One of Henry Royce's last Rolls fetches $325,000 at Bonhams latest sale!

The Rolls-Royce Phantom II was the last car developed by Henry Royce. A beautiful example of this famous automobile, this 1929 Rolls-Royce 40/50hp Phantom II with Weymann Sports Saloon, was purchased by a collector for $325,000 (£205,000) yesterday at the Bonhams Collectors’ Motor Cars and Automobilia sale in Oxford, UK. A good result for the seller considering that this car had a pre-sale estimated value of $ 285,000 – 315,000 (£180,000 – 200,000).

This 1929 Rolls-Royce 40/50hp Phantom II fetched $325,000 yesterday at the Bonhams Collectors’ Motor Cars and Automobilia sale. (Photo: Bonhams)

Historians say the PII was the last of the great six cylinder RR models the development of which was entirely supervised by Henry Royce (who died in 1933). It was introduced in September 1929.

Its predecessor, the New Phantom launched in 1925 (and known today as Phantom I) had inherited its underpinnings from the 40/50hp model (the Silver Ghost). Unlike it, the PII had an entirely new chassis with improved suspension and a new 7,7-liter in-line 6 engine.

A favorite among prominent coachbuilders of its days, the PII chassis provided a platform for some truly outstanding designs, like this one built by H.J. Mulliner.

This vehicle offered at Bonhams sale was built on chassis number '61XJ' and purchased on October 15, 1929, by Captain Leslie George Wylde, a British officer known for his interest in attractive and sporting automobiles.

After a few years, he sold his PII which then passed through a handful of owners and was modified for each accordingly. Finally in 1947, it was stored for some 30 years. 

This car was fully restored by UK specialists Alpine Eagle in 2003. (Photo: Bonhams)

In 2003, '61XJ' latest owner, Captain Bill Borchert Larson, commissioned the Oxford-area restoration specialist Alpine Eagle to give his classic a new life. A 10-month long project, which reportedly cost around $400,000, brought it to exacting standards.

Since then, it has covered little more than 1,600 kilometers and won two 1st prize awards at the 2004 Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club Annual Rally, in Britain. One can guess that soon this Phantom II will make its way to prestigious events like Pebble Beach and others.-auto123.com