Penn reports back from the recent tour of New Zealand by a group of dedicated Rolls-Royce enthusiasts

This brief article is centred on what is probably the most famous marque in the world, but I doubt if there’s anything new I can add to the lore surrounding the Rolls-Royce legend. However, I do have my own perceptions of this legendary make. These perceptions are random reactions spotted along a spectrum that ranges from the numerous accounts of the superb engineering expertise to their incredibly imposing appearance — almost over the top with the earlier cars. Maybe it’s this, almost bizarre at times, appearance that is the foundation under the awesome reputation enjoyed by these stately sets of wheels. Instantly recognisable, a Rolls confers celebratory status on its driver and the driver’s friends.

Personally, when focusing on that evocative name I tend to think aero-engines and the Battle of Britain. The Rolls-Royce Merlin-equipped Spitfires and Hurricanes set standards of perfection, I believe, which ensured that good triumphed over evil — well, that’s what happens when you win any war, you get defining and naming rights. However, reality says that probably all the aero-engines in use with both the winners and the losers were equally good, because they had to be! I think the Merlin motor even got used in the post WWII Centurion tank.

Legendary Perfection

Okay, I’d better go to the other end of the spectrum. Let’s have a brief look at the motor cars by that same firm. Legendary perfection is the accepted wisdom here too, and that perfection reflected such a glow its owners could bask smugly in the image thus created. A Rolls-Royce of any decade is instantly recognized by virtue of a radiator designed like a Greek temple. Only Rolls-Royce could get away with it. So the man — or the woman — sitting behind it is clearly a very special person. It could be a crowned head or a sexy pop star, or it could be Bill Brown who happens to be a hard worker who hangs onto his money.

A Rolls-Royce does wonders for your image. Try and keep a politician out of the rear seats in a parade.

That said, a dozen or so Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club 20/25 Register cars and members embarked on an image-enhancing New Zealand tour at the end of January. This is the RR English club, which is organised in registers — one per model; The Silver Ghost Register, The Phantom Register, The 20/25 Register etc.

Richard Hadfield, chairman of the NZ section of the RREC, has a 20/25, and he’s also lived and worked in the UK and says these RREC tours are wonderful trips and the one real reason why he would consider moving back to the UK — the club’s European tours are hugely enjoyable. Richard also made the point that it was much more satisfying to tour or rally with similar cars to your own.

Touring in Style

I had a practical demonstration of that on the day I accompanied them during the tour. My respect for these speedy gin palaces was considerably enhanced when trying to keep up with John Stewart in his over 4.0-litres Silver Dawn (way more powerful than a 20/25), who was tail-end Charley, and who I figured could resolve our anticipated, navigational issues if I followed him (Cave Weta was in charge of that). However, our twin-cam 3.0-litre diesel couldn’t keep up with him. I couldn’t even use my advanced age as an excuse, because John has several years on me. So, it had to be superior map-reading and his clean living. Mark you, it just might mean Rolls-Royce builds a better car!

That first day was a shakedown for the cars, which had been freshly unloaded from their shipping containers. Richard and our people had organised a round trip through Kaiaua, Bombay, Miranda and to see Dick Langridge’s superb collection of 20-something Rolls- Royces.

The trip started at the Bombay BP Service Station on the Southern Motorway and, for a change, I was told to drive management’s 3.0-litre diesel while the boss handled the map reading. We followed the very well executed Tour Notes as a navigational exercise — that way she could be in charge of everything — the fact I had been taught map reading in the army was not allowed to hinder my woman’s development.

Astonishingly, we got lost a couple of times and that produced some tensions, eased however by my acceptance of the various criticisms of my driving offered as a cover by the navigator. Naturally, all the foreigners kept on course despite being strangers in a strange land and, I must say, we too thoroughly enjoyed ourselves (there’s nothing like a spat or two to heighten mutual attraction) on what was a perfect summer’s day.

Part of the way we broke the journey by parking all these imposing carriages outside the Kaiaua Fish and Chip shop. I had no end of enjoyment watching the foreigners adjust to our version of their ethnic tucker. It was chosen thus because the fish component is reputedly the best in New Zealand. However, what I was proud of was that the staff were teenagers (unobtrusively run by a young woman) doing a hell of a good job under pressure.

However, I was even prouder to bask in the vicarious glory of the superbly displayed collection of Rolls-Royces owned by Richard Langridge. Richard has spent a lifetime collecting the cars, and topped it off by housing them in a superbly laid-out enclosed courtyard of individual garages. A great showman, he made a little speech justifying his obsessive collector’s behaviour then threw a lever that opened every door simultaneously, revealing all these shiny silver Greek temples. WOW!

The urbane Poms took it in their stride, clapping and expressing their amazement in a refined way, but the Australians stood out as their complexions assumed their national colour.

We Kiwis phlegmatically pretended it was just another collection, struggling to stop our eyeballs giving the lie by bulging excessively. The truth of the matter is, however, that this is possibly the best such privately displayed collection anywhere — and certainly the best in Australasia!

A Successful Tour

The rest of the tour saw the cars travelling from Auckland to Rotorua-Napier-Wellington-(Southwards)-Picton-Nelson- Blenheim-Kaikoura-Darfield-West Coast-Franz Joseph-Wanaka-Queenstown-Dunedin-Tekapo-Mt Cook-Christchurch via Ashburton (where Rolls expert Bruce McIlroy holds sway). In Christchurch the cars went back into their shipping containers and our visitors departed after a suitable celebratory dinner. Richard and Lois Hadfield, however, planned to visit the Napier Art Deco weekend on the way back home.

I have some money sitting doing nothing and it’s burning a hole on my pocket; I can’t help but speculate about the economic recession and what unfortunate Rolls owner is feeling squeezed. I’m not going to live forever, and these cars do get to you, I thought they were just great.

Words and Photos: Penn McKay, Additional Photos: Richard Hadfield

This article is from Classic Car issue 220. Click here to check it out.