Big mansions, private superyachts, and jets are some of the best ways the one-percenters showcase their opulence to the world. They are always in the race to own the next longest yacht that matches the size of their overblown egos. While most of the struggling folks seek the most economical and affordable car deals, this privileged group of people only want the ultimate status symbols in perfectly designed and engineered rides with the best creature comfort and at no expenses spared. That is where top luxury car brands like Bentley and Rolls-Royce come in to build road-going yachts.
Since its formation in 1904, Rolls-Royce has boasted some of the most exclusive cars ever made. Their ingenuity, innovation, and luxury are expressed in the form of excellent craftsmanship and attention to detail. The cars are practically handmade to the customer's specifications, resulting in the dream masterpieces for the who's who in the world, from self-made entrepreneurs and celebrities to aristocratic nobility. Rolls-Royce's history is fascinating and filled with incredible stats, facts, and stories. Here are ten weird facts you didn't know about Rolls-Royce.
10 Royce 10; First Rolls With Just 10 Horsepower
Today, the Rolls-Royce Wraith is the most powerful car ever built by the British marquee. It houses a potent 6.6-liter V12 engine, delivering a monstrous 624 hp. Perhaps this is a testament to how far the luxury brand has come since its first-ever car, the Royce 10, which produced only 10 hp.
The Royce 10 debuted in 1904 with a 1.8-liter two-cylinder engine, a three-bearing crank, and twin camshafts that actuated the side exhaust and overhead valves. That 10 hp output was quite low even then, seeing the 1904 Buffum 4-4 Greyhound Eight was punching out 80 hp. Regardless, the Royce 10 was a beautiful piece of engineering.
9 Spirit Of Ecstasy Scandal
The flying lady who sat up front on Rolls-Royces is one of the most highly valued centerpieces found in every car. But the origin of the Spirit of Ecstasy is surrounded by scandal. Legend has it first appeared on a car commissioned in 1911 by car collector Baron John Edward Scott-Montagu. The lady figure was based on the likeness of his secretary-turned-mistress, who many believe to be Eleanor Thornton.
The first iterations of the sculpture came with her finger pressed against her lips, a wink to their long affair. Although Thornton perished at sea in 1915, Charles Sykes, the sculptor, adopted a revised version that has been used on all Rolls-Royce cars to date.
8 Peregrine Falcon Detail On A Custom Wraith
On the roofline of a special Rolls-Royce Wraith lies the automaker's most intricate embroidery ever. A Peregrine Falcon, the fastest bird in the world, known for its speed and power, befitting the power and performance of the Wraith. But the devil is in the details.
It took a team of designers, craftspeople, and engineers over a month and nearly 250,000 stitches to accommodate the customer's special request to create the photorealistic complex among the clouds. The designer observed a Peregrine Falcon for hours to understand the bird's musculature, movement, and shading of the feathers.
7 Interior Leather Is Made Purely From Bulls
Auto upholstery is a major factor that separates everyday cars from luxury cars. Most affordable cars use plastics and cheap imitation leather alternatives. But luxurious brands take the interiors a little too seriously, and none more than Rolls-Royce. While cow leather is the choice for most premium cars, it isn't good enough for Rolls-Royce, which only uses leather carefully selected from bulls, with zero blemishes.
Rolls-Royce believes that cows can get stretch marks during pregnancy. Also, the bulls are sourced from Europe, where the higher altitudes protect them from mosquito bites, hence fewer bite marks.
6 About 65% Of All Rolls-Royce Cars Ever Produced Are Still Operational
Each year Rolls-Royce makes between 3,000 and 5,000 cars, with a high of 5,586 units delivered in 2021. About 65% of all cars ever made since 1904 are still on the road, whether in original, restored, or pimped-out condition. It is mind-boggling that more than six out of ten are still roadworthy. The oldest car, a 1904 Royce 10, is still in driving condition and is owned by Scottish collector Thomas Love Jr.
Also, more Rolls-Royce cars are gracing the streets of Hong Kong than anywhere else in the world.
5 Rolls-Royce Powered Blue Bird Broke The 300 Mph Barrier
For decades, hitting the 200 mph mark was a dream, and many thought we could do no better. But a few hypercars have broken the 300 mph barrier with ease, with several others coming close. With the latest advancement, cars are becoming so powerful that the 400 mph mark doesn't seem impossible. Rolls-Royce contributed to beating this feat long before the Bugatti Chiron became the first production car to clock over 300 mph.
In 1935, Sir Malcolm Campbell stuffed a 36.7-liter supercharged Rolls-Royce developed V12 engine inside a Blue Bird that would average 301 mph over two-mile-long passes at Bonneville.
4 Excelled In Manufacturing Aviation Engine
A few automakers have taken their skills beyond the road and into the sky. For instance, Honda and Piaggio, known for their cars/motorcycles and Vespa scooters, respectively, have elegant private jet offerings. Mitsubishi and Toyota have also partnered to produce aircraft. BMW was a manufacturer of aircraft engines before World War I. Also, not many people know that Rolls-Royce has been building aircraft engines since 1914.
Today, the Goodwood-based marque is the second-largest aircraft engine manufacturer in Britain, with its engines propelling the largest commercial plane, the Airbus A380.
3 There Is A Rolls-Royce Driving School For Chauffeurs
Most people who can afford a Rolls-Royce buy it to be driven around and will never find themselves behind the wheels. That is why the most luxurious section of the car is the backseat, where deals are closed, and everything that matters happens. So you need a chauffeur-driven experience as you sip on your champagne and get your back massaged. And to learn to drive a Rolls-Royce professionally is more than about getting a license, but is an essential skill for these car owners.
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You can send your chauffeur to the Rolls-Royce White Glove Chauffeur Training program, where they are taught the best etiquette practices to serve your one-percenter status better.
2 Fridge Offers Two Cooling Modes
How cold do you prefer your drink? According to sommeliers, non-vintage champagne is best served at six degrees centigrade, while vintage champagne tastes better around 11 degrees centigrade. And Rolls-Royce has you covered on both occasions.
Rolls-Royce equips its cars with a fridge offering two cooling modes, chilling to six degrees and eleven degrees centigrade to entertain your guest in the backseat as you would back at your mansion. That's quite impressive, considering most of us can only dream of having any type of fridge in our humble jalopies.
1 About 99 Pounds Of Paint For The Exterior
A regular mid-sized vehicle only requires about 3 quarts of paint, which is equivalent to seven and a half pounds. Now figure this, it takes about 99 pounds of paint to create the flawless exterior of a Rolls-Royce.
Five layers of paint are applied by the two robots in the factory and then polished by highly skilled hands to reach a mirror-like finish. The paint job takes seven days to complete, stretching the entire duration of building a Rolls-Royce to 400 hours.