The Legendary Rolls Royce 20 H.P., A Centenary Rejoiced

1922 Rolls Royce 20 H.P. (4-G-II), Sir Henry Royce

Many years ago, a legend was born, known to the world simply as the ‘Twenty’. On 6 October 2022, Rolls Royce marked its centenary and rejoiced in the legacy of the 20 H.P.

The legendary Rolls Royce 20 H.P. was designed by Sir Henry Royce himself, and ranks among the most important and influential models ever produced by the marque.

It was the first Rolls Royce specifically built for the owner-driver, rather than for chauffeured use, and sets the mechanical template for generations of the marque’s motor cars that ensued.

A long-lasting legacy, it is the direct ancestor of today's Ghost, Wraith, Dawn and Cullinan, and the ‘Twenty’ also has historical parallels with the forthcoming Spectre.

Rolls Royce Motor Cars’ chief executive officer, Torsten Müller-Ötvös, expressed, “Every Rolls Royce is both evolutionary and revolutionary, true to our essential design and engineering principles, while taking technology, comfort and the driving experience to a new level. But during our long history, there have been certain defining models that have permanently altered the wider automotive landscape. The ‘Twenty’, launched 100 years ago, is one of them. We join with owners and enthusiasts around the world in marking this very special occasion and celebrating the lasting legacy of this legendary and much-loved motor car.”

Rolls Royce 20 H.P. - The ‘Twenty’

1923 Rolls Royce 20 H.P. (51S6)

1922, on 6 October Rolls Royce unveiled its new ‘small horsepower’ car. The 20 H.P., or simply the ‘Twenty’ as it quickly became known, represented a huge technical leap forward. 

Outstandingly, its straight-six cylinder, 3.1-litre engine was less than half the size of the Rolls Royce Silver Ghost's 7.5-litre unit.

On top of that, the ‘Twenty’ also weighed around 30% less than its aforesaid sibling that underpinned the larger 40/50 H.P. chassis.

This, combined with other advances in engineering design since the Silver Ghost's debut in 1906, meant the performance gap between them was narrower than the stats suggest.

Notably, the lightness of its controls, steering performance, braking and suspension systems made the Silver Ghost seem rather outdated compared to its direct competitors.

1924 Rolls Royce 20 H.P. (GRK50)

Then, akin to all Rolls Royce models of the era, the ‘Twenty’ was built as a ‘rolling chassis’, on which owners can commission bespoke bodywork from an independent coachbuilder.

As Royce intended that it should primarily be an owner-driver car, he hoped the coachbuilders would keep their creations’ size and weight as low as possible.

However, many ‘Twenty’ owners persisted in specifying their preferred style of solid, formal coachwork that was both much heavier than required and produced greater wind resistance. 

To that despair, as these massive, overbuilt bodies inevitably compromised performance, there was only one way to improve the weight‑to‑performance ratio. 

Of which, in 1929, the ‘Twenty’ was succeeded by the 20/25 H.P., powered by an enlarged capacity engine, but even that didn’t solve the issue.

1928 Rolls Royce 20 H.P. (GYL16)

So fast forward to 1935, Rolls Royce produced the 25/30 H.P. with a 4.25-litre powerplant. Ensuing this, the ‘small horsepower’ era finally came to an end with the Wraith of 1938. 

These later iterations were all direct developments of the ‘Twenty’, and today add further lustre to its record and reputation.

Rolls Royce 20 H.P - A Living Legacy

1929 Rolls Royce 20 H.P. (GV04)

Speaking of reputation, the ‘Twenty’ had a profound influence on Rolls Royce long after production ceased in 1929, and at the time no fewer than 2,940 examples had been built. 

Particularly, the straight‑six-cylinder engine with detachable cylinder head and overhead valves, would provide the template for Rolls Royce engines for the next 30 years. 

Open the bonnet of any six‑cylinder Rolls Royce right up to the Silver Cloud model (1955-9) and it is recognisably the same design, albeit with many internal improvements. 

Even when the revered Silver Ghost was replaced by the new Phantom in 1925, its engine also adopted the essential ‘Twenty’ pattern.

Plus, up to the final Phantom VI in 1992, Rolls Royce maintained the two-model policy it had introduced with the launch of the ‘Twenty’ 70 years earlier. 

Enabling the company to cater two groups of clients. Those who enjoy the ‘magic carpet ride’ from the rear seat while being chauffeured, and those who preferred to drive themselves.

Said approach continued into the modern era when Rolls Royce Motor Cars created the smaller Ghost to accompany its larger pinnacle product, the Phantom. 

Though, today’s Rolls Royce clients are a much broader and more diverse constituency than they were in the 1920s, which is reflected in the company’s expanded product portfolio.

Fascinatingly, there are also historical parallels between the ‘Twenty’ and Rolls Royce’s new battery electric vehicle (BEV), the Spectre. 

Both demonstrate the marque’s willingness and ability to respond to a changing world, in which clients have new needs and requirements and old norms no longer apply. 

That said, each represents a step change in technology that will shape the Rolls Royce product family for decades to come. 

Above all, they embody Sir Henry Royce’s most famous saying: “Take the best that exists and make it better”.

1922 Rolls Royce 20 H.P. (4-G-II), Sir Henry Royce