Rolls-Royce 10 hp
Encyclopedia
The Rolls-Royce 10 hp
was the first car to be produced as a result of an agreement of 23 December 1904 between Charles Rolls
and Henry Royce
, and badged as a Rolls-Royce. The 10 hp was produced by Royce's company, Royce Ltd., at its factory in Trafford Park
, Manchester
, and was sold exclusively by Rolls' motor dealership, C.S.Rolls & Co., at a price of GBP395. The 10 hp was exhibited at the Paris Salon in December 1904, along with 15 hp
and 20 hp cars and engine for the 30 hp
models.
The 10 hp was a development of Henry Royce's first car, the Royce 10, of which he produced three prototypes in 1903. This was itself based on a second-hand Decauville
owned by Royce which he correctly believed he could improve. In particular, Royce succeeded in making his car significantly quieter than existing cars. Unlike the Royce 10 which had a flat topped radiator, the Rolls-Royce 10 hp featured one with a triangular top which would appear on all subsequent cars.
The engine is a water-cooled twin-cylinder
of 1800 cc enlarged to 1995 cc on later cars, with overhead inlet and side exhaust valves, and based on the original Royce engine but with an improved crankshaft. The power output was 12 hp at 1000 rpm. The car has a top speed of 39 mph (63 km/h). There is a transmission brake fitted behind the gearbox operated by foot pedal and internal expanding drum brakes on the back axle operated by the handbrake lever. Springing is by semi-elliptic leaf springs on both front and rear axles. It is a small car with a wheelbase of 75 in (1,905 mm) and a track of 48 in (1,219 mm).
It was intended to make a run of 20 of the cars but only 16 were made as it was thought that a twin-cylinder engine was not appropriate for the marque. The last 10 hp was made in 1906.
Rolls-Royce did not provide the coachwork. Instead, the cars were sold in chassis form for the customer to arrange his own body supplier, with Barker recommended.
Four are believed to survive: the oldest, a 1904 car registered U44, chassis 20154, was sold
for GBP3.2 million (approx GBP3.6 million after commission and taxes) to a private collector by Bonham's auctioneers in December 2007, AX 148 from 1905, chassis 20162, belongs to the UK Science Museum Collection and is usually on display in the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry and SU 13 chassis 20165 from 1907 belongs to Bentley Motors. A fourth car, chassis 20159 is believed to be in a private collection.
Tax horsepower
The tax horsepower or taxable horsepower was an early system by which taxation rates for automobiles were reckoned in some European countries, such as Britain, Belgium, Germany, France, and Italy; some US states like Illinois charged license plate purchase and renewal fees for passenger...
was the first car to be produced as a result of an agreement of 23 December 1904 between Charles Rolls
Charles Rolls
Charles Stewart Rolls was a motoring and aviation pioneer. Together with Frederick Henry Royce he co-founded the Rolls-Royce car manufacturing firm. He was the first Briton to be killed in a flying accident, when the tail of his Wright Flyer broke off during a flying display near Bournemouth,...
and Henry Royce
Henry Royce
Sir Frederick Henry Royce, 1st Baronet, OBE was a pioneering car manufacturer, who with Charles Stewart Rolls founded the Rolls-Royce company.-Early life:...
, and badged as a Rolls-Royce. The 10 hp was produced by Royce's company, Royce Ltd., at its factory in Trafford Park
Trafford Park
Trafford Park is an area of the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England. Located opposite Salford Quays, on the southern side of the Manchester Ship Canal, it is west-southwest of Manchester city centre, and north of Stretford. Until the late 19th century it was the...
, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, and was sold exclusively by Rolls' motor dealership, C.S.Rolls & Co., at a price of GBP395. The 10 hp was exhibited at the Paris Salon in December 1904, along with 15 hp
Rolls-Royce 15 hp
The Rolls-Royce 15 hp was one of four cars to be produced as a result of an agreement of 23 December 1904 between Charles Rolls and Henry Royce. Badged as a Rolls-Royce, the 15 hp was produced by Royce's company, Royce Ltd., at its factory in Trafford Park, Manchester. It was sold exclusively...
and 20 hp cars and engine for the 30 hp
Rolls-Royce 30 hp
The Rolls-Royce 30 hp was one of four cars to be produced as a result of an agreement of 23 December 1904 between Charles Rolls and Henry Royce. Badged as a Rolls-Royce, the 30 hp was produced during 1905 and 1906 by Royce's company, Royce Ltd. at its factory in Trafford Park, Manchester. It...
models.
The 10 hp was a development of Henry Royce's first car, the Royce 10, of which he produced three prototypes in 1903. This was itself based on a second-hand Decauville
Décauville automobile
Decauville was a French automobile maker, a subsidiary of a company already famous for producing locomotives.The company was registered as Société des Voitures Automobiles Decauville in 1897 and the factory started producing automobiles in 1898. The first car was designed by Messrs Joseph Guédon...
owned by Royce which he correctly believed he could improve. In particular, Royce succeeded in making his car significantly quieter than existing cars. Unlike the Royce 10 which had a flat topped radiator, the Rolls-Royce 10 hp featured one with a triangular top which would appear on all subsequent cars.
The engine is a water-cooled twin-cylinder
Straight-two
A straight-two engine, is a two-cylinder piston engine that has its cylinders arranged side by side....
of 1800 cc enlarged to 1995 cc on later cars, with overhead inlet and side exhaust valves, and based on the original Royce engine but with an improved crankshaft. The power output was 12 hp at 1000 rpm. The car has a top speed of 39 mph (63 km/h). There is a transmission brake fitted behind the gearbox operated by foot pedal and internal expanding drum brakes on the back axle operated by the handbrake lever. Springing is by semi-elliptic leaf springs on both front and rear axles. It is a small car with a wheelbase of 75 in (1,905 mm) and a track of 48 in (1,219 mm).
It was intended to make a run of 20 of the cars but only 16 were made as it was thought that a twin-cylinder engine was not appropriate for the marque. The last 10 hp was made in 1906.
Rolls-Royce did not provide the coachwork. Instead, the cars were sold in chassis form for the customer to arrange his own body supplier, with Barker recommended.
Four are believed to survive: the oldest, a 1904 car registered U44, chassis 20154, was sold
Most expensive cars sold in auction
This is a list of the most expensive cars sold in auto auctions through the traditional bidding process, consisting of those that attracted headline grabbing publicity, mainly for the high price their new owners have paid...
for GBP3.2 million (approx GBP3.6 million after commission and taxes) to a private collector by Bonham's auctioneers in December 2007, AX 148 from 1905, chassis 20162, belongs to the UK Science Museum Collection and is usually on display in the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry and SU 13 chassis 20165 from 1907 belongs to Bentley Motors. A fourth car, chassis 20159 is believed to be in a private collection.