BENTLEY SPOTTING

It's the Rolls-Royce of Bentley websites.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

The Rolls Royce of Rolls Royce's is for Sale.

Princess Margaret's Rolls-Royce Phantom IV H.J.Mulliner Limousine.

No, dyslexia has not set in. The Rolls Royce Phantom IV not the VI but the Phantom IV.

Rolls-Royce Phantom IV H.J.Mulliner

Simply put, the most exclusive Rolls Royce in the world. It is the Rolls Royce of Rolls Royce's.

Rolls-Royce Phantom IV H.J.Mulliner

This one's for sale. It's exciting. Get your cheque book.

Rolls-Royce Phantom IV H.J.Mulliner

The Rolls Royce Phantom IV holds the title of the most exclusive Rolls Royce in the world because the public was not allowed to buy this model, no no, it was only suitable if you were Royalty or a Head of State.

Rolls-Royce Phantom IV H.J.Mulliner

A total of 18 examples were made, 17 went to customers and one was the Rolls Royce factory ute truck. The ute kept the model grounded with the common folk.

Rolls-Royce Phantom IV H.J.Mulliner

HRH Queen Elizabeth II still has hers, but the guess is that the King of Iraq's is not in Iraq anymore. C'est la vie.

Rolls-Royce Phantom IV H.J.Mulliner

This one for sale was Lizzy's younger sister's HRH Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon. She took delivery in 1954.

Rolls-Royce Phantom IV H.J.Mulliner

The car currently has the For Sale sticker on the window out the front on the Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace.

Well not quite, it is for sale by The Real Car Company in North Wales. The company's title is very befitting for this vehicle.

Rolls-Royce Phantom IV H.J.Mulliner

Now a little background story like every other Rolls Royce car purchase.

Rolls-Royce Phantom IV H.J.Mulliner

The year is 1950. Just over a decade after the end of the war and you are a 20 year old Princess.

You are establishing yourself in the world and you are a social butterfly who is into fashion and the arts and who knows how to party.

Rolls-Royce Phantom IV H.J.Mulliner

Your circle of friends are young, glamourous, and generally wealthy aristocrats who are even named after you, called the 'Margaret Set'. Very happening.

Then your older sister takes delivery of the very first Rolls Royce Phantom IV H.J. Mulliner limousine ever built and you so want one. They are only for Royalty, talk about exclusivity!

A car is so the biggest handbag you will ever own. Take a look at the room! And it's got a sunroof in the back. Special.

Rolls-Royce Phantom IV H.J.Mulliner

Then about 18 months later you Dad dies, and you sister becomes Queen. A bit traumatic for anyone.



Then you meet a boy who is great! He is a pilot. It so does not matter that he is an equerry. You love him. But what actually matters is that he is a divorcée.

Rolls-Royce Phantom IV H.J.Mulliner

Damn protocol. And you are not 25 yet so you can not just so off and marry. Damn protocol.

So your sister has an idea. On advice from all the protocol officers. Let's fly the pilot off to the Embassy in Belgium for a couple of years and just wait. I'll buy you a present in the mean time to calm you down.

Rolls-Royce Phantom IV H.J.Mulliner

So your sister goes out and cheekily buys herself another Rolls Royce Phantom IV this time a Hooper landaulette version, but nicely buys you the Phantom IV H.J.Mulliner Limousine version, just like her first one.

Rolls-Royce Phantom IV

It's great because it comes with a 4 bottle drinks cabinet, two for Gin and two for Scotch, because you were so born their. In Scotland that is.

Rolls-Royce Phantom IV

Not that you really care, but it comes with Rolls Royce's only straight 8 engine of 5675 CC, with overhead inlet and side exhaust valves, single-plate clutch, 4 speeds auto, with hydraulic front brakes and mechanical rear brakes with servo, and independent front suspension and semi-elliptic rear, on a wheelbase of 145” with tires that are 7.00 X 17. That was a mouthful.

Rolls-Royce Phantom IV

Rolls-Royce Phantom IV

But what you really care about is all the guests that can come along.

Rolls-Royce Phantom IV

Occasional seats are great for the group party outings, and its got all these buttons down the side that do stuff.

