its first generation}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2017}}
{{For|a list of all Rolls-Royce Phantom generations|Rolls-Royce Phantom (disambiguation){{!}}Rolls-Royce Phantom}}
{{Infobox automobile
| name = Rolls-Royce New Phantom
| image = 1929 Rolls-Royce Ascot Tourer Brewster - svr (4609637506).jpg
| caption = 1929 Rolls Royce Phantom Ascot Tourer
| manufacturer = [[Rolls-Royce Limited|Rolls-Royce Ltd]] (UK)<br>[[Rolls-Royce of America]] (US)
| aka = 40/50 Phantom<br>Phantom I
| production = 1925&ndash;1931<br>3,512 produced
*2,269 at Derby
*1,243 at Springfield
| assembly = United Kingdom: [[Derby]], England<br>United States: [[Springfield, Massachusetts]]<ref name=kimes1996>{{cite book |last1=Kimes |first1=Beverly R. |editor1-first=Henry A. |editor1-last=Clark |pages=1307–1308 |title=The Standard Catalog of American Cars 1805-1945 |year=1996 |publisher=Kraus Publications |isbn=0873414780}}</ref>
| class = [[Luxury vehicle|Luxury car]]
| body_style = 4-door [[sedan (car)|saloon]]
| layout = [[FR layout]]
| engine = {{convert|7668|cc|cuin|0|abbr=on}} [[Straight-six engine|I6]]
| transmission = 3-speed [[manual transmission|manual]]<br>4-speed [[manual transmission|manual]]
| wheelbase = {{ubl
  | {{cvt|143+1/2|in|mm|0}}
  | US LWB: {{cvt|146+1/2|in|mm|0}}
  | UK LWB: {{cvt|150+1/2|in|mm|0}}
  }}
| predecessor = [[Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost|Silver Ghost]]
| successor = [[Rolls-Royce Phantom II|Phantom II]]
}}

The '''Rolls-Royce Phantom''' was [[Rolls-Royce Limited|Rolls-Royce]]'s replacement for the original [[Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost|Silver Ghost]]. Introduced as the '''New Phantom''' in 1925, the Phantom had a larger engine than the Silver Ghost and used pushrod-operated [[overhead valve]]s instead of the Silver Ghost's [[Flathead engine|side valves]].

The Phantom was built in [[Derby]], England, and [[Springfield, Massachusetts]], in the United States. There were several differences in specification between the English and American Phantoms.

The Phantom was replaced by the [[Rolls-Royce Phantom II|Phantom II]] in 1929. The designation '''Phantom I''' was never used by Rolls-Royce; it is a construct of enthusiasts applied to help distinguish it from other generations with the same model name.

==Description==
[[File:Paris - Retromobile 2014 - Rolls-Royce Phantom I limousine - 1926 - 002.jpg|left|thumb|1926 Phantom limousine]]
[[File:1927 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Windover Tourer.JPG|thumb|left|Derby New Phantom [[tourer]] by Windovers 1927]]
[[File:Rolls-Royce Phantom I Tourer by Hooper (1926) (52874866525).jpg|left|thumb|1926 Phantom Tourer by Hooper interior ]]

===Name===
Introduced in 1925, the New Phantom was Rolls-Royce's second [[Tax horsepower#Britain|40/50&nbsp;hp]] model.  To differentiate between the 40/50&nbsp;hp  models, Rolls-Royce named the new model "New Phantom" and renamed the old model "Silver Ghost", which was the name given to their demonstration example, Registration No. AX201.<ref name="TheRollsRoyce9" /> The name Phantom was a nod to the previous "Silver Ghost", remarking on the vehicles "extraordinary stealth"<ref>{{cite web |title=1922 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost |url=https://heritagemuseumsandgardens.org/hmg/1922-rolls-royce-silver-ghost/#:~:text=The%20Silver%20Ghost%20was%20named,chassis%20was%20inspected%20and%20test%2D |website=Heritage Museum and Gardens |publisher=Heritage Museums & Gardens |access-date=2 July 2023}}</ref> and quietness in comparison to other vehicles offered at the time. When the New Phantom was replaced by another 40/50&nbsp;hp  model in 1929, the replacement was named [[Rolls-Royce Phantom II|Phantom II]] and the New Phantom was commonly referred to as Phantom I to this day. While Rolls-Royce themselves did not use the term "Phantom I" until their recent{{when?|date=August 2024}} acquisition by [[BMW Group]], New Phantoms were referred to as such in period and are commonly called Phantom I by enthusiasts, concours events, and owner's clubs.<ref name="TheRollsRoyce10" />

