1930 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Torpedo Sports
Barker’s Torpedo Sports design represented a dramatic departure from the coachbuilder’s typically conservative work.
Introduced at the 1930 London Motor Show, the styling appeared a decade ahead of its time with flowing pontoon front fenders containing built-in storage compartments, rear fenders sweeping forward to conceal side-mounted spare tires, and a disappearing top that tucked beneath a tapered rear deck finished in varnished plank hardwood resembling a speedboat’s bow.
The nautical theme extended throughout the design, with artfully crafted door handles incorporating lights that mimicked port and starboard markers on a yacht. The two-passenger configuration could accommodate four when needed through a concealed dickey seat that swung up from the rear deck.
The Phantom II chassis featured a 7.7-liter inline six-cylinder engine producing approximately 120 horsepower, paired with a four-speed manual transmission.
The Torpedo Sports was built on the shorter 144-inch wheelbase Phantom II Continental chassis, a special-order sporting specification commissioned from the renowned royal coachbuilder.
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