1927 Rolls-Royce 15EX

The Rolls-Royce 15EX is one of four experimental Phantom I cars with special streamlined bodies (10EX, 15EX, 16EX, and 17EX). They were created in the 1920s at the personal request of Sir Henry Royce, who wanted to explore the performance potential of the new model and get better driving characteristics out of it. He entrusted this task to a young engineer, I. F. Evernden, who realized that traditional bodies were too heavy and outdated. He therefore designed a special lightweight Open Sports Tourer body, with which the Phantom I reached speeds of over 90 mph, even without engine modifications.

After completing development work on the 10EX model, the 15EX was created. Following tests in 1927, it was taken to Hooper & Co., where a special lightweight body was built for it, based on Evernden's designs. However, shortly after completion, the car crashed during test drives in France. At a speed of almost 50 mph, it skidded off the wet road and crashed into a tree. The badly damaged car was returned to Derby, where the chassis was repaired and renumbered 29CL. The engine remained the original 21EX, and the body was changed to a "Continental Torpedo Tourer" built by Barker. Over the next few years, this car was used as an official demonstration car, also known as the "Baden & Prague Propaganda Car." It underwent its last modification in 1931. Once again, but this time for the last time, it was taken to Hooper & Co., where it was converted into a limousine. It has been preserved in this form to this day and is still registered under the same license plate number, CH7189.