| Rolls-Royce Phantom III | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Rolls-Royce Ltd |
| Production | 1936–1939 727 produced |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Luxury car |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 7338 cc (447 cubic inches)V12 |
| Transmission | 4-speedmanual |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 142 in (3607 mm) |
| Curb weight | 1,837 kg (4,050 lb)[1] (chassis only) 3,500 kg (7,700 lb)[1] (approx - with Barker & Co 4 door body) |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Phantom II |
| Successor | Silver Wraith Phantom IV |
TheRolls-Royce Phantom III was the final large pre-warRolls-Royce. Introduced in 1936, it replaced thePhantom II, and it was the only V12 Rolls-Royce until the 1998 introduction of theSilver Seraph. It is the first of the three V12-powered Rolls-Royce Phantoms, with the 2003-2017Rolls-Royce Phantom VII and 2018-Rolls-Royce Phantom VIII being the other two.727 V12 Phantom III chassis were constructed from 1936 to 1939, and approximately 650 have survived. Although chassis production ceased in 1939 (with one final chassis being built in 1940), cars were still being bodied and delivered in 1940 and 1941. Though the rolling chassis was completed in 1941, the last car was not delivered with a body to its owner until 1947. The Phantom III was the last car thatHenry Royce worked on – he died, aged 70, a year into the Phantom III's development.[2]
In 1934, with Rolls-Royce newly in control ofW.O. Bentley’s firm and looking to leap forward in engine development, the company acquired 1934Cadillac V-16 #5100024, and shipped it to England for study. Bentley himself spent more than 10,000 miles behind its wheel across Europe and came away impressed. His evaluation fed directly into the next wave of Rolls-Royce engine designs and development of Phantom III.[3][4]
The III is powered by an aluminium-alloy V12 engine of 447in³ (7.32L), having a bore of 3.25 inches (82.5 mm) and a stroke of 4.5 inches (114.3 mm). It is apushrod engine withoverhead valves operated by a single camshaft in the valley between the cylinder banks. Early cars had hydraulic tappets or a unique system of eccentric bushings in each rocker that was actuated by a small hydraulic piston; the eccentric bushing ensured zero valve-lash at the rocker/valve interface. This system was changed to solid adjustable tappets in 1938. The Phantom III is unusual for itstwin ignition systems, with two distributors, two coils and 24 spark plugs. A twin SU electric pump provides petrol. Wire wheels are fitted as standard, but many cars carry Ace wheel discs, which were fitted to improve cosmetics and to reduce the time taken to clean the wire wheels after use.
The car features onboard jacking and a one-shot chassis lubrication system, operated by a lever inside the driver's compartment.Independent front suspension by acoil spring-based system is complemented by a carryoversemi-elliptical spring unit in the rear. The car has a 4-speedmanual transmission withsynchromesh on gears 2, 3 and 4. An overdrive gearbox was added in 1938, the ratio change being contained in the gearbox rather than in a separate unit. The car has 4-wheel servo-assisted brakes applied by cable (using a servo made under licence fromHispano-Suiza). The radiator shell is of Staybrite steel.
The sheer bulk of the car is reflected in its performance figures. An example tested in 1938 byThe English Autocar magazine returned a top speed of 87½ mph (140 km/h) and a 0 - 60 mph (0 – 96 km/h) time of 16.8 seconds.[1] The overall fuel consumption quoted from that road test was 28 litres per 100 kilometres (10 mpg‑imp; 8.4 mpg‑US).[1]
Only the chassis and mechanical parts were made by Rolls-Royce. Car bodies were constructed and fitted bycoachbuilders selected by owners or dealers, who might have cars built for showroom stock. Some famous coachbuilders who produced bodies for Rolls-Royce cars areBarker,Park Ward,Mulliner,Hooper andThrupp & Maberly. Body types and limousines included saloons, coupés, and convertibles. A handful of used cars have been converted tohearses andshooting brakes.
In 1964, 25 years after the end of production, the villainousAuric Goldfinger (played byGert Fröbe) was driven by chauffeurOddjob in a black and yellow Phantom III in the James Bond filmGoldfinger, knowing that its great strength would be able to hold the weight of the vast amounts of gold that he smuggled around Europe.[5][better source needed]
_(cropped).jpg)
.jpg)
