Rolls-Royce looks back at history of ‘Twenty’ on its 100th anniversary

MANILA: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the iconic 20 HP, also known as the “Twenty.”

Designed by Sir Henry Royce, Twenty is considered as the most influential model ever made by Rolls-Royce. It is designed for owner-driver, rather than for chauffeured use.

Twenty is a direct ancestor of the Ghost, Wraith, Dawn, and Cullinan, and has historical parallels with the upcoming Spectre.

In 1906, Rolls-Royce released the 40/50 HP, also known as the Silver Ghost. With its near-silent engine, dependability, and durability, the motor car was named “the best car in the world.” It also set a new “single-model” policy, replacing Rolls-Royce’s previous practice of offering several different models at the same time. This seemed to be a financially prudent strategy until the Great War broke out in 1914.

During the war, Rolls-Royce produced an armored version of the Silver Ghost and worked on other military projects. The war ended in 1918 so in 1919, Rolls-Royce employed 8,000 individuals.

Royce anticipated the need for  a smaller car to counter a reduction in sales of the 40/50 HP chassis. He foresaw that many Rolls-Royce owners would be unable to recruit the domestic staff they had employed before the war. He felt the need to produce a motor car that did not require the laborious weekly maintenance demanded by a Silver Ghost, nor a chauffeur to drive it.

Royce kept in mind that their customers were accustomed to Rolls-Royce standards of excellence and would expect nothing less from a new model, regardless of its size. The company thus reassured him about the proposed 20 HP, saying that “under no circumstances would the standards of excellence maintained in their products be diminished.” Royce then told them that he was impressed “that the standard of excellence of production was maintained.”

On October 6, 1922, Rolls-Royce introduced the 20 HP as its new “small horsepower” car. It was powered by a straight six-cylinder, 3.1-liter engine. Its weight was reduced by around 30% compared to the Silver Ghost.

With the lightness of its controls and the performance of its steering, braking, and suspension systems, the Twenty made the Silver Ghost seem outdated.

The Twenty received positive feedback from the owners. In letters to the motoring press, it was described as “a charming piece of mechanism” and “sweet-running.” An expert assessment of the Twenty also described it as “everything a motorist can want… motoring with a high degree of refinement and its simplicity of construction will delight the driver.” Rolls-Royce also received a letter from a Twenty owner from France, saying, “I drove my 20 HP here from Liverpool and am very satisfied with the running of the engine, not having to change gear between Liverpool and Versailles.”

The Twenty was made as a “rolling chassis,” on which customers commissioned bespoke bodywork from an independent coachbuilder. Unfortunately, many Twenty customers specified their preferred type of solid, formal coachwork which was heavier and produced greater wind resistance. These overbuilt bodies affected the performance.

In 1929, Rolls-Royce ceased the production of the Twenty.

According to Rolls-Royce, there are historical parallels between the Twenty and the Spectre, the brand’s new battery electric vehicle. Both represent the brand’s commitment to adapt to an evolving society, in which customers have new demands and old norms no longer apply. Both models embody Royce’s iconic quote: “Take the best that exists and make it better.”

Photos from Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

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