===Drivetrain===
One major improvement over the Silver Ghost was the new [[pushrod engine|pushrod]]-[[overhead valve|OHV]] [[straight-6]] engine.<ref name="TheRollsRoyce10" /><ref name="VVCPosthumus101" /> Constructed as two groups of three cylinders with a single detachable head,<ref name="TheRollsRoyce10" /> the engine was described by Rolls-Royce as producing "sufficient" power.<ref name="VVCPosthumus101" /> The engine used a {{cvt|4+1/4|in|mm|1}} bore and [[Stroke ratio|undersquare]] {{cvt|5+1/2|in|mm|1}} stroke for a total of 7.7&nbsp;L ({{convert|7668|cc|cuin|abbr=on}}) of displacement. In 1928, the cylinder heads were upgraded from cast iron to aluminium; this caused corrosion problems. The separate gearbox connected through a rubberised fabric flexible coupling to the clutch and through a torque tube enclosed drive to the differential at rear, as in the Silver Ghost.{{Citation needed|date=March 2012}}

===Chassis===
The New Phantom used the same frame as the Silver Ghost,<ref name="TheRollsRoyce10" /> with [[Leaf spring|semi-elliptical]] springs suspending the front axle<ref name="RRDD09" /> and [[cantilever spring]]s suspending the rear axle.<ref name="RRDD09" /><ref name="VVCPosthumus115" /> Four-wheel brakes with a servo-assistance system licensed from [[Hispano-Suiza]] were also specified,<ref name="TheRollsRoyce10" /><ref name="VVCPosthumus101" /><ref name="CanadianHispano" /> though some early US models lacked front brakes.{{Citation needed|date=March 2012}}

===Differences between US and UK versions===
Like the Silver Ghost, the New Phantom was constructed both at Rolls-Royce's [[Derby]] factory in the United Kingdom and at a factory in [[Springfield, Massachusetts]] in the United States.<ref name="TheRollsRoyce10" /><ref name="VVCPosthumus101" /> The US factory produced New Phantoms from 1926 to 1931.<ref name="VVCPosthumus101" />

Principal differences between the US and UK models included [[wheelbase]]s and [[manual transmission|transmissions]]. Both versions were specified with the same standard {{cvt|143+1/2|in|mm|0}} wheelbase; the long-wheelbase U.S. model was {{cvt|146+1/2|in|mm|0}} and the UK {{cvt|150+1/2|in|mm|0}}.{{Citation needed|date=March 2012}}  Both versions used a single dry-plate clutch,{{Citation needed|date=March 2012}} with US models equipped with a centre change 3-speed transmission and UK a 4-speed.<ref name="VVCPosthumus101" />

Other minor differences include fuel gauge placement, with the UK New Phantom's at the tank but some US models having one on the dash, and manual central lubrication systems. The UK Phantom employed Enots nipples, some times as many as 50, which required attachment of a special Enots oil pressure gun and needed time-consuming service at 500, 1000 and 2000 mile intervals;{{Citation needed|date=March 2012}} the US model used a centralized Bijur system which lubricated all the oiling points with a stroke of a single pump.<ref name="RRDD09" />

==Coachwork==
[[File:1929 Rolls Royce Phantom I Hooper Towncar - rvl.jpg|thumb|New Phantom [[Town car|sedanca de ville]] by [[Hooper (coachbuilder)|Hooper 1929]]]]
[[File:Rolls-Royce_wood.jpg|thumb|Wooden coachwork on a Phantom I]]
Only the chassis and mechanical parts were produced by Rolls-Royce. The body was made and fitted by a [[coachbuilder]] selected by the owner. British coachbuilders who produced bodies for New Phantoms included [[Barker (coachbuilder)|Barker]], [[Park Ward]], [Windovers], [[Thrupp & Maberly]], [[H. J. Mulliner & Co.|Mulliner]], [[Hooper (coachbuilder)|Hooper]]. Continental houses such as Saoutchik, Henry Binder and Kellner in [[Paris]], Erdmann and Rossi in [[Berlin]], Baltasar Fiol in [[Spain]], Nordberg in [[Sweden]] and the Italian coachbuilder [[Zagato]] also produced coachwork for the New Phantom, just to name a few. Despite the availability of a US-built chassis, a handful of British-made Phantoms were outfitted with American coachwork.

American Phantoms could be bought with standardized bodies from [[Brewster & Co.]], which was owned by Rolls-Royce after 1926, and additional coachwork choices were available from [[Fleetwood Metal Body|Fleetwood]]. Several coachwork choices were listed, or just a plain chassis could be provided for US$13,335 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|13335|1929}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars {{inflation-fn|US}})<ref name=kimes1996/> A fendered chassis was also available, while coachwork choices were listed by different city names in England: These include the [[Derby]] Touring Sedan, [[Ascot, Berkshire|Ascot]] Phaeton, [[York]] Roadster, [[Huntington, City of York|Huntington]] Limousine, [[Henley-on-Thames|Henley]] Convertible, [[Bremhill|Avon]] Sedan, [[Newmarket, Suffolk|Newmarket]] Convertible Sedan, [[Chatsworth, Derbyshire|Chatsworth]] Town Car, and the French city of [[Trouville-sur-Mer|Trouville]] Town Car. A convertible sedan with coachwork from [[Hibbard & Darrin]] was also offered, as were other French-made bodies by the same coachbuilder. They were shipped to the United States and subsequently mounted on Springfield Phantom chassis.<ref name=kimes1996/>
{{clear}}

