Apprentices restore a part of Rolls-royce’s racing history
The first vehicles ever produced by Rolls-royce Motor Cars at its then new home near Chichester more than 20 years ago were not the amazing luxury vehicles for which the company is famed. In fact, they were a pair of hand-built gravity racers which took part in the Soapbox Challenge at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the 2001 and 2002.
Ateamofrolls-royceapprentices have now worked together to refurbish these original cars. The racers have now been loaned to the Rolls-royce Enthusiasts’ Club, and are proudly displayed at their Northamptonshire headquarters.
Rolls-royce Motor Cars is commemorating the first vehicles of the Goodwood era. Contrary to popular belief, this was notthefirstnewphantomhanded overtoitscommissioningclientat 00.01 on 1 January 2003; in fact, Rolls-royce’smodernrenaissance begantwoyearsprior,atthegoodwood Festival of Speed Soapbox Challenge.
Andrew Ball, Head of Corporate Relations and Heritage, Rolls-royce Motor Cars, said: “It has been a great privilege to reminisceonthefirstvehicleseverproducedatthehomeofrolls-royce.
Not many will know that, before any of the first Phantoms were handed to clients, a pair of hand-built gravity racers took part in the Soapbox Challenge at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Having been retired from racing activities and subsequently displayedinourheadquarters,weare delighted to announce that they have been refurbished by our apprentices, who have worked tirelessly to restore them to their former glory.
Over two decades on from their first outing, these priceless artefactsactasapleasantreminder of how far we have come in the last 20 years at the Home of Rollsroyce.weareconfidentthatthey willbecherishedbyourfriendsat therolls-royceenthusiasts’club, where they will add to an already vast archive of Rolls-royce’s rich and storied history.”
Before Spectre, Cullinan, Ghost or Phantom, there were the Rolls-royce Close Coupled Drophead Gravity Racers. A teaser to the marque’s Goodwood resurgence, these four-wheeled, motorless vehicles – codenamed RR-0.01 and RR-0.02 – were true one-of-one commissions, built by the same skilled hands that would soon relaunch the brand in the West Sussex countryside. With ‘Project Rolls-royce’ still in its infancy – planning permission for the new facility had only just been granted – the racers were commissioned to participate in the Soapbox Challenges at the 2001 and 2002 editions of thegoodwoodfestivalofspeed,a gruellingdownhillraceforgravity powered vehicles.
The lines on RR-0.01 offered tantalising clues to the design of the first Goodwood Phantom. Built from carbon and glass fibre, compositehoneycombplatesand precision aluminium components, its monocoque shell bore a striking resemblance to Phantom VII, winning the award for the best design at the 2001 Festival of Speed. It was adorned with aunique,‘marchhare’mascoton its bonnet; the redesigned Spirit of Ecstasy would not make its debut on Phantom until the newly built Goodwood site officially opened its doors in 2003. In the 2001 Soapbox Challenge, it was driven by Ian Cameron, Rollsroyce’s first Design Director of the modern era, who was able to overhaul the Bentley racer on the final corner.
RR-0.02 was inspired by the Silver Ghost, winner of the 1911 London to Edinburgh Trial and the1913alpinetrial,accomplishments which cemented Rollsroyce’s position as creators of the ‘bestcarintheworld’.likeitsillustrious predecessor, RR-0.02 was built with speed in mind, with its formula racing-style steering racks combining with its slick, tubular tyres to minimise rolling resistance; in a fitting tribute, Ian Cameron led the team to victory inthespeedchallengeatthe2002 Soapbox race, lifting the Newton Apple award for the fastest racer.
It was also bestowed with the Merit of Excellence by the ‘Wazir’ of Goodwood, a discretionary award for racers of particular distinction,earningthehonorary title of Grand Soap Wazir. Made fromaluminiumandcarbonfibre, with a painted wood aft deck and leather trim, it was emblazoned with a one-of-a-kind, doublequestion mark monogram above its pantheon grille, offering further hints to the marque’s Goodwood revival.
Followingthesetriumphs,the racers were proudly displayed in the main reception area of the newly completed Home of Rollsroyce, attracting attention and admiration from curious clients and visitors for many years. A testament to the Goodwood site’s formative years, they would have their racing swansong in the fifth and final Soapbox Challenge in 2013. Once again, they successfully completed the course, with RR-0.02 reaching a top speed of 72mphonitswaytothefinishline just outside Goodwood House.
These remarkable vehicles havenowbeenfaithfullyrestored to their former glory by the next generation of skilled artisans and craftspeopleatthehomeofrollsroyce, ready for the next chapter in their fascinating history.
The racers recently underwent a full-body and mechanical restoration, managed by a team of Rolls-royce Apprentices. This included a complex repair to the frontgrilleonrr-0.01,andahandmade replacement front-screen veneer on RR-0.02, both having been originally damaged during their racing exploits.
From Goodwood, the racers travelled to the headquarters of therolls-royceenthusiasts’club at Hunt House in Northamptonshire. Here, they take pride of place in the Club’s unrivalled collectionofrolls-roycerecordsand memorabilia, over 20 years since theykickedoffanewdawnforthe marque.
In 2023, as Rolls-royce Motor Cars celebrated 20 years at its Goodwoodsite,itsoldmoremotor cars than ever before in marque’s 119-year history with 6,032 delivered to clients around the world.