Of the numerous body styles catalogued for the Springfield Phantom I, among the sportiest and most attractive was the Derby, named for the town where Rolls-Royce’s main factory operated. Essentially a four-passenger version of Brewster’s dashing York Roadster, the Derby shared that car’s sports car-style curved doors and a low folding windshield, mated to an exceptionally rakish, low-slung top. A folding second cowl and rear windshield graced the close-coupled interior, while the trunk was of a compact, curved design that hugged the body. Long, narrow open fenders accentuated the overall appearance of lightness and speed, unusual for any Phantom I. John Webb de Campi wrote in Rolls-Royce in America that “these were perhaps the handsomest bodies ever put on a Rolls-Royce chassis”—a bold statement, but one seldom argued by anyone who has seen a Derby in the metal.
Mr. De Campi recorded that at least twenty examples of the Derby were produced, some of which were used in-period on more than one chassis, and not all of which have survived. Those that do exist belong to an illustrious roster of caretakers, including some of the world’s most prominent and best-known collectors and museums, resulting in scant availability.
Story by RM Sotheby’s
