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The Rolls-Royce 25/30 built between 1936 and 1938 is an updated version of the Rolls-Royce 20/25 with a larger engine to provide more power. This was done due to complaints about performance for earlier models. While never officially quoted by Rolls-Royce, the 20/25 engine developed an estimated 65-horsepower in terms of "true" output.
Chassis-Only Production:
Rolls-Royce produced only the rolling chassis and mechanical components. The body was crafted by independent coachbuilders chosen by the buyer, resulting in a wide variety of bespoke designs.
Notable Coachbuilders:
Park Ward (e.g., formal limousine bodies, as seen in chassis GRP41).
Thrupp & Maberly (e.g., sports saloon designs).
Gurney Nutting (e.g., Sedanca de Ville and Sedanca Coupe, known for elegant and royal commissions).
H.J. Mulliner (e.g., sports saloon with sunroof, chassis GAR 46).
Salmons & Sons (e.g., Tickford All-Weather Saloon with a patented wind-down hood mechanism).
Windovers (e.g., Standard Four-Door Saloon).
Customization:
Bodies ranged from formal limousines and saloons to sporty coupes and open tourers. Examples include the rare Martin Walter Four-Door Cabriolet (one of three built) and the James Young Ltd. Fixed-Head Coupe (a one-off design).
This is a relatively late-production example of the Rolls-Royce 25/30. As such, it incorporates many highly desirable running changes made during the model's production run. Among the many features, a glass division window separates the chauffeur from the rear passenger compartment.
The Rolls-Royce 25/30 appeared in films such as The Naked Truth (1957), Death on the Nile (1978), and several others. Although the sultan in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) calls his car a Phantom II, the technical details he recites are those of the 25/30. However, the actual on-screen car was neither; it was a 1935 20/25.
Historical Context and Production:
Purpose: The 25/30 was introduced to meet the demand for a more powerful car capable of handling larger, heavier coachwork, which had caused performance complaints with the 20/25. It was a stop-gap model between the 20/25 (1929–1936) and the Wraith (introduced in 1938).
Production Run: Approximately 1,201 units were built from 1936 to 1938, making it rarer than the 20/25 (3,827 units).
Price: The chassis was priced at around £1,100, consistent with the 20/25 and earlier Twenty models, reflecting Rolls-Royce’s efforts to maintain affordability by using proprietary components like the Stromberg carburetor and SU fuel pumps.
Market: Targeted at the luxury owner-driver market, the 25/30 was popular among notable figures like T.O.M. Sopwith, Prince Bira, and Sir Malcolm Campbell, who appreciated its balance of performance and maneuverability.
259.8 cubic-inch inline 6-cylinder engine
Stromberg downdraught carburetor
Estimated 65 horsepower
4-speed gearbox (Synchromesh is fitted to third and top gears)
132-inch wheelbase
1,201 made between 1936 and 1938
Right-hand drive
Pre-War Classics / 1916–1941
