If you ask all but the most diehard Rolls-Royce fans, they’ll say the ultra-luxury British automaker started production at its current Goodwood facility with the Phantom. The truth is the first two vehicles to roll out of Goodwood were in fact gravity racers, or as some call them soapbox racers. These historic vehicles have been restored and they look fantastic.
See the new Rolls-Royce Ghost Prism.
As Rolls-Royce points out, these two rides were crafted by hand to compete in the Soapbox Challenge at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. After going up against the fierce competition, they were retired from motorsports, the company putting them on display in the reception area of its headquarters.
However, someone in Rolls-Royce brass recently decided the old gravity racers needed to be spruced up and so the company’s famous Apprentices got to work. While most people would think a soapbox racer isn’t all that big of a deal, these two are historically significant and so they went through a meticulous restoration process to a level which might drive anyone who doesn’t understand crazy.
After all, to the casual observer these look like children’s toys hardly worth the serious effort to bring them back to their former glory. What those same casual observers likely don’t understand is the pride that went into crafting these gravity racers. And that push cars, soapbox racers, and other automobilia often sell for big bucks at auctions, especially when there are only two of them in existence.
According to Rolls-Royce, the first car, internally codenamed RR-0.01, was made of carbon and glass fiber, composite honeycomb plates, and precision aluminum for different components, all inspired by the Phantom VII. Instead of the iconic Spirit of Ecstasy up front, it bears a March Hare mascot on the hood.
As for RR-0.02, it was designed as a homage to the Silver Ghost, the car which helped cement Rolls-Royce’s reputation as a premier automaker. With a construction of carbon fiber, aluminum, plus painted wood aft deck with leather trim, it looks fantastic. Thanks to formula racing-style steering racks, slick tires for low rolling resistance, and other design tweaks this car captured the sought-after Newton Apple award for fastest racer at the 2002 race.
No longer kept at Goodwood, the gravity racers are now proudly displayed at the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club at Hunt House in Northamptonshire.
Images via Rolls-Royce
Elizabeth Puckett
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