Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost
1907-1925 · Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost — Luxury Saloon, Inline-6, designed by Henry Royce.
The Story
The 40/50 hp of 1906 is the cornerstone of Rolls-Royce. It earned its ‘Silver Ghost’ nickname from a single demonstrator – chassis 60551, registered AX201, the 12th built – which managing director Claude Johnson had finished in aluminium paint with silver-plated fittings. Its uncanny silence and mechanical refinement were unlike anything else on the road.
AX201 then proved it. In 1907 it took on the Scottish Reliability Trial and, immediately after, a gruelling 15,000-mile run – London to Glasgow 27 times – suffering just one involuntary stop, traced to a fuel tap accidentally left off. The prestigious journal The Autocar duly crowned the 40/50 ‘the best car in the world,’ a phrase Rolls-Royce never coined itself but has lived up to ever since. The Silver Ghost made the marque – and AX201 is today regarded as the most valuable car on earth.
The Numbers
Benchmarked against its class
Each dial ranks this car within its Luxury Saloon class — fuller means higher, and the tick marks the class midpoint.
Signature Colors
The Designer
Henry Royce
Co-founder of Rolls-Royce (1904, with the Hon. Charles Rolls) and its engineering soul. He designed the Silver Ghost and the great Phantom chassis; his final design was the Phantom III V12, completed after his 1933 death. His engineering ethos also shaped the RR aero engines.
Studio Motors POV
The Silver Ghost is the cornerstone – the car that minted ‘the best car in the world’ and arguably the most valuable automobile on earth; to own one is to be custodian of the marque’s founding myth.
The Engine
Rolls-Royce 40/50 Silver Ghost Six (side-valve)
Market & Value
Values on cars like this move monthly. Our brokers price from real transactions.
What Reviewers Said About Silver Ghost
Worth Knowing About the Silver Ghost
3 Things You Didn’t Know
- 1) 'The best car in the world' was coined by The Autocar in 1907 – not by Rolls-Royce itself. 2) The original AX201 covered a 15,000-mile reliability run (London-Glasgow 27 times) with only ONE involuntary stop – caused by a petrol tap left in the off position. 3) AX201 is considered the most valuable car in the world: insured at ~$35M in 2005, with later valuations reported far higher.
5 Fast Facts
- 1) 7.0L (later 7.4L) side-valve straight-six; ~48 bhp early. 2) Built 1906-1925; 7,874 made (UK + Springfield). 3) The original 'Silver Ghost' (AX201) was the 12th 40/50, finished in aluminium paint + silver fittings. 4) Used as armoured cars in WWI; T.E. Lawrence's 'Blue Mist' staff car. 5) The car that established 'the best car in the world.'
Provenance
Owners & what to look for
Famous Owners
T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) used a 1909 Silver Ghost, ‘Blue Mist,’ as his personal staff car during the Arab Revolt (documented). Broadly favoured by the royalty and heads of state of its era.
Studio Buyer’s Brief
Provenance is everything: documented-history cars and the sporting ‘London-to-Edinburgh’ examples are the grails, and values swing widely with coachwork and history. This is a concours / museum blue-chip, bought as custodianship, not transport.
Full Specifications
- Make / Model
- Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost
- Class
- Luxury Saloon
- Production years
- 1907-1925
- Units built
- 7,874 (6,173 UK + 1,701 Springfield)
- Variants
- 40/50 hp; Springfield (US-built); open tourers & coachbuilt bodies
- Engine layout
- Front
- Engine
- Inline-6
- Engine family
- Rolls-Royce 40/50 Silver Ghost Six (side-valve)
- Displacement
- 7.0L (7,036 cc); 7.4L (7,428 cc) from 1910
- Power
- 48 hp
- Torque
- lb-ft
- 0–60 mph
- s
- Top speed
- 63 mph
- Power-to-weight
- 35 hp/tonne · 63 lb/hp
- Transmission
- 3-speed, later 4-speed manual
- Drivetrain
- Rear-wheel drive · Petrol
- Curb weight
- 3025 lb
Questions
Silver Ghost FAQ
Why is the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost called the Silver Ghost?
The name comes from chassis AX201, the 12th 40/50 hp built, finished in aluminium paint with silver-plated fittings. Its ghostlike appearance and uncanny mechanical silence made the nickname inevitable.
How many Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts were built?
A total of 7,874 Silver Ghosts were produced between 1906/1907 and 1926: 6,173 at the Derby factory in England and 1,701 at the Springfield, Massachusetts plant in the United States.
What engine is in the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost?
The Silver Ghost used a 7.0-litre side-valve straight-six, enlarged to 7.4 litres from 1910, producing approximately 48 bhp in early specification — exceptional refinement for its era.
How much is a Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost worth today?
Silver Ghost values span a wide range — many examples sell below $300,000, while coveted early tourers and significant examples reach $750,000-$1,000,000+. Rare record-setting cars at Bonhams and RM Sotheby’s have gone considerably higher.
Who are famous owners of the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost?
T.E. Lawrence drove a 1909 Silver Ghost named Blue Mist as his personal staff car during the Arab Revolt of 1916-1918. The Silver Ghost was also the preferred transport of royalty and heads of state worldwide.
The Rolls-Royce Lineup
Explore every Rolls-Royce
Silver Ghost ’06
Silver Wraith ’46Silver Dawn ’49
Phantom IV ’50Silver Cloud I ’55Phantom V ’59Silver Cloud II ’59
Silver Cloud III ’62Silver Shadow I ’65Phantom VI ’68
Corniche (1971) ’71Camargue ’75Silver Shadow II ’77
Silver Spirit / Silver Spur ’80
Corniche (2000) ’00Phantom VII ’03Ghost (1st Gen) ’09
Wraith ’13Dawn ’15Phantom VIII ’17Sweptail ’17Cullinan ’18
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