1925 Rolls-Royce WWI Armored Car Replica

Bonhams exhibited British understatement when it said, “Prospective buyers are advised not to rely heavily on the front brakes, which are not connected”

by Diane Brandon

Once described by Lawrence of Arabia as “above rubies in the desert,” Rolls-Royce’s WWI armored cars proved to be astonishingly durable. But a mandate from the British Government did what the Empire’s enemies couldn’t and the last was scrapped in 1944. There are no survivors, but an accurate replica just sold at auction.

The project stemmed from a 1914 report that Belgian soldiers were using an armor-plated Minerva sedan car to raid the German Army. Inspired by this knowledge, Rolls-Royce quickly armored an assortment of Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts donated by private citizens. The cars were shielded with 3/8” thick armor plate, fitted with dual rear axles and two machine guns, with 3,000 rounds of ammunition. They carried a crew of three and despite their crudeness (and four ton weight), could reliably maintain 60 mph on dirt roads, thanks to the seven-liter, six-cylinder engine.

Each car had a five-foot steel machine gun turret, with an open...