A look at the stupendous journey of the world’s most premium luxury car, the Rolls Royce, for over a hundred years
It is the ultimate symbol of not just success, but the kind of success of a chosen few that belong to a rarefied stratosphere. With the starting price tag pegged at `4 crore and well, much beyond, it gives a whole new dimension to the term opulence. Welcome to the hallowed portals of the Rolls Royce, a quintessentially English production that went on to win the hearts of the rich and the famous the world over. And no, they don’t bother with advertising. For the question that begs asking is not whether you ought to own a Rolls, but whether you are big enough to even consider one.
Little wonder then that when the late spiritual guru, the controversial Osho Rajneesh was reported to possess not one---but hold your breath---96 of them, it had even the wealthiest people in the world—his American followers -- gasping at the sheer effrontery of it all.
To which, Bhagwan Rajneesh responded in his inimitable manner. “Of course, I could not possibly use 96 cars at a go. But I was knowingly creating a situation in which you would feel jealous. The function of a master is strange.
He has to help you understand your inner consciousness that is full of jealousy. The Rolls fulfilled that purpose. They created jealousy amongst the super-rich of America. If they were intelligent enough, then rather than becoming my enemies, they would have asked me to help them get rid of their jealousy. Jealousy is a fire that burns you, and badly at that,” he said. It is well over three decades now since that statement, and no, the jealousy has not reduced. Osho was not the only one. Much before him, in the days of the Raj, the even more controversial Maharaj Bhupinder Singh of Patiala owned 99 Rolls Royces. When the Queen’s representative wrote him a stinging letter accusing him of “vulgar indulgence that knew no bounds,” the whimsical ruler replied that the cars were there to fulfil the city’s need for an efficient garbage disposal system.
He was in good company. The Maharaja of Alwar, who used to stay at Mayfair Hotel in London, once wandered into a nearby showroom and was cheeked by a salesperson. Furious, the Maharaja ordered seven cars and turned them into garbage collection vans at his home state in India. Rolls Royce was appalled and, reportedly gave him a few cars in exchange for restoring the rest to their due status.
Amidst these massive displays of kingly egos, one thing stands out: the world’s most expensive car brings out the strangest side of the wealthiest, most powerful and accomplished men. Any surprises there?
Full cylinders aheadIn 1884, Henry Royce made his first car, a twocylinder Royce 10 in his Manchester factory in 1904. Soon after, he met another owner of a motor car dealership, C.S.Rolls & Co.
In spite of his fondness for three or four cylinder cars, Rolls was convinced of the sheer mettle of the Royce 10, and in a subsequent agreement took on all the cars Royce could make.
All would be badged as Rolls-Royces, and be sold exclusively by Rolls. The first Rolls-Royce 10 hp was unveiled at a glittering function in Paris in 1904. Rolls-Royce Limited was formed on 15 March 1906, by which time it was apparent that new premises were required for the production of the cars. After considering several sites Derby was chosen for its cheap electricity. Production began in early 1908. Confronted with the falling sales of Silver Ghost the company ended the one-model policy followed since 1908.
In 1931 Rolls-Royce acquired the much smaller, but respected rival car maker Bentley after the latter’s finances failed to withstand the Great Depression of 1929. From soon after World War II until 2002 standard Bentley and Rolls-Royce cars were often identical apart from the radiator grille and minor details.
In 1933, the colour of the Rolls-Royce radiator monogram was changed from red to black because the red sometimes clashed with the coachwork colour selected by clients, and not as a mark of respect for the passing away of Royce as is commonly stated. (But then, such talk has always surrounded the car) Rolls-Royce and Bentley car production soon began to assemble complete cars with bodies from the Pressed Steel Company (the new standard steel models) for the first time in the mid forties. Earlier on they had built only the chassis, leaving the bodies to specialist coach-builders.
In 1933, the colour of the Rolls-Royce radiator monogram was changed from red to black because the red sometimes clashed with the coachwork colour selected by clients, and not as a mark of respect for the passing away of Royce as is commonly stated. (But then, such talk has always surrounded the car)
Southern superstar Chiranjeevi owns a Phantom too gifted to him by star son Ram Chara.
Then there’s none other than Mr. Perfectionist Aamir Khan who drives the Rolls-Royce Ghost which is known to pick up a speed of 60 miles in 4.7 seconds and 100 kilometres speed in 4.9 seconds. Sanjay Dutt and southern director Shankar own a Ghost as well.
And since we are talking envy of the kind that has never been witnessed before, can the King of Good Times, the liquor baron Vijay Mallya himself be far behind?
With the billionaires club getting younger entrants every day, Paras Gupta, a 22-year old NewDelhi resident hit the headlines for being the youngest owner of a RollsRoyce Ghost Series II. Paras is the director of Mother’s Pride, a pre-school chain with branches across north India and Mumbai, first established by his mother Sudha Gupta. He said the car was much-admired by his other entrepreneur friends who were also aiming to own it someday.
Why a Rolls costs more
For the super-rich Middle-Eastern royalty, it would seem the world’s most coveted car isn’t enough, it needs to be customis ed to the T. From extra high roofs to fit in tall hats and elongated floors to make room for bending servants, clients are willing to pay millions of dollars for such modifications as an extra 3½ft of plush-carpeted floor space and rear-facing seats in a Phantom model, to make space for their staff.
The Beatle John Lennon famously had the car painted with funky patterns, causing such great fury in the London of the 1960s that one elderly lady attacked it with her umbrella, shouting: “You swine! How dare you do this to a Rolls-Royce?”
Other orders have included fitting a footbath so that an owner could prepare for prayer in the mosque, lining the interiors with mink, while a Russian billionaire wanted a longer footwell to accommodate his girlfriend’s 44 inch legs. However, the company has been known to turn down such outrageous demands as a hot pink Rolls, and another covered with solid gold in keeping with the dignity that befits the Rolls. The Crown Prince of Brunei and his family own 500 Rolls-Royces—the world’s biggest collection ever.
Boggles the mind?! Well, that is the normal effect.
Vintage vignettesThe Rolls enjoys a unique advantage over other luxury brands: It is the only brand among the luxury models sold in the early years of the 20th century which is still available in the market and is also in a position to keep track of earlier coveted models, given the thriving owners’ club all over the world.
Recently, there have been several attempts by still well to do members of erstwhile Indian royalty attempting to buy back models that belonged to their famous kingly ancestors. A noteworthy instance being Indra Vikram Singh, of the erstwhile royal Rajpipla family which ruled from the banks of the Narmada in Gujarat for over 600 years. As per reports, Vikram Singh is busy trying to buy back one once owned by the family, a Silver Ghost, featured in the James Bond film Octopussy.
- By Kalyani Sardesai
