Phantom V
(1959-1968)
Seven passenger Phantom V limousine by Park Ward. Styling by John Blatchley and his team which were based at Crewe.
1962 Phantom V chassis No 5CG37 built by Park Ward for HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. It was finished after the merger with HJ Mulliner and is officially called an HJ Mulliner, Park Ward, but it retained it's Park Ward design number.
Years in production : 1959 - 1968
No. Made : 516
Engine : 8 cylinder 90 degree V configuration
Transmission : 4 speed automatic gearbox
Chassis : All welded closed box section frame with centre cruciform bracing
Dimensions : Wheelbase 145 inches
Performance : Max speed 101.7 mph (163.64 km/h)
At the top of the Rolls-Royce hierachy was placed the biggest ever Rolls-Royce; the Phantom V.
Although its name implies that it was the natural successor to the Phantom IV, it is more probable that it was intended to replace the Silver Wraith.
The Phantom V was based on the Silver Cloud II, sharing its newly developed V8 engine and the four speed automatic gearbox based on the General Motors Hydramatic design. Coupled to the gearbox was the brake servo. The chassis clearly followed the Silver Cloud's layout, but was lengthened and strengthened considerably by massive reinforcements and front and rear track were of greater dimensions. A final drive of particularly low gear permitted unfussy progress at a speed only slightly above walking pace. This was provided for use during, for example, ceremonial occasions.
Although the Phantom V had the same wheelbase as the Phantom IV, the overall length measured some 10 inches more for the new model. It should be remembered however, that a comparison with the Silver Wraith makes better sense. In this context the increase cannot be described as other than enormous because the wheelbase of the Phantom V was 145 inches whereas the Silver Wriath, in its later, long wheelbase version measured 133 inches.
A curious side to this is that the sales catalogue and all other press information published an incorrect wheelbase figure of 144 inches - this was corrected some thirty years later in 1989.
Vast motor cars built to be driven by chauffeurs and fitted with unique coachwork to the customer's specification were not in great demand by 1959. The Phantom V, therefore, was manufactured to fill a highly specialised niche, a niche nonetheless profitable for its smallness. the series achieved overall production of 516 examples.
By this time the number of independent coachbuilders had dwindled to very few companies indeed. The Phantom V was Hooper's swansong. After completing the body for the experimental Phantom V (chassis no 44EX), which had been clothed before production of the series started, Hooper were to build only one body for the type. In December 1959 Hooper ceased production. Following a design by Hooper and supervised by their chief designer, Osmond Rivers, a body was built by Chapron in France, to be followed some time later by a second of similar layout. H J Mulliner recorded nine bodies of their production before this company, with its fine tradition, was taken over by Rolls-Royce. Park Ward, with 156 bodies and H J Mulliner, Park Ward, after the merger of both companies in 1962, with 152 bodies, were responsible for the greater share of coachwork for this ceremonial car.
As a moderately successful indpendent company James Young maintained themselves with 195 bodies, some of these being finished as sedanca de villes. By 1960 this form of coachwork was so antiquated that these james Young sedancas are very likely to remain the last of the type to be built.