Rolls-Royce Phantom IV

Now you have to decide on the mascot. The Spirit of Ecstasy is a bit too common. Your sister so got Edward Seago's St George on a horse poised over a slain dragon, but you want something more girly, but still glamourous.

You decide on 'Pegasus' by Louis Lejeune Ltd of Portland Street, London.

Rolls-Royce Phantom IV

It certainly does look nice and very much in proportion.

Rolls-Royce Phantom IV

The Real Car Company does have a great quote in the advertisement, 'If you are looking for a PIV, this may well be your only chance! Truly fabulous.'

And it is very much correct. Truly fabulous. The most exclusive Rolls Royce model does not come onto the market that often.

The car is Chassis No. 4BP7. Reg No. PM 6450.

The asking price is £395,000.


The First owner list for all Rolls Royce Phantom IV are as follows:

Chassis Year First Owner Coachwork
4AF2 1950 HRH Princess Elizabeth H.J. Mulliner limousine
4AF4 1950 test vehicle subsequently dismantled
4AF6 1951 The Shah of Iran H.J. Mulliner drophead
4AF8 1951 Emir of Kuwait H.J. Mulliner saloon
4AF10 1951 HRH Duke of Gloucester Hooper limousine
4AF12 1952 HRH Duchess of Kent Hooper limousine
4AF14 1952 General Franco H.J. Mulliner limousine
4AF16 1952 General Franco H.J. Mulliner limousine
4AF18 1951 General Franco H.J. Mulliner allweather
4AF20 1952 The Aga Khan Hooper sedanca de ville
4AF22 1952 Prince Talal, Saudi Arabia Franay sedanca de ville
4BP1 1953 King of Iraq Hooper limousine
4BP3 1953 Prince Regent of Iraq Hooper limousine
4BP5 1954 HM Queen Elizabeth II Hooper landaulette
4BP7 1954 HRH Princess Margaret H.J. Mulliner limousine
4CS2 1955 Emir of Kuwait H.J. Mulliner saloon
4CS4 1955 Emir of Kuwait H.J. Mulliner saloon
4CS6 1956 Shah of Persia Hooper limousine



And for those who do not know what a ute is, here is the 1950 Chassis 4AF4 Phantom IV ute.

Rolls-Royce Phantom IV

Subsequently in 1980 Princess Margaret took delivery of a Rolls Royce Silver Wraith, but that is another story.


Pictures courtesy (The Real Car Company)

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7 Comments:

At 12:43 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

hi there Bentley spotting

I am somewhat curious if you were aware of why the Princess Margaret's Rolls-Royce Phantom IV H.J.Mulliner Limousine is on the market.

I often find it hard to reconcile why ones dependents would make haste to sell off ones estate.

I know that dear princess peggy was fond of a gin and a scotch every now and then, and your article does make mention of the peggy sets hills hoist gang enjoying a gin and a scotch in the back of her earlier day ladette-mobile. I would hate to think that just because princess peggy finished off the gin that the dependents were selling the phantom IV to make some 'gin money'... oh it does cause me some dis-ease when i hear of that.

 
At 8:23 am, Blogger Unknown said...

This car has been in private hands since the 1970s. It's not being sold by the royal family. Although at that price, I doubt it will be sold at all!

 
At 12:49 am, Blogger Ragemanchoo said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

 
At 11:31 am, Blogger Ragemanchoo said...

The liquor cabinet actually has two bottles, not four -- that's a mirror in back.

Btw when I delete a comment, it shouldn't leave a mark saying I deleted it. I wish Blogger would get with the times :P

 
At 4:22 pm, Blogger Ragemanchoo said...

By the way, I emailed the company that sold it and asked if they could tell me how much it went for. They said "somewhere around $750,000 US."

 
At 6:06 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

We are selling Rolls Royce Austin Princess. If anyone is interested please contact me at rommel.delrosario01@gmail.com

Philippines

 
At 12:40 pm, Blogger Ragemanchoo said...

Why are the photos so blurry? I seem to remember them being focused the last time I saw this article.

 

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