==Production==
* New Phantom (UK): 2,269<ref name="AZ1920" />
* New Phantom (US): 1,240<ref name="VVCPosthumus101" />

==References==
{{Commons category|Rolls-Royce Phantom I}}
;Citations
{{reflist|refs=

<ref name="AZ1920">[[#Baldwin|''A-Z of Cars of the 1920s'', Baldwin]]</ref>

<ref name="RRDD09">{{cite journal | last1 = Brooks | first1 = Philip C. | editor-last = Carpenter | editor-first = Rhonda | year = 2009 | title = Sir Henry's Final Masterpiece Or How Glenn Ford Pushed a Button and Won the War | journal = The International Club for Rolls-Royce & Bentley Owners Desk Diary 2009 | pages = 34&ndash;41 | location = Tampa, FL USA | publisher = Faircount | quote = All in all, the Phantom I was a more modern car all around, and the Springfield Phantom I even had the Bijur centralized chassis lubrication system}}</ref>

<ref name="VVCPosthumus101">[[#Posthumus|''The Story of Veteran & Vintage Cars'', Posthumus]], pp. 101-102</ref>

<ref name="VVCPosthumus115">[[#Posthumus|''The Story of Veteran & Vintage Cars'', Posthumus]], pp. 115</ref>

<ref name="CanadianHispano">[[#Vance|Autos.ca: ''Motoring Memories - Hispano-Suiza'', Vance]]</ref>

<ref name="TheRollsRoyce9">[[#Wood|''The Rolls-Royce'', Wood]], p. 9</ref>

<ref name="TheRollsRoyce10">[[#Wood|''The Rolls-Royce'', Wood]], p. 10</ref>
}}

;Bibliography
*{{cite book |last=Baldwin |first=N. |title=A-Z of Cars of the 1920s|year=1994 |publisher=Bay View Books |location=Devon, UK |isbn=1-870979-53-2|ref=Baldwin}}
*{{cite journal | last1 = Brooks | first1 = Philip C. | editor-last = Carpenter | editor-first = Rhonda | year = 2009 | title = Sir Henry's Final Masterpiece Or How Glenn Ford Pushed a Button and Won the War | journal = The International Club for Rolls-Royce & Bentley Owners Desk Diary 2009 | pages = 34&ndash;41 | location = Tampa, FL USA | publisher = Faircount | accessdate = 2012-03-31 | url = http://issuu.com/faircountmedia/docs/rrdd09 | archive-date = 2 February 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160202055956/http://issuu.com/faircountmedia/docs/rrdd09 | url-status = dead }}
*{{cite book| last       = Posthumus| first      = Cyril| author-link = Cyril Posthumus| others        = John Wood, illustrator| title         = The Story of Veteran & Vintage Cars| orig-year  = 1977| year      = 1977| publisher = Hamlyn| location  = Feltham, Middlesex, UK| isbn      = 0-600-39155-8|ref=Posthumus}}
*{{Cite web| url         = http://www.autos.ca/motoring-memories/motoring-memories-hispano-suiza| title       = Motoring Memories: Hispano-Suiza| accessdate  = 2011-10-17| last        = Vance| first       = Bill| date        = 2001-03-12| work = Autos.ca | publisher   = Canadian Driver Communications| location    = Orleans, Ontario, Canada| archive-url  =https://web.archive.org/web/20120707182723/http://www.autos.ca/motoring-memories/motoring-memories-hispano-suiza | archive-date =2012-07-07 |url-status=live| quote       = Rolls-Royce later adopted this system under licence from Hispano and used it for many years.|ref=Vance}}
*{{cite book| last          = Wood| first         = Jonathan| title         = The Rolls-Royce| url           = https://books.google.com/books?id=WxpGqTWMZnYC&q=Rolls-Royce+Phantom+I| accessdate    = 2012-03-29| edition       = 2nd| series        = Shire Album Series| volume        = 198| year          = 2003|orig-year= 1987| publisher     = Shire Publications| location      = Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire, UK| isbn          = 978-0-7478-0577-9|ref=Wood}}
*{{cite book |last1=de Campi |first1=John Webb |title=Rolls-Royce in America |date=January 1, 1975 |publisher=Motorbooks International |isbn=978-0901564146}}

{{Rolls-Royce}}

[[Category:Rolls-Royce Phantom]]
[[Category:Cars introduced in 1925]]
[[Category:1930s cars]]
[[Category:Rear-wheel-drive vehicles]]
[[Category:Cars discontinued in 1931]]