Otto Explains — Iconic Cars
10 Iconic Cars From Rolls-Royce
Short Answer
Otto’s ten iconic Rolls-Royce cars each stand for one specific achievement. In date order they are the first Phantom (1925), the Phantom III (1936), the Phantom IV, the Silver Cloud (1955), the Phantom VI (1968), the Silver Seraph (1998), the Phantom Drophead Coupé (2007), the Wraith (2013), the Dawn (2016) and the coachbuilt Boat Tail (2021). The cars that changed the company itself have their own article.
How did Otto choose these ten cars?
This is Otto’s selection, not a ranking by Rolls-Royce. Each car is remembered for one specific, documented thing: a first, a record of exclusivity, an engineering choice or a body style. Together they run from the first Phantom of 1925 to the coachbuilt Boat Tail of 2021. Cars that changed the direction of the company, such as the Silver Ghost, the Silver Shadow, the Phantom VII and the Spectre, are left to Otto’s article on the legendary cars that defined Rolls-Royce, so they are not repeated here.
Why does the first Phantom of 1925 matter?
It started the longest-running name in the range. The first Phantom was announced in The Times on 2 May 1925 and was built as a rolling chassis, so independent coachbuilders made each body. The name has since reached its eighth generation.
What made the Phantom III special?
It was the first Rolls-Royce car with a V12. Announced in 1936, its 7.3-litre V12 was shorter than the Phantom II’s 7.6-litre six, which freed space for passengers, and it was also the first Rolls-Royce with independent front suspension. Otto explains what sets a V12 apart from other engine layouts. 710 were built before car production stopped in 1939.
Why is the Phantom IV so rare?
Because it was built only for royalty and heads of state. Only 18 were made, each powered by a straight-eight engine.
What is the Silver Cloud remembered for?
It closed the coachbuilding era. Launched in 1955, the Silver Cloud was the last Rolls-Royce offered both as a complete car and as a bare chassis for coachbuilders, and it made an automatic gearbox standard. The Silver Cloud II of 1959 brought a 6.2-litre V8.
Why does the Phantom VI stand out?
It was the last of the traditional Rolls-Royce. Built from 1968 to 1993, it was the final body-on-chassis Rolls-Royce, and only 374 were made.
Why is the Silver Seraph on the list?
It was the first Rolls-Royce with a BMW Group engine, a 5.4-litre V12. Unveiled in January 1998 and built until 2002, it was also the first Rolls-Royce designed with computer-aided design, and a long-wheelbase Park Ward version followed in 2000.
What made the Phantom Drophead Coupé distinctive?
It turned an experimental car into a production convertible. Launched in 2007, it was derived from the 100EX experimental car, and its teak tonneau cover was inspired by the decks of racing yachts. The pillarless Phantom Coupé followed in 2008.
Why is the Wraith remembered?
For power. When it was launched in 2013, the Wraith fastback was described as the most powerful Rolls-Royce model. Its production ended in 2023.
What made the Dawn different?
It was a four-seat convertible built around quiet. Its fabric roof opens or closes in about 22 seconds at speeds up to 50 km/h, and Rolls-Royce stressed that it was not simply an open Wraith: about 80% of its exterior panels were new. The Dawn was built from 2016 until 2023.
What is the Boat Tail?
A coachbuilt car, made in a series of three in 2021. Each took almost four years to create. It sits between Sweptail (2017) and Droptail (2024) among Rolls-Royce’s recent coachbuilt cars.
Common Questions
- Why isn’t the Silver Ghost on Otto’s list? Because it changed the company, so it belongs with the legendary cars. Its 1907 trial runs, including a world record for continuous travel, established Rolls-Royce’s reputation.
- How many Phantom III cars were built? 710, before Rolls-Royce stopped building cars in 1939 and turned to aero engines for the war.
- Is the Wraith still the most powerful Rolls-Royce? No. It held that description at its launch in 2013, but in 2025 Rolls-Royce called the electric Black Badge Spectre, with 485 kW, the most powerful Rolls-Royce in history.
- What was the last Rolls-Royce built on a separate chassis? The Phantom VI, built until 1993.
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