TheRolls-Royce Phantom Vis a large four-doorlimousineproduced byRolls-Royce Limitedfrom 1959 to 1968. Based on theSilver Cloud II,it shares a V8engineandRolls-RoyceHydramaticautomatic gearbox (manufactured under license fromGeneral Motorsby Rolls-Royce) with that model. Rolls-Royce built the cars' chassis anddrivetrains,with bodies mainly made to standard designs bycoachbuildersPark Ward,Mulliner Park WardandJames Young,former vendors absorbed by Rolls-Royce.[2]Other coachbuilders, includingHooper,Henri ChapronandWoodall Nicholson,built one or two bodies each on Phantom V chassis.[3]
| Rolls-Royce Phantom V | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Rolls-Royce Ltd |
| Production | 1959–1968 518 produced |
| Assembly | Crewe,England (engine and chassis) |
| Designer | John Polwhele BlatchleyofPark Wardfor design #980 andMulliner Park Warddesign #2003 et al A. F. McNeilofJames Youngfor designs #PV10, PV15, PV16, PV22 et al. |
| Body and chassis | |
| Body style | 4-doorsedan |
| Layout | FR layout |
| Related | Silver Cloud II |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 6,230 ccRolls-Royce V8 |
| Transmission | 4-speedautomatic |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 145 in (3,683 mm)[1] |
| Length | 238 in (6,045 mm) |
| Width | 79 in (2,007 mm) |
| Height | 69 in (1,753 mm) |
| Kerb weight | 5,600 lb (2,540 kg) |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Phantom IV |
| Successor | Phantom VI |
The engine is a 6,230 cc 90-degreeV8with twinSU carburettors,coupled to a 4-speedautomatic transmission.The car has massivedrum brakesand a wheelbase of 3,683 mm. Power assisted steering was standard.[2]
A low final drive ratio allowed a walking speed which was suitable for ceremonies.[1]From 1963 onward, the Silver Cloud III's 7% more powerful engine and new front wings (incorporating the latter's quad headlamps) were fitted.
Park Ward, Mulliner, and James Young models
editOf the 518 total built from 1959 to 1968,coachbuilderPark Ward,owned by Rolls-Royce, made 133 bodies;James Youngbuilt 197 bodies, and 9 Phantom Vs were bodied byH. J. Mulliner & Co.,before their 1959 acquisition by Rolls-Royce, who merged them into Park Ward in 1961, formingMulliner Park Ward.The combined firm ofMulliner Park Wardbuilt 174 bodies.[3]
Famous owners
editJohn Lennon
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BeatleJohn Lennonbought a 1964Mulliner Park WardPhantom V, finished in Valentines Black. Everything was black except for the radiator, even the wheels. Lennon asked for the radiator to be black as well, but Rolls-Royce refused.[4]
Originally the car was customised from Park Ward with black leather upholstery, cocktail cabinet with fine-wood trim, writing table, reading lamps, a seven-piece his-and-hers black-hide luggage set, and a Perdio portable television. A refrigeration system was put in the boot, and it was one of the first cars in England to have tinted windows. He probably paid £11,000 (nearly £210,000 in today's general inflation value).[5]Lennon didn't know how to drive and didn't get his driving licence until 1965, at twenty-four years of age. He sometimes hired a 6'4 "Welsh guardsman named Les Anthony as a chauffeur.[4]
In December 1965, Lennon made a seven-page list of changes that cost more than £1900: the back seat could change into a double bed, aPhilipsAuto-Mignon AG2101 floatingrecord playerthat prevented the needle from jumping, aRadio Telephoneand acassette tapedeck were added, while speakers were mounted in the front wheel wells so that occupants could talk outside via microphone.
The car needed repainting after Lennon used it in1960s Spainduring his filming inRichard Lester'sHow I Won the War.Lennon commissioned coachmakers J.P. Fallon Ltd. to do so in the style of aRomanygypsy wagon(not "psychedelic" as often referenced).[6]Artist Steve Weaver produced red, orange, green and blue swirls, floral side panels and aLibraon the roof.
Lennon was in a 60s mood and wanted to make a statement to the English establishment. He loved telling a story about an elderly woman who hit the car with her umbrella.[7][4]
To match his laterWhite Albumperiod Lennon also bought another, all-white Phantom V in 1968.
In 1977John Lennon's psychedelic Rolls-Roycewas donated by him to theCooper-Hewitt Museumat theSmithsonian Institutionto cover anIRSbill of $250,000.
The Cooper-Hewitt Museum auctioned the car in 1985 at Sotheby's for $2,299,000 to Canadian businessman Jim Pattison, who donated it to the Province of British Columbia. It was on display during Expo 86 in Vancouver, and since 1993 it has been in theRoyal British Columbia Museumin Canada.[4]
Queen Elizabeth II
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Two cars built in 1960 and 1961 joined the British royal fleet of two earlierRolls-Royce Phantom IVs.Having been retired from active service in 2002, both are now on public display: one in the royal motor museum atSandringham,[8]and the other in the special garage aboardHMY BritanniainLeith,Edinburgh.[9]Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Motheracquired a Rolls-Royce Phantom VLandaulet(registration plate NLT 1) in 1962 which is now used byCharles III.[10]
Others
editCelebrities and tycoons
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Elton Johnhad a pink 1960 Park Ward.
Liberacehad a 1961 that became a part of his show at theLas Vegas Hilton.It also appeared in the movieBehind the Candelabra[11]
Elvis Presleyhad a 1963 James Young. It came with few extra options but did have a telephone,Firestonewhitewall tyres, electric windows, and air conditioning. The centre rear armrest had a writing pad, mirror and clothes brush. An unusual feature was a microphone for the singer. It was originally paintedMidnight blue,but Elvis had to repaint it a light silver as his mother's chickens kept pecking the paint.[12]
Politicians and royalty
editTheGovernor of Hong KongChris Pattenused a Phantom V for ceremonial occasions. It handed over toTung Chee-hwa,the territory'sChief Executive,immediately following the handover toChinaon 1 July 1997.[13]
ThePhilippineshas a 1960 Phantom V that was owned by former First LadyImelda Romualdez Marcos,wife of PresidentFerdinand Marcos.The car is currently displayed at thePhilippine Presidential Car Museum.
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi,theShah of Iran,owned a Phantom V. Since his exile, the car has been kept in his royal residence inTehranand is occasionally shown to the public among the other luxurious cars owned by the Shah, including a uniqueRolls-Royce Phantom IVand aPhantom VI.[14]
YugoslavpresidentJosip Broz Titohad a 1960 Rolls-Royce Phantom V in presidential collection for representative purposes.[15]The car is now displayed at theMuseum of Yugoslavia,Belgrade.[16]
RomaniandictatorNicolae Ceausescubought a 1967landauletbut returned it to Rolls-Royce upon the disapproval of thePolitburo.It was used byQueen Elizabeth IIon two-state visits.
List of notable Phantom V owners
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Celebrities
Politicians and royalty
References
edit- ^abRobson, Graham (1984).Rolls-Royce and Bentley Volume 2: Coachbuilt models 1945-1985.Motor Racing Publications Ltd. p. 49.ISBN0 900549 87 4.
- ^ab"Used Car Test: Rolls-Royce Phantom V".Autocar.134 (nbr 3904):47–49. 21 January 1971.
- ^abDalton, Lawrence (2005).Rolls-Royce The Elegance Continues.Dalton Watson Fine Books Ltd. p. 258.ISBN1-85443-208-7.
- ^abcdRuntagh, Jordon (July 2017)."John Lennon's Phantom V: The Story of the Psychedelic Beatle-Mobile".The Rolling Stone.Archivedfrom the original on 24 December 2018.Retrieved23 December2018.
- ^Clifford, Steve (November 1999). "Chasing the shadow of John's (in)famous Rolls-Royce Phantom V". Beatlology.
- ^Banks, Nargress (2017)."The Story Behind John Lennon's Psychedelic Sgt. Pepper Rolls-Royce Phantom V".Forbes.Archivedfrom the original on 21 December 2018.Retrieved21 December2018.
- ^Bramwell, Tony (2006).Magical Mystery Tours: My Life with the Beatles.Macmillan.ISBN978-0312330446.
- ^"Sandringham Museum".Britain by Car.Retrieved15 March2024.
- ^"Britannia".Retrieved15 March2024.
- ^Pigott, Peter (2005).Royal Transport: An Inside Look at The History of British Royal Travel.Dundurn.
- ^Jones, Jay (April 2016)."Liberace's over-the-top cars go back on display in Las Vegas".Los Angeles Times.Archivedfrom the original on 24 December 2018.Retrieved23 December2018.
- ^"Elvis 1963 Rolls-Royce Phantom V for sale".Ireland's National Public Service Broadcaster. RTE. July 2014.Archivedfrom the original on 24 December 2018.Retrieved23 December2018.
- ^"1997: Hong Kong handed over to Chinese control".July 1997.Archivedfrom the original on 23 October 2017.Retrieved13 December2018.
- ^Farsian, Behzad (7 October 2004)."Shah's car collection is still waiting for the green light".The Telegraph.Archivedfrom the original on 16 September 2018.Retrieved21 December2018.
- ^"Tito's limos on the block".6 February 2003.Archivedfrom the original on 16 January 2014.Retrieved9 March2019– via news.bbc.co.uk.
- ^"Tito's Rolls fails to find buyer".The Independent.No. July 1993.Archivedfrom the original on 21 December 2018.Retrieved21 December2018.
External links
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