No. Made : 516
Engine : 8 cylinder 90 degree V configuration
Transmission : 4 speed automatic gearbox
Chassis : All
welded closed box section frame with centre
cruciform bracing
Dimensions : Wheelbase 145 inches
Performance : Max speed 101.7 mph (163.64 km/h)
Although its name implies that it
was the natural successor to the Phantom IV,
it is more probable that it was
intended to replace the Silver Wraith.
The Phantom V wasbased
on the Silver Cloud II,sharing its newly
developed V8 engine and the
four speed automatic gearbox based
on the General Motors Hydramatic design.
Coupled to the gearbox was the
brake servo. The chassis clearly followed the
Silver Cloud's layout, but was
lengthened and strengthened considerably by massive reinforcements
and front and rear track were of
greater dimensions.
A final drive of particularly low
gear permitted unfussy progress at a speed
only slightly above walking pace.
This was provided for use during,
for example, ceremonial occasions.
Although the Phantom
V had the same wheelbase as the Phantom IV,
the overall length measured some
10 inches more for the new model.
It should be remembered however,
that a comparison with the Silver Wraith makes better sense.
In this context the increase cannot
be described as other than enormous because the wheelbase of the
Phantom V was 145 inches whereas
the Silver Wraith, in its later, long wheelbase version measured 133 inches.
A curious side to this is that the
sales catalogue and all other press information published an
incorrect wheelbase figure of 144
inches- this
was corrected some thirty years later in 1989.
Vast motor cars built to be driven
by chauffeurs and fitted with unique coachwork to the customer's specification
were not in great demand by 1959.
The Phantom V, therefore, was manufactured to fill a highly specialised
niche,
a niche nonetheless profitable
for its smallness. the series achieved overall production of
516
examples.
By this time the number of independent
coachbuilders had dwindled to very few companies indeed.
The Phantom V was Hooper's swansong.
After completing the body for the experimental
Phantom V
(chassis no 44EX), which
had been clothed before production of the series started, Hooper were to
build only
one body for the type.
In December 1959 Hooper ceased
production. Following a design by Hooper and
supervised by their chief designer,
Osmond Rivers, a body was built
by Chapron in France, to
be followed some time later by a second of similar layout.
H J Mulliner recorded
nine bodies of their production before this company, with its fine tradition,
was
taken over by Rolls-Royce.
Park Ward,
with 156 bodies and
H
J Mulliner Park Ward, after the merger of
both companies in 1962,
with 152
bodies, were responsible for the greater share
of coachwork for this ceremonial car.
As a moderately successful indpendent
company James Young maintained
themselves with 195 bodies,
some of these being finished as
Sedanca de Villes.
By 1960 this form of coachwork was
so antiquated that these James Young sedancas
are very likely to
remain the last of the type to
be built.