1928 Rolls-Royce 40/50hp Phantom I Sportsman Saloon
Rolls-Royce faced a significant challenge in 1925 when developing a successor to the venerable Silver Ghost, which had dominated luxury motoring for nearly two decades but was beginning to show its Edwardian origins against newer competitors.
The company’s engineers spent years testing various configurations before settling on the New Phantom design, later known as the Phantom I. This model represented a careful balance between proven reliability and modern engineering advances.
The heart of the Phantom I was an entirely new 7,668 cc (468 cu in) straight-six engine featuring pushrod-operated overhead valves and a detachable cylinder head.
This powerplant delivered considerably more performance than the Silver Ghost’s side-valve unit while incorporating lessons learned from the smaller 20hp model’s development.
The engine was paired with a single dry-plate disc clutch and a four-speed center-change gearbox for improved operation.
Despite its mechanical modernization, the Phantom I retained an evolution of the later four-wheel-braked Silver Ghost chassis layout, providing continuity with established coachbuilding practices.
Adjustable radiator shutters helped regulate operating temperature, while the 143.5-inch wheelbase accommodated a wide variety of body styles from prestigious firms like Hooper, Barker, and Park Ward.
Production continued in the UK through 1929, with 2,212 chassis leaving Rolls-Royce’s Derby factory before the more extensively redesigned Phantom II replaced it. An additional 1,241 were built under license in Springfield, Massachusetts, for the American market.
The Phantom I successfully bridged the gap between pre-war luxury motoring traditions and the performance expectations of the late 1920s.
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