1976 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI Limousine

• Exported to Japan in 1986
• Imported by the vendor
• Recent gearbox refurbishment
• The last word in motoring luxury in its day

Surely, there can be no other automobile in the world quite like the Rolls-Royce Phantom VI, embodying as it does the very best of British tradition and unmatched craftsmanship while maintaining an air of understatement suitable for any grand occasion.

Introduced at the same time as the new V8-engined Silver Cloud II and Bentley S2, Rolls-Royce's new limousine model, the long-wheelbase Phantom V, effectively replaced both the royalty/heads of state-only Phantom IV and the Silver Wraith. Built on a much modified and strengthened Silver Cloud II chassis, the new Phantom measured over 6 metres (19' 6") in length and enabled coachbuilders to combine the desirable qualities of spacious interior accommodation with generous boot space and graceful lines. A lower final drive ratio ensured that, while top speed was a little down on that of its stable-mates, though still in excess of 100mph, the new Phantom could all but match them for acceleration.

Rolls-Royce's in-house coachbuilder Park Ward Limited produced what was in effect the 'standard' seven-passenger limousine coachwork for the Phantom V. The usual upholstery for the front compartment was leather, which was also included in the list of alternatives for the rear together with West of England Cloth. As one would expect in a car of this class, a cocktail cabinet was often incorporated into the rear compartment, while electric windows and air conditioning were among the other options.

Park Ward's design remained substantially unaltered until the introduction of the Silver Cloud III and Bentley S3 in the autumn of 1962 when it was revised to incorporate the new models' four-headlamp lighting arrangement and a completely new above-waistline treatment. Now built by the combined firm of H J Mulliner, Park Ward Ltd, the car lived on into the 1990s as the Phantom VI, its passing in 1992 marking the final demise of the separate-chassis Rolls-Royce. Only 374 Phantom VI limousines were built, with fewer than 40 produced during the model's final decade.

The last word in motoring luxury in its day, this magnificent Phantom VI comes with extensive history including copies of the original build sheets and purchase orders. This example was supplied new in the UK in July 1976 and shipped to Japan in 1986 where it was understood to have been used by the Japanese diplomatic service. The car is finished in Masons' Black over garnet with black-piped red hide upholstery up front and dark red Parkertex in the rear. Little used in recent years it was purchased by the current owner, brought back and kept on static display. In his ownership the car has had a gearbox overhaul, with the invoice on file for over £8,000.