Rolls-Royce

Rolls-Royce is a British automobile manufacturer founded in 1906 by Henry Royce and Charles Rolls, becoming one of the world's most prestigious luxury brands with an ultra-high-end positioning that distinguishes it from competitors like Bentley or Maybach. Rolls-Royce's history is inseparable from mechanical excellence and refinement, from its beginnings in Manchester to its establishment in Crewe in 1946, a year marking a major renewal after World War II with the launch of iconic models such as the Silver Wraith (1946-1959) which established the codes of timeless British luxury. Throughout the period 1946-2021, the Rolls-Royce range was enriched with major creations: the Silver Cloud (1955-1966), the Phantom (launched in 1925 and regularly refined, notably with the Phantom VI of 1968-1991), the Silver Shadow (1965-1980) introducing independent suspension, as well as later generations Phantom VII (2003-2017) and Phantom VIII (2017-2021), each pushing the limits of comfort and customization. The Rolls-Royce technical sheets from the decades covered reflect a constant philosophy: 6 and 8 cylinder inline engines, then V8 and V12, with obsessive attention to finishes, leathers and noble materials, while the brand remained owned by the British Rolls-Royce plc group until 1971, then passed under Vickers control, before being acquired by BMW in 1998, which modernized production and technology. With a confidential but extremely affluent clientele and annual production limited to a few hundred units, Rolls-Royce consolidated its status over the decades as the absolute reference in terms of prestige automobiles, far ahead of its rivals in the ultra-luxury segments.