The final instalment of the 'Models of the Marque' series considers a highly significant group of Rolls-Royce motor cars – the EX cars – which represent the first true 'heritage' models of the Goodwood era.
The penultimate instalment in the Models of the Marque series showcases Phantom VII, the first motor car ever to be built at our Global Centre of Luxury Manufacturing Excellence. At one minute past midnight on 1 January 2003, the keys of the first Phantom VII were handed to its new owner. The moment marked the beginning of a new era for the brand and was the culmination of a process dubbed ‘the last great adventure in automotive history’.
Rolls-Royce is upholding a longstanding tradition of creating a time capsule as part of a major construction project – in the marque’s case, the landmark extension now under construction at the Home of Rolls-Royce, which represents the largest single investment in its Goodwood-based facilities in more than 20 years.
The final instalment in the ‘Makers of the Marque’ series honours Eric Platford who was central and fundamental to the marque’s early success. No one outside the company’s senior ranks did more to secure its reputation as ‘the best car in the world’, through his painstaking testing work, and landmark successes in long-distance trials and Grand Prix motor-racing.
The latest instalment in the Models of the Marque series celebrates Silver Seraph, a uniquely important Rolls-Royce model as the tangible, technological link between the pre-Goodwood and contemporary Rolls-Royce eras. It was the first Rolls-Royce in history to be designed using CAD – and more importantly, the first to be powered by a V12 engine from BMW Group, which would acquire the Rolls-Royce brand while Silver Seraph was in production.
The latest instalment in the Models of the Marque series celebrates Phantom VI, the final Rolls-Royce offered as a rolling chassis. Produced from 1968 to 1993, it represents the pinnacle of traditional coachbuilt bodywork. Phantom VI combined timeless craftsmanship with engineering evolution. Beloved by royalty, it stands as a lasting symbol of luxury and exclusivity in the marque’s history.
In 2025, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars marks the centenary of the launch of the first Phantom. Throughout its long history, the Phantom nameplate has been reserved for the pinnacle model in the marque’s portfolio – the very apex of excellence.
The latest in the ‘Makers of the Marque’ series shines a spotlight on Charles Sykes, best known to posterity as the creator of the Spirit of Ecstasy. Sykes was a multitalented artist, with deep connections to the principal players in the Rolls-Royce story. His paintings of Rolls-Royce motor cars and their almost exclusively aristocratic owners provide a fascinating window into a world that has now vanished.
The eighth instalment in the Models of the Marque series celebrates Camargue, a groundbreaking model that debuted in 1975. Camargue introduced significant advancements in performance, safety, and comfort and is distinguished by its unique styling. Though polarising in design, Camargue embodies the marque's spirit of innovation and exclusivity.
The seventh instalment in the ‘Models of the Marque’ series highlights Silver Shadow. A pivotal model in the Rolls-Royce story, the Silver Shadow marked a decisive shift away from traditional rolling chassis and coachbuilding to monocoque construction, and was the first Rolls-Royce to be offered only as a complete motor car.
The sixth in the ‘Makers of the Marque’ series profiles Claude Goodman Johnson, celebrated as ‘the hyphen in Rolls-Royce’ but known to all simply as ‘CJ’. A natural showman with an unrivalled talent for generating publicity, he brought an extraordinary mix of skill, dedication and experience to his role as the company’s first Commercial Managing Director; a fascinating, larger-than-life character and a pivotal figure in the Rolls-Royce foundation story.
The latest in the ‘Models of the Marque’ series showcases the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud. Launched in 1955, the Silver Cloud will forever be remembered as the last Rolls-Royce motor car to be offered both as a complete car and as a rolling chassis.
Rolls-Royce motor cars have featured in a dozen James Bond films throughout the film franchise’s history. However, the marque’s most enduring and memorable role is in the 007 film, Goldfinger. Today, on the anniversary of the film’s premiere on 17 September 1964, Rolls-Royce explores the story of Goldfinger and the British icon that featured in it – the Rolls-Royce Phantom.
The latest in the ‘Models of the Marque’ series showcases the Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn. Launched in 1949, it marked a profound change for Rolls-Royce, reflecting the realities of the post-war market.
A rare example of a coachbuilt Silver Cloud will form the centrepiece of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars’ annual presence at the world-famous Goodwood Revival, which takes place from 6-8 September.
The latest in the ‘Makers of the Marque’ series honours The Hon. Charles Stewart Rolls, co-founder of the marque with Royce. Rolls achieved so much despite his short life; he was a pioneering racing driver, balloonist and aviator, and a serious engineer and innovator in his own right. His daring imagination and desire to always think bigger and attempt what had never been done before remain powerful, animating forces at the heart of the company today.
The fourth in the ‘Models of the Marque’ series showcases the Rolls-Royce Phantom III. Launched in 1936, it was the first model to be powered by a V12 engine, setting the template for every Rolls-Royce up to and including the modern era. It was also Sir Henry Royce’s last major design before his passing in 1933.
The third instalment of the 'Models of the Marque' series celebrates the Rolls-Royce 20 H.P. – the ‘Twenty’. Launched in 1922, this transformative motor car was the first Rolls-Royce expressly designed for owner-driven motoring.
In the year the marque celebrates its 120th Anniversary, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars joins the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club (RREC) for its Annual Rally and Concours d'Elegance at Burghley House, Lincolnshire, on 21-23 June 2024.
Fifth of the principal characters in the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars foundation story to be highlighted in the ‘Makers of the Marque’ series; John Walter Edward Douglas-Scott-Montagu. Motoring pioneer, magazine proprietor, influential parliamentarian and devoted Rolls‑Royce owner, whose Silver Ghost was the first motor car in history to carry the Spirit of Ecstasy mascot, was instrumental in shaping motoring's place within wider society.