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More than 110 years ago, a Rolls-Royce 40/50hp chassis - the twelfth example, actually, painted in silver and nicknamed 'the Silver Ghost' - proved to the world how reliable and special a car it was, by driving between London and Glasgow 27 times in succession and racking up more than 23,000km in the process.
Thus, a legend was born and now the modern-day Rolls-Royce is honouring that stellar achievement with a 35-off limited run of the current Ghost. Called the Silver Ghost Collection, it features the latest Ghost visuals, plus some special extras courtesy of the R-R Bespoke Design team.
Such as the use of silver. The paintwork on the 35 examples of the Silver Ghost Collection is Cassiopeia Silver, but the hand-painted coachline along the side of the car features fine particles of 100 per cent pure silver, so you get some of the precious metal as part of the aesthetics. The Spirit of Ecstasy bonnet figurine is also solid sterling-silver, while it will also wear three hallmarks at its base - one for Metal Fineness, one unique 'RR' logo and one that reads 'AX201', the registration plate of the 1907 Silver Ghost which covered all that distance more than a century ago. Finally, there's a black-gold-plated collar around the base of the Spirit of Ecstasy, which features hammered copper - another throwback to the old Silver Ghost, which used copper extensively in its engine bay.
While the black-painted grille vanes mimic the black grille of the old Silver Ghost, look closely at the modern car's wheel centres and the legend 'Silver Ghost Since 1907' is engraved upon them. Further, swing open the 2018 Ghost's coach doors and you're treated to a vista of Forest Green leather, a nod to the original car's colour scheme. There's silver-tipped leather on the doors and a silver inlay is set into the open-pore wood of the fascia and door-cappings, which flanks a hallmarked, solid silver ingot.
Even the clock of the Silver Ghost Collection is styled as an ingot of silver, again engraved with the 'Silver Ghost Since 1907' wording, and there's a peened solid silver encasement for the instrument cluster. There's also a plaque that says each vehicle is 'one of 35' examples, while the umbrellas in the doors are edged in a silver-coloured binding with an open-pore Tudor Oak handle. The finishing touch here is a Silver Ghost Hamper, which is bespoke to this particular model.
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Torsten Muller-Otvos, CEO of Rolls-Royce, said: "The extraordinary accomplishments of our marque's founding fathers are honoured by the creation of this elegant 'Silver Ghost Collection'. The Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective masterfully weave the rich narrative of the original 'Silver Ghost' into just 35 motor cars, creating a contemporary homage to the original motor car. Today, our craftspeople and master artisans continue this legacy of excellence, creating unique motor cars that define luxury."