Go to Ultimatecarpage.com

  Ultimatecarpage.com  > Cars by brand  > Great Britain  > Rolls-Royce
Phantom I Barker Sports Tourer
Car search:
Quick Advanced 


  Rolls-Royce Phantom I Barker Sports Tourer      

  Article Image gallery (12) 10EX Specifications  
  
Country of origin:Great Britain
Produced in:1926
Numbers built:1
Designed by:Barker
Author:Wouter Melissen
Last updated:June 22, 2011
Download: All images
Chassis: 10EX
Chassis 10EX was the first of four experimental Phantoms produced to explore the areas where performance improvements could be made. In its original, 1926 guise, it was fitted with a sizeable Tourer body by Barker. This was quickly discovered to be too heavy and the car was returned to Barker for improvements. Numerous changes were made including the installation of a V-shaped windshield, a new torpedo tail that housed the spare wheel and new wings were fitted. Back at Rolls-Royce, the engine was upgraded with the new twin-spark aluminium head.

The car was extensively tested in 1927 and additional tweaks were made to the suspension and steering, which would also make it to the production Phantoms. Eventually the car reached a top speed of 91.2 mph (146.8 km/h), which was still well short of the magical 100 mph (161 km/h) Henry Royce was keen to achieve. The three subsequent experimental cars (15EX, 16EX and EX17) all received lighter bodies. One of these was destroyed in testing and the other two were sold to customers.

Rolls-Royce retained the original experimental Phantom and used for a wide variety of tasks including supporting the Air Ministry and as factory demonstrator. It also believed that Lawrence of Arabia was loaned the car for touring the continent but there is no photographic evidence to support this. In 1931 10EX was finally sold and by 1952 passed into the hands of A. Meredith Owen. He used the car extensively but also displayed it in the Stratford-on-Avon Motor Museum. After his passing in 1980, his son acquired the car and it has since been fully restored. Offered for the first time on the open market in nearly half a century, 10EX was included in the 2011 RM Auctions Salon Prive sale where it found a new owner for £392,000.

  Article Image gallery (12) 10EX Specifications