Gooding & Company - Passion of a Lifetime Auction - 5 September 2020 - During the Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace
High-Performance Alpine Eagle Speed Model with Desirable Factory Options
Coachwork in the Style of Million-Guiet
Estimate: £1,000,000 - £1,400,000
Chassis: 24LW
Engine: TW72
Originally Delivered to Uruguayan Politician, Diplomat, and Businessman Diego Pons
Magnificent Restoration Performed by Marque Specialist P & A Wood and Steve Penny
Exquisitely Detailed Throughout and Presented with Period-Correct Accessories
7,428 CC L-Head Inline 6-Cylinder Engine
Single Updraft Rolls-Royce Carburetor
50 HP at 1,500 RPM
4-Speed Manual Gearbox
Rear-Wheel Mechanical Drum Brakes
Front Solid Axle with Semi-Elliptical Leaf Springs and Shock Absorbers
Rear Live Axle with Cantilever Leaf Springs and Shock Absorbers
In series production from 1907 through 1926, the 40/50 HP was, in keeping with Henry Royce’s perfectionist ethos, continuously refined throughout its extraordinary two-decade run. To honor their near-perfect performance in the 1913 Alpine Trial, Rolls-Royce offered duplicates of their team cars called Alpine Eagles. An improved version of the already outstanding London-to-Edinburgh model, the Alpine Eagle benefited from all the design changes brought into production along with a new four-speed gearbox and aluminum pistons, as used on the victorious trials cars.
This particular Silver Ghost, chassis 24LW, is a prime example of the highly sought-after Alpine Eagle. As noted in the factory’s build records, this chassis was ordered for the Paris branch of Rolls-Royce and was specially equipped with an optional short-throw lever gearbox, D-type steering rake, nickel fittings, and French chassis plate. Originally bodied by Million-Guiet, the Alpine Eagle was delivered to Diego Pons, a prominent Uruguayan politician, winemaker, and ambassador to the Holy See in the Vatican. In the current ownership, the Silver Ghost has been treated to a complete show-quality restoration carried out by marque expert P & A Wood and master craftsman Steve Penny. Combining fascinating international provenance with a stellar restoration, this magnificent Alpine Eagle is among the most exciting examples of the model that established Rolls-Royce’s reputation as “The Best Car in the World.”
Please note that this lot is Swiss registered and has Swiss registration. This lot has entered the UK on a temporary import bond, which must be cancelled either by exporting the lot outside the UK on an approved Bill of Lading with supporting customs documentation or by paying the applicable VAT and import duties to have the lot remain in the UK.
