Sir Malcolm Campbell’s 1933 Rolls Royce Phantom II Continental is the 3rd ‘Great Phantom’

Sir Malcolm Campbell’s 1933 Rolls Royce Phantom II Continental is the third ‘Great Phantom’ heading for exhibition at the Phantom 8 launch at Bonhams in Mayfair.

We already know the new Rolls Royce Phantom VIII will debut on 27 July at Bonhams in Mayfair, London, as Rolls Royce reveal it in an exhibition called ‘The Great Eight Phantoms’, with the Phantom VIII sitting alongside seven of the greatest Phantoms from Rolls’ history.

So far, RR has revealed that the historic Phantoms on show will include a Phantom I owned by Hollywood legend Fred Astaire and a Phantom III used by Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery during WWII.

Now, with the Phantom reveal just three weeks away, RR has announced that the third of the historic Phantoms on show will be Sir Malcolm Campbell’s Phantom II Continental.

Campbell had a long relationship with Rolls Royce, perhaps the most famous association being the 36.5 litre Rolls Royce Aero engine – good for 2300HP – which powered Campbell’s Blue Bird to a 272mph land speed record on 22 February 1933.

Just a month after setting the new land speed record, Campbell took delivery of this Phantom II Continental, complete with registration AGO 1.

The short wheelbase ‘sportier’ version of the Phantom II, it had improved springing and balance, could hit 95mph (which must have felt like it wasn’t moving to Campbell) and came with extras to Campbell’s specification including a wireless set, spotlight, fire extinguisher, longer exhaust, klaxon, Bosch horn and siren. We guess Campbell wanted to make sure people knew he was coming.

Painted in Pale Blue with dark blue leather – and with a touring body by Barker – Campbell called it “The best Rolls-Royce yet produced”.

No doubt, over the next three weeks, we’ll learn what the remaining four ‘Great Phantoms’